8/3/2005 – Editorials

By Richard Peterson

I regret having missed the ND State Fair this year. My sweetie commandeered the van and all I had to drive was the 1987 Chevrolet Impala. It’s a nice car to drive, but it isn’t all that reliable and the air conditioner doesn’t work. Besides, I was stuck at the office most of Saturday and I had to help cook at the Legion breakfast Sunday. So the first weekend of the fair was out. I had planned to stow away on the senior citizens bus which went there Thursday, but an important FEMA meeting that I had to attend was unexpectedly scheduled that afternoon in Devils Lake. Darn! Well, with my luck I would have been discovered on the bus and kicked off at McGillicuddy City. Minnewaukan’s Summerfest was held last weekend, so the fair had to be scratched from my schedule. Maybe next year.
When I retire, I’m going to be like George Thompson up York way. When there’s something going on, George jumps in his motor home, drives to the event and just parks there until the event is over, taking in virtually everything, including lots of food. I’ll just follow George in my ’87 Chevy, pitch my pup tent near his motor home and hope he invites me in if it rains.
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I attended the 40th anniversary celebration of Summers Mfg. on Friday. I’d been through the big Maddock plant several times, so I went to the Devils Lake location for the anniversary. I was astounded at the size of the building. It sure doesn’t look as massive from the highway as it actually is.
This is a business that has grown beyond the wildest dreams of the Summers family, or anyone else, for that matter. Forty years ago nobody would have dreamed a blacksmith business would evolve into a major manufacturing concern.
Congratulations to the Summers family for their past achievements and good luck for the future. I think everyone would like to see this company continue to thrive and observe many more anniversaries.
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This interesting quote was unearthed by Minnewaukan native Byron Butters of Minneapolis, Minn., who e-mailed it to me:
"Why of course the people don’t want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don’t want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany.
That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
The quote is attributed to Hitler’s deputy, Hermann Goering.
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Butters also sent along this item on recognizing the symptoms of a stroke.
I checked it out on www.snopes.com and it’s true.
Sherry saw Susie stumble. Then Sherry asked Susie the three questions stated below. It’s so simple, yet this literally saved Susie’s life.
Susie failed all three questions, so 911 was called. Even though she had normal blood pressure readings and did not appear to be having a stroke, as she could converse to some extent with the paramedics, they took her to the hospital right away.
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple
questions:
Ask the individual to SMILE.
Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE.
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association’s annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.
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Steve "Finney" Farrington of Mesa, Ariz. passed along these words of wisdom:
The human brain is a wonderful thing. It starts working the minute you are born, and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.
What this country really needs is more free speech that’s worth listening to.
After you’ve heard two eyewitness accounts of an auto accident, you begin to worry about history.