COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL August 17, 2016 Chatterbox The I’m with Gracie! BY BETTY KAISER For the Sentinel Fast forward a few years and another Hollywood face entered the political arena. Pat Paulsen was a long-faced comedian and satirist who was well known for his hilari- ous monologs on The Smothers Brothers Comedy. Paulsen was approached by the Smothers Brothers to run for President in 1968. He is reported to have said, “Why not? I can’t dance; the job has a good pension plan and I’ll get a lot of money when I retire.” His slogan was “Just a common, ordinary sim- ple savior of America’s destiny.” Sounds a little familiar! Viewers would tune in to listen to his campaign promises that were outright lies and tongue-in-cheek attacks on the major candidates. His so-called campaign was comedy based and a big hit. The long-faced comedian’s response to any and all criti- cism was “Picky, picky, picky.” Tongue in cheek, Paulsen addressed is- sues that we still face today: Problem solving: “I will not claim to solve all the world’s problems. If I did, I’d have to run as a Republican or a Demo- crat. Gun laws: “A gun is a necessity. Who knows…you might be walking down a street and spot a moose!” National Debt: “Will I obliterate national debt? Sure, why not?” Immigration: “All the problems we face today can be traced to an unenlightened im- migration policy on the part of the Ameri- can Indian.” To everyone’s surprise, his pseudo cam- paign took on a life of its own. In the 1996 New Hampshire Democratic Primary, Paulsen polled 921 votes to President Clin- ton’s 76,754. He came in second place! Ul- timately he ran fi ve campaigns with gentle humor aimed at political arrogance until he died at the age of 69 in 1997. Paulsen had some fi nal words of election wisdom as he paraphrased another wise man: “You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you can only make a monkey out of the voters every four years!” Don’t be a monkey! Get informed and vote intelligently! As for me, I’m with Gra- cie and Pat. Truth goes down best with a little laughter. T he campaigning to become presi- dent in 2016 has been in full swing too long. It’s a slight exaggeration to say that dozens of candidates began testing the waters years ago. Finally, all but two have washed out. Across the board, it was a pe- culiar election slate, to say the least. The sparring of so many candidates left me more confused and crabby than in- formed. Finally, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prevailed on the Democrat side. Billionaire Donald J. Trump, who was originally just a speck on the candidate horizon, ultimately gained the Republican nomination. Personally, I long for the good old days of candidate selection. In election years, I remember my grandfather sitting and lis- tening to the results of the DNC and RNC National Conventions on the radio. He would listen intently as the conventions an- nounced their select candidates to the na- tion. In those days they elected individuals with solid credentials like Harry Truman and Gen. Dwight Eisenhower. As a young- ster, the process seemed relatively simple. Presidential campaigning is serious big business — very serious. Our country’s future hangs on every word of potential nominees as they try to come up with solu- tions to the mega problems facing us. It’s not possible for anyone to have all the an- swers. Yet we seldom hear candidates say they don’t know the solution to a situation. Lots of arrogant pontifi cating goes on. Not much humor is displayed. Back in the day, humorous pseudo-can- didates would often surface and lighten up the whole process. In the early days of radio, Eddie Cantor and Will Rogers made slapstick runs at the White House. Now TV’s Saturday Night Live brings a little levity to the proceedings. One of the funniest comedians to address political comedy was ditzy Gracie Allen. She and hubby George Burns were come- dic stars of radio, stage, screen and televi- sion. Burns was the straight man who wrote the material, but the audience loved silly Gracie and her earnest delivery of skewed answers to Burn’s serious questions. In March, 1940, on the Burns and Allen radio show, Gracie announced that she was forming a new political party and declared her candidacy for president. War was sim- mering across Europe; times were grim and getting worse. This was the era of Frank- lin D. Roosevelt and Thomas E. Dewey. Laughter was in short supply. Gracie’s new political party was called “The Surprise Party.” After all, she said, her mother was a Democrat, her father a Re- publican and she was born — a Surprise! Gracie made unannounced appearances on many radio shows to offer her views on the issues of the day. One day she could be found at Fibber McGee and Molly and the next on The Jack Benny Show. When Ken Murray, host of The Texaco Star Theatre, asked her which party she was affi liated with, she answered in typical Gracie form: “I may take a drink now and then, but I never get affi liated.” Eventually she and George crossed the country on a whistle-stop campaign tour. They promoted her book “How to Become President” and performed their radio show live from Hollywood to Omaha. There, at the Surprise Party Convention she was nominated for President of the United States. When asked what made her qualifi ed to run for President she said, “…let me tell you that women are getting very tired of run- ning a poor second to the Forgotten Man, and with all the practice we’ve had around the house the time is ripe for a woman to sweep the country. I’ll make a prediction… that a woman can and will be elected if she is qualifi ed and gets enough votes.” Gracie continued adlibbing as she shook hands and kissed babies. She garnered a few hun- dred votes and tens of thousands of smiles — which is all she really wanted. Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is about peo- ple, places, family, and other matters of the heart. Contact her at 942-1317 or via e- mail — bchatty@bettykaiser.com 9A CG's Neigh hopes to help others in the World Race A calling to serve others and see the world has prompted a Cot- tage Grove resident to race around the globe this win- ter. Courtney Neigh moved here last year from Cleve- land, Ohio after the dis- appointment of not being accepted into a nursing program and in search of her next step. “There’s a whisper in- side all of us that says, ‘There must be more,’” Neigh recently wrote, and she believes she may have found more with her plans Courtney Neigh plans to visit and work in 11 coun- for this winter. The World Race is an tries beginning in January. 11-month mission trip to 11 different countries that aims to serve “the least of these” in many communities. Neigh said she will spend one month in each country working with local churches and organizations to meet the needs of each community while also spreading the Gospel. “Racers serve for 11 months while living out of a back- pack,” Neigh wrote. “They experience how others live as they are immersed in new cultures, forming lasting relationships with people who bring fresh perspective.” Neigh will be traveling to India, Nepal, Thailand, Cam- bodia, Vietnam, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and South Africa starting in January, but she’s aware that her route is subject to change. Along the way, she’ll be preaching in churches, visiting kids in orphanages, doing community construction work and ministering to sex traffi cking victims, experiences she expects to be “life-giving and life-changing.” But these will not be her fi rst foray into service, as Neigh has volunteered her time and talents from a young age. She participated in Young Life in high school, volunteering summers working at a camp either baking for hundreds of campers or serving them in the dining hall. In college, she served as Vice President of Service on Student Government, helped with a few Habitat for Humanity trips in Florida and did mission work in West Virginia. Neigh also did mission work in Haiti through Mission of Hope, where she helped paint houses and worked in the orphanages while experiencing the culture. She later went to Guatemala with nursing professors to aid medical clinics in several cities and villages. “Those experiences have been some of the most rewarding times in my life; knowing that you helped make someone’s life a little brighter is an amazing feeling,” Neigh wrote. Before Neigh can begin her journey, she must raise the ap- proximately $17,000 her trip is expected to cost. Those inter- ested in learning more about the World Race or contributing to Neigh’s participation can visit her blog at courtneyneigh. theworldrace.org. Dental care can help prevent periodontal disease Kids often lament daily dental care. Mom and Dad might in- sist kids brush their teeth each morning and before bed, but that doesn’t mean kids enjoy these daily dental rituals. While it’s notoriously diffi cult to get kids to take dental care seriously, many adults also approach dental care with something less than an enthusiastic effort. Dental hygiene routines or visits to the dentist might not be welcomed with open arms, but their importance, especially with regards to preventing periodontal disease, is paramount. To understand that connection better, it can help to get a fi rmer grasp on periodontal disease, its potentially negative consequences and how to prevent it. What is periodontal disease? Periodontal disease is commonly referred to as gum disease. An infection of the tissues that surround and support the teeth, periodontal disease is a major cause of adult tooth loss. Accord- ing to the American Dental Association, periodontal disease is often painless, and many adults may have it without even know- ing it. What causes periodontal disease? Periodontal disease is caused by a sticky fi lm of bacteria that forms on the teeth. This fi lm is called plaque, and the bacteria that forms creates toxins that can damage the gums. Are there signs of periodontal disease? There are signs that indicate the presence of periodontal dis- ease, and anyone who notices these signs should see a dentist immediately. Indicators of periodontal disease include: • gums that bleed when your brush your teeth • red, swollen or tender gums • persistent bad breath • pus between the teeth and gums • gums that have pulled away from the teeth • loose teeth Can periodontal disease be prevented? As harmful as periodontal disease can be, men and wom- en should know it can be prevented. Taking good care of your Routinely visiting the dentist for cleanings and other checkups is one teeth and making those dental appointments, no matter how way to prevent periodontal disease, which is usually unrecognizable much you might fear the dentist’s chair, are great ways to in its early stages. prevent periodontal disease. Keeping gums and teeth healthy requires a daily commit- ment, but that commitment is easy to make. The following ing to the dentist, no matter how irrational that fear might be. But are a few daily routines that can help prevent periodontal disease. skipping dental visits is a recipe for disaster. When detected early, • Brush twice per day. Brushing twice daily removes plaque periodontal disease is rather easily reversed. But the longer men and reduces the risk for damaged gums. When brushing, the ADA and women go between dental visits, the more time periodon- recommends a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpastes that con- tal disease has to advance, and serious damage can result. When tain fl uoride, which strengthen the teeth and help prevent decay. gum disease has progressed to an advanced stage, this is known • Clean between the teeth every day. Floss or interdental as periodontitis. At this point gums can be seriously damaged, cleaners remove bacteria from those areas a toothbrush just can’t possibly resulting in loose teeth or tooth loss. So no matter how reach, such as between the teeth. Flossing is important, as the much you might fear the dentist’s chair, those trips are necessary. ADA notes that early periodontal disease can be reversed by daily Periodontal disease often goes unnoticed, placing great em- brushing and fl ossing. phasis on the individual to be proactive and take care of his or • Don’t skip dental visits. Fear of the dentist’s chair is not her teeth while visiting the dentist at least twice annually. More uncommon. Be it kids or adults, many people harbor a fear of go- information on periodontal disease can be found at www.ada.org. This message is brought to you by these local sponsors: NEW: Digital X-Rays (use less radiation) Douglas G. Maddess, DMD Shane Parsons, DMD Brightening Lives One Smile at a Time New patients welcome Implants •Teeth Whitening • Extractions Lumineers (no prep veneers as seen on TV) Preventive and Cosmetic Family Dentistry Cottage Grove Dental Dr. Brent Bitner, DDS Come in & see us! 350 Washington, Cottage Grove (behind Better Bodies) 541.942.7934 New Patients Welcome ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ 605 Jefferson Ave. • Cottage Grove Please call for an appointment. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Emergency appts. available daily www.shaneparsonsdmd.com 541 942-9171