Exploring North Dakota

Since Eastern Washington University is playing North Dakota State University this weekend I figured that I'd let the Just South of North readers know about the state of North Dakota.

Now I have lots of family (hope they don't disown me after this post) that live in North Dakota. So I've spent my fair share of time in the state.

Here's some facts about the state:

Population: 646,844
Capital: Bismarck
Highest elevation: 3,506 ft
State bird: Western Meadowlark
State fish: Northern Pike
State tree: The telephone pole
State rock: yep

Hold on, where am I getting these facts? The state tree is really the telephone pole? Alright, that one I believe. But the state fish is the Pike? That's got to be made up.

Well, I was going to continue with my information session on the state of North Dakota, but then I found this video. It was made by a North Dakotan about the state. Pretty much sums it up. Yes, even frost bitten in May is possible.

Epic Photos: Winter vs. Spring

For those of you who don't know, Punxsutawney Phil (the most famous Groundhog of all) saw his shadow yesterday.

That means that there will be six more weeks of winter.

However, the Ground Frog from Sammamish, WA didn't see his shadow. I'm not sure who to believe. A frog or a rodent. Hmmm....

One thing that I do know though is that winter has been very mild in Washington this year. So mild that it feels like spring. But in other places of the nation winter has been fierce.

Here's some pictures that my Aunt sent me. These are of North Dakota the other day:



And these are some pictures of our winter in Washington that my dad sent me today. Can you see a difference?



(This is from Just Northwest)

Tales of the unbelievable

First off, hats off to Just South of North writer Brandon for graduating from Eastern Washington University this past weekend. Yeah, believe it or not, they actually gave him a diploma. And I saw pictures to prove it. So, all you doubters, pay up.

Thousands showed up to Woodward Field to watch Brandon. Yes, they were only there for him.

But a place where nobody showed up was to the ballot box in Pillsbury, North Dakota. The town was having an election and no one showed up.

The mayor, Darrel Brudevold said the low turnout is unusual.

"I dare say a half-dozen people usually make it to the polls," he said. That represents about a quarter of the residents in the Barnes County farming community, in southeastern North Dakota.

Wow! Six whole people usually come to the voting. And my guess, they are all relatives of the mayor. Sounds like the town I grew up in.
Because no one showed up, not even the Mayor to vote for himself (he said he had crops to tend to that day) it will now go to the state election officials with what to do next.

I demand a recount!


In Colorado, people can now purchase scratch-n-sniff lottery tickets. The tickets came out today and come in three scents: chocolate, bouquet and coffee.

Lottery officials say the scents are activated when players scratch off the latex on the tickets' play area, since that area is covered in scented ink.

I say the smell should be based on how much you win. If you loose (like you usually do with scratch tickets) it should smell like poo.

Plus, poo scented lottery tickets have got to help stop gambling.


The popular game, Sudoku has called a trial that has been going on over three months to be aborted.

In Sydney, Australia the drug trial was called when it was found that for most of the trial jurors had been doing Sudoku during the hearings.

Four to five jurors had been playing the addictive number sequence game, local media reported. The judge was alerted after some of the jurors were observed writing their notes vertically, rather than horizontally.

Have you ever seen 12 angry men starring Henry Fonda? Yeah, this was nothing like that. Horrible analogy. I apologize.


Coldplay is back on tour. I saw them once while working at the White River Amphitheater in Auburn, Washington. That was an amazing show.

That was probably the best summer job anybody could have. Stand around and get paid to watch concerts.