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  • Go Ask Jo: 11/17/2021

    Jo|Nov 17, 2021

    Dear Jo, I’ve got a question for you. I hope this isn’t beyond the pale or anything, but why is it becoming more and more acceptable for women, models especially, to let it all hang out so to speak, as long as that slippery little (she) devil, the nipple is covered? Not that I am complaining, but this kind of behavior seems to be growing in popularity! Since the gland in question is pretty much a glob of fat, shapely as it may be, and the nipple actually serves a purpose, could that be the answer to my query? Might it be that simple? Sig...

  • Connecting Point: Second Helpings

    Bill Lanes|Nov 17, 2021

    Thanksgiving: a break for many; a burden to many more. I admit to being old-fashioned in this and it will be a break for most of my household, except the cook. If only the country would go back to the time of rest around the holidays. Some go hungry and find themselves alone. Maybe it would be a good idea to find at least one person or another family who could benefit from our abundance. One can be generous through a simple invite to dinner or by surprising another family with a drop off meal. It seems to me that our family always has more...

  • Horoscopes: Week of 11/17/2021

    Nov 17, 2021

    ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you may not jump out of bed excited to work, but things may change in the next few days. Pleasant interactions at the workplace play a factor into your good mood. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Stop and smell the roses as much as possible, Taurus. Cherish the good things you encounter, whether they are big or small. Take advantage of an opportunity to indulge. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, don’t let trivial things distract you from the bigger picture. Even if a small opportunity does not initially seem like a big deal, it c...

  • Dear Editor: Climate Change in Whitehall

    Charles Haddon Shank|Nov 10, 2021

    Dear Editor, As far as conspiracy theories go, one might note that the the subject of climate change has been growing in popularity over the past few years, maybe as much as a decade. I’m not a scientist, so I’m not even going to try to convince anyone either way as to whether there’s something to it, or even if it’s as bad as they say. I’m definitely not going to say either, that it’s all just a bunch of hogwash, because I know there’s SOMETHING to it, if only that it’s as simple as our Mother Earth protesting being raped (a comment that I’ve...

  • Dear Editor: Improvements at the Museum

    ARCYLLE SHAW, Cardwell, Montana|Nov 10, 2021

    Dear Editor, As the Jefferson Valley Museum continues to grow, financing becomes a problem. Thanks to the generosity of The Country Store, The Jefferson Valley Community Foundation, and Barrick Gold, a research/resource room will soon be completed and ready for service. Last year was particularly bleak with lack of visitors due to COVID-19, but it has been a much better 2021 season. There have been several new collections of history of the Whitehall area brought to the Museum. These will be...

  • Thought Provokers: 11/10/2021

    Nov 10, 2021

    Everyone wants you to go the extra mile, but no one gives you the gas to do it. Dreams make no sense. One part of your brain is making up the story and another part is experiencing it and genuinely being surprised by what happens. Someone’s parent may have used you as a bad example for their kids. Cartoons are more fun to watch as an adult. It makes it easier to notice the jokes and secret messages that you would have missed as a kid. There is a chance that someone you know will use your death as an excuse to get out of a social obligation t...

  • Dear Jo: 11/10/2021

    Jo|Nov 10, 2021

    Dear Jo, Here they come! The holidays, that is! Along with all that “holiday spirit” come the expectations, the inevitable weight gain, seeing family you might be better off keeping your distance from, etc. It’s not like I’m all HUMBUG or anything. I just have a love/hate relationship with this time of year. How can I make it?! Any ideas? Signed, Not a Grinch Dear Grinch, Well, there is no avoiding it; the holidays come whether we are ready or not. Although you say you are not a grinch, nor a humbug, your letter leads me to believe you actuall...

  • Connecting Point: Just One Drop

    Bill Lanes|Nov 10, 2021

    For a moment, picture yourself as Bob Ross or Picasso and on your palette there is only white and black paint. No matter how many times you mix the two colors together the results will always be a shade of gray. One drop of black dramatically changes the tone of the white, never to be pure white again. Many remark that we are living in a gray world, asserting that truth is often canceled. I, for one, believe truth still matters. Wholesome virtues have been part of human society: truth versus deceit is a long standing battle. The noble trait of...

  • Horoscopes: Week of 11/10/2021

    Nov 10, 2021

    ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, someone is appealing to your softer, more sensual side lately and you’re not quite sure how you feel about it. Showing emotions is not a sign of weakness. Enjoy the attention. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, if you’ve been tasked with motivating others and getting them on track, it may be a tough go of it. Despite your encouraging words, some don’t want to budge. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, identify those people who stick around even when the chips are down. These are the people you want in your corner to offer comfo...

  • Dear Editor: Election Laws vs Jim Crowe Laws

    JIM BUTERBAUGH|Nov 3, 2021

    Dear Editor, In last week’s paper, I read with sadness a letter to the editor comparing election laws to Jim Crowe laws. I say sadness because this person has absolutely no idea what the Jim Crowe laws were. She was just parroting a political talking point. A talking point that is a lie and meant to do nothing more than divide the citizens of this country. Montana election laws, new and old, do nothing to stop anybody from voting. Need an ID? You can not do anything without an ID; voting should be the one thing that you have to prove who you a...

  • Dear Editor: Fear, Love and Motivation

    CHARLES HADDON SHANK|Nov 3, 2021

    Dear Editor, I would like to lead out with several paragraphs from an article I penned almost 6 years ago. To quote; “What passes for religion today is largely what drives the political engine of this nation! What people believe about a certain thing motivates them to, say, vote for the lesser of two evils, follow a certain party line, or throw their support behind a certain candidate that promises change. In order to preserve their way of life (as they see it), people will attack, with all their fervor, anything that they view as a threat t...

  • Thought Provokers: 11/3/2021

    Nov 3, 2021

    Most, if not all, rubber erasers are never actually finished, people just lose them eventually. Alligators can live up to 100 years, which is why there’s a chance that they will see you later. Ironically, it’s the fear of a shortage of a given product that very often leads to that exact shortage happening. “Idiocracy” is turning into an understated period-piece. If you’re consistently inconsistent, it makes you consistent. There is no five-second-rule in space. Most of us have never been naked outside. T-Rex was closer to iPhones than Steg...

  • Go Ask Jo: 11/3/2021

    Jo|Nov 3, 2021

    Dear Jo, There are life changing moments in everyone’s life; a moment, an opportunity to do something that could turn their life in a new direction. I have such an opportunity. It will cost me financially, not to mention the stress of a loan, the burden and pressure of taking the opportunity and making it work to my advantage. If I succeed, it will be an amazing boost to my career and life. If it doesn’t, I could spend several years recovering from the investment. I am scared, excited, and stuck. Help!!!! Signed, Golden Opportunity Dear Golden,...

  • Thought Provokers: 10/27/2021

    Oct 27, 2021

    The thermal shock of turning on a light is allegedly what wears it out, yet the light in the refrigerator seems to require very little replacement. Because of streaming, we all have a movie that we watched for the very last time on DVD or Blu-Ray, and we didn’t know it at the time. Considering we only recently invented recording devices, and even now not everything we do is recorded... there is a high chance that when the “coolest thing anyone has ever done in the history of the world” was done, no one saw it. The cowbell is something you d...

  • Dear Editor: More Talk than Action

    Janie Payne|Oct 27, 2021

    To the Editor: Between January 1 and September 27 of this year, at least 19 states enacted 33 laws that make it harder for Americans to vote—and more will come out of GOP-held state legislatures unless we end the filibuster and protect our voting rights. So far, I’ve seen more talk than action in the way President Biden has handled our voting rights crisis. He’s advocated for voting rights legislation and asked Congress to take action, but he failed to do one very obvious thing needed to win this fight: support ending the filibuster. The Jim Cr...

  • Dear Editor: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

    Charles Haddon Shank|Oct 27, 2021

    Dear Editor, Having just read approximately the first half of The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as posted on the United Nations website (https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda) I can affirm, with all the positivity I can muster, it SOUNDS pretty good, at least to some extent. Gender Equality: YES! Ending Poverty: YES! Protect the planet: YES! Promote peace: YES! All these are lofty goals, but do we really need governmental assistance in these matters? In this agenda, “the rule of law” and “universal law” come up frequently. With all conspir...

  • Go Ask Jo: 10/27/2021

    Jo|Oct 27, 2021

    Dear Jo, I live in a small town, which means everyone pretty much knows everyone else. Generations know generations. There is a home here in town that not only looks like a junkyard, but is home to a dog that has bitten people, and killed at least one dog that I know of. How does the town not do something about it? How can someone have such a negative effect on neighbors and not have to answer for it? Help! Signed, Dog Tired Dear Dog Tired, The squeaky wheel gets the grease, it is said. It sounds like both the owner and the dog need a little...

  • Spooky Spectaculars for Your Haunted Season

    KRISTINE ERINN|Oct 27, 2021

    Ready for a few more flicks to help get you in the haunted magical mood for Halloween? With this being the final installment of these frightful suggestions, the Editor of the Ledger has also chimed in, as she is well-known for her love of all things scary. First off, Kristine's all-time favorite, the Halloweentown franchise. The Halloweentown series of four films is the ultimate watch for any witch lover. This Disney creation started as a series, which gained momentum and became a series of...

  • Connecting Point: Respect and the Republic

    Bill Lanes|Oct 27, 2021

    The late comedian Rodney Dangerfield was well known for his: “I get no respect”: “When I was a kid, I got no respect. I played hide-and-seek. They wouldn’t even look for me,” he quipped in his gravelly voice, his eyes sort of bugging out. “When I was a kid, I got no respect. I told my mother, I’m gonna run away from home.” She said, “On your mark.” Dangerfield passed away in 2015 after open-heart surgery, and the States lost a great comedian. Almost all of the old-timers in the public service sector, tell me they have experienced a long...

  • Horoscopes: Week of 10/27/2021

    Oct 27, 2021

    ARIES Mar 21/Apr 20 There’s no need to separate business and pleasure this week, Aries. You can find a way to combine them if you get creative. Get the work team on board. TAURUS Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, if collaborating with someone else has you second-guessing yourself, venture out alone for a little bit and see what progress you made. You can always team up later. GEMINI May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, others look to your for support in the days ahead. Lend an ear and a helping hand if asked. Simply being there as a sounding board may be enough. C...

  • Thought Provokers: 10/20/2021

    Oct 20, 2021

    If tables only had 3 legs, they’d never wobble. Someone knows Lebron James as “The guy from the Space Jam movie.” The richer you are the easier it is to get things for free. Around good people, it feels like you can do anything. Around bad people, everything feels like an uphill battle. The most embarrassing part about being scammed is explaining how you got scammed. Very few cows die of old age. Human beings are the most intelligent species of animals… according to human beings. To bears and other top predators, humans are piñatas. Colorfully...

  • Dear Editor: Why the Attacks?

    Terry Minow|Oct 20, 2021

    Dear Editor, Why are Montana Republicans attacking local control? Montanans cherish local control. Our treasured state constitution puts power in the hands of those who are elected in our communities, people like school board members and city and county commissioners. A most troubling example comes from Elsie Arntzen, Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction. Montana’s schools are governed by locally elected school boards, people who serve because they want the best for our students. Instead of supporting their thoughtful decisions, A...

  • Dear Editor: Feeling Ignored

    Rebecca Johnson|Oct 20, 2021

    Dear Editor, Many of us here in Jefferson County are tired of party politics and feeling ignored by political elites who only care about their own agendas. These days it seems like elections are so partisan that no one really wins. We have to ensure that our elections are fair from the very beginning when drawing our state’s congressional maps. States are required by the constitution to redraw congressional and state legislative district lines every ten years to account for changes in population size. These maps can determine the outcome of a...

  • Dear Editor: Kudos to Wortman

    Charles Haddon Shank|Oct 20, 2021

    Dear Editor, First of all, kudos to Leonard Wortman! In response to his letter from last week, I would like to say that I find myself in almost full agreement with the majority of what he wrote. However, I must say that his comments about the new variant(s) are somewhat lacking. If this new Delta variant is as dangerous as he seems to have found it to be, there is definitely cause for concern. As you may recall, I am somewhat of a conspiracy theorist... What if “they” figured out the whole COVID thing wasn’t having the desired (lasting) effec...

  • Dear Editor: Your Privacy and Money are at Risk

    Tracie Kenyon|Oct 20, 2021

    Dear Editor, Your privacy and money are at risk as the IRS seeks approval to snoop. There is an ongoing battle regarding the $3.5 trillion reconciliation plan proposed by the Biden Administration, which includes a provision that would require financial institutions, such as our credit unions, to report to the IRS transactional data for any account with at least $600 of inflows or outflows annually. This unlimited access to consumers’ financial data should raise alarms for anyone with a bank or credit union account. First and foremost, this p...

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