MONTANA
June 2013
A Monthly Publication for Folks 50 and Better
Having a ball
in Montana
Tiny school,
great education
Choosing service
over retirement
Educator has led
a musical life
Where are they now?
The Five Phases of B.J. Thomas and the ‘Raindrops’
Courtesy of Wrinkled Records/MCT
B.J. Thomas was 27 when he recorded “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” the theme song for “Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid.”
By Gregory Clay
McClatchy-Tribune (MCT)
The year was 1969. What was on the “it” list?
• The upstart New York Jets shocked the world by rocking the
vaunted Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III,
• Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon,
• The U.S. unemployment rate was a paltry 3.6 percent (imagine that!),
• “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head.”
And B.J. Thomas, then 27, had a scratchy throat at a most pivotal time that year. Thomas, born in Oklahoma and raised in Texas, was summoned to Los Angeles to record “Raindrops Keep
Fallin’ On My Head,” the theme song for the popular movie
“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” But the singer’s voice
was ailing.
Except there was no way he was going to miss this opportunity
to work with the incomparable Burt Bacharach and Hal David,
two of the most accomplished music composers in history. And
there was no way you turn down an opportunity to be associated
June 2013
—2
with a potentially classic Paul Newman-Robert Redford movie.
“I had a bad throat at the time,” Thomas recalled one Sunday
afternoon. “I had a little laryngitis and back in those days, we
smoked a lot. You add that with singing a lot of shows in three
weeks, I was worn out. But I wanted to show up. It says something for showing up. I didn’t want to call in sick.”
In fact, when Thomas sang in the studio that day, one of the production members remarked that Thomas was trying to mimic
Newman with his voice — all the while not knowing the real story
about the throat issue.
Despite being under the weather, Thomas aced his recording.
Fate was on Thomas’ side — Phase I, 1969.
Phase II almost derailed him.
Robert Redford, remarkably, didn’t want the song incorporated
into the movie. Can you imagine? We have a problem with Robert.
“He wanted a nouveau art film, didn’t want some little pop
song in there,” Thomas said. “He had a huge problem with it.”
See B.J. Thomas, Page 17
INSIDE
Opinion.....................................................Page 4
Savvy Senior.............................................Page 5
Travel........................................................Page 16
Volunteering..............................................Page 18
On the Menu.............................................Page 20
Calendar....................................................Page 21
Strange But True.......................................Page 22
News Lite
Swimmer to haul 2,000 pounds of bricks
ALGONAC, Mich. (AP) — A long-distance swimmer plans to
swim 22 miles across Lake St. Clair this summer while hauling
dinghies filled with 2,000 pounds of bricks.
Jim Dreyer has made direct crossings of each of the five Great
Lakes. He’s scheduled to begin his swim on Aug. 5 from the
Clinton River Boat Club near Algonac, and the event is to raise
funds and awareness for Habitat for Humanity. The swim is
expected to take 30 hours and end Aug. 6 at Detroit’s Belle Isle.
Dreyer said the effort will be one of his most challenging, The
Grand Rapids Press reported.
“It will be a real ‘train of pain,’ symbolic of the pain felt by
Michigan families trying to keep their heads above water,” Dreyer said. “However, instead of sinking with the weight of our burdens, I believe that together we can triumph and be the bricks that
rebuild lives, rebuild communities, and strengthen the foundation
of this great state.”
When Dreyer swam across Lake Superior, he towed a boat loaded with 250 pounds of supplies. Dreyer has partnered with Habitat
for Humanity of Michigan to help fund building projects for up to
75 affiliates through the Cornerstone Strength Swim Campaign.
Members abstain from vote on abstaining
YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — Three members of a Michigan
city council have abstained from voting on a measure that would
have prevented them from abstaining on future votes.
AnnArbor.com reports that Ypsilanti City Council member Pete
Murdock proposed a resolution that would have required council
members to only vote “yes” or “no” on each issue unless they had
a financial or professional conflict.
Mayor Paul Schreiber and council members Susan Moeller and
Brian Robb abstained from the vote to show their disapproval of
the resolution. The resolution failed, with Murdock and another
City Council member voting “yes” while two other council members voted “no.”
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June 2013
—3
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New W
Senior
Montan
05.07.1
AD: SE
1/2 pg
7.25x4.
4 color
Opinion
George Jones, we will miss you
June 2013
—4
I’ve had choices since the day that I was born
There were voices that told me right from wrong
If I had listened, no I wouldn’t be here today
Living and dying with the choices I’ve made.
I was tempted, by an early age I found
I liked drinkin’, oh, and I never turned it down
There were loved ones but I turned them all away
Now I’m living and dying with the choices I’ve made
Now that’s a song. I wish George Jones were still around to
give us more like that.
All I can say is, George Jones, we will miss you.
— Dwight Harriman
Montana Best Times Editor
MONTANA
Little noticed by the media was the April 26 death of country
music legend George Jones.
It was a one-day story for most news outlets. Jones, 81, didn’t get
a lot fanfare like the death of a rock ‘n’ roll superstar would have.
But he should have. In a Time magazine ode to George Jones
written by Merle Haggard, a country legend himself, Haggard
called Jones “the greatest country singer who ever lived.”
For most of us who like country music, Jones — with his
unique, smooth, sliding voice that could put several intonations
into a single syllable — represented the old kind of country, before
the genre developed a pop sound that is basically rock with a
country twang. Jones’ style wasn’t cool by today’s standards, but it
was genuine, pure country, with no bubble gum attached.
Jones was certainly not without his faults, famous for his early
wild days and struggles with alcohol. But he mellowed later in
life, and, according to published accounts, for the most part got a
grip on his problem.
His hits included renown tunes like “He Stopped Loving Her
Today” and “White Lightning,” but to me his greatest song of all
is one he produced in his late 60s, “Choices,” which aired in 1999
and for which he won a Grammy.
I confess I had pretty much forgotten about Jones when the song
came out. But when I heard it on the radio, I was floored by the
searing lyrics that were a big departure from the typical country
song. While Jones didn’t write the words himself, to listeners it
obviously reflected his life, and contained a powerful message:
A Monthly Publication for Folks 50 and Better
P.O. Box 2000, 401 S. Main St., Livingston MT 59047
Tel. (406) 222-2000 or toll-free (800) 345-8412 • Fax: (406) 222-8580
E-mail: [email protected] • Subscription rate: $25/yr.
Published monthly by Yellowstone Newspapers, Livingston, Montana
Frank Perea, Publisher • Dwight Harriman, Editor • Tom Parisella, Designer
Jim Miller, creator of the syndicated “Savvy
Senior” information column, is a longtime
advocate of senior issues. He has been featured in
Time magazine; is author of “The Savvy Senior:
The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and
Finances for Senior Citizens”; and is a regular
contributor to the NBC “Today” show.
How to Find Lost
Life-Insurance Policies
Dear Savvy Senior,
When my father passed away we thought he had a life
insurance policy, but we haven’t been able to track it down. Do
you know of any resources that might help?
– Searching Family
Dear Searching,
Lost or forgotten life-insurance policies are actually quite common in the U.S. In fact, it’s estimated that around $1 billion in
benefits from unclaimed life-insurance policies are waiting to be
claimed by their rightful beneficiaries.
While unfortunately, there isn’t a national database for tracking
down these policies, there are a number of strategies and a few
new resources that can help your search. Here are several to get
you started.
Search records: If your dad died recently, searching through his
financial records is a good first step. Check his files for a policy,
records of premium payments, or bills from an insurer. Also contact his employer or former employer benefits administrator,
insurance agents, financial planner, accountant, attorney or other
adviser and ask if they know about a life insurance policy. Also
check safe-deposit boxes, monitor the mail for premium invoices
or whole-life dividend notices, and review old income-tax
returns, looking for interest income from, and interest expenses
paid to life-insurance companies.
Contact the insurer: If you suspect that a particular insurer
underwrote the policy, contact that carrier’s claim office and ask.
The more information you have, like your dad’s date of birth and
death, Social Security number and address, the easier it will be to
track down. Contact information of some big insurers include:
Prudential 800-778-2255; MetLife metlife.com/policyfinder; AIG
800-888-2452; Nationwide 800-848-6331; Forethought 800-3318853; John Hancock johnhancock.com – click on “Contact Us”
then on “Account Search Request.”
Get state help: Some state insurance departments have a policy
locator service program that can help you locate lost life insurance, or offer resources that can help you with your search. To
reach your state insurance department, see the National Association of Insurance Commissioners website at naic.org – click on
“States & Jurisdictions Map.”
Search unclaimed property: If your dad died more than a few
years ago, benefits may have already been turned over to the
unclaimed property office of the state where the policy was purchased. Go to missingmoney.com, a website of the National
Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, to search
records from 38 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
The pull-down menu under Links connects you to a map and
addresses for unclaimed-property agencies. Or, to find links to
each state’s unclaimed-property division use unclaimed.org.
If your dad’s name or a potential benefactor’s name produces a
hit, you’ll need to prove your claim. Required documentation,
which can vary by state, is detailed in claim forms, and a death
certificate might be necessary. If you need a copy of your dad’s
death certificate, contact the vital records office in the state where
he died, or go to vitalchek.com.
Tap MIB database: The MIB Group Inc., an insurance membership corporation whose main purpose is fighting fraud, offers
a policy locator service to help consumers in their searches for
life insurance policies. This service, however, only tracks applications for individual policies made since 1996. The service costs
$75, requires an original death certificate to get the ball rolling,
and takes about seven to 10 days to produce a report. To learn
more, visit policylocator.com.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443,
Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.
June 2013
—5
Having a ball in Montana
A lot goes into getting ready for upcoming Victorian balls
By Dick Crockford
Montana Best Times
DILLON — Montana’s summer tourist
attractions include a host of activities
related to the state’s rich Western history,
among them a variety of historical reenactments that help bring the past to life
again.
Of course, there was more to the Old
West than battles, gunfights and cow
punching … there was elegant dance, the
kind that helped bring a genteel influence
to the wild frontier. Generally organized
by the “leading women” of the community, a fancy ball helped relieve the monotony of outpost life.
For that sort of event, Dillon’s Sandy
James said, one needed the services of a
suitably appropriate orchestra, most likely
a group on the order of Prof. R. Alexander
James & His Distinguished Dance Music
Ensemble — “said with the appropriate
Victorian puffery,” James laughed.
Two balls rooted in history
For several years, the Dillon-based
group has been featured regularly at two
of Montana’s more notable Victorian-style
grand balls held in connection with historical re-enactment events.
The flavor of the music mirrors the
times it represents, even though several of
the players are in their teens and even the
“more seasoned” members are at least a
couple of generations removed from those
olden days.
Most of the dance ensemble’s members
come from the ranks of the popular Dillon
Junior Fiddlers, an instructional and performance group of young people of wide
renown in Montana and the West for their
talent and enthusiasm when it comes to
music. The Jameses founded the Junior
Fiddlers more than 30 years ago. Playing
for the grand balls provides an outlet for
the more advanced Junior Fiddlers, Sandy
said.
Those who are not Junior Fiddlers
include mostly family members who have
a love for historic re-enactment. It is that
Above: Maggie Magee and Jeannie James enjoy a laugh during a recent rehearsal. On the cover: Jeannie and Sandy James are
the heart of Prof. R. Alexander James & His Distinguished Dance Music Ensemble. MT Best Times photos by Dick Crockford
June 2013
—6
high interest in reevents are held in
connection with hisenacting that is the
toric re-enactment
background for the
programs — Virginmarriage of the
ia City’s reflects the
James’s group with
events surrounding
the historic balls at
the community’s
Virginia City and
Gold Rush roots of
Hardin.
the 1860s and HarT.J. Wald of
din’s commemorates
Lodge Grass serves
the 1876 Battle of
as “dance mistress”
the Little Bighorn
for the balls in both
— the ensemble
communities. As
plays music that was
such, she is responin existence and in
sible for teaching the
vogue at those
dances, including
times.
the grand march,
The Jameses got
and for calling the
their start, Sandy
dances at the ball,
said, in connection
and generally prowith a 1996 historividing marshaling
cal ball that was
services.
Photo courtesy of Jeannie James
organized by the
“Picture a room of
Virginia City Presover 100 very excit- Virginia City’s Grand Ball continues to delight and entertain, year after year.
ervation Alliance in
ed and nervous
reaction to the sale of the Bovey family
have them at the 1876 Grand Ball dances
guests who depend on hearing every word
properties in Nevada City and Virginia
(in Hardin). This all came together quite
I say so that they will not look foolish,”
nicely when the bands who were (original- City. At the urging of the late Tom SarWald said, describing her role in a recent
gent, who was well known in historical
ly) playing for the 1876 could no longer
email. She added, “However, they cannot
re-enactment circles, particularly in
make the trip from California.”
bring themselves to listen. They are just
regard to “vintage dance,” the Jameses
In 2009, James and his orchestra helped
too excited.”
were recruited to organize a group of
Wald said she uses a modern sound sys- Dillon celebrate the centennial — which
musicians to perform popular period
was actually in December 2008 — of the
tem, her “Italian heritage and a Butte
music of the day.
city’s former Union Pacific Railroad
upbringing as well as a good and longThis year, the members, besides Sandy
depot.
standing relationship with Sandy, Jeannie
and Jeannie James, include their daughter,
Each of these different historical setand the band” to accomplish her tasks.
Amy Kadrmas, Katie Thornton, sisters
tings required music appropriate for the
“Being bossy helps,” she said.
time, and definitely nothing later. Sandy, Ingrid and Britta DeGroot, Maggie Magee
This is the 15th performance season
who thoroughly researches period music and Savanna Stewart, with Isabella
for the James ensemble, which has
Kadrmas in the role of apprentice.
for the group’s performances, is careful
played for every Virginia City ball, and
to make sure a performance’s program is
for the past 14 years in Hardin. Those
Preparing music & costumes
authentic. He has led the group in pertwo communities have constituted the
Preparation for playing the balls
formances that have highlighted everybulk of the performance schedule every
includes finding the appropriate tunes,
thing from Stephen Foster tunes to ragsummer, though there have been other
which Sandy does year round, and adapttime for “Titanic balls” — a musical
engagements, representing other periods
ing them to the particular talents of the
genre that is not part of the current
of history.
performers.
offerings.
Those appearances include two stints in
“A lot of (the music) is learned by ear,”
Wald said Sandy’s talent as not only a
Missoula, a couple of performances in
he said, with practices beginning in May
musician but also as a musical historian
Ashton, Idaho, one in Malta and a couple
or so. “The kids are amazing.” Featured
ensures the historical integrity of each
in Butte, including last summer’s festive
instruments include piano, string bass, celball.
observance of the centennial of the Silver
lo, flute and, of course, violins — not fid“The songs they play are the very songs
Bow County Courthouse. Wald said the
dle, Sandy intones.
that would be played at a ball of that parJames ensemble began performing for the
Jeannie tends to the costuming for the
ticular era,” Wald says. “Sandy has
Virginia City dances in 1999. It was the
performances. For the men, things are fairfollowing year when she first served as the worked really hard at this, and he never
ly simple and straightforward: correct hats,
stops studying. He knows the history of
Virginia City dance mistress that she met
coats and trousers change little for the
these
selections,
and
when
he
tells
the
parthe couple.
time period from the mid-1860s through
ticipants the history, they take an interest
The bonding was nearly instantaneous,
the 1870s. Women’s fashions were another
in it, as well.”
she wrote in her email.
matter. Civil War-era hoop skirts give way
Sandy, tongue in cheek, puts it another
“The first year I met Sandy and worked
to bustled dresses for the 1876 ball, and
with him, I fell in love with the family and way: “Mostly, we play fiddle music.”
the various fancy touches reflect the
Since the Virginia City and Hardin
their music,” she said. “I knew I had to
June 2013
—7
changes in fashion trends of the day.
In preparation for this years’ events,
Jeannie is making at least three ball gowns
herself. Even once the dresses are ready,
there is the matter of getting into them, she
said.
“Getting into those garments is quite a
chore,” she said.
Wearing hoop skirts poses a challenge,
too, especially when it comes to sitting,
she added.
“She puts in a lot of work,” Sandy said
of his wife’s effort.
And then there’s the hair. The Jameses
daughter, Amy, helps out there. Still, that
part of the preparation can take as long as
three hours.
“For the men, it’s considerably shorter,”
Sandy chirped.
Daughter Amy Kadrmas, who has been
associated with the group since its founding, says her dad is a real stickler when it
comes to maintaining the proper setting
for each particular performance and its
reflection of history.
“He always collects stuff that’s absolutely true to that time period,” she said,
mostly in regard to the music performed.
But, she added, the same goes for the costuming, too, as well as the women’s hair
arrangements.
Persons planning to attend any of the
balls may be relieved to know that appropriate ball gowns and other costume items
are available. Such items may be procured
through Toni James in Virginia City and
Kathy Stenerson in Hardin.
Rules, but ...
The actual dance venue can be as simple
as a dirt-floored pole barn, as was the case
for a few years in Hardin, to a suitably
Here’s what you need to know to take part
By Dick Crockford
Montana Best Times
Folks looking for something a little different when it comes to summer adventure may want to pack their Victorian ball
gowns and top hats when they visit Virginia City and Hardin this summer.
Well, perhaps that is a bit much to
expect, but visitors to these particular
communities will have the opportunity to
take in Hardin’s 1876 Grand Ball on June
20, the Virginia City Grand Victorian
Balls on June 22 or Aug. 17, or all three.
All three feature music by Prof. R. Alexander James & His Distinguished Dance
Music Ensemble (see main story).
This year’s Hardin soiree is the 19th
annual 1876 Grand Ball, traditionally held
on the Thursday evening of the week commemorating the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The full weekend is Hardin’s Little
Bighorn Days celebration, focused on the
re-enactment of the famous battle in which
Lt. Col George Armstrong Custer and his
7th Cavalry suffered complete destruction
on June 25, 1876, at the hands of an American Indian contingent led by Sioux Chief
Sitting Bull.
The ball, held in a large tent set up on
Center Street in downtown Hardin, begins
with the Grand March at 7:30 p.m. Participants are expected to be in period-appropriate full dress. All tickets — limited in
number and priced at $30 — are sold in
advance, with none available at the door,
so interested persons should inquire as
soon as possible. T.J. Wald, dance mistress
for all three events, said she can hold purchased tickets at the door. All ages are
welcome, and light refreshments are
included in the ticket price.
For any novices, as well as those who
would just like to brush up on their steps
before the big event, lessons are offered
June 2013
—8
Image courtesy of Jeannie James
Proper etiquette was a must at Victorian balls if one was to avoid committing grievous social gaffs, and
booklets like this one helped guide
those intent on putting their best
foot forward.
at the tent that afternoon, at 1 p.m., for an
additional $5 per person.
The 1876 Grand Ball website,
www.1876grandball.org, notes that while
“only period-dressed participants” will be
allowed onto the dance floor, observers
are welcome to watch from the sidelines
for a $5 fee.
For more information, persons may
contact Wald (cell 406-794-4685, home
406-639-2219).
This year’s Virginia City balls commemorate events in 1864 and 1865,
respectively, and also highlight the 150th
anniversary of the town’s establishment
following the discovery of gold in Alder
Gulch. Sponsored by the Virginia City
Preservation Alliance and the Montana
Office of Tourism, the Grand Ball for
Peace of 1864 will be held June 22, with
the Grand Ball of Peace 1865 on Aug. 17
to celebrate the ending of the Civil War.
Both balls will be held in the Community Center Ballroom in Virginia City.
Dance lessons will be held at 1 p.m.
and 2 p.m. on the day of each ball, again
with a $5 per person fee.
Ballroom doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Promenades down the Virginia City
boardwalk 6:30 p.m. precede each of the
two balls, and spectators are welcome to
line the boardwalk on both sides of the
street. The Grand March will begin at 7
p.m. in the ballroom, with spectators welcome in the upstairs gallery. Donations
are appreciated. A “light repast” will be
served at 9:30 p.m. for ball participants,
according to the website, http://virginiacitygrandvictorianball. com.
Civil War era dress is recommended,
since the balls reflect a social activity that
took place in Virginia City, Montana Territory in the 1860s.
Tickets are $60 for couples, $35 for singles, and $15 for persons 15 and younger.
Entrance to the balls is by prepaid ticket
only. A ticket reservation form is available
on the website, at http://www.virginiacitygrandvictorianball.com/apps/documents.
Persons should download and print the
reservation form, fill it out and mail it
with their check to Grand Ball, c/o VCPA,
P.O. Box 55 Virginia City, MT 59755.
For more information about the Virginia
City balls, persons may contact Karen
Shores at (406) 682-4935 or (406) 4310714, or Janet Allestad at (406) 660-1453.
grand community hall, as in Virginia City.
No matter what the setting, though, when
the music begins and the couples glide out
onto the dance floor, sashaying to waltzes
and high-stepping to Virginia reels, the
transformation to olden days is remarkable.
Wald described a “grand ball” as an
event to which “people have always worn
their finest clothing and participated in
dances of the era.”
She said it was customary for families to
teach the dances of the time to their offspring and so on for generations.
There were “rules” to follow at a grand
ball, and the rules were passed on as well.
For example, Wald said, no one danced
without knowing the dances; doing so
would be socially unacceptable.
“And, a lady was never to walk across
the floor without a man by her side. And,
my favorite … it was a man’s obligation to
make a lady look her best, so he knew the
dances very well and if ever she made a
mistake he would kindly take responsibility for it.”
The Jameses say the old-style music and
traditional dance has wide appeal, and to
more than just the older set.
For those who have never tried it, the
good news is that lessons, courtesy of
Wald, are available.
“The only real rule is period correct
clothing,” she said, pointing out that the
grand ball dances would not be the same
“if there were people on the dance floor in
blue jeans and T-shirts.”
She added that on the other hand, “We
are not strict, because it is just too much
for people to remember in just one dance
lesson before the big event. I always hold
an orientation/dance lesson the day of the
event, where I teach approximately six to
10 dances and a Grand March (an actual
choreographed march of all participants).”
Wald said the participants learn the
dances very quickly, “and that evening I
call the dances and literally tell their feet
what to do two seconds before they are to
do it. With the education they had at the
lesson and me bossing them around, they
have all they need. It works well and I
think the participants are amazed at their
ability to pull it off. I can tell by the smiles
on their faces all night long.”
Jeannie says the grand balls attract a significant number of younger folks who get
a glimpse of social life from bygone days.
“I like the fact that it does bring history
to life,” she said.
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Sandy calls it a “participation sport.”
A good time
The Virginia City balls incorporate a full
lineup of appropriate cultural events, and
in Hardin the focus is on the annual reenactment of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, in which Lt. Col. George Armstrong
Custer and nearly all under his direct command in the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry died
on June 25, 1876.
“Trademark” numbers on the respective
dance cards include the “Battle Hymn of
the Republic” for the Virginia City balls
— performed, Sandy said, in an “appropriately soul-stirring” manner — and “Garryowen,” an Irish tune that served as
Custer’s regimental march.
All in all, though, for the performers,
what really matters is bringing history to
life in a light-hearted and somewhat fantastic setting.
“The real joy of music is being at the
production end of somebody’s good time,”
Sandy grinned.
Dick Crockford can be reached at
[email protected] or (406)
683-2331.
From Dylan to Aretha Franklin,
superstars rocking in retirement
By Nicole Tiggemann
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Denver
Generations ago, retirement was thought of as a time to take it
easy — a time of rocking on porch chairs and reminiscing about
the good old days. But that’s not the case with the current generation of retirees. In fact, many older people today continue to rock
on. Just look at some of the superstars touring and performing
concerts this year who are old enough to collect Social Security
retirement payments. They’re still rocking, but not in chairs.
Bob Dylan is on tour, as he usually is during summer months.
Dylan is 71 years old. But with a recent album and new tour
dates, you’d never know he was of retirement age.
Neil Young is touring with Crazy Horse to support their new
album. The “godfather of grunge” is 67 years young. He’s
become the “Old Man” he sang about in his Harvest days.
Paul McCartney’s current “Out There” tour may more appropriately be called his “Up There” tour. The former Beatle is now age 70.
Willie Nelson is “On the Road Again.” The music icon is 79
years old and seems to be on nonstop tour.
Aretha Franklin is 71. Carlos Santana is 65. Carly Simon is
67. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are both 69, as is Joni
Mitchell. Leonard Cohen is 78. B.B. King is 87. They’re all still
See Rocking, Page 11
June 2013
—9
Small school, great education
Teacher of one-room school house talks about rewards of her job
MT Best Times photos by Jillian Shoemaker
Teacher Kathy Currie and her dog, Petey, sit recently outside the Nye School, which was built in 1931.
Jillian Shoemaker
Montana Best Times
NYE — The one-room schoolhouse tradition is still alive and well in Stillwater
County, Montana.
Thirty-nine-year teaching veteran,
Kathy Currie, 61, is part of a special kind
of rural America, where one teacher can
still provide an education to rural children.
Currie teaches at the Nye School, located
in the small community of Nye at the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains, 37 miles
southwest of Columbus.
From Michigan to Nye
Currie has been teaching in Nye for the
June 2013
— 10
past 11 years. She made the move from a
28-year teaching position and hometown
in Michigan after her youngest sister
moved to Montana. Currie said she would
come to visit ... and kept coming back.
“I just fell in love with this place,” she
said during a recent telephone interview.
“I thought maybe when I retired I’d come
out for part of the year — but retirement
was too far away.”
So, she started exploring teaching
options out West. She remembered one
interview that took her 14 miles off a highway, down a dirt road and fording a river.
The next day she interviewed at Nye.
“Once I saw this place, I knew this was
good,” Currie said.
Currie loved the location, and said that
even though it might seem isolated, the
roads in Nye are well maintained and it’s
always easy to get in and out of town.
Currie explained that there are three
one-room schoolhouses in the county —
the other two are in Fishtail and Molt —
but that anymore they really are “one
teacher, one class” schools. These are not
the antiquated schools of yesteryear. Rather, they are filled with technology and
modern amenities. Her classroom has laptops and a SmartBoard as well as an iPad
for the students to use.
From year to year, Currie has had anywhere between two and nine students,
grades kindergarten through eight. There
is no minimum enrollment, due to the
schools “isolation status.” The Nye
School has no principal, and the only
administrative staff is the county superintendent.
Life at the Nye School
If you walk into the Nye School, you
might find students grouped around their
desks, each working on different levels of
give a presentation to work on their
speaking skills, too.
To handle the task of educating all the
grade levels, Currie said sometimes the
first-graders might learn some secondgrade math, and sometimes those secondgraders will get a refresher on their firstgrade principles. Currie admits its “not
easy to do” but that everything important
gets accomplished.
I feel really blessed to be in this situation.
– Nye School teacher Kathy Currie
math, while on the other side of the room
the students are learning music. The
school does have a music and physical
education teacher that drops in once a
week, but otherwise, it’s just Currie and
her students.
For most people who have never experienced a one-teacher school, there are
many questions, and Currie has answers
for everything. Students are held to the
same state-mandated standards as larger
schools, with goals and objectives for
each grade level.
Currie said she covers just about every
subject, from math, language arts, reading and writing to oral language, technology, science and social studies.
She said that one-room teachers have
to excel at “cross curriculum teaching.”
No class stands on its own — every class
has an opportunity to teach another subject at the same time. For example, worksheets on social studies might also be
geared toward teaching students grammar. During that same exercise, students
could stand up in front of their class and
Currie juggles all jobs at the school.
For example, she’s the only one who
answers the phone. To help the students
and to make sure she can give everyone
the attention they need, Currie tells her
students to remember “I’m not your only
resource.” She encourages — and teaches
— them to use the resources at their disposal, such as the Internet, dictionaries,
thesauruses and worksheets, etc.
The interview was studded with a
happy chirping noise heard in the background — made by Krissy, the cockatiel, which is part of the schoolhouse
family.
Always up for a challenge, and with
clearly a kind heart, Currie explained the
Nye School does “quite a bit with critters.” Over the years, the school has been
home — and refuge — to two cockatiels,
many fish, a chinchilla, a bearded dragon,
rabbits, chickens, ducks and Currie’s two
cocker spaniels. This year, the students
are eagerly awaiting for ducks to hatch
from the incubator.
The community stands behind Currie
Kathy Currie is surrounded by the
colors of a happy elementary school.
and the Nye School. She said they welcomed her in, and that the community
always supports the school’s endeavors.
Currie said that as long as someone in the
community wants an education, she’s
here to provide it.
In her spare time, Currie helps out at
her friend’s ranch. She said one of her
favorite things to do is help “push the
cows around” on her 4-wheeler. She likes
to take trips into the mountains, and said
the 4-wheeler is her horse.
Currie speaks fondly of her students,
saying they are very independent and
bright, and that they know how to “take
care of business.” Next year will be her
40th year as a teacher, and she has no
plans to retire any time soon.
“I’m still enjoying it ...” she said. “I
feel really blessed to be in this situation.”
Jillian Shoemaker can be reached at
[email protected] or
(406) 322-5212.
Rocking, from Page 9
performing their music.
Of course, some of these well-known musicians may not be eligible to receive Social Security benefits. But all of them are of
retirement age. So where are their rocking chairs and knitting
needles?
It’s hard to believe, looking at all of these mature stars, that
retirement used to be associated with bridge and shuffleboard. It’s
not just musicians. In fact, many people decide to put off applying for retirement benefits. And even after they do begin collecting benefits, many “retirees” prefer to keep working — or at least
moving and shaking.
Most people know that you can begin collecting early Social
Security benefits at age 62, with a reduction in the monthly
amount. The full retirement age is gradually going up from 66 for
people born between 1943 and 1954, to 67 for people born in
1960 and later. You can delay retirement even further and receive
a higher payment when you retire, up until you reach age 70. And
another thing that has changed since the past generation: you can
continue to work and still receive retirement benefits.
Learn more about Social Security retirement benefits by reading our publication on the subject at HYPERLINK “http://www.
socialsecurity.gov/pubs” www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.
When you’re ready to retire, the best place to apply is from the
comfort of your home computer, with some of your favorite music
blaring in the background. Begin the process with our Retirement
Planner at HYPERLINK “http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retirement” www.socialsecurity.gov/retirement. Crank up the tunes, and
start planning before you head out to your next concert.
June 2013
— 11
Choosing service over retirement
Fergus County commissioners relish their work for community
MT Best Times photo by Deb Hill
Fergus County Commissioners, from left, Ken Ronish, Carl Seilstad and Sandy Youngbauer believe in community service, a
principle they each say is behind their urge to run for political office.
By Deb Hill
Montana Best Times
LEWISTOWN — Six years. That’s the
commitment required of anyone who successfully runs for the office of Montana
county commissioner in Fergus and most
other counties in the state.
A lot can happen in six years — grandkids grow up, friends move away, cattle
herds are improved or dispersed, gardens
are planted and harvested and planted
again, spouses retire. But Fergus County
Commissioners Ken Ronish, Carl Seilstad
and Sandy Youngbauer have each chosen
public service over the rest of life.
Some might argue that a so-called
June 2013
— 12
“cushy” job with good benefits is explanation enough for why anyone age 50-plus
might run for office, but that’s not what
motivates the Fergus commissioners. They
say it is not the easy government job people think it is, and even if it were, the
opportunity to be of service is what convinced them each to jump into politics.
“I’m the oldest person in the courthouse,” proclaimed Ken Ronish, saying he
will start receiving Social Security this
year. “I was 55 when I first ran. I had just
finished a career with the grain elevator
out by Denton. I started working there
when I was still in high school, and might
be there still, but it closed. I was used to
helping people and had thought about run-
ning when I was younger. Running for
office seemed like a good way to keep
serving the same people.”
“For me, it was the chance to give
back,” said Carl Seilstad. “I’ve lived here
my whole life, and it was time to give
back. That was my first campaign slogan
because that’s how I really felt about the
opportunity — I wanted to do something
for the community I grew up with.”
“I’ve been in public service all my life,”
said Sandy Youngbauer. “First with the
military and then with the Postal Service. I
reached the point of retirement from the
post office and thought it was time to look
for something else where I could be of service.”
It seemed like the perfect opportunity to do
something bigger, to make a difference.
– Fergus County Commissioner Carl Seilstad
Days long but rewards great
In Fergus County, the job of commissioner is considered to be full-time. Each
commissioner is elected to serve a district
within the county. The work involves
many miles on the road, heading back and
forth to community meetings, legislative
sessions in Helena or meeting with commissioners from other counties. In addition, commissioners are responsible for
the county’s human resources, budgets,
and oversight of all county departments.
The responsibilities are large. The days
can be long. The pay, a little over $42,000
a year, is not huge. So why not just join
the RSVP program or volunteer as a classroom aide, if one wants to be of service?
“If you care about your constituents, the
people you live with, you try to find a way
to look out for them,” Ronish explained.
“That’s why I ran for this job — it seemed
like a position where I could do something
good for people.”
“I was asked to run by people in my district,” added Seilstad. “I did a lot of
research before I decided. I went to the
newspaper and read articles about the
commissioners, I spoke with the Clerk and
Recorder at the time to learn the issues. It
seemed like the perfect opportunity to do
something bigger, to make a difference.”
Serving her first six-year term, Youngbauer said the learning curve for getting
things done is steep.
“You get elected and suddenly you realize there’s no one there to train you,”
Youngbauer said. “MACo (Montana Association of Counties) offers training for new
commissioners that is very good. But even
with that, there is so much to learn. There
are new laws all the time, and you have to
know what you can and can’t do.”
“There’s a lot of complexity to everything we do,” agreed Seilstad. “We deal
with land development, the budget process, how to get the biggest bang for the
buck. People think we have all this
extreme power, but we have to stay within
the law and answer to the voters. And I’m
powerless unless I can get my colleagues
to agree to go along with me. It takes a
while to learn how to make things happen.”
“I like the challenge, though,” Youngbauer added. “When I was in the military,
all I had to do was do my job, but now I
need to answer to the voters. It’s something new every day — it keeps my mind
active.”
Ronish pointed out that many, perhaps
most, people don’t realize how “tight”
county budgets are. Input from the public
becomes a crucial part of trying to figure
out what will be funded and what will not.
“I wish people knew how much we do
with the little money we have,” Ronish
said.
“Public input is huge,” Seilstad said.
“None of us want to see taxes raised, so
we rely on members of the public to tell us
about the impact of each decision we
make.”
“It’s people’s responsibility to get edu-
cated about their county,” Youngbauer
pointed out. “Once you get elected, you
realize you should have gone to more
meetings.”
Age doesn’t matter
Seilstad and Ronish, both veterans of
several terms in office, have decided not to
run again once their current terms expire.
“Three terms is enough,” Seilstad said.
“It’s time for me to find something else to
do and have someone else come in with
new ideas for the commission.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,”
Ronish said, “but I have eight grandkids,
so I know I’ll be seeing more of them once
I am not in office any longer. It’s been a
sense of duty that has kept me here this
long, but now it’s time for someone else to
handle the issues.”
Asked whether voters should look for
someone younger to replace them, both
Ronish and Seilstad said age doesn’t matter as much as commitment to the community.
“We need good people to step up to the
plate, no matter what age,” Seilstad said.
“I’d urge anyone that thinks they might be
interested to get involved ahead of time
and participate. Come to the meetings and
see what is going on. Whether you are 25
or 50, it will be a learning experience. The
voters will decide if you are doing a good
job or not.”
Youngbauer hasn’t committed yet to
whether she will run again or look for
other ways to give back to her constituents.
“If I feel I can be of service still, I’ll run
again,” she said. “If not, I’ll find another
way to serve. I think it’s in all of us, to
help people. That’s why we’re sitting in
this office.”
Deb Hill can be reached at [email protected] or (406) 535-3401.
News Lite
Great News for Seniors 62 yrs of Age & Older!
COMFORTABLE & AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS
Accepting Applications for Independent Seniors
Call (406) 248-9117 • 1439 Main Street • Billings, MT
Rent Based on Income, HUD 202 PRAC
Live On-Site Community Administrator
Free Laundry • On-Site Parking
Mailboxes on Premises
Electric, Gas, Water, Sewer, & Trash
Included in Rent
Community Room Available for Social
Gatherings & Meetings
Woman spots her stolen car in drive-thru
KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) — A Washington woman whose
car was stolen from her apartment complex saw the stolen SUV
hours later — in the drive-thru of the McDonald’s restaurant
where she works.
The Tri-City Herald reports Virginia Maiden called police after
seeing her SUV in the drive-thru.
Officers arrested the driver, a 22-year-old Kennewick woman,
at the restaurant.
Police found clothes in the car that had been stolen from
department stores.
June 2013
— 13
Miles City educator
has led a musical life
Miles City Star file photos by Steve Allison
Terry Annalora rehearses the Treble Choir Feb. 1, 2011, in the Custer County District High School gym before the next day’s
concert. The Treble Choir is the high school’s advanced all-girls choir.
By Don Cogger
Montana Best Times
MILES CITY — During a career that
spanned close to four decades, one
wouldn’t be surprised if Custer County
District High School Assistant Principal
Terry Annalora, previously chorale director for many years at CCDHS, would have
trouble picking out the highlights.
But a few are more memorable than others. Conducting his choir at Carnegie Hall
in New York City, and again at Ground
Zero. A trip to Washington, D.C., with the
choir performing on the steps of Lincoln
Memorial. Many trips to state and regional
competitions, where his choir more often
June 2013
— 14
than not performed with distinction.
But he and his charges finding themselves booted from the Jefferson Memorial
in D.C. in 2007 for attempting an
impromptu rendition of the Star Spangled
Banner was definitely an experience to
remember.
“It was called an unlawful gathering,
any time you have over like 10 people,”
Annalora, 60, said. “I knew we weren’t
supposed to, but all the kids were in a
group, so I looked around, didn’t see a
park ranger there, so I gave the kids the
downbeat. They got about as far as, ‘Oh
say’ and I feel a tap on my shoulder and
there’s the ranger. Of course the poor guy
was just enforcing the rules, and I knew
we couldn’t do that. The poor bugger got
booed by all the tourists there, but I told
them he was right.”
Now, after 37 years in the education
field, 28 in Miles City, the former leader
of a generation of school-age performers
is calling it a career. He announced his
decision at last month’s meeting of the
Miles City Unified Board of Trustees.
Annalora hadn’t intended to retire for a
couple of more years, but budget shortfalls
in the district made the decision to step
down a little easier.
“The district was looking at downsizing
the assistant principal position,” he
explained. “At the time, they weren’t sure
if there would be no position, half time or
full time. Since I’d only been planning to
do this for another year or two, I decided
to go ahead and retire.”
A life of music
Annalora, a graduate of Sacred Heart
High School Class of ‘71, attended Montana State University-Northern for two
years before transferring to MSU-Billings, where he earned his bachelor’s
degree in K-12 Broadfield, an arts and
humanities course, in 1976. He taught at
Malta High School for five years, where
he met his wife, Myra.
Eventually, Myra decided she wanted
to attend Miles Community College’s
nursing program, and Annalora found
himself back in his hometown, teaching
at his alma matter Sacred Heart. The couple later moved to Great Falls, giving
Annalora the opportunity to pursue his
master’s degree in vocal performance at
the University of Montana. While studying at UM, Annalora went to Europe as
tenor soloist for the Mendelssohn Club
Choir.
“That trip to Europe was a great experience,” Annalora said. “We got to see a lot
of neat sights, from the Alps to Budapest,
Hungary, when it was still in the Iron Curtain. After that, I got a call from Casey
Stengel, then superintendant in Miles
City. He offered me Norma Hartse’s position as choral director at CCDHS, and
I’ve been here since 1985. A ton of things
have happened in that amount of time.”
There were 29 boys and two girls in the
program in three choirs when Annalora
took over; now there are six different
choirs and more than 200 kids in the program.
“I’m pretty proud of that,” he said. “It
was a big accomplishment. And Mrs. Hartse put together such a great program to
Terry Annalora directs the Treble Choir
in a 2011 rehearsal.
build on, I really admire her.”
Annalora passed the torch of the chorale department four years ago to Lindsey
Wilkerson when offered the assistant principal position. Now, as he prepares to step
down from that post, he hopes his legacy
is one of an educator and administrator
who always put the needs of students
first.
“One of the things I hope they don’t
write on my tombstone is, ‘He was a great
music teacher,’” he said. “I would like
folks to just acknowledge that wherever I
was, it was a little better than when I
left.”
CCDHS Principal Jaime Ogolin has
worked with Annalora since 1991 when
Ogolin began his teaching career at the
high school. For the past four years, the
two have worked closely together as the
lead administrators of Custer County’s
only high school. Ogolin said Annalora
will be missed.
“I’ve known Terry for 20-plus years,”
Ogolin said. “Our relationship has always
been strong, and it’s been a great team
effort. It’s a challenging position he has,
and at times we felt like each other’s only
friend. We had a lot of stresses and a lot
of laughs together.”
Ogolin went on to say every decision
Annalora made as a teacher and administrator was always in the best interest of
the kids. Calling him perpetually “upbeat
and positive,” Ogolin believes Annalora
has the energy to continue should he have
chosen to.
“We worked together closely these last
four years, so we understand what each is
thinking,” he said. “I will miss the teamwork the most.”
Not resting on his laurels
Though retirement looms, Annalora
will not be resting on his laurels. Beginning next year, he has agreed to teach an
Elements of Music and Humanities course
two days a week at Miles Community
College. Should he find an accompanist,
it’s his goal to start a choir at the college
as well. He’s said he’s delighted to be
staying in Miles City, and is grateful to
the community that has supported him for
so many years.
“I would just like to thank Miles City
and the school district for all the support,”
he said. “I’ve been very, very lucky, and I
had a lot of great kids to work with. And
they were willing to work. I worked them
hard. I hope I was someone who prepared
them for life. Dedication, family, hard
work, it all pays off in the end. I have no
regrets.”
Don Cogger can be reached at
[email protected] or (406) 2340450.
Here are 5 ways to protect yourself when you’re in the hospital
By AARP/MCT
Each year, more than 180,000 people die in U.S. hospitals from
preventable accidents and errors. And while an even larger number of these incidents are not fatal, they can still turn into a nightmare for the patient. So how does one safeguard oneself against
becoming a victim? The April/May issue of AARP The Magazine
reveals how hospitals fight efforts and how patients can protect
themselves with a few simple tips.
• CHECK CREDENTIALS: Make sure the hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, the chief hospital accrediting
organization in the U.S. ( www.qualitycheck.org ).
• ASK QUESTIONS: “Overwhelming data show that when
patients actively participate in their own care, they have better
outcomes,” says Dr. Peter J. Pronovost, patient-safety expert at
Johns Hopkins.
• BRING AN ADVOCATE: Another set of eyes and ears
monitoring your care helps. “I slept in a cot by my mother’s side
for two days when she was in the hospital,” says Dr. Robert M.
Wachter, associate chair of the department of medicine at the
University of California, San Francisco.
• BE PERSISTENT: Make sure providers follow standard
procedures for common practices like inserting IV lines.
• SANITIZE SURFACES: Guard against superbugs with
alcohol and bleach wipes.
June 2013
— 15
Travel
Bucket List Adventure:
A ‘brave’ adventure with Disney
Glamis Castle, where the late Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother called home.
By Kathy Witt
McClatchy-Tribune (MCT)
Kathy Witt/MCT
Ancient castle ruins rock.
Mom and Dad may relish family time unplugged from workday
electronics, and grandparents admire the beauty of a rolling green
landscape given over to rugged coastlines and pristine lochs, Highland ponies and paint-splotched sheep. But the tween and teen set
will be captivated by broken castle walls, windswept towers that
harbor the perfect hiding place and the remains of a fortress that
once shielded the Scottish crown jewels from Oliver Cromwell’s
army and their 1649 siege.
On Adventures by Disney’s new family vacation to Scotland, an
eight-night odyssey from Edinburg to the Scottish Highlands to the
Isle of Lewis inspired by Disney Pixar’s 2012 Academy Awardwinning animated feature film, “Brave,” kids will ooh and ah over
lots of castle ruins. And all will follow in the footprints of Merida,
the headstrong teen a millennium ahead of her time, to experience
the magic of her homeland — and perhaps even change their fate.
the ancient Caledonian Forest at Rothiemurchus Estate where
you’ll see the same trees Merida and her pony, Angus, gallop past.
Play hide-and-seek with new friends at Dunnottar Castle — clifftop castle ruins that inspired Merida’s family fortress in the movie.
On the Isle of Lewis, cross into the circle of the Callanish Standing
Stones, just as Merida does on her own journey. Magical and mysterious, the stone monument marks what is considered the most
famous prehistoric site in Scotland.
This being Scotland, a visit to the Loch Ness Exhibition Center
is a must. Six galleries uncover the hoaxes, eyewitness accounts
and illusions related to sightings of Nessie. The center, with its
first-rate exhibits, interactive floor and underwater wave laser animation is a Scottish Tourism Board five-star attraction. This being
Disney, the visit wouldn’t be complete without a canoe or boat
excursion across Loch Ness, the deep freshwater lake where the
elusive cryptid purportedly dwells. The scenery on this voyage is
breathtaking, with sweeping views of forested shoreline, hills and
glens dotted with sheep and mop-top Highland cattle, and the ruins
of Urquhart Castle.
A Scottish adventure comes to life
The ‘power of the mouse’
In this mystical, bonny land of bagpipes, burns and bens (the latter two the Scottish words for streams and mountains), multi-generational clans will find an adventure in storytelling come-to-life, a
tour de force that casts a spell as intricate as the heirloom tapestry
Merida and her mum, Queen Elinor, weave in the movie.
Practice your archery skills at Glamis Castle where the late
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother grew up. Ride ponies through
June 2013
— 16
It is no secret that the name Disney opens magical kingdoms all
over — and this is no less true in Scotland. Behind-the-scenes tours
of castles. Exclusive access to places no other tours visit _ like
Dovecot Studios, a century-old specialist tapestry studio that has
never before opened its doors to the public and where you can add
See Bucket List, Page 17
B.J. Thomas, from Page 2
So the movie’s first ad campaign began
_ trying to get Redford to acquiesce. Officials from Twentieth Century-Fox, the
movie’s production company, worked on
Redford. So did Paul Newman. And
Bacharach and David.
Finally, Redford relented and the rest is
history.
In hindsight, Redford admitted as much
during an interview with reporters at the
Sundance London film festival in 2012.
According to the Daily Mail in London,
Redford revealed, “A film that I was in,
‘Butch Cassidy,’ the music played a huge
role. I didn’t see it at the time because I
thought it was stupid. Suddenly there was
a scene where the guy was singing ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’ and it
wasn’t even raining. Well, how wrong was
I?”
As it turned out, Newman rode his bicycle during the famous scene as Thomas
sang what later became an international
hit. The movie and song were forever
melded into a symbiotic relationship that
would have suffered without either component.
That was fate on Thomas’ side _ Phase
II.
Six weeks later, a healthier Thomas rerecorded the song with Bacharach and
David in New York for single-sales release
to the public and radio-station usage. He
was on top of the world before he almost
lost everything during a sordid era we will
explore later.
“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”
has become synonymous with the name
B.J. Thomas. Those six words vaulted him
into the national consciousness. “I was in
the right place at the right time,” he said.
“And they made him (Redford) see the
light. It was one of those perfect fits _ the
music, the song, the composition, the
movie, the scene.”
Bucket List, from Page 16
some wee stitches to a tapestry depicting the characters from
“Brave.” Specially arranged meals accommodating everyone’s
food issues and accompanied by kilted musicians.
Another special Disney touch is the kids fun night, but the big
kids are entertained, too. While junior adventurers join in a pintsize version of Highland games (Tug-of-War, a Wellie Boot Toss),
the adults partake of grown-up fun, like a tutored tasting of what
the Scots revere as the “water of life” _ Scotch whiskey.
Tending to everything and everybody and dispensing local lore,
jokes and room keys along the way are the Disney Adventure
Guides. Equal parts tour director and storyteller, the highly trained
Adventure Guides meet you on arrival, travel with you throughout,
hand out lots of snacks on the motor coach (including the iconic
and delicious Scottish tea cake, a marshmallow puff on a biscuit
and covered in milk chocolate) and make each person feel like a
VIP _ children and adults alike.
Premium price — and adventure
Lots of TLC has gone into the planning and execution of Scotland: A Brave Adventure and it carries a premium price tag. Families are cosseted in the comfort and elegance of four and five star
accommodations, like the tony Kingsclub Hotel & Spa in Inverness
A fit for everyone involved. Call it an
eclectic convergence. Newman’s extraordinary bicycle scene became a signature
moment in the iconic movie, Thomas
reaped the benefits of a No. 1 song on the
Billboard Hot 100, Bacharach and David
won an Academy Award for “Best Original Song” and the movie itself garnered
three more Oscars as well as more than
$102 million in revenues from a $6 million production budget.
Now, we’re into the next century.
We will call this one Phase III.
Billy Joe Thomas turns 71 on Aug. 7.
He uses the “Billy Joe Thomas” name for
signing official documents; otherwise call
him B.J. And when he writes it, he drops
the periods. Thomas lives in Arlington,
Texas, with his wife Gloria. Their three
daughters are adults now; he has four
grandchildren. Thomas attends Rangers
and Cowboys games. “I have sung the
national anthem for them, too,” he beams.
But retirement? No way, Thomas says.
He’s been doing this gig since singing in
the church choir as a teenager in the Houston area. His newest CD release is called
“The Living Room Sessions.” It features
duets of Thomas’ most popular songs with
Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett and Sara Niemietz,
among others, with an acoustic touch.
“I do love what I do,” Thomas says. “I
love to record.”
And tour.
and the exquisite Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. Meals are more
akin to events: picnic lunches on castle grounds or in an ancient
woodland forest, hotel dinners overlooking cityscapes and at
charming eateries favored by locals and set amidst picturesque surroundings.
The trip is worth every (British) pound and the fun begins even
before you leave home, with the arrival of a Disney kit containing
travel documents and backpacks for each adventurer. Every detail
of the itinerary is attended to with an impeccable thoroughness and
aplomb _ from meeting you at the airport to whisking your luggage
to your room to entertaining and genuinely caring for your kids.
And it concludes on a high note _ with a twilight visit to Edinburgh Castle, perched high above the city on Castle Rock, a mountain that formed after a volcano erupted more than 340 million
years ago. Adventurers arrive as the day’s visitors are departing,
storming the castle amidst the fanfare of bagpipe music and setting
sun, for an exclusive peek at the Scottish crown jewels _ the very
ones rescued some 364 years ago at Dunnottar Castle _ and a farewell feast befitting the royal setting.
There are lots of surprises along the way, including a visit by a
certain riddle-spinning crone _ the very one that confounded Merida. By trip’s end, everyone is blinged out with a lanyard bejeweled
with the much-coveted Disney pins, from Mickey Mouse welcoming guests with a Scottish “Failte!” to Merida closing with a Gaelic
blessing, “Turas math dhut!” (good voyage).
June 2013
— 17
Thomas figures he makes between 60 and
70 shows a year. He still sprinkles a few
gospel numbers among the pop and country
tunes.
“I followed Mahalia Jackson,” he says.
“It was very moving music. Ray Charles
had a kind of gospel base, too.”
But The Man was Elvis — Thomas’ idol,
right down to Presley’s 1970s hairstyle. “I
liked the mutton-chop sideburns, too,” he
says.
Many of his concert appearances nationally tend to be in southern states and America’s heartland — Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Texas — his home base.
Internationally, Thomas loves South
America.
“When I go to Brazil and Argentina, I
hear a lot of ‘60s and ‘70s music,” he says.
“It’s played in Spanish, Portuguese and
English down there. Some people down
there may not speak English, but they can
sing your song in English. A lot of them
have a feel for it.”
Arlington is just small enough to provide
a comfortable living and the Dallas/Fort
Worth International Airport is just big
enough for quick trips to Argentina.
After “Raindrops,” Thomas appeared at
the 1970 Academy Awards to sing his movie
hit. On stage that night, he was surrounded
by dancers and bicycle riders as Hollywood
re-created the artistic Paul Newman scene.
But that signature song wasn’t Thomas’
only claim to fame. Earlier in 1969, his
RSVP
Gallatin County
— 18
speed, amphetamines and barbiturates. But
he didn’t do needles, he says, because his
father had forewarned him as a scrappy
youngster — “no intravenous drugs.” Some
weeks he spent a few thousand dollars on
cocaine.
Then, Thomas and his wife decided to
take a break from the music business. He
said a 12-step program helped immensely.
“We left Connecticut and moved to Texas,
got away from the music business to concentrate on my addiction,” Thomas said. “I
only did some one-nighters (shows). It took
me a few years to get a handle on it. I am
alcohol-free now, I’m drug-free. I haven’t
had a drink since I was 33 years old. Same
thing with the drugs.”
In the early 1980s, Thomas re-established
his music career in full force in a different
genre. His recording “Whatever Happened
to Old-Fashioned Love” reached the No. 1
spot on the country music charts as did
“New Looks From an Old Lover” in 1983.
And remember the hit television show
“Growing Pains,” which aired from 1985 to
1992? Guess who sang the theme song?
Thomas on vocals for “As Long As We Got
Each Other,” along with Dusty Springfield.
But he cites another blessing, one more
sentimental in spirit and eternal in longevity.
A blessing we will close with for Phase V.
“If I never had ‘Raindrops,’” Thomas
says, “I still had a great life. I’ve had a great
marriage, great children. I’ve been fortunate.”
Below is a list of volunteer openings available through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in
communities across southern Montana. To learn more about RSVP, call (800) 424-8867 or TTY (800) 833-3722;
or log on to www. seniorcorps.org.
- American Cancer Society Road to
Recovery Program: Needs volunteer drivers to escort cancer patients to treatments.
- American Prairie Reserve: Office Assistant (10-15 hours per week) needed to help
maintain office filing and storage systems,
organize office supplies, process and distribute mail and run errands to post office.
- American Red Cross: Blood drive
ambassador needed to welcome, greet,
thank and provide overview for blood
donors. Phone team volunteers needed to
remind, recruit or thank blood donors,
excellent customer service skills needed,
training will be provided, flexible schedule.
- Befrienders: Befriend a senior; visit on
a regular weekly basis.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters: Be a positive
role model for only a few hours each
week.
June 2013
“Hooked on a Feeling” was a chart topper.
Then, after “Raindrops,” his career zoomed
with “I Just Can’t Help Believing” in 1970,
“Rock and Roll Lullaby” in 1971, “(Hey
Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done
Somebody Wrong Song” in 1975 and
“Don’t Worry Baby” in 1977.
From 1969 to 1977, Thomas was one of
the hottest pop singers in the land. He had
made millions, but he later squandered
much of it because of drugs, alcohol and
financial mismanagement. Imagine if Redford would have gotten his way with “Raindrops” in 1969. Well, suddenly, the actor’s
recalcitrance didn’t seem so important in
Thomas’ life anymore.
“A lot of people probably weren’t saving
their money back in those days,” Thomas
says. “A lot of entertainers back then
weren’t watching their money. It was a cultural and societal thing. And I was never
money crazy anyway.”
With that, welcome to Phase IV (The
Abyss Revisited).
“I had some problems with alcohol and
drugs,” Thomas said. “We didn’t have the
information about addiction back then, like
you do now. At 15, I started using alcohol. I
was around alcoholism. I had some family
members who had issues with alcoholism.
My father had problems with alcoholism.
When you abuse, you kind of pass it on to
your children. I’m glad I got through it.
“I did the whole nine yards.”
Nine yards would be cocaine, marijuana,
- Bozeman and Belgrade Sacks Thrift
Stores: Need volunteers to sort and price
items, Monday–Saturday 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Bozeman Children’s Museum: Welcome desk volunteer(s) needed for 2 hour
shifts Monday – Saturdays.
- Bozeman Deaconess Hospital: Variety
of opportunities to volunteer.
- Bozeman Lodge: Volunteers are needed
to help with Wii-Bowling on Mondays, 3
p.m.; Bingo on Saturdays 1:30 p.m.; and
once a month on Saturdays, 3 p.m., for
birthday parties.
- Bozeman Senior Center Foot Clinic:
Retired or nearly retired nurses are urgently needed, 2 days a month, either 4 or 8
hour shifts.
- Child Care Connections: Front desk
help needed Thursdays from Noon – 1
p.m. Volunteer will greet clients, answer
phones, and general reception duties.
- The Emerson Cultural Center: Volun-
teers needed for front office greeter/reception, Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m.–12:30
p.m.
- Gallatin Valley Food Bank: Deliver
commodities to seniors in their homes
once a month.
- HRDC Youth Development wants to
help: Seniors in need of yard work including raking, trimming bushes, etc. - Habitat for Humanity Restore Belgrade:
Volunteers needed for general help, sorting
donations and assisting customers.
- Headwaters Heritage Museum: Volunteers are needed June through Sept. for 2
and 4 hour shifts. - Heart of The Valley: Volunteers especially needed to love and play with and
cuddle cats, do carpentry work, be an animal bank collector (asking local businesses to display an animal bank for donation
collection) or birthday party leader.
- Help Center Telecare: Volunteers needed
RSVP, from Page 18
3-4 mornings a week 8:30–11 a.m. to
make calls to homebound seniors, providing reassurance, check on safety and wellbeing, and access up-to-date referral information to vulnerable individuals.
- Museum of the Rockies: Variety of
opportunities available.
- RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to quilt,
knit, crochet and embroider hats for
chemo patients, baby blankets and other
handmade goods once a week (can work
from home); accepting yarn donations.
- Senior Nutrition Volunteers: Volunteers
needed to help seniors with grocery shopping, meal and menu planning, and companionship, 2 hours a week, days and
times are flexible; deliver commodities to
seniors in their homes once a month.
- Sweet Pea Festival: Looking for volunteers to help with office retail sales
(July 9 – 26) for 2 or 3 hours shifts Tuesdays – Fridays. - Thrive Child Advancement Project
(CAP): Seeking mentors to students in
grades K-12, one hour commitment a
week, training and support provided.
- VA Montana Healthcare System: Volunteer DAV (Disabled American Veterans)
Help needed to coordinate driver schedules to transport eligible veterans to and
from the VA for medical appointments.
- Your unique skills and interests are
needed, without making a long-term commitment, in a variety of ongoing, special,
one-time, one-shift events.
Contact: Deb Downs, RSVP Program
Coordinator, 807 N. Tracy, Bozeman, MT
59715; phone (406) 587-5444; fax (406)
582-8499; email: [email protected].
Park County
- Community Learning Partners: - Volunteers to tutor adults and help prep for their
GED. Will train you and work with your
schedule.
- Handcrafters meets every Thursday at
the Senior Center and has a variety of interests and projects to work with a great
group. Bring your ideas and skills to share.
- The Senior Center Kitchen: Needs summer help so some of the long term volunteers can take a break. Great company and
free lunch.
- The Senior Center Main Street Thrift
Store and Community Closet: Volunteers
needed to fill a variety of positions.
Choose your own hours.
- The Shane Center: Volunteers needed
Mondays and Fridays, 9-11 a.m. to answer
phones, show visitors around and assist
staff.
- The Yellow Bus: Needs drivers Friday
and Saturday afternoons. Must be able to
double clutch.
- The Yellowstone Gateway and the
Depot Museums: Greeters needed for the
summer. Will train and work with your
schedule.
- Various agencies are in need of your
unique skills and interests in a variety of
ongoing and one-time special events,
including mailings throughout the summer.
Contact: Shannon Burke, RSVP Program
Coordinator, 208 So. Main St., Livingston,
MT 59047; phone (406) 222-2281; email:
[email protected].
Fergus & Judith Basin counties
- Boys and Girls Club: Volunteers needed
to assist staff with elementary children
Monday-Friday on field trips and for food
preparation in the kitchen.
- Central Montana Museum: 25 volunteers who can help in 3 hour shifts. The
museum is open 7 days a week, 9 a.m.4:00 p.m., Memorial Day Weekend-Labor
Day. - Central Montana Senior Citizens Club:
Volunteers to plan, organize, clean, repair
and set up for events; help with Saturday
senior dances, pinochle on Tuesday and
Friday p.m.
- CMMC Auxiliary: Volunteer at the help
desk or in the gift shop, assist with blood
drives and fund raising events to help fund
the ER remodel, knit and crochet items,
bake cookies.
- Community Cupboard: Assist clients
with selection of items, record keeping,
unload delivery truck.
-Council on Aging-Grubstakes: Regular
volunteers and substitutes needed for
home delivered meals, kitchen, hostess,
foot clinic.
- Friends of the Library: Volunteers to
sort book donations, and prepare for and
work the monthly sale.
- Heart of Montana Animal Shelter: Volunteers needed to help in the secondhand
store.
- Lewistown Art Center: Volunteers to
help set up monthly shows, assist with
special events, or work in the gift shop.
- Lewistown Library: Volunteer to read to
groups or individuals, dust and clean, take
care of videos, copying and scanning.
Assist with nursing home outreach monthly.
- Treasure Depot Thrift Store: Volunteers
to cashier and sort donations, 10 a.m.-4
p.m., Monday-Friday.
- RSVP: Needs volunteers to help with
the implementation of a new program: My
Neighbor In Need in Lewistown, also
need volunteers to occasionally transport
large items such as furniture, appliances,
etc.
- RSVP has a variety of volunteer posi-
tions open for on-call, ongoing events.
Contact: RSVP Volunteer Coordinator
Cheryll Tuss, 404 W. Broadway, Wells
Fargo Bank building, (upstairs), Lewistown, MT 59457; phone (406) 535-0077;
email: rsvplew@ midrivers.com.
Musselshell, Golden Valley &
Petroleum counties
- Community Emergency Response Team
(CERT): Learn skills to protect yourself,
your family and community during a
disaster/emergency. Will train in vital
emergency skills.
- Food Bank: Distribute food commodities to seniors and others in need in the
community.
- Golden Thimble Thrift Store: Volunteer
to organize and sell quality used goods.
- Meals on Wheels Program: Deliver
meals to the housebound in the community, just one day a week, an hour and a half,
meal provided.
- Musselshell Valley Historical Museum:
Greet and guide visitors through the newly
renovated museum in Roundup.
- Senior Center: Volunteers are needed to
provide meals, clean up in the dining room
and/or keep records, meal provided.
- Senior Transportation: Volunteer needed
to drive Senior Van to meals, fundraisers
and appointments, one day a week or
month, no special license needed, meal
provided.
- RSVP offers maximum flexibility and
choice to its volunteers as it matches the
personal interests and skills of older
Americans with opportunities to serve
their communities. You choose how and
where to serve.
- Volunteering is an opportunity to learn
new skills, make friends and connect with
your community.
Contact: Abbie Nichols, Volunteer Coordinator, South Central MT RSVP, 315 1/2
Main St., Ste. #1, Roundup, MT 59072;
phone (406) 323-1403; fax (406) 3234403; email: [email protected];
facebook: South Central MT RSVP.
Custer & Rosebud counties
- COPS (Citizens Offering Police Support): Members are needed - applications
can be picked up at the RSVP Office.
- Custer County Art and Heritage Center:
Volunteer receptionists needed, includes
some clerical work, varied shifts, and
days; also needed someone to take minutes
at meetings.
- Custer Network Against Domestic Violence: Volunteer needed with the crisis line.
- Forsyth Senior Center: Volunteer
See RSVP, Page 20
June 2013
— 19
On The Menu
With Jim Durfey
Stuff them with stuffed burgers
When June arrives in Montana, it’s barbecue time.
Friends and neighbors get together to enjoy the warm
air and a meal that is eaten outdoors.
Burgers and hot dogs are the usual fare. But you can
make a barbecue a memorable meal by serving stuffed
burgers.
Regular burgers tend to be a bit on the dry side at
times. But a stuffed burger has moist ingredients that
help it avoid having the texture of a hockey puck.
The cook must be diligent when it comes to sealing
the edges where the bottom and top patties meet. Gaping holes will allow some of the cheese to seep out.
Bacon Cheddar
Stuffed Burgers
1 1/4 lb. ground venison or ground
sirloin, (at least 80 % lean)
Salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed
4 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
Make eight patties. Evenly distribute
bacon and cheddar on the indented
halves of four patties. Top top each with
another patty and press edges together
to form seal. Cook on hot grill for three
to five minutes per side depending on
desired doneness.
Blue Cheese and
Mushroom Stuffed
Burgers
The burgers will have less flavor and the grill will be
messier.
You’re sure to find a stuffed burger among the recipes below that will please your palate and make your
guests think you are the master when it comes to
cooking over briquettes.
One note of caution: The Havarti Stuffed Pesto Burgers are better suited to adult diners. Many kids are
compelled to slather burgers with lots of catsup or
mustard. The great flavor of these burgers would be
masked if they were assaulted with those condiments.
1 1/4 lb. ground venison or ground
sirloin, (at least 80 % lean)
1 1/2 tbsp. hot sauce
6 oz. mixed wild mushrooms (or store
bought mushrooms), sauteed and
drained
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
Mix hot sauce and ground meat thoroughly. Form into eight patties. Distribute mushrooms and blue cheese evenly
on top of the bottom four patties. Top
each with another patty and press edges
together to form seal. Cook on hot grill
for three to five minutes per side.
Havarti Stuffed Pesto
Burgers
4 lbs. ground venison or low fat
ground beef
2 - 10 oz. jars basil pesto
2 eggs
RSVP, from Page 19
musicians needed to provide entertainment.
- The Historic Miles City Academy: Volunteers needed for Thrift
Store, maintenance, and cleaning.
- Holy Rosary Gift Shop: Volunteer cashier needed.
- Holy Rosary Health Care: Volunteers needed for front desk.
- Holy Rosary Hospice: Volunteers needed to help with hospice
patients.
- Miles City Soup Kitchen: Volunteers needed for receptionist,
servers, and cook’s assistant, shifts never more than 3 hours, work
one day a month or more.
- RSVP Adopt-A-Spot: Volunteers needed to help clean up the
cemetery road on June 29th. Meet at the Friendship Villa Parking lot at 10 a.m.
- Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is an opportunity for volunteers
June 2013
— 20
8 large slices Havarti cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. mayonnaise
Lettuce, tomato slices and/or avocado
slices
Mix 10 ounces pesto and ground beef
until well incorporated. Add eggs and
mix well. Add salt and pepper. Divide
burger mix into 16 patties. Add one
heaping tablespoon pesto on top of
eight patties. Place folded slice of
Havarti on top of pesto on patties. Finish by adding unadorned patty on top.
Carefully press sides together. Grill on
low to medium heat. Combine mayonnaise and remaining pesto. Garnish
cooked burgers with pesto mayonnaise,
lettuce and tomato slices and/or avocado slices. Note: catsup and mustard
should not be added to these burgers. It
would be sacrilegious.
to help Medicare beneficiaries understand their Medicare and other insurance paperwork.
- Spirit Riders: Members needed for funeral escort.
- VA Community Living Center: Volunteers needed to assist with
activities for veterans.
If you are interested in these or other volunteer opportunities
please contact: Betty Vail, RSVP Director; 210 Winchester Ave.
#225, MT 59301; phone (406) 234-0505; email: [email protected]
Dawson County
- If you have a need for or a special interest or desire to volunteer somewhere in the community, please contact: Patty Atwell,
RSVP Director, P.O. Box 1324, Glendive, MT 59330; phone (406)
377-4716; email: [email protected].
June 2013 Calendar
— Monday, June 3
• Western Art Roundup and Quick
Draw, through June 16, Riverside Park,
Miles City
• Montana Watercolor Society Members
Show, Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11-5, through
June 21, Lewistown Art Center, Lewistown
— Tuesday, June 4
• Bogert Farmers Market, Tuesdays
through Sept. 24, Bozeman
• State High School Rodeo Finals,
through June 9, Gallatin County Fairgrounds, Bozeman
— Wednesday, June 5
• Livingston Farmers Market, Wednesday
evenings through Sept. 25, Miles Park,
Livingston
— Thursday, June 6
• Makoshika Youth Program, held Thurs-
days through July 25, Glendive
• Dinner Theatre: Whose Line is it Anyway, through June 8, 7-9 p.m., Roundup
Central School, Roundup
• Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park:
Campground Programs, Thursday and
Friday evenings through Sept. 2, Whitehall
— Friday, June 7
• Big Timber Gun Show, through June 9,
Big Timber Civic Center.
• Wing Across the Big Sky Bird Festival,
Lewistown
• Livingston Wheels: Rockin’ and Wheelin’ Car Show, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Best Western Yellowstone Inn, Livingston
• Smith Sales Auto Swap Meet, through
June 8, Miles City
— Saturday, June 8
• Buzzard Day, Makoshika State Park,
Glendive
• The Lewistown Art Stomp, second Saturday of each month, June through Aug.,
from 2-5 p.m., Main Street, Lewistown
• 2013 Electronics Waste Recycling Fair,
Hazardous Waste program 10 a.m.-3
p.m., Park County Fairgrounds, Livingston
• Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-noon, Saturdays
through Oct. 26, Riverside Park, Miles City
— Sunday, June 9
• Festival of Cultures, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.,
Rocky Mountain College Campus, Billings
Spotted Eagle Recreation Area, Miles City
• Beartooth Run, 8:30 a.m., 5K and 10
K, Red Lodge
• Matthew Quigley Buffalo Rifle Match,
• Pioneer Day and Open House, 10
— Wednesday, June 12
through June 16, AG Lee Ranch, Forsyth
— Friday, June 14
• Annual NRA Rodeo, through June 15,
Jim Duffy Arena, Gardiner
• Ranch Rodeo Calcutta, 7 p.m., Bison
Bar, Miles City
— Saturday, June 15
• Big Timber Farmers Market, Saturdays
through Sept. 13, Lions Club City Park,
Big Timber
• Livingston Dance Club, country western
dancing, 7-11 p.m., American Legion,
112 N. B St., Livingston
• Ranch Rodeo and Bronc Riding, 1
p.m., Eastern Montana Fairgrounds,
Miles City
• Mosquito Run and Bug Walk and Festival, street dance, seed-spitting, wing-eating, Miles City
• Wilsall Rodeo, through June 15, Wilsall
• Wilsall Local Montana Products and
Services Show, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Wilsall
Dance Hall, Wilsall
— Wednesday, June 19
• Little Big Horn Days,( Fort Custer and
Plains Indian Exhibit; Train-O-Rama;
Quilt Show; Historic Book Fair; Arts and
Crafts Fair; Indian Club Dancers; Old
West Youth Parade; 5K Walk/Run; Family
Fun Night; and free Confederate Railroad
Concert) through June 23, Hardin
— Thursday, June 20
• 1876 Grand Ball, 7:30 p.m., Center
Avenue, Hardin
— Friday, June 21
• Custer’s Last Stand Re-enactment,
through June 23, 2-3 p.m., Hardin
• “Food for All 2013” Fundraiser “Party
in Paradise” for Food Pantry, Miles
Park Band Shell,6 p.m., Livingston
— Saturday, June 22
• June Jubilee, downtown Dillon
• 100th Fishtail Family Fun Day, Fishtail
• Erin’s Hope Project “Kids Bow Shoot,”
— Sunday, June 23
a.m.-4 p.m., Range Riders Museum,
Miles City
— Thursday, June 27
• Music on Main Street, 6:30-8:30 p.m.,
Thursdays through Aug. 15, Bozeman
• Headwaters Country Jam, through June
29, the Bridge, Three Forks
— Friday, June 28
• Big Timber Rodeo, through June 29,
Big Timber
• Mount Helena Music Festival and Art
Mart, through June 29, Helena
• Snowy Mountains Muzzleloaders Rendezvous, through June 30, Lewistown
• Livingston Art Walk, 5:30-8:30 p.m.,
downtown Livingston
— Saturday, June 29
• Sweet Grass Fest, Big Timber
• Bluegrass Festival, Starting at noon,
Pine Creek United Methodist
Church, 2470 E, River Rd., Livingston
— Sunday, June 30
• St. Timothy’s Summer Music Festival,
4 p.m., Sundays through Aug. 25, Anaconda
• Billings Symphony Orchestra and
Chorale: Symphony in the Park, Pioneer Park, Billings
• Trout Unlimited Annual “Burgers,
Beer & Bluegrass” fundraiser, 5-9 p.m.,
Miles Park, Livingston
— Monday, July 1
• Livingston Roundup Rodeo, through
July 4, Park County Fairgrounds, Livingston
— Tuesday, July 2
• Depot Festival of the Arts, through July
4, Rotary Park, Livingston
• Livingston Roundup Parade, 3 p.m.,
downtown Livingston
• Home of the Champions Rodeo and
Parade, through July 4, Red Lodge
June 2013
— 21
By Bill Sones and Rich Sones, Ph.D.
Send STRANGE questions to brothers Bill and Rich at [email protected]
Could you remember 6,000 hiding places?
Q. Who’s the “hippocampus hero” of
the bird world, displaying its prodigious
long-term memory?
A. A Clark’s Nutcracker that “during
winter and early spring can locate up to
6000 caches of pine seeds it had buried
earlier,” answers psychologist David G.
Myers. Among all animals, this member of
the crow family is contender for champion
memorist.
According to Scott Haber of the Cornell
Lab of Ornithology, “Not only do the lives
of Clark’s Nutcrackers revolve around their
pine seed diet, but the pines themselves
have been shaped by their relationship with
the nutcrackers.” In fact, the seeds the birds
don’t retrieve play a crucial role in growing
new pine forests.
Q. If your descendants thousands of
years from now happen to discover some
of your writing, will they be able to read
the text?
A. Many of the words will likely be
incomprehensible, even if the people call
themselves “speakers of English,” says
David Robson in “New Scientist”
magazine. After all, we struggle to read
texts such as “Beowulf” from just 1,000
years ago. Certainly English is in constant
flux, as “The Oxford English Dictionary”
adds 2,000-2,500 words every year,
according to one of its editors. Moreover,
many grammatical rules are shifting; for
example, irregular verbs that are not used
frequently are more likely to become
regular verbs, changing their past tenses.
According to Erez Lieberman Aiden and
Jean-Baptiste Michel of Harvard
University, there is a 50 percent chance that
“slunk” will become “slinked” within 300
years. “To be” or “to have,” used in about 1
in 10 sentences, have “half-lives” of nearly
40,000 years (the journal “Nature”). The
more common words are, the longer they
tend to linger.
Short and easy words that represent
important concepts are tough to dislodge, as
the word “nama” from “Beowulf” clearly
lingers now as “name,” adds Robson.
June 2013
— 22
“Numbers, question words, and other
simple nouns have similar staying power.”
So if your descendants do speak a form of
English and happen to read your writing
from today, they may find some meaning in
simple sentences like “What is your
name?” or “I drink water.” “There’s a slim
chance they might even comprehend ‘Hello
from the year 2013.’”
Q. You know of people who “talk with
their hands,” but what might an elephant
talk with?
A. Amazingly, as reported by his
zookeepers at South Korea’s Everland Zoo,
Asian elephant “Koshik” has learned to
mimic five words in Korean by sticking his
trunk into his mouth and creating humanlike tones, says Susan Milius in “Science
News” magazine. These sounds are said to
remind Korean speakers of actual words:
“annyong” meaning “hello,” “aniya”
meaning “no,” “nuo” for “lie down,” “anja”
for “sit down,” and the vowel sounds in
“choah” for “good.”
Intrigued by these reports, University of
Vienna bioacoustician Angela Stoeger
visited Koshik and watched as he would
“curl his trunk from the right side and put
the tip into his mouth before sounding off.
While it’s impossible to see what his trunk
tip does, the resulting sounds approximate
the pitch of tones in human speech.” It’s
still unclear, though, whether Koshik uses
the words with a good sense of their
meaning (“Current Biology”).
Being a lone elephant at the zoo for
seven years, Koshik may well be starved
for interaction with his caretakers,
prompting the mimicking. As Vincent Janik
of the University of St. Andrew’s put it,
“Copying is a very effective way of
addressing someone. If I copy everything
you say after you say it, you will turn
toward me and pay attention no matter
what the actual content of your or my
utterances are.”
Adds Milius: Other such possible mimic
talkers are “an orphan harbor seal named
Hoover, hand-raised in a bathtub before
moving to Boston’s aquarium; and a white
whale called NOC, whose occasional
speech-like sounds confused a human diver
in the whale’s tank.”
Q. Going by artistic renderings of the
event, how much was eaten at “The Last
Supper”?
A. That depends on what years you’re
talking about, say Daniel L. Schacter et al.
in “Psychology: Second Edition.” When
researchers Brian and Craig Wansink
analyzed 52 paintings of “The Last Supper”
done between 1000 and 1800, they noted
most of them show bread, fish and wine on
the table, with portions tarting out at
roughly size 3 out of 10 (with 10
representing a very large portion) and
staying that way for some 400 years. But
by about 1500, they had grown to 4 out of
10, then all the way up to 7 out of 10 by
1800, and extrapolated to close to 9 out of
10 by today! Interestingly, “the main dish
increased 69 percent in the paintings, the
size of the plate increased 66 percent and
the bread 23 percent over the time period
studied” (from psychologist Susan Albers
in “Comfort Cravings”).
As the Wansinks said, the centuries-old
tendency of portion sizes to get bigger and
bigger reflects “the gradual shift from food
insecurity to food abundance” and may
help explain why obesity rates keep rising.
Q. The stuff is made up of eight parts
carbon, ten parts hydrogen, four parts
nitrogen and two parts oxygen. So when
was the last time you indulged?
A. You may be doing so right now, if you
have a cup of coffee or tea or a cola or
energy drink in your hand, since the
chemical formula above is for caffeine,
says Murray Carpenter in “Wired”
magazine. Statistically, “Americans plow
through 15 million pounds of powdered
caffeine annually — enough to fill a freight
train two miles long, all 270 cars loaded to
the brim.”
And now for a few caffeinated highlights
of our 5,000-year addiction:
2700 B.C.: Chinese emperor Shen Nung
reportedly discovered tea when leaves blew
into his cup of hot water
Circa 1000: Coffee, previously eaten as
beans, is first dissolved in water
1300s: Coffee roasting is discovered
1734: J.S. Bach composes the “Coffee
Cantata”
1886 and 1898: Coca-Cola and PepsiCola are introduced
1930: Nescafe instant coffee comes on
board
1993: Starbucks goes public
2003: Stay Alert gum is introduced
2011: Sheets, melt-on-the-tongue caffeine
strips, are marketed.
Concludes Carpenter: “We have become
creatures that turn caffeine into motion, and
the corner store is our filling station.”
Q. It was 1941 when New York Yankee
Joe DiMaggio went on his record-setting
56-game hitting streak. One obvious
result of such batting tears is that the
team can win more games. What surprising effect on the teammates had long
gone unnoticed until statisticians pointed
it out?
A. “Like a popular politician with long
coattails, a baseball player on a hitting
streak seems to lift the performance of those
around him,” says Nathan Seppa of “Science News” magazine. Mathematical analysis by Joel Bock and colleagues of the California software engineering firm Scalaton
has shown that batting streaks where a play-
er gets at least one hit in 30 or more consecutive games also raise the batting averages
of the streaker’s teammates by 11 points on
average, as reported in “PLOS ONE.” There
have been 28 such streaks since 1945.
Many factors might explain such “contagious” hitting, says economist Jeremy Arkes
of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Perhaps pitchers are forced
to go around the guy who is hot, giving better balls to the rest of the line-up. Plus, by
getting on base a lot, the streaker might be
distracting to the pitcher, increasing the
likelihood of his making mistakes. “And
some of the effect might result just from
having a hot hitter in the clubhouse. There
is extra excitement and extra purpose to
playing.”
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Crossword
Across
1 Faraday’s field: Abbr.
5 Paris is in it
10 __ champêtre: garden
party
14 Love letters?
15 Exploits
17 Bali specification
18 It’s more acceptable
when it’s self-mocking
19 Danish director von
Trier
20 NBC’s usual “Must
See TV” night
21 Flight segment
22 Clerical garment
23 Way to spread the
green?
26 Impatient cry
31 Green
32 Shade tree
33 About, legally
35 Single __: tournament
type
36 Kinky dos
38 LaBeouf of “Holes”
39 Mollycoddle, with
“on”
40 Code word
41 United nations, perhaps
42 Order in an oater
46 Bleep, say
47 Stew staple
48 5-Across poet
52 “… by good __, yonder’s my lord”: “Timon
of Athens”
53 Isn’t serious
54 Started to shoot
57 Crowning
58 Conversation barrier
59 Hana Airport’s island
60 Federal inspection org.
61 Invite for
62 Old, in Oldenburg
Down
1 Hollered
2 Regional asset
3 One with a long commute, probably
4 Arresting characters
5 Poolside refresher
6 Form foam
7 Words of dread
8 Philip __, first Asian-
American film actor with
a Hollywood Walk of
Fame star
9 See 49-Down
10 Vanua Levu’s archipelago
11 Slaughter with a bat
12 Vegas tip
13 Cabinet dept. with an
Office of Science
16 Bad thing to have
loose
23 Recoil
24 Prefix meaning “other”
25 Treadmill settings
27 Valley where Hercules
slew a lion
28 Where fliers walk
29 Recuperating at the
Royal London
30 Covered in bling, say
34 “No sweat!”
36 Child psychologist’s
concern, briefly
37 Minnie Mouse’s peke
41 Antioxidant
food
preservative
43 Demeter’s Roman
counterpart
44 Find hilarious
45 Swamp tree
48 Down Under swagman, in the States
49 With 9-Down, conspiratorial group in
“The Da Vinci Code”
50 Fit well
51 “Oíche Chiún” singer
53 Hindu god of desire
55 Miércoles, por ejemplo
56 Three-pt. plays
June 2013
— 23
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