April 3, 2009 - Friday

Todays Gazette is coming to you, in part, by "The JOSE COLE CIRCUS".
~~~~~~ FRIDAY, APRIL 3rd ~~~~~~
~ Grafton's National Guard Armory ~
========== 7:00 P.M. ===========
Brought to our community by the Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce
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The current temperature is 30 degrees.
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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Rumor has it Simonson's new Subway Sandwich, Gasoline, and Convienience
Store will be opening April 29th.
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Todays Gazette is made up "almost" exclusively by members of the
Gazette family tree.
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walshcountydailynews.com is a wonderful source for local and regional
news and activities.
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Subject: OUT OF SIGHT BUT NOT OUT OF MIND....
Hi, Gary~ Thanks so much for keeping us former Graftonites informed
as to the flood situation and the great community efforts put into
helping each other! In yesterday's (April 1) editorial column in the
Richmond Times we read the following under the title TRUE GRIT: "The
Red River originates at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux River and
the Otter Tail River, and marks the border between North Dakota and
Minnesota. It enters Manitoba and empties into Lake Winnipeg, Fargo,
Moorhead, and other cities in the Red's path have fallen under seige.
The nation has watched with worry and admiration as residents have
fought the threat of flood. The locals did not wait for disaster but
worked to spare their homes and their businesses. All became brothers
and sisters who reminded their countrymen of the meaning of citizenship.
This week's blizzard brought additional stress to the region.
The worst may not have passed. Regardless of the final accounting,
the image of strength and grace long will endure.
In his novel about pioneer life in the Dakota Territory, O. E.
Rolvaag wrote, in a chapter titled, 'The Great Plain Drinks the Blood of
Christian Men and Is Satisfied': Many and incredible are the tales
the grandfathers tell from those days when the wilderness was yet
untamed, and when they, unwittingly, founded the Kingdom." There are
giants in the Earth in these days, too."
My dad was given an autographed book of "Giants of the Earth"
from O. E. Rolvaag. I remember reading it and wishing I could be the
recipient of it someday (but unfortunately did not). The Spirit lives
on in though, doesn't it? Again, many thanks for your encouragement
to the area!
Millicent La Berge
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The trip to Edinburgh is worth it just to see the store. Not just the
stock, including the bird watching and food among other things, but
especially the trains Bernice has running all over the store and the
history of the railroad to Concrete.
It is a unique place that she has put together.
Ralph Kingsbury
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Hi Gary,
After reading your gazette I just cannot sit back and say nothing
about union labor in the automotive industry and/or other. Speaking
from years of union participation and loyalty, those who bash the unions
do not have a clue what they are talking about. Some of the auto
industry executives make more money in one day than the union laborers
in the factory make in one year. You are welcome to use my name.
Connie LaMont-Sondeland.
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Gary,
Interesting observation: Â whenever the President or anyone in his
administration says anything televised while the stock market is open,
the market drops--IMMEDIATELY!
The market is not a measure of the economy but rather of investor faith
in the economy. Â If Bush and Obama had any testosterone they would
have been vetoing the spending bills that Congress has been passing for
the last two years because the true definition of "need" and the
politicians' ideas of it are two different things!!
Bill
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You hit the nail on the head with your comments on there being enough
blame to go around to everyone associated with the auto industry. While
it's easy to blame unions for all of societies ills, the truth is they
aren't entirely to blame. There is a hollow ring to the sound of someone
running down unions for negotiating a fair living wage for their
membership when one recognizes that the CEO's of many companies have
received multi million dollar bonuses when they are fired after leading
a company to bankruptcy.
I'm old enough to remember the first "energy crisis", the one in the
early 70's when gasoline first topped a buck a gallon. I also remember
GM, Ford, and Chrysler being caught with their pants down making large
gas guzzling autos and pickups that nobody wanted any longer. I also
remember the rage in autos back then, Honda's and Toyotas, imported from
Japan. Everyone wanted one for their fuel efficiency. The big three
responded with such classics junksters as the Pinto, Chevette, Maverick,
Luv, Gremlin, and a few more I've thankfully forgotten about. Chrysler
went bankrupt and the other two were in financial straits. Honda and
Toyota continued to thrive and improve their vehicles, now selling
modestly priced vehicles produced in the USA that get great mileage and
lasted nearly forever.
Fast forward to 2009 and, well, you get the picture. Who was it that
said we either learn from history or we're doomed to repeat it? On the
flip side, you can get some great deals and pick of colors on a
$50,000.00 Suburban nowadays.
Tomorrow we could talk about ethanol if you'd like.....hehehe...
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Subject: Unions or Excutives?
Gary,
The topic of the UAW or any union for that matter, I believe
has contributed to the problems of business not being able to compete
with outside competition.
I sometimes wonder if multinational corporations tried to break the
unions by out sourcing to other countries, using cheaper labor. I
believe unions are a good thing, the people of this great nation need
protection so business doesn't abuse their employees, as they have done
in the past. Has the union become the abuser? The people running
these large companies are also part of the large problem, they have very
large salaries, then when these companies are not profitable they still
recieve a large bonus. From the large salaries to the union
regulations, it looks like everybody is trying to break the bank.
Or so it seems to me.
Steve Lessard
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There you have it folks. "Almost" a entire Gazette without my babble.
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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"Life is to short for long answers."


Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they
are,..... before it's too late.