As I have been working on my crisis communication project, I wonder how people in history dealt with crisis situations. Did they have as many crises as we have seen now days?
It’s amazing how much we have come to rely on technology. We are very fortunate to be able to communicate a crisis through so many different ways. Some of the methods used during our flooding here in Wahpeton were: television stations- channels 4/6/11/10, Wahpeton and Fargo newspapers including the online editions, Wahpeton/Fergus Falls, MN/ Fargo radio stations and word of mouth. At the North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) we also used our Web site, emails and the NotiFind System. All these various ways of communication made it easy for us to know what was happening no matter where we were.
The NotiFind System that NDSCS has started using this past year is a great crisis communication tool. Through this system we are contacted by telephone, cell phone, text messages and email of school openings or closings, emergencies, etc. The one drawback is that students, faculty and staff have to register with the system themselves. Unfortunately, we have a few that haven’t done this so they don’t get the needed information as quickly as everyone else. Also, I got a phone call at 5 a.m. one morning when they cancelled school for the day, but I knew then that I could sleep in!
These same communication systems helped us all across the state of North Dakota. Those communities needing volunteer help depended upon the communication system to help them deal with their crisis. It was great to see in the news all the good people out there helping each other. Volunteers from other states even came, which goes to show how effective the crisis communication system can be.
We here in the U.S. are very fortunate to have the communication tools, volunteers, and even financial assistance to get through a crisis. When I look at other countries and the damage they sometimes never fully recover from or they take a very long time to recover, we are very blessed here.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Crisis Communication in Wahpeton, ND
In Wahpeton we were very fortunate this year as far as flooding issues. We did have a few issues and lots of overland flooding, but right in town we were well taken care of. After the last few floods, we finally received funding to help build dikes and a diversion on the Breckenridge, MN side. Our city leaders have learned a great deal over the years as far as communication and planning and this year everything seemed to work pretty smoothly.
The city asked for volunteers for filling sandbags and also helping sandbag homes. Calls for volunteers came over the radio, television and even emails through the NDSCS campus. This seemed to be very effective.
May boys and I went to Breckenridge, MN one morning and filled sandbags. I was very surprised how well organized a system they had. The operation seemed to be running very smoothly and there were plenty of bags to meet the needs of the community. The Salvation Army was also there offering lunch to workers.
We stayed on the Wahpeton side in the afternoon and sandbagged homes there. There were many calls for assistance in the surrounding communities. The city had school buses transporting volunteers to areas. Buses were taking volunteers all over the area to help reduce unneeded traffic. Also, there were many washed out roads so travelers needed to be cautious.
The dike prevented a lot of flooding this year. The Chahinkapa Zoo has a portion of the dike running through it. They had to move the animals from the one side of the dike to the other. The animals were always safe and did not have to be moved very far.
Our Chahinkapa park system was also spared by the dike. In past years, before the dikes, our park was totally flooded. Since my husband is the park superintendent, it was very nice not to have to worry too much about flooding down there. Of course, on the north side of Wahpeton where we have “The Whopper” (our big catfish) and have a campground, got flooded. We do not have a dike at that area, but damage is very minimal in that area.
It was so nice to see all the volunteers and teamwork in the Wahpeton-Breckenridge area. Early preparation and good communication played a very positive part in fighting the flood successfully.
The city asked for volunteers for filling sandbags and also helping sandbag homes. Calls for volunteers came over the radio, television and even emails through the NDSCS campus. This seemed to be very effective.
May boys and I went to Breckenridge, MN one morning and filled sandbags. I was very surprised how well organized a system they had. The operation seemed to be running very smoothly and there were plenty of bags to meet the needs of the community. The Salvation Army was also there offering lunch to workers.
We stayed on the Wahpeton side in the afternoon and sandbagged homes there. There were many calls for assistance in the surrounding communities. The city had school buses transporting volunteers to areas. Buses were taking volunteers all over the area to help reduce unneeded traffic. Also, there were many washed out roads so travelers needed to be cautious.
The dike prevented a lot of flooding this year. The Chahinkapa Zoo has a portion of the dike running through it. They had to move the animals from the one side of the dike to the other. The animals were always safe and did not have to be moved very far.
Our Chahinkapa park system was also spared by the dike. In past years, before the dikes, our park was totally flooded. Since my husband is the park superintendent, it was very nice not to have to worry too much about flooding down there. Of course, on the north side of Wahpeton where we have “The Whopper” (our big catfish) and have a campground, got flooded. We do not have a dike at that area, but damage is very minimal in that area.
It was so nice to see all the volunteers and teamwork in the Wahpeton-Breckenridge area. Early preparation and good communication played a very positive part in fighting the flood successfully.
Monday, April 13, 2009
We Need More Good News
I had a really tough time trying to find something of interest to blog about this week. As I scanned the Web, it just seems like there is so much negative news out there. There are some positive news stories too, but the negative ones seem to far outweigh the positive ones.
I went on the CNN.com home page on Monday, April 13th and on the lower left column they list the four regions with headline news stories. Today the list included the following headlines:
Northeast
*Huge water main break floods streets
*75 sick at Passover event
*40 homes burned, firefighter injured
*Cop shootings spur 911 questions
*Priest’s car hits group outside church
South
*Woman burned while getting nails done
*Teen suffers brain injury in batting cage
*Wind-blown tree falls on nursing home
*Church uses Twitter to spread word
*Children among 5 dead from crash
Midwest
*”Miracle” flight co-pilot back in air
*Woman hit by amusement park ride
*2 officers, 2 others injured in wreck
*Cop critical after gun battle
*Pit bull saves woman from attack
West
*Four rescued from sinking boat
*2 firefighters die in intense blaze
*Trimmer trapped in palm tree dies
*Mom, son reunited on MySpace
*Couple revives poodle with CPR
Now out of these twenty stories, there were no positive headlines in the Northeast, one in the South, two in the Midwest, and three in the West. The rest were all negative news. I wonder how many hits each of these articles gets and which ones receive more hits.
I would love to see more positive stories printed. Maybe like Anne Murray’s song “A Little Good News” would go a long ways in today’s world. I think the positive stories help to lift people’s spirits and in today’s world we need all the lifting we can get. Unfortunately, they tell me that the bad news is what sells.
It would be a great survey subject to see how people respond to a week of more positive headlines than negative ones. Maybe they could have a column of negative news and a column of positive news and keep a record of how many times each column gets read. I bet people’s outlooks and moods would be just a little bit brighter.
I went on the CNN.com home page on Monday, April 13th and on the lower left column they list the four regions with headline news stories. Today the list included the following headlines:
Northeast
*Huge water main break floods streets
*75 sick at Passover event
*40 homes burned, firefighter injured
*Cop shootings spur 911 questions
*Priest’s car hits group outside church
South
*Woman burned while getting nails done
*Teen suffers brain injury in batting cage
*Wind-blown tree falls on nursing home
*Church uses Twitter to spread word
*Children among 5 dead from crash
Midwest
*”Miracle” flight co-pilot back in air
*Woman hit by amusement park ride
*2 officers, 2 others injured in wreck
*Cop critical after gun battle
*Pit bull saves woman from attack
West
*Four rescued from sinking boat
*2 firefighters die in intense blaze
*Trimmer trapped in palm tree dies
*Mom, son reunited on MySpace
*Couple revives poodle with CPR
Now out of these twenty stories, there were no positive headlines in the Northeast, one in the South, two in the Midwest, and three in the West. The rest were all negative news. I wonder how many hits each of these articles gets and which ones receive more hits.
I would love to see more positive stories printed. Maybe like Anne Murray’s song “A Little Good News” would go a long ways in today’s world. I think the positive stories help to lift people’s spirits and in today’s world we need all the lifting we can get. Unfortunately, they tell me that the bad news is what sells.
It would be a great survey subject to see how people respond to a week of more positive headlines than negative ones. Maybe they could have a column of negative news and a column of positive news and keep a record of how many times each column gets read. I bet people’s outlooks and moods would be just a little bit brighter.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Caffeine - Good or Bad?
I was surprised to read that 80 to 90 percent of North American adults and children consume caffeine products every day. When I thought about it though, this is not too hard to believe when you consider soda and chocolate as part of this. In an article posted by CNN.com entitled “Beware the perils of caffeine withdrawal”, experts estimate that about half of these people will experience withdrawal symptoms.
These withdrawal symptoms were only recognized as a disorder about five years ago by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Researchers also found that people who were unable to quit or cut down on their caffeine usage considered themselves to be addicted.
Caffeine is considered a drug, but not like cocaine or heroin. It is a mild stimulant which may make you feel good and energized. If some people don’t get their caffeine, they start feeling funny. Some symptoms that have been reported include headache, fatigue, sleepiness, inability to concentrate, depression, irritability, and flu-like symptoms to name a few. Withdrawal symptoms can start from 12 to 20 hours after your last cup of caffeine and last as long as a week.
Coffee is not the only thing that can lead to these symptoms though. Tea, cola, milk chocolate and hot chocolate also have caffeine which can cause withdrawal symptoms when you stop consuming them.
The article goes on to state that if you want to give up caffeine, to do so slowly. Maybe start by using decaffeinated products. It won’t be easy, but it will be easier than going cold-turkey.
In the article “Caffeine: How much is too much?” there was good information on when you should cut back on your caffeine intake. It indicates that two or three cups of brewed coffee a day is probably alright, but more than that could cause issues.
The MayoClinic.com Web site published an article called “Coffee and health: What does the research say?” Now here they say coffee doesn’t seem to hurt and it may even help. No wonder we are all so confused.
I use to drink one or two cups of coffee a day, most of the time just to keep warm. I don’t recall having any symptoms when I didn’t have coffee. I guess I just didn’t drink enough to matter. I am a tea drinker now and don’t even have that every day. I know of a few people that can drink a pot of coffee themselves in the morning. Those are probably the ones that are going to have withdrawal symptoms if they ever have to cut back. Also, it depends on how strong or weak your coffee is I think. My thinking is that there are worse habits out there other than drinking too much coffee!
These withdrawal symptoms were only recognized as a disorder about five years ago by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Researchers also found that people who were unable to quit or cut down on their caffeine usage considered themselves to be addicted.
Caffeine is considered a drug, but not like cocaine or heroin. It is a mild stimulant which may make you feel good and energized. If some people don’t get their caffeine, they start feeling funny. Some symptoms that have been reported include headache, fatigue, sleepiness, inability to concentrate, depression, irritability, and flu-like symptoms to name a few. Withdrawal symptoms can start from 12 to 20 hours after your last cup of caffeine and last as long as a week.
Coffee is not the only thing that can lead to these symptoms though. Tea, cola, milk chocolate and hot chocolate also have caffeine which can cause withdrawal symptoms when you stop consuming them.
The article goes on to state that if you want to give up caffeine, to do so slowly. Maybe start by using decaffeinated products. It won’t be easy, but it will be easier than going cold-turkey.
In the article “Caffeine: How much is too much?” there was good information on when you should cut back on your caffeine intake. It indicates that two or three cups of brewed coffee a day is probably alright, but more than that could cause issues.
The MayoClinic.com Web site published an article called “Coffee and health: What does the research say?” Now here they say coffee doesn’t seem to hurt and it may even help. No wonder we are all so confused.
I use to drink one or two cups of coffee a day, most of the time just to keep warm. I don’t recall having any symptoms when I didn’t have coffee. I guess I just didn’t drink enough to matter. I am a tea drinker now and don’t even have that every day. I know of a few people that can drink a pot of coffee themselves in the morning. Those are probably the ones that are going to have withdrawal symptoms if they ever have to cut back. Also, it depends on how strong or weak your coffee is I think. My thinking is that there are worse habits out there other than drinking too much coffee!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
GM Chairman and CEO Forced Out - Still Gets Millions
MSNBC.com published an article entitled "GM boss steps down at White House's request." What a nice way to say he was fired! According to the article, Chairman and CEO of General Motors Corporation, Rick Wagoner, was asked by President Obama to step down and he agreed to do so.
Wagoner has a 32 year history with GM working all over the world. The company's vice chairman and chief operating officer has now been appointed CEO. There have been mixed comments as to Wagoner's departure. Some feel the move is "political theater" and that Wagoner was a "sacrificial lamb."
Wagoner , CEO since 2007, did do plenty of good things for GM. Unfortunately, some critics say Wagoner moved too slowly. In the past four years, GM has had $82 billion in losses. But, they say he was moving the company in the right direction.
Apparently Wagoner isn't the only CEO to lose his job. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac CEO's were also forced out of their positions after the government took over the companies.
Since government loans were involved, Wagoner cannot receive a severance payment. He is eligible to retire under the GM's salaried employee and executive retirement plan. According to another article, "GM CEO gets $23 million estimated pension," he made out like a bandit, even though he was fired. Wagoner's pension was valued at $22.1 million, but he will receive that in payments over the rest of his life, so the actual amount may be different. I don't think he will be too greatly affected by a different amount with that much money! We can only wish to make that much money in a life time!! Also, he gets about $367,000 in stock awards and $535,000 in deferred compensation. Once again, someone getting fired from a job sure does get rewarded!
I guess I'm not too sure how firing the CEO's of the big companies is going to help the company. Maybe people will be happier thinking something is being done. The CEO's must report to a board of directors, don't they? The CEO doesn't make all the decisions alone. So unless there are changes made to other personnel, I don't see how things will change too much for the company. I think these firings are just more political games being played to try to make things look good.
Wagoner has a 32 year history with GM working all over the world. The company's vice chairman and chief operating officer has now been appointed CEO. There have been mixed comments as to Wagoner's departure. Some feel the move is "political theater" and that Wagoner was a "sacrificial lamb."
Wagoner , CEO since 2007, did do plenty of good things for GM. Unfortunately, some critics say Wagoner moved too slowly. In the past four years, GM has had $82 billion in losses. But, they say he was moving the company in the right direction.
Apparently Wagoner isn't the only CEO to lose his job. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac CEO's were also forced out of their positions after the government took over the companies.
Since government loans were involved, Wagoner cannot receive a severance payment. He is eligible to retire under the GM's salaried employee and executive retirement plan. According to another article, "GM CEO gets $23 million estimated pension," he made out like a bandit, even though he was fired. Wagoner's pension was valued at $22.1 million, but he will receive that in payments over the rest of his life, so the actual amount may be different. I don't think he will be too greatly affected by a different amount with that much money! We can only wish to make that much money in a life time!! Also, he gets about $367,000 in stock awards and $535,000 in deferred compensation. Once again, someone getting fired from a job sure does get rewarded!
I guess I'm not too sure how firing the CEO's of the big companies is going to help the company. Maybe people will be happier thinking something is being done. The CEO's must report to a board of directors, don't they? The CEO doesn't make all the decisions alone. So unless there are changes made to other personnel, I don't see how things will change too much for the company. I think these firings are just more political games being played to try to make things look good.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Advertisements and My Thoughts
I like the FreeCreditReport.com advertisements. The catchy little jingles are the first thing that caught my attention. I have seen at least four or five different commercials on the television and each jingle has a different story, but the message is always the same, "Get your free credit report and stay out of trouble." The main character of the commercial also gets my attention with his cute baby face and his little backup band is always in the picture. The public relations person that developed this relationship is on the right track. The jingles and characters just seem to go together and are easy to relate to. On the the other hand, my husband and two sons don't like the commercials. They think they are dumb! But, my sons do know all the jingles!
I just saw a commercial advertising VESIcare. I know these advertisements are on television and in magazines. Now that is creative advertising. Creating little people out of piping is so appropriate for this product. Overactive bladder issues and little plumbing people is something not everyone can relate to, but the message is clear. I think this is very effective advertising and the creative use of piping is unique.
Fastfood places are trying to sell us on the fact that they are making their food healthier. The Arby's RoastBurger is a new, non-greasy thinly-sliced oven roasted burger that is never fried. It's got lettuce and tomatoes which are good for you. Sure roast beef is better for you, but there's still bacon, cheese, sauces and the bun. Of course, when I went to their Web site I couldn't find the calorie count for these never fried, non-greasy burgers. They sure do look good and the commercial is very appealing.
The Jenny Craig commercials are easy to relate to. "If I can do it, you can too" is always a challenge for people. Valerie Bertinelli is a great spokesperson for the program. Her before and after pictures are a great testimony. But, did she lose the weight by just eating the Jenny Craig food or did she exercise alot? Is she going to live on the Jenny Craig diet for the rest of her life? If not, what will happen to her weight when she goes on her own? We can all lose the weight on these programs, but unless we learn how to eat differently and watch what we eat, weight will always be an issue. People need to realize that Jenny Craig can help them lose the weight, but unless they plan to live on the diet the rest of their lives, they need to make some changes.
I just saw a commercial advertising VESIcare. I know these advertisements are on television and in magazines. Now that is creative advertising. Creating little people out of piping is so appropriate for this product. Overactive bladder issues and little plumbing people is something not everyone can relate to, but the message is clear. I think this is very effective advertising and the creative use of piping is unique.
Fastfood places are trying to sell us on the fact that they are making their food healthier. The Arby's RoastBurger is a new, non-greasy thinly-sliced oven roasted burger that is never fried. It's got lettuce and tomatoes which are good for you. Sure roast beef is better for you, but there's still bacon, cheese, sauces and the bun. Of course, when I went to their Web site I couldn't find the calorie count for these never fried, non-greasy burgers. They sure do look good and the commercial is very appealing.
The Jenny Craig commercials are easy to relate to. "If I can do it, you can too" is always a challenge for people. Valerie Bertinelli is a great spokesperson for the program. Her before and after pictures are a great testimony. But, did she lose the weight by just eating the Jenny Craig food or did she exercise alot? Is she going to live on the Jenny Craig diet for the rest of her life? If not, what will happen to her weight when she goes on her own? We can all lose the weight on these programs, but unless we learn how to eat differently and watch what we eat, weight will always be an issue. People need to realize that Jenny Craig can help them lose the weight, but unless they plan to live on the diet the rest of their lives, they need to make some changes.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND makes bad decision
The inforum.com recently published a story entitled "Blue Cross Blue Shield ND sales leaders rewarded with trip to Grand Cayman Islands resort." What was Blue Cross Blue Shield thinking?
It seems that the top sales staff, consisting of 35 employees and a guest, were awarded a trip to the Grand Cayman Islands. This little reward trip included an allowance for each employee and a guest of up to $6500, including $2000 for airfare, $1500 in cash, and $300 for hotel. I sure wish I could earn a trip like this and get spending money on top of it all!! A side note, the CEO also went on this trip. The total budget was up to $227,500. This figures out to about 90 cents for each policyholder.
Now this is all fine and dandy in previous economic times, but not a wise decision at the present. In fact, Blue Cross Blue Shield wants to increase premiums up to 18.3 percent for individuals who are not covered in a group, 11.4 percent for group coverage and 20 percent for college students.
Apparently Blue Cross Blue Shield had a $9 million loss last year just from operations. When investments are added into the loss, the total loss is $28 million.
After this bit of news was released, the back lashing started. Next I read in an article "Blue to ditch incentive trip" that the CEO will pay his own expenses. Oh, by the way, he was planning to pay for his expenses all along! While talking on a radio talk show he made the comment that he had determined before the show that he would cover his own expenses. I have my own opinion on that comment, but will keep it to myself.
The ND Insurance Commissioner, Adam Hamm, is now considering an audit of Blue Cross Blue Shield. He wants to delve into the executive compensation and the reward trip and get a complete picture of how these things are determined. Hamm states that "there doesn't seem to be any sacrifice on their side, the company side. That is where the anger and confusion comes in."
But, in an article by Mike McFeely of the in-forum.com called "Bad PR at heart of Blue's problems", Mr. Hamm has feuded with Blue Cross Blue Shield for years. McFeely indicates that the biggest losers in all this mess are the sales people. I guess I have to agree with that.
Didn't anybody think of what happened to the big automakers? Their bad decision of flying in a private jet to ask for money made big headlines, as well as the bad decisions by the big banks. Blue Cross Blue Shield spending big money on uxorious reward trips while asking for rate increases is not so very different!
I'm not sure who makes the decisions of taking these trips, but there's got to be someone in the offices with some common sense, doesn't there? I hope other companies are paying attention to this PR mess and take heed. You just don't spend money on non-essentials in the current economy and expect to get away with it. You wouldn't run your personal household that way, don't run a company like it.
It seems that the top sales staff, consisting of 35 employees and a guest, were awarded a trip to the Grand Cayman Islands. This little reward trip included an allowance for each employee and a guest of up to $6500, including $2000 for airfare, $1500 in cash, and $300 for hotel. I sure wish I could earn a trip like this and get spending money on top of it all!! A side note, the CEO also went on this trip. The total budget was up to $227,500. This figures out to about 90 cents for each policyholder.
Now this is all fine and dandy in previous economic times, but not a wise decision at the present. In fact, Blue Cross Blue Shield wants to increase premiums up to 18.3 percent for individuals who are not covered in a group, 11.4 percent for group coverage and 20 percent for college students.
Apparently Blue Cross Blue Shield had a $9 million loss last year just from operations. When investments are added into the loss, the total loss is $28 million.
After this bit of news was released, the back lashing started. Next I read in an article "Blue to ditch incentive trip" that the CEO will pay his own expenses. Oh, by the way, he was planning to pay for his expenses all along! While talking on a radio talk show he made the comment that he had determined before the show that he would cover his own expenses. I have my own opinion on that comment, but will keep it to myself.
The ND Insurance Commissioner, Adam Hamm, is now considering an audit of Blue Cross Blue Shield. He wants to delve into the executive compensation and the reward trip and get a complete picture of how these things are determined. Hamm states that "there doesn't seem to be any sacrifice on their side, the company side. That is where the anger and confusion comes in."
But, in an article by Mike McFeely of the in-forum.com called "Bad PR at heart of Blue's problems", Mr. Hamm has feuded with Blue Cross Blue Shield for years. McFeely indicates that the biggest losers in all this mess are the sales people. I guess I have to agree with that.
Didn't anybody think of what happened to the big automakers? Their bad decision of flying in a private jet to ask for money made big headlines, as well as the bad decisions by the big banks. Blue Cross Blue Shield spending big money on uxorious reward trips while asking for rate increases is not so very different!
I'm not sure who makes the decisions of taking these trips, but there's got to be someone in the offices with some common sense, doesn't there? I hope other companies are paying attention to this PR mess and take heed. You just don't spend money on non-essentials in the current economy and expect to get away with it. You wouldn't run your personal household that way, don't run a company like it.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Do we have a right to choose how and when we die?
The In-forum.com published an article from the Associated Press called "Right-to-die debate revived by charges against 4 members of alleged assisted suicide network." This article brings up an interesting debate. The debate is regarding the right to die.
Apparently there is a case against an alleged assisted suicide ring. This ring is known as the Final Exit Network. Two members of this network have been charged with aiding the suicide of a 58-year-old man from Georgia who was suffering from throat and mouth cancer. This network may have also been involved in up to 200 deaths across the country.
There are some states that have legalized doctor-assisted suicide, but Georgia is not one of them. In Georgia people can be sentenced for up to five years in prison for being involved in assisting with suicides.
The debate begins with the belief of some that people should be allowed to "die gracefully." But, another group called Not Dead Yet disagrees. They feel assisted suicides are murder and these people get off on being there for death. The Final Exit Network claims they don't actively aid suicides, but rather support and guide those who have decided to end their lives on their own.
When I went to the Web and looked up assisted suicide, I found a link to the American Psychological Association. This association provides arguments for supporting and opposing assisted suicides. Both arguments are very strong and I can understand where each side is coming from.
I'm just not sure who should decide or if there should be laws governing assisted suicide. Don't we all have the right to decide when or if we want to die? If someone was very sick with no hope of recovery and they were going to die a low and painful death, shouldn't they have the freedom to make a choice? But, what if some medical miracle happened all of the sudden and they missed out on that opportunity.
On the other hand, what if assisted suicides became too easy and if someone committed murder, they could say it was assisted suicide. Some type of laws need to be in place governing assisted suicide for this purpose. We could have a lot of murderers running around if they got off with saying it was assisted suicide!
Apparently there is a case against an alleged assisted suicide ring. This ring is known as the Final Exit Network. Two members of this network have been charged with aiding the suicide of a 58-year-old man from Georgia who was suffering from throat and mouth cancer. This network may have also been involved in up to 200 deaths across the country.
There are some states that have legalized doctor-assisted suicide, but Georgia is not one of them. In Georgia people can be sentenced for up to five years in prison for being involved in assisting with suicides.
The debate begins with the belief of some that people should be allowed to "die gracefully." But, another group called Not Dead Yet disagrees. They feel assisted suicides are murder and these people get off on being there for death. The Final Exit Network claims they don't actively aid suicides, but rather support and guide those who have decided to end their lives on their own.
When I went to the Web and looked up assisted suicide, I found a link to the American Psychological Association. This association provides arguments for supporting and opposing assisted suicides. Both arguments are very strong and I can understand where each side is coming from.
I'm just not sure who should decide or if there should be laws governing assisted suicide. Don't we all have the right to decide when or if we want to die? If someone was very sick with no hope of recovery and they were going to die a low and painful death, shouldn't they have the freedom to make a choice? But, what if some medical miracle happened all of the sudden and they missed out on that opportunity.
On the other hand, what if assisted suicides became too easy and if someone committed murder, they could say it was assisted suicide. Some type of laws need to be in place governing assisted suicide for this purpose. We could have a lot of murderers running around if they got off with saying it was assisted suicide!
Monday, February 23, 2009
A Little Good News
It seems like every time I see the news it is always something negative about the economy, somebody hurting someone else, or something negative about the war.
I just read this refreshing article on MSNBC.com. The article is entitled "At 73, he's the oldest player shooting college hoops."
Back in 1956, Ken Mink was attending a religious college, which had a low tolerance for misbehavior. Someone sprayed shaving cream all over the coach's office. Mink was called into the college president's office and was blamed for the incident. He was expelled from the college. To this day he still maintains his innocence. The college president acted as judge, jury, and prosecutor.
Mink then joined the Air Force, got married, and raised a family. He's semiretired now and pursuing an active lifestyle.
Even through all of life's experiences, he still felt cheated out of a year of basketball. That one incident has frustrated him all of his life.
Fortunately, Mink found a junior college coach willing to give him a chance. Mink worked out hard to get in shape. His first practices were tough, but he kept getting better through the season. His teammates were skeptical, but have embraced him.
Mink doesn't get much play time, but his dream is coming true and the fans are loving it. In fact, he's now writing a book about his experience.
Way to go, Ken!
Another inspiring story I found was "Graduating high school at 90: 'Just plain wonderful.'"
John Locher had to drop out of school in the 10th grade back in the early 30s. His father contracted tuberculosis. John, being the eldest child, felt he had to take on the responsibility of supporting the family. They were starving. John worked many jobs and in 1936 got a job with GM.
The lack of a high school diploma always bothered John and his children knew it. Last year, two of his daughters contacted his old high school. They wanted to see if he could be declared a graduate. They wanted to do something special for his 90th birthday. School administrators decided he had enough "life credits" and mailed a diploma to John at Christmas.
When John opened up the diploma he almost fainted. He was overwhelmed and very appreciative. When he went through the commencement line, he received a standing ovation.
These two wonderful men are a testimony to the fact that you are never to old to fulfill your dreams. They set an example for all of us to hold on to our dreams, you never know when they may come true. I wish we could see inspiring stories like this everyday in the news!
I just read this refreshing article on MSNBC.com. The article is entitled "At 73, he's the oldest player shooting college hoops."
Back in 1956, Ken Mink was attending a religious college, which had a low tolerance for misbehavior. Someone sprayed shaving cream all over the coach's office. Mink was called into the college president's office and was blamed for the incident. He was expelled from the college. To this day he still maintains his innocence. The college president acted as judge, jury, and prosecutor.
Mink then joined the Air Force, got married, and raised a family. He's semiretired now and pursuing an active lifestyle.
Even through all of life's experiences, he still felt cheated out of a year of basketball. That one incident has frustrated him all of his life.
Fortunately, Mink found a junior college coach willing to give him a chance. Mink worked out hard to get in shape. His first practices were tough, but he kept getting better through the season. His teammates were skeptical, but have embraced him.
Mink doesn't get much play time, but his dream is coming true and the fans are loving it. In fact, he's now writing a book about his experience.
Way to go, Ken!
Another inspiring story I found was "Graduating high school at 90: 'Just plain wonderful.'"
John Locher had to drop out of school in the 10th grade back in the early 30s. His father contracted tuberculosis. John, being the eldest child, felt he had to take on the responsibility of supporting the family. They were starving. John worked many jobs and in 1936 got a job with GM.
The lack of a high school diploma always bothered John and his children knew it. Last year, two of his daughters contacted his old high school. They wanted to see if he could be declared a graduate. They wanted to do something special for his 90th birthday. School administrators decided he had enough "life credits" and mailed a diploma to John at Christmas.
When John opened up the diploma he almost fainted. He was overwhelmed and very appreciative. When he went through the commencement line, he received a standing ovation.
These two wonderful men are a testimony to the fact that you are never to old to fulfill your dreams. They set an example for all of us to hold on to our dreams, you never know when they may come true. I wish we could see inspiring stories like this everyday in the news!
Monday, February 16, 2009
People who are diagnosed with cancer often times have to undergo chemotherapy, which includes taking drugs with painful side effects. According to an article on Ivanhoe.com called "Medicine's Next Big Thing: Nanomedicine", scientists are taking a more powerful approach in dealing with cancer. Nanomedicine is an offspring of nanotechnology.
One woman interviewed for the article found out she had breast cancer. She had a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. She had to endure the side effects of nausea, weight gain, and exhaustion. The bad part of chemotherapy, besides the side effects, is that in the process of killing cancer cells, healthy cells are also killed.
Dr. Ferrari, director of the Center for NanoMedicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center, is using part of research of nanotechnology to attack cancer differently. There is a new drug delivery system of nanocarriers 100 times smaller than a strand of hair that are injected into the blood stream. These nanocarriers carry the drug directly to the cancer and the goal is to not damage anything else in the process.
There are some doctors in Germany even using nanotechnology. They are treating tumors and prostate cancer. Tiny particles are injected into the tumor and its cells and a magnetic field heats and destroys the cancer.
This article also had a research summary link with a little more detail. It describes various stages of the drug delivery system talked about earlier in this blog.
Nanomedicine isn't stopping with cancer. They hope to treat heart disease and many other diseases. I'm sure they will be successful in this endeavor.
It never fails to amaze me with all the medical advancements we have. I was relatively familiar with nanotechnology, but the nanomedicine side is new. I think it is great that research has found a better way to treat cancer patients.
Cancer patients and their families are so greatly affected by this disease. With these medical breakthroughs, it has to make the prospect of dealing with this disease much more promising and maybe less scary and uncertain. I wonder how widely used this treatment has been used or when they will be done with the testing state. The sooner they can get it approved, the better. I applaud our researchers who are continually working to improve our medical technology.
One woman interviewed for the article found out she had breast cancer. She had a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. She had to endure the side effects of nausea, weight gain, and exhaustion. The bad part of chemotherapy, besides the side effects, is that in the process of killing cancer cells, healthy cells are also killed.
Dr. Ferrari, director of the Center for NanoMedicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center, is using part of research of nanotechnology to attack cancer differently. There is a new drug delivery system of nanocarriers 100 times smaller than a strand of hair that are injected into the blood stream. These nanocarriers carry the drug directly to the cancer and the goal is to not damage anything else in the process.
There are some doctors in Germany even using nanotechnology. They are treating tumors and prostate cancer. Tiny particles are injected into the tumor and its cells and a magnetic field heats and destroys the cancer.
This article also had a research summary link with a little more detail. It describes various stages of the drug delivery system talked about earlier in this blog.
Nanomedicine isn't stopping with cancer. They hope to treat heart disease and many other diseases. I'm sure they will be successful in this endeavor.
It never fails to amaze me with all the medical advancements we have. I was relatively familiar with nanotechnology, but the nanomedicine side is new. I think it is great that research has found a better way to treat cancer patients.
Cancer patients and their families are so greatly affected by this disease. With these medical breakthroughs, it has to make the prospect of dealing with this disease much more promising and maybe less scary and uncertain. I wonder how widely used this treatment has been used or when they will be done with the testing state. The sooner they can get it approved, the better. I applaud our researchers who are continually working to improve our medical technology.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Auto Dealers and Big Banks need Help - Who Doesn't?
I am so tired of hearing about the crisis our auto dealers and big banks are in. What about everyone else? There are many more businesses and people struggling to make ends meet and they aren't asking for handouts. Even if they did, who would give it to them?
MSNBC.com had an article, "Feds may limit pay at banks that get aid." HELLO! What is with the "may." Haven't they wasted enough money already not monitoring how the money is being spent. The Obama administration is working on new executive compensation restrictions for banks that get bailout money. Some of the restrictions may include stopping severance payments to a companies top 55 executives and also their bonus pools would be reduced about 40 percent from their 2007 level.
Did these companies forget the reason for the bailout money was to help them during this credit crunch time. Why are they even giving bonuses, etc. There is absolutely no excuse for spending bailout money like this. They need to help their customers by offering affordable incentives, lower their mortgage payments, among many other things that could be done. Are they helping the smaller businesses in any way?
After Wells Fargo got publicity for planning a "Las Vegas junket", our government should realize strict guidelines need to be in place before handing out any more bailout money. I don't care what traditions a company may have, the way our economy is, did they really think it was a good idea to plan this event again this year?
On CNNMoney.com we are told that big bank's public relations departments are busy. I'm sure they are! First of all, they have to try to justify the frivolous spending that has been happening. Now the public relations representatives have to tell us how their organization is trying to save our economy. In "Big banks have some nerve!" public relations is apparently telling us things their organization is going to do, when it is something they should have been doing all along. I found this article interesting because I'm sure, for some of us, we would have accepted the public relations story and not thought much more about it.
I think greed and lack of moral values got our economy into trouble. It's going to take time to get us out of this mess. It seems like the big companies can't make wise decisions, so the Obama administration needs to set restrictions and make companies accountable for how they spend any future bailout money.
MSNBC.com had an article, "Feds may limit pay at banks that get aid." HELLO! What is with the "may." Haven't they wasted enough money already not monitoring how the money is being spent. The Obama administration is working on new executive compensation restrictions for banks that get bailout money. Some of the restrictions may include stopping severance payments to a companies top 55 executives and also their bonus pools would be reduced about 40 percent from their 2007 level.
Did these companies forget the reason for the bailout money was to help them during this credit crunch time. Why are they even giving bonuses, etc. There is absolutely no excuse for spending bailout money like this. They need to help their customers by offering affordable incentives, lower their mortgage payments, among many other things that could be done. Are they helping the smaller businesses in any way?
After Wells Fargo got publicity for planning a "Las Vegas junket", our government should realize strict guidelines need to be in place before handing out any more bailout money. I don't care what traditions a company may have, the way our economy is, did they really think it was a good idea to plan this event again this year?
On CNNMoney.com we are told that big bank's public relations departments are busy. I'm sure they are! First of all, they have to try to justify the frivolous spending that has been happening. Now the public relations representatives have to tell us how their organization is trying to save our economy. In "Big banks have some nerve!" public relations is apparently telling us things their organization is going to do, when it is something they should have been doing all along. I found this article interesting because I'm sure, for some of us, we would have accepted the public relations story and not thought much more about it.
I think greed and lack of moral values got our economy into trouble. It's going to take time to get us out of this mess. It seems like the big companies can't make wise decisions, so the Obama administration needs to set restrictions and make companies accountable for how they spend any future bailout money.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Hunger in America and SNAP
In the article, "Tough choices for America's hungry" found at CNN.com, Walter Thomas is a 52-year-old man who has been working steadily since he was 13 years old. In July he was laid off from his job. In early January, after his savings account was being used up and he had very little food left, he swallowed his pride and applied for food stamps. Thomas says, ". . .If nothing else, I'll be able to eat." Thomas receives $175 per month for food, which equals less than $2 per meal. The food stamp program has been renamed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates that in October, more than one in 10 people - about 31 million - were using food stamps. More recent data is not available, but with our economy and job losses, this number has to be even greater now.
The article goes on to tell us about one mother with 3 children who have medical conditions. She feeds her family on $489 a month, but because of paperwork issues has been reduced to $250 a month. When she has to choose between feeding her family or paying the heat bill, she feeds her family. Another mother has 3 boys and tries to feed them on $319 a month. With the cost of food going up, they are not able to buy as much as they use to.
CNN correspondent Sean Callebs wanted to get a better idea of what it's like to live on a budget with SNAP. He started a blog detailing his experiences of living on $176 a month.
Sean had the luxury of visiting with a dietitian before starting on this program. Unfortunately, most Americans are not able to or don't seek this guidance. He also discovered that funds are suppose to supplement money spent on food each month - it's not suppose to be the sole source of funding. I know from people I have worked with in the past that too often food stamps are their only source of funding for food.
To begin his experience Sean went shopping with a mother of three small children who has been on and off food stamps. He received lots of advice on what to buy and not buy. Name brands are out of the question as well as there is never enough money for fresh fruits and vegetables or meat and fish. It will be interesting to follow Sean in his journey for the month.
It's so unfortunate in our "land of plenty" that we have so many families having to live and eat like this. It is hard to understand why we spend so much time and money taking care of other countries when we have so many in the United States living without sufficient food or funding to pay for living expenses. I know many of them need to find jobs, but without a decent education, jobs are hard to find. If they do have a job, many times the pay is so low they still have a hard time making ends meet.
I always think about the politicians, movie stars and athletes who make millions of dollars each year. If each of them were to contribute a few hundred thousand dollars to our needs in the U.S., just think of the families that could be helped.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates that in October, more than one in 10 people - about 31 million - were using food stamps. More recent data is not available, but with our economy and job losses, this number has to be even greater now.
The article goes on to tell us about one mother with 3 children who have medical conditions. She feeds her family on $489 a month, but because of paperwork issues has been reduced to $250 a month. When she has to choose between feeding her family or paying the heat bill, she feeds her family. Another mother has 3 boys and tries to feed them on $319 a month. With the cost of food going up, they are not able to buy as much as they use to.
CNN correspondent Sean Callebs wanted to get a better idea of what it's like to live on a budget with SNAP. He started a blog detailing his experiences of living on $176 a month.
Sean had the luxury of visiting with a dietitian before starting on this program. Unfortunately, most Americans are not able to or don't seek this guidance. He also discovered that funds are suppose to supplement money spent on food each month - it's not suppose to be the sole source of funding. I know from people I have worked with in the past that too often food stamps are their only source of funding for food.
To begin his experience Sean went shopping with a mother of three small children who has been on and off food stamps. He received lots of advice on what to buy and not buy. Name brands are out of the question as well as there is never enough money for fresh fruits and vegetables or meat and fish. It will be interesting to follow Sean in his journey for the month.
It's so unfortunate in our "land of plenty" that we have so many families having to live and eat like this. It is hard to understand why we spend so much time and money taking care of other countries when we have so many in the United States living without sufficient food or funding to pay for living expenses. I know many of them need to find jobs, but without a decent education, jobs are hard to find. If they do have a job, many times the pay is so low they still have a hard time making ends meet.
I always think about the politicians, movie stars and athletes who make millions of dollars each year. If each of them were to contribute a few hundred thousand dollars to our needs in the U.S., just think of the families that could be helped.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Workplace Embarrassments
I just read an entertaining article on CNN.com entitled "Your biggest work embarrassments." We all have nightmares about embarrassing ourselves in social situations. We are afraid of having toilet paper stuck to our shoes or having ab opened zipper or button that reveals alittle more than we would like.
The article states that the worst kind of embarrassment is the type that could be prevented if our brains were quickler than our tongues. Once we say the wrong thing, we can't take it back.
This article shared some embarrassing stores that made me smile. Especially, the story about the receptionst complaining about her job and how she hated everyting about it. The person visiting with the receptionist listened politely and then after the receptionist was done venting, soothingly told the receptionist she didn't think she would be at her job much longer. The receptionist asked why and the person stated, "Well, once the baby is born, won't you be taking maternity leave?" The receptionist wasn't pregnant! I have heard of this happening so many times. In fact, there have been circumstances where I wondered about someone myself, but never actually embarrassed myself by asking. Besides it not being any of my business, sometimes it is just too hard to tell.
E-mails are another way we can cause ourselves alot of embarrassement. I have seen and heard enough to know, always double-check the "send to" information before sending an e-mail!
Another workplace embarrassment is getting caught playing "hooky." A CareerBuilder.com writer wrote an interesting article, "Bosses Tell All: How I Busted My Employee Playing Hooky."
This article was hilarious. It suggested that you don't take the Ferris Bueller route when playing hooky. There is really no need to create excuses for wanting a day off. The article recommends that you just talk with your boss and be honest. According to a survey by CareerBuilder.com, 33 percent of employees admitted to playing hooky this year rather than telling their bosses the truth. The "Web of lies" section of this article is filled with funny little true stores about getting caught playing hooky.
I know we all think about playing hooky at one time or another. But, for me, actually doing it is another story. I don't think my conscious would let me do it; I would feel too guilty. I have been very fortunate in my jobs, though. When I want or need time off, all I have to do is be honest and ask. Unfortunately, I know this isn't true for all jobs.
The article states that the worst kind of embarrassment is the type that could be prevented if our brains were quickler than our tongues. Once we say the wrong thing, we can't take it back.
This article shared some embarrassing stores that made me smile. Especially, the story about the receptionst complaining about her job and how she hated everyting about it. The person visiting with the receptionist listened politely and then after the receptionist was done venting, soothingly told the receptionist she didn't think she would be at her job much longer. The receptionist asked why and the person stated, "Well, once the baby is born, won't you be taking maternity leave?" The receptionist wasn't pregnant! I have heard of this happening so many times. In fact, there have been circumstances where I wondered about someone myself, but never actually embarrassed myself by asking. Besides it not being any of my business, sometimes it is just too hard to tell.
E-mails are another way we can cause ourselves alot of embarrassement. I have seen and heard enough to know, always double-check the "send to" information before sending an e-mail!
Another workplace embarrassment is getting caught playing "hooky." A CareerBuilder.com writer wrote an interesting article, "Bosses Tell All: How I Busted My Employee Playing Hooky."
This article was hilarious. It suggested that you don't take the Ferris Bueller route when playing hooky. There is really no need to create excuses for wanting a day off. The article recommends that you just talk with your boss and be honest. According to a survey by CareerBuilder.com, 33 percent of employees admitted to playing hooky this year rather than telling their bosses the truth. The "Web of lies" section of this article is filled with funny little true stores about getting caught playing hooky.
I know we all think about playing hooky at one time or another. But, for me, actually doing it is another story. I don't think my conscious would let me do it; I would feel too guilty. I have been very fortunate in my jobs, though. When I want or need time off, all I have to do is be honest and ask. Unfortunately, I know this isn't true for all jobs.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Basketball Officials Declining Membership - Are Parents to Blame?
I just read an article in the Fargo Forum regarding a shortage of junior and senior high basketball officials. The article started with asking the following questions: "Would you take a job knowing you'd be screamed at by strangers every time you showed up for work? Knowing your eyesight would be questioned? Knowing you'd be called incompetent?"
There seems to be a shortage of membership in the Red River Valley Officials Association. This article makes the statement that unruly parents are partly to blame.
The Red River Valley Officials Association is the group of referees that officiate local junior and senior high basketball games. The association's membership is decreasing and if this continues, it could lead to a shortage of officials in the future. The article states that young people are not interested in becoming officials because of the verbal abuse officials must listen to.
One long time official doesn't feel that this is the only reason interest is dwindling. He believes burnout is another factor. Many kids are now on summer traveling teams and they play as many as 70-80 games a year. By the time they are done with high school they have had enough. Also, they see the disrespect and don't want to deal with it.
It seems there is just a small minority of the parents that cause the problem. But, it is still a problem they have to listen to and doesn't seem to be getting any better.
Also, how about the coaches and fans besides the parents. This article was alittle one sided against the parents. These two groups can be put on the list right alongside the parents for unruly behavior.
I have two boys in basketball. One is in seventh grade and one is a sophomore. I'm very curious about the discrepancies in the way officials make their calls. We aren't the parents doing the yelling or anything at the games, but sometimes it sure is hard not to start!!
I know officiating has to be a tough job. I wouldn't do it myself. Most of the time they are doing the best they can do I'm sure. But, it's the obvious bad calls that can win or lose a game for the kids that are frustrating. When one kid on a team gets called for a foul and the kid on the other team is doing the exact same thing and doesn't get called, this is frustrating for the kid that gets the foul and their parents, etc.
There may be a solution to help alleviate the abuse officials must endure during games. In visiting with other parents they suggested school officials help with crowd control. If someone starts getting to out of control they are given a warning and if that doesn't do the trick, they are asked to leave. Also, officials could start giving more technicals out due to abusive fans, parents, coaches, etc. Once the technicals start getting called and points are given away, these groups of people might just start settling down.
There seems to be a shortage of membership in the Red River Valley Officials Association. This article makes the statement that unruly parents are partly to blame.
The Red River Valley Officials Association is the group of referees that officiate local junior and senior high basketball games. The association's membership is decreasing and if this continues, it could lead to a shortage of officials in the future. The article states that young people are not interested in becoming officials because of the verbal abuse officials must listen to.
One long time official doesn't feel that this is the only reason interest is dwindling. He believes burnout is another factor. Many kids are now on summer traveling teams and they play as many as 70-80 games a year. By the time they are done with high school they have had enough. Also, they see the disrespect and don't want to deal with it.
It seems there is just a small minority of the parents that cause the problem. But, it is still a problem they have to listen to and doesn't seem to be getting any better.
Also, how about the coaches and fans besides the parents. This article was alittle one sided against the parents. These two groups can be put on the list right alongside the parents for unruly behavior.
I have two boys in basketball. One is in seventh grade and one is a sophomore. I'm very curious about the discrepancies in the way officials make their calls. We aren't the parents doing the yelling or anything at the games, but sometimes it sure is hard not to start!!
I know officiating has to be a tough job. I wouldn't do it myself. Most of the time they are doing the best they can do I'm sure. But, it's the obvious bad calls that can win or lose a game for the kids that are frustrating. When one kid on a team gets called for a foul and the kid on the other team is doing the exact same thing and doesn't get called, this is frustrating for the kid that gets the foul and their parents, etc.
There may be a solution to help alleviate the abuse officials must endure during games. In visiting with other parents they suggested school officials help with crowd control. If someone starts getting to out of control they are given a warning and if that doesn't do the trick, they are asked to leave. Also, officials could start giving more technicals out due to abusive fans, parents, coaches, etc. Once the technicals start getting called and points are given away, these groups of people might just start settling down.
Monday, January 12, 2009
ND Governor Happy with Current Residence
Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo plans to introduce a new bill in the 2009 Legislature. Kasper feels the governor's residence "should be much more magnificant." He feels the current governor's residence is not impressive enough for high-profile visitors. Kasper feels the governor's residence looks like an ordinary home.
Kasper would like to use $3 million of the state's expected $1 billion surplus for a new governor's home. With the state's expected surplus he feels this would be a good time for this project.
Governor John Hoeven doesn't feel that a new governor's residene is appropriate. He states, "I don't think we need it." A showy residence would be uncharacteristic of ND and would draw public opposition.
The governor's home did have more than $300,000 worth of renovations done in the late 1990s. These costs were financed by private donations. Hoeven occassionally hosts receptions for legislators at the residence, but larger functions are held at hotels or the state Heritage Center.
The University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University have both given their campus presidents new homes costing more than $1 million each. These homes were financed by private donations.
When searching the web for more information on the ND Governor's residene I discovered this link: http://governor.nd.gov/hoeven/residence.html. The few pictures on this site show a modern and beautfully decorated home. In agreement with Governor Hoeven, I don't see a need for a new governor's residence. The home has many years of history in it. ND prides itself in it's heritage.
If the governor's residence was rebuilt to be able to host larger social functions, it may not feel as much as a home for the Governor, his family and friends. They currently can feel a sense of security knowing who they have in their home. A larger function would bring more people in to their home, many they may not know well, and security measures would have to be much greater.
There seems to be so many more needs in ND, i.e. education, roads, human service organizations, homeless. Why can't we help some of these types of needs, along with keeping a nice reserve fund. We never know what the future holds and having a nice, healthy reserve to fall back on wouldn't be a bad idea. It will be interesting to see what other legislative representatives think about the proposal for a new governor's residence.
Kasper would like to use $3 million of the state's expected $1 billion surplus for a new governor's home. With the state's expected surplus he feels this would be a good time for this project.
Governor John Hoeven doesn't feel that a new governor's residene is appropriate. He states, "I don't think we need it." A showy residence would be uncharacteristic of ND and would draw public opposition.
The governor's home did have more than $300,000 worth of renovations done in the late 1990s. These costs were financed by private donations. Hoeven occassionally hosts receptions for legislators at the residence, but larger functions are held at hotels or the state Heritage Center.
The University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University have both given their campus presidents new homes costing more than $1 million each. These homes were financed by private donations.
When searching the web for more information on the ND Governor's residene I discovered this link: http://governor.nd.gov/hoeven/residence.html. The few pictures on this site show a modern and beautfully decorated home. In agreement with Governor Hoeven, I don't see a need for a new governor's residence. The home has many years of history in it. ND prides itself in it's heritage.
If the governor's residence was rebuilt to be able to host larger social functions, it may not feel as much as a home for the Governor, his family and friends. They currently can feel a sense of security knowing who they have in their home. A larger function would bring more people in to their home, many they may not know well, and security measures would have to be much greater.
There seems to be so many more needs in ND, i.e. education, roads, human service organizations, homeless. Why can't we help some of these types of needs, along with keeping a nice reserve fund. We never know what the future holds and having a nice, healthy reserve to fall back on wouldn't be a bad idea. It will be interesting to see what other legislative representatives think about the proposal for a new governor's residence.
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