PCM

In this case, it means: Why are you shouting at us?

Try Best Buy. I'm not that picky.

Well, that's just great, dagies. Now you've forced me to post a link to one of my own USCHO articles. There will be heck to pay now. For those who might not know who Marc Ranfranz is, he was a backup goalie at UND during the 2002-2003 season. He is one-eighth Sioux and his father Tom Ranfranz was president of the Flandreau-Santee Sioux tribe in South Dakota at the time the article was published. Does Marc Ranfranz approve of UND's use of the Sioux name and logo? Does he think the Sioux are being personally insulted when fans of opposing teams use the name in a derogatory manner? Does he think the logo stereotypes the Sioux people? Does he think of the name and logo as an honor?

What's taking so long?

VAHT?

The Vikings were my ancestors. I thought you were opposed to your ancestors being portrayed in a stereotypical manner. Why is it acceptable for my ancestors to be ridiculed and stereotyped, but not yours? I wonder how much Duante Culpepper knows about the history, culture, traditions and heritage of the Scandinavian people. Shouldn't anyone who puts on a Vikings jersey be required to know something about Scandinavian history and culture? What about athletes who play for the Fighting Irish? I wonder how much they actually know about the Irish. Shouldn't the fans who watch Vikings, Vandals or Fighting Irish sporting events be required to know something about the culture of the people after which those teams are named? You are engaging in a stereotypical portrayal of my ancestors. Not all Vikings engaged in pillaging and conquering. Many were writers, painters and clothing designers. I invoke the right of self-portrayal and order you to stop Me too. It's rather difficult to die Sioux if you're not born Sioux, don't you think? I'm sorry that you think I think that because I don't. Exactly. Thanks for so eloqently making my point. There's hope for you yet.

There's no need to throw out the perfectly good Pistol Pete logo. He just needs a little updating.

That's such a whacky quote that I won't even attempt to interpret what it's supposed to mean.

What am I supposed to explain to them? That the level of Devils Lake rises and falls and there's really nothing we can do about it? That every time we try a solution to fix a problem, it causes other problems? That if you choose to live next to a body of water, you should be prepared to take whatever nature dishes out? I've already learned that lesson. Nobody had to explain it to me.

There was a good article in the GF Herald a couple weeks ago in which some Canadian scientists said that the Manitoba government was grossly overstating the threat of Devils Lake water to Canada's environment. One threat was from phosphorus-based fertilizers that might cause algae blooms in Lake Winnipeg. The scientists said the additional amount from Devils Lake was so small in comparison to what was already coming in that it wouldn't be noticeable. Gov. Hoeven outlined some of the other issues in this column recently published in the Herald. Contrary to popular belief, I've been told by researchers who routinely monitor the Red River's water quality that it's actually quite clean. It has the reputation as a dirty river because it looks dirty. However, that appearance is its natural state.

Right. Five or six years ago, I saw some aerial photos showing channels that were dug to drain surrounding lakes into Devils Lake during the drought you mentioned. Unfortunately, those same channels are now causing areas around the big lake to flood more rapidly than they would have naturally. The more we try to fix nature, the further we get behind. There will come a day when people wonder why we were in such a hurry to get rid of that water.

Look at where this type of thinking leads. There are some academics who believe that until toilets are redesigned and women have urinals, sexism will never end. Sure, they're a minority, but if even a few women are offended by urinals, shouldn't we just give them what they want?

How far in the future will the next drought be? It might not happen in my lifetime. On the other hand, it could start this summer. Nobody knows for sure, which is why it's best to start planning now.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen. Plus, have you been to Garrison Dam recently and seen the level of the reservoir? What's going to happen when a widespread drought hits the region, the reservoir is low and downstream interests are demanding that water be released? Do you think the businesses that depend on Garrison for tourism will want to send water to the Red River Valley? Also, as the Devils Lake outlet demonstrates, contending with the Canadians is another issue to overcome. Talk about a can of worms. Yes, it's good that the F-M area is growing. And, yes, it's good that there are plans being made for future water resources. But those who think this is a simple issue to solve in the face of growing demands for water are kidding themselves if they believe there's a cheap, easy solution on the horizon.

Sooner or later it will happen.

My vote's still with the Raging Reds, a perfectly innocent name based on geography and geology that's guaranteed to PO people of all persuasions.

For the record, I do think the Washington Redskins should change their name and the Cleveland Indians should update their logo. But that's as far as I'll go in agreeing with Jon Saraceno's column in USA Today. In other words, if a Christian finds something offensive and demeaning, it becomes "silly and harmless." But it if some American Indians take issue with a word or symbol they find offensive, the world should immediately bow to their demands. I'm also no Phi Beta Kappa, but I don't call shooting a ball through a hoop, firing a puck into a net or punching a football over a goal line "educational." Despite what I think, colleges across the country insist on engaging in such activities. Back in the days when I was a bonafide reporter, I did a story about an alleged miracle cure for cancer called laetrile. Some claimed that the drug companies and the federal government were conspiring to keep laetrile from the public. When I asked a doctor who specialized in cancer treatment about it, he said, "If laetrile worked even half as well as claimed, they'd have no trouble proving that it worked." And that was the problem. Despite all the claims made, nobody could produce one shred of scientific evidence showing that laetrile cured cancer as claimed. We were all supposed to assume that because a few people offered anecdotal evidence that they got better after using it, laetrile should be legalized. Saraceno expects us to make the same leap of faith on the nickname issue. He says it's arrogant "to suggest that no one is harmed," but provides absolutely no evidence that anyone is harmed. He simply assumes it. If every sports team dropped its Indian-related name or logo tomorrow, there's no evidence that anyone will be helped in the near term or the long term. But we should do it anyway because those who agree with Saraceno are "smart" and visionary while those who disagree with him are "wrong" and "ignorant." At least the guy's not arrogant.

Many of us in the Red River Valley complain about the wet cycle we've been in, but I'll take that over a dry cycle any day. Given the current population of the valley and the huge increase in demands on the water resources, a drought similar to that of the 1930s would be absolutely devastating to this region.

Which means that you'll always be wrong.

Think this is the Scandinavians' idea of respecting their culture? Or maybe this?

I find it rather amusing that Deford would write this... ...for a column headlined: Heap big hypocrisy I guess it takes a hypocrite to spot hypocrisy, eh? And who is the "we" Deford refers to that thinks of Indians as "perpetual fighters in war paint"? Speak for yourself, Frank.

Skyhawks? Doesn't seem like a very PC name to me.

You mean like UND did?

Good question. I believe that's the point Kupchella was making when he wrote this letter.