Open Forum

Historic chiropractic legislation was recently passed by the United States Congress and signed by President Clinton that mandates chiropractic care be made available to all active duty personnel in the armed forces (HR 4205). This culminates over a decade of hard work by chiropractors, legislators, servicemen and their families.

In the data collected by the Department of Defense to determine the need and effectiveness of chiropractic care were four key points: 1. higher levels of patient satisfaction with chiropractic care than traditional medical care, 2. superior outcomes, 3. fewer hospital stays, and most importantly for our nation's defense, 4. significant improvements in military "readiness" due to chiropractic care because of a larger reduction in lost duty time. A cost analysis developed by the Chiropractic Health Care Demonstration Project Oversight Advisory Committee concluded that full integration of chiropractic's unique services into the military would produce a net savings of 25 million dollars a year for the Department of Defense.

Though there was opposition from various bureaucracies and some medical groups, common sense won out this time, and our servicemen are the biggest winners. It is also apparent that these findings easily translate into all aspects of the American work force.

Robb E. Anderson, D.C.

Duluth Natural Medicine and Chiropractic

Ideal polling conditions

As a result of the close presidential race, election officials everywhere are looking for a better mouse trap. Millions will be spent studying new and improved voting methods and machines. Let me suggest they save a lot of time and money by simply visiting Ideal Corners during the next contest and seeing how a truly friendly, courteous, helpful, patient and professional group gets the job done. Kudos to Dave Steffen and his crew for their consistent, high quality efforts. Plus, the coffee is always hot and the cookies fresh. We are fortunate indeed to live in Ideal.

Stephen A. Busch

Pequot Lakes

Careless snowmobilers

Once again, the few are spoiling things for the many. This past weekend, I was angered to find several of the reflectors that mark the end of our driveway had been run over and destroyed by an inconsiderate snowmobile driver. I understand that the ditch is not technically our property, but we maintain it none the less. My wife has planted a garden there in an effort to make it attractive and, each year, somebody sees fit to run through it on their snowmobile. These reflectors and this garden are not in the normal path of travel. The driver swerves aside from his normal route of travel for no other purpose that I can determine except to destroy the efforts of another person. If it was, indeed an accident, have the courtesy to come up to the door and inform us and perhaps offer restitution. Reflectors are not expensive. We would probably not bother. But the offer would be nice. If this was a deliberate act, please have some consideration for your neighbors.

I realize that the type of person who would do this sort of thing is probably not one who would read the editorial page, as they obviously don't care what anybody else thinks. So I'm probably preaching to the choir. I would encourage the majority of snowmobilers who are courteous and responsible, to put some positive peer pressure on your fellow riders. I understand that in Wisconsin, it is illegal to ride a snowmobile except on a designated trail. Do we want that here?. If that were on a ballot today, I would probably vote for it. I believe that if this sort of thing continues, I would not be alone. Please for the sake of all snowmobile riders, have some common courtesy.

Lest anybody think that I am some kind of anti-snowmobile wacko, though I don't own a machine here, I was an avid rider when I lived in Alaska. I understand the riders and enjoy the sport myself, when I can. But I am also a property owner who is seeing my work destroyed by a few inconsiderate riders. I hope I was able to get through to at least one person by this letter. Thank you for letting me vent.

Glenn Wolf

Brainerd

A live love

A pine tree of love, life, happiness, home, evergreen, evermore. Forever in the universe. A sign of hope and fertility. A chilling remembrance of the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ now and forever. The growth of life in spirit and truth. The almighty one firmly rooted and uprooted for death on the cross, to free us from sin and hell. God, you are a family, a good father to one and all, we never die of thirst -- you quench our desires. We kneel before you and praise you for your gifts. Life everlasting, love all encompassing, eyes to see the colors of earth's mother nature. We love green growth, the statue of earth. Green pine trees spread all around us, to tell us of life-everlasting and penetrating with truth.

Let me be like your tree, ever-green. Thanks be to God almighty, one in three.

Barbara Bergee

Crosby

Which one's real?

Would the real president please stand up?

Jerrold C. Turnquist

Deerwood

How can Christmas be bad?

I knew when I heard this that I should share it with you.

"Just about the time Americans have devoured the last Thanksgiving turkey leftover, sad-faced TV newscasters tell that it 'looks like a bad Christmas' this year. What they mean is that sales in retail stores may be down during the upcoming shopping season. And that makes for a 'bad' Christmas.

We understand why this is news. Many companies need a year-end consumer spending frenzy to stay afloat financially. Yet there is something in me that doesn't like people talking about a 'bad' Christmas, even when it refers to poor retail sales. How can the celebration of the birth of the Messiah, the Savior of the world, ever be bad? Let's recapture that joyous excitement by refocusing our attention on the event we celebrate, rather than on the celebration of the event. It is Jesus' birth we are honoring, and that always makes for a good Christmas."

So, this Christmas season let's all try to remember the reason for the season.

Don Dabill

Pine River