No entrée today, folks. Just appetizers.
Following are three mini-columns, so ingest them after nibbles, not bites.
The aperitif
The East Grand Forks Police Department's Dec. 12 alcohol compliance checks of city outlets selling booze found three violators.
During each sting operation, a minor is sent into an establishment, seeking to purchase alcohol. If the minor isn't carded and is allowed to make a purchase, the establishment breaks the law.
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Three of the 13 establishments broke the law. The interesting part, at least to me, was the newspapers' take on the results.
The Herald took the "glass half-empty" approach with a headline of "Three fail alcohol compliance in EGF" on a story buried at the bottom of an inside page.
The Herald's story listed the three offenders, but did not list the 10 that followed the law. This is fairly common because obeying the law usually isn't newsworthy.
The East Grand Forks Exponent newspaper, on the other hand, took the "glass half-full" route. Its front-page headline read: "Ten businesses pass alcohol compliance checks."
The story didn't list the three transgressors, but it did list the 10 that obeyed the law.
The Herald zeroed in on the negative. The hometown Exponent concentrated on the bright side.
Which one was right? Please talk among yourselves.
A rich, bland dish
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There were widespread reports recently that every resident of Norway -- all five million of them -- had become a millionaire. The reasoning was that that country's wealth fund had reached 5.1 trillion crowns, largely due to its enormous oil and gas fortune. Divided by the country's five million people, it's one million per person.
This brought lighthearted speculation whether Norwegians -- stereotyped as being conservative tightwads -- would lavish themselves in luxury. It also had me wondering what they'd buy with their riches.
Alas, one million crowns is not the equivalent of $1 million in the USA. It's only about one-sixth of that. So, all Norwegians aren't millionaires as we interpret the number.
And, double alas, Norwegians' reputation of being frugal is spot-on. The government is allowed to spend only 4 percent of the fund every year.
As in their stereotype of being frugal, Norwegians are ready for a rainy day or 2,000.
Flat champagne
The North Dakota Historical Society wants to spend $2.3 million to turn bandleader Lawrence Welk's birthplace home into a museum.
Don't do it. Here's why:
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I'm 62 years old. Never have I had a conversation with anyone my age or younger about the accordion magic or waltz moves of Lawrence Welk. Music reminiscing has been about Paul, John, George and Ringo, not Larry.
My experience indicates that the demographic agog about champagne music starts at 63, if not older. It won't be too long before no Lawrence Welk aficionados will remain on the planet, much less visiting a museum in Strasburg, N.D.
Reach Bakken at (701) 780-1125; (800) 477-6572, ext. 1125; or send e-mail to rbakken@gfherald.com .
