CALGARYCALGARY

AA--lumnilumni NN--ewsews TT--ipip SS September 2006 Editors: Mel & Darrel MacDonald ISSUE #0069

Annuitant Happenings

Upcoming Eventso The next BP Calgary Alumni Club Meeting will be held on Wednesday,

October 11, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. in the 3rd Floor Rocky Mountain/Prairie Heritage Conference Rooms, BP Energy Centre.

Discussion on how do we get volunteers to step up and take positions on the BP Alumni Executive. We presently require both a VP and Secretary.

Discussion on BP ALUMNI Club Dues? Vote on “Should members who have not paid their dues be maintained on our lists? Should we even collect dues?

Speaker Topic: Funeral Planning & Arrangements Alumni Spotlight

o Belated congratulations to Jim & Jean Smythe who celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary back in June. Jim started with Stanolind Oil & Gas in the Controllers Department then moved over to the Information Services group. Jean, original worked for Lou Iannone, as his secretary.

o Our sympathies and condolences go out to the family and friends of Emil (Al) Brost, who passed away on September 5. Al worked for Amoco Canada from 1956 to 1986.

Alumni Club Niche

Re: BP Alumni Club Today and the Future Email Note

Your editors meet with the BP Alumni Club Executive on September 21 and discussed the replies to our email note dated August 21, 2006.

In attendance was President Rob Thorburn, Past president Bill Halaburda, Treasurer Souma Gobrial, and your two editors.

We had a very informative, creative, and productive meeting that should hopefully, produce some desired results.

These results will be presented and discussed with you at the BP Alumni Club Quarterly Meeting on October 11.

BP Alumni Contacts

You can access the BP Retiree Web Site by going to either of the following web site addresses: www.bpretiree.com OR www.bp.com/us

Should you so desire, you can contact any of the BP Alumni Executive listed below:

President – Rob Thorburn (Email address eirobthorburn@3web.net)Treasurer – Souma Gobrial – (Email address gobrialm@telus.net)Past President – Bill Halaburda (Email address whalabur@telus.net)

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BP Volunteers

2006 United Way Campaign

Each September signals the start of the annual campaign supporting the United Way of Calgary. Starting in a few days and running over several weeks you will be seeing a lot of media coverage of the citywide campaign. As in the past the BP Canada retirees are invited to participate in the BP corporate campaign.   When the homeless and youth on Calgary's streets seek help, a United Way Agency is there. When a single mother struggles just to meet their family's basic needs, a United Way agency is there. Each year for the tens of thousands more that are isolated because of disability, illness, culture and language, a United Way agency is there. These are real people with real needs. Your generous contribution would be very much appreciated.  There will be four draws of $100.00 each for gift certificates for dinner out on BP for those whose pledges are received at BP Canada by October 26, 2006. Pledge forms will be mailed to retirees in the Calgary region by the end of September 2006.   If you haven't received your pledge form by the beginning of October, please call Josee Anderson, Human Resources, BP Canada at 233-1113.

Contributed by Josee Anderson

BP News

New BP Canada Energy President

BP Canada Energy announced on September 14, 2006 that Mr. Randy McLeod has been appointed to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. McLeod succeeds Mr. Brian Frank, who has accepted the position of President BP Energy Company, North American Gas and Power based in the Houston office. Randy brings over 25 years of energy experience to the role, and has held various management positions with BP in Canada, Alaska, and Trinidad.

Taken in Part from the Calgary Herald

Understanding Your Medical Benefit

Medical Equipment and SuppliesYour provincial (or territorial) government health plan provides you with basic health care benefits, such as hospital ward accommodation, doctors’ fees and the cost of any drugs required during a hospital stay. Some provincial plans also help cover the cost of medical equipment or supplies you may need due to illness or injury. You should check your provincial plan to see what coverage is available before submitting a claim under your group retiree benefit plan. (Your group benefit plan is designed to pay for expenses not covered by your provincial plan.)

Coverage for medical equipment and supplies varies widely from one provincial health plan to another. Some provinces have programs specially designed to cover these types of expenses – for example: Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL), Ontario Assistive Devices program (OAD), Saskatchewan Aids to Independent Living (SAIL) and the Yukon’s Chronic Disease Program (CDP). These programs may cover items such as colostomy supplies, prosthetics, crutches and braces, orthopaedic shoes, hearing aids, walkers and hospital beds. Note: Not all programs cover all these items, and some limits may apply. For example, Alberta’s AADL will provide long-term leasing of electric and manual wheelchairs. Other provinces provide coverage for some of these services and supplies up to a

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certain dollar maximum.

You can get a list of what your provincial health plan covers by visiting Sun Life’s website at www.sunlife.ca/member. Under the Resource Centre tab along the top of the page, select provincial health plans and then select your province of residence. Or you can visit your provincial health plan website directly for more details. Then check your group retiree benefits booklet to find out what your group retiree benefits plan covers or call Sun Life Financial at 1-800-361-6212.

Understanding all of your coverage options can help save you time and money.

Making a claimIf your provincial health plan covers the expense you are claiming, you must submit your claim to that plan first, then to your group benefits plan.

To claim these types of expenses under your group benefits plan, you will need to provide Sun Life with a note from your doctor. The note should include the nature of your illness or disability, the services and supplies needed and for how long they are needed. Before you buy or rent medical equipment, it’s best to submit an estimate to Sun Life or give Sun Life a call at 1-800-361-6212 to discuss your purchase. If your claim is approved, the amount reimbursed will be based on your plan’s maximums and coinsurance (percentage covered). If you have any questions about coverage for medical equipment and supplies covered under your group retiree benefits plan, you can call Sun Life’s Customer Care Centre at 1-800-361-6212.

Home & Garden

Make the Most of Your Home Renovations

For those of you who plan to spruce up the bathroom this winter, we have some helpful tips that can aid you in saving both money and water and make the most of your renovation efforts.

Low-FLOW SHOWER HEADSWe all enjoy a nice hot shower, especially when we can control the flow of the water. In the past, low flow showerheads were limited on their ability to provide good, even water flow, or variation in flow. However, new models have hit the markets in recent years that are equal, if not superior to, regular showerheads, with the added benefit of reducing the water actually used while showering. Low-flow showerheads can be found at any major home renovation store or plumbing store and range in cost from around $12.00 to $25.00. Ask your plumber or the fixtures expert at the renovation store for advice on what is currently available and will best match your needs.

ULTRA Low-Flow TOILETSIn the past, ultra low-flow toilets have earned a reputation for inefficiency. How does one save water when one has to flush twice to make sure the toilet is clean? That concern is quickly becoming a thing of the past, however, with new designs in ultra-low flow toilets allowing for efficient use of minimal water to adequately clean the bowl. Since toilets use a large percentage of the water that goes into the average household (approximately 29% of all internal household water use), it’s wise to think about replacing your old 13 litre (or in some cases, ancient 20 litre!!) toilet. Consider the difference - by replacing a 20-litre toilet with a 6-litre toilet; the average household can save 67,744 litres per year.

FIXING LEAKSIf your renovation plans don't go as far as replacing fixtures, checking for leaks

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should be high on your list of priorities. One leaking faucet alone can lead to up to 10,000 litres of water lost per year. A leaking toilet can lose up to 200,000 litres per year. Leaking toilets are the number one cause of water loss in the average home. Leaks are relatively simple to find and fix. To check for leaks in your toilet, you can add food colouring to your toilet tank. If the colour appears in your toilet bowl in the following 20 minutes, you have a leak. If you have a meter installed at your home you can also cheek for less obvious leaks by making sure all valves to water fixtures in your home are turned off and then watch the sweep hand on the meter. If it continues to move, there is a leak somewhere in your home's system. At this point you may want to contact a professional to assess what should be done next.

From the Calgary Waterworks Magazine

Did You Know

Rabbits and Hares

Despite their name, jackrabbits aren't rabbits. Cottontails are rabbits. Jackrabbits are hares. But they're both part of the leporidae family, having sprouted from the lagomorph order along with the pika.

Perhaps you're wondering how a jackrabbit, which is a hare, got its name. Apparently, a few generations ago these hares were mistakenly called "jackass rabbits" because their huge ears resembled those of donkeys. Since then the jackrabbit has acquired a gentler, albeit still incorrect, name.

One way to distinguish a hare from a rabbit is size. Hares are typically taller than rabbits and have longer legs and larger ears. But the most significant difference between the two is how they come into the world.

Female cottontail rabbits may breed in the spring, summer, or all year long, depending on species and surroundings. After approximately a month's pregnancy, two to six bunnies are born blind, furless, and helpless. The mother stays out of the nest except to cover the youngsters with grass or hair, and to nurse them. The youngsters' eyes open in about five days, and after two weeks the bunnies are able to leave the nest. They're timid and cautious at this age, never venturing beyond the safety of their burrow. But before long they have the necessary confidence to face the world.

Rabbits may have a good "childhood," but most lead a short life, with less than 20 percent of them making it to their first birthdays. If they're lucky, they will live for a couple of years.

Hares follow a different pattern. Female hares breed year-round and may have three or four litters during that period. A hare's gestation period is longer than a rabbit's, resulting in newborns that come into the world covered in fur and with their eyes open. It's interesting that, even though they're advanced at birth, young hares, called leverets, often stay with their mother for several months after they are able to take care of themselves.

As adults, hares are typically solitary animals, but some do live in groups. We've heard and read about gatherings of as many as two dozen jackrabbits, especially on moonlit nights. Rabbits are more social than hares and will live together in colonies.

Hares tend to survive much longer than rabbits. But even with an average lifespan of five to six years, hare overpopulation is rarely a serious problem. Their

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numbers are controlled by several things, including disease and predation. Occasionally, in agricultural areas where food is plentiful, the population can grow so large that hares become pests. Those juicy crops provide the critters with wonderful dinners.

You won't usually see hares and rabbits in the same habitat. On the whole, rabbits prefer thick, brushy areas with plenty of hiding places. Lacking the speed to escape predators, they take cover until the danger passes by.

Hares, on the other hand, live in open areas with little cover. They rely on their exceptional speed and leaping ability to evade predators. When active, a hare rarely walks. Instead it hops five to 10 feet at a time. When danger threatens, a hare easily can change its leap to a 20-foot hop, briefly reaching speeds of 30 to 35 miles per hour. When hopping at a more moderate speed, every fourth or fifth jump is especially high. That's done to get a better look at its surroundings, especially when it's being pursued by a predator. But when it races along at top speed, it makes no such special jumps.

While "running" for its life, a hare flashes the white underside of its tail, presumably to warn other hares of danger. Occasionally it may stop and look back to see whether the predator has given up the chase. If not, it may send out a stronger alert by pausing to loudly thump its hind feet, and then resume hopping. In extreme instances, a hare may take to the water. It hops right in and dog-paddles with all four feet. It's amazing that, despite all these tricks, some end up being dinner for coyotes, bobcats, and foxes, as well as to hawks and large owls.

Both rabbits and hares are herbivores, feeding mostly on grasses and forbs (broad-leaved, non-woody plants.) Because they seldom drink water, their bodies rely on juicy leaves and stems to meet their needs. You might wonder how desert-dwellers such as the black-tailed jackrabbit get sufficient liquids in the barren environment. The answer is that they munch on cacti. A hare's sharp teeth can bite right through cactus skin to the flesh inside.

Here's a way to figure out whether a hare or a rabbit has been eating your garden. Twigs nipped off by hares leave clean, slanted cuts, while ends bitten by rabbits have a rougher, nibbled appearance. (By the way, twigs browsed upon by deer look pinched off.)

Unless they live in a region with year-round plant growth, both hares and rabbits are reduced to eating woody and dry vegetation in the winter. It might not be especially tasty, but it meets their nutritional needs.

These hopping cousins can be found throughout the United States, Canada, and nearly everywhere else on Earth except Antarctica. So, keep your eyes open.

From the Family Motor Coaching Magazine by Lowell & Kaye Christie

Is This Your Town?

Shilo, Manitoba

The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Museum is on the Canadian Forces Base via Highway 340. This indoor-outdoor museum exhibits more than 10,000 articles of dress, technical instruments, ammunition, small arms, guns, and World War II vehicles. Among the more than 150 pieces of major military equipment dating to 1796 are German, Russian, and French guns.

Guides tours are available by appointment. Allow 1 hour minimum.

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From the AMA Tour Book

Food & Recipes

Spanish Shortbread

3-1/3 cups Flour 1 tsp ground Cinnamon1/8 tsp Salt1 cup Lard, softened 1-1/4 cups Granulated Sugar2 large Egg Yolks Grated zest and juice of 1 Lemon2 ½ cups finely Ground almond

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease four cookie sheets with lard. Sift the flour, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl. Beat the lard and sugar into a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy. Add the eggs yolks, beating until just blended. Mix in the dry ingredients and lemon zest. Stir in the almonds and lemon juice until well blended. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form a smooth dough. Cover with a large piece of parchment paper. Roll out the dough to a thickness of ½ inch. Remove the paper. Use a 2-½ inch cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheet, placing them 1 inch apart. Bake, one batch at a time, for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until lightly golden. Cool on the cookie sheets for 1 minute. Use a thin metal spatula to transfer the cookies to racks and let cool completely. Wrap the cookies separately in coloured tissue paper to serve. Makes 40 cookies.

From the Readers Digest

Computer Tips & Tricks

Make it Stand Out in ExcelEvery once in awhile, we all have data in MS Excel that just needs to be presented with some "oomph." Am I right? Do you like to use AutoShapes or text boxes to draw the reader's attention to specific information?

Maybe you'd be interested to know that the two can be combined. That is, you can put cell data into a text box or AutoShape with a direct reference to the cell. What's so good about a reference to the cell, you ask?

Good question and I can think of very good answer. Since you reference the cell, you don't have to retype the information and the cell reference will provide automatic updates as the data changes. Happily, this merge of ideas can be done with very little work! First, you need to draw the AutoShape or text box you want to use.

Now, with the AutoShape or text box selected, click into the formula bar and type an equal sign (=). At this point, you simply need to click on the cell with the data to display in the AutoShape or text box.Press the Enter key.

Poof! The data is now displayed inside the object. From here, it's just a matter of formatting the text and business as usual!

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From the Worldstart Web Site

Health

Pets Ease Loneliness, Depression and Illness

It is the highlight of their day when Angie Young and her German shepherd Reba go to visit seniors.

"My pet starts whining and running around in circles in the back of my jeep, eight to 10 blocks away. She knows exactly where we're going and she's so excited to get all this unconditional love for an hour," says Young, a volunteer with PALS (Pet Access League Society), a community operated pet therapy and visitation program at facilities operated by the Calgary Health Region.

Their twice-monthly visit is also very special for Young, who have been volunteering with PALS for 10 years. I absolutely love being able to do something with my pet that feels like a benefit to society and does some good for other people."

And it is a highlight for the seniors. "They're waiting for you to come that day," Young says. "They will tell stories to my pet or me about things that happened to them when they were younger. They are reminded of dogs they had growing up. It's such a great common bond - it opens the doors. It's just so rewarding for everyone." The good feelings are borne out by studies that have found pets have a very positive effect on people's health, says PALS program co-ordinator Sandra Johnston. Being around pets helps lower blood pressure and reduce heart rate. Pets' calming effects in nursing homes and other institutions cannot be overrated. Residents are often limited in their contact with the greater community, so when volunteers and pets come to visit, it makes a difference. In addition, many of these seniors suffer some form of dementia and their communication ability is limited. "The pets overcome those barriers. The memories they have of their dogs or cats usually go back to their childhood," Johnston says. I visited one lady who spoke Spanish. She sat there speaking very melodic words to my dog, and he sat there and adored her. It was neat to watch."

More than 300 animals take part in the program. "Our four-legged volunteers are dogs, cats, a few guinea pigs and one rabbit," Johnston says. Each animal is accompanied by a two-legged volunteer, usually the owner or handler." If human volunteers don't have a pet, they will sometimes borrow one from a friend. For instance, they might have started the program with their own dog, and when their pet is too old to continue they will borrow a friend's dog so they can continue visiting. One volunteer, whose pet passed away borrowed Johnston's 22-year-old cat, who is very used to handling. "She really likes people. If she is touching a human she's happy."

This cat and others like her are exceptional in that they are very social, Johnston explains. Most cats don't enjoy being taken out of their territory, and while they get along with their owners they are usually not fussy about other people. "PALS cats are comfortable being out of their home territory, they like people and they get along very well with dogs."

Across Calgary, PALS is active in 50 facilities, mostly seniors' residences. PALS volunteers also visit children at the Alberta Children's Hospital, adults and teens in psychiatric units, and older adults in seniors' psychiatric units.

PALS, operates with the assistance of 500 human volunteers, 340 of whom volunteer in the facilities and the remainder who are involved in fund raising or as board members. The program began in 1983 under the auspices of the Calgary

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Humane Society and formed its own society in 1985.

PALS is always on the lookout for new volunteers and pets, since there are always pets retiring. "We are looking for more volunteers with well socialized dogs and cats," Johnston says. "We screen both people and animals very carefully to ensure the safety of the residents is maintained."

What PALS requires is someone who can volunteer for approximately two visits per month. Visits typically fast an hour, and on top of that there is travelling time and pet grooming time.

A registered charity, PALS is a free service. Its funding comes from fundraisers such as bingos and casinos, as well as donations, which are very important, Johnston says.

To make a donation or for more information, call 250-7257 or visit www.palspets.com

From the Calgary Herald PrimeTime by Jacqueline Louie

Travel

LAKE TAHOE

HistoryThe Washoe tribe began inhabiting Tahoe as far back as 10,000 years ago. The name Tahoe comes from a mispronunciation of the Washoe word Da ow a ga, which means "edge of the lake!” Captain John Fremont was the first Euro-American to sight the lake in 1844. Later that year, westward heading pioneers were the first to visit the lake. The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought many gold seekers through Tahoe, some of who stayed or returned to start ranches and roadhouses. In the latter half of the 19th century, Tahoe forests were clear-cut to supply the mines of the Comstock Lode in Virginia City. After plundering the forests, entrepreneurs bought the devastated land cheaply and established exclusive hotels and ornate summer mansions for the wealthy.

Between 1912-1918 efforts to make Lake Tahoe a national park failed because it lacked the pristine qualities required for national park status. Following a period of exclusivity, the automobile and improved roads opened Tahoe to the general populace in the 1920’s. Campgrounds and inexpensive hotels became popular during the post-war boom of the 1940’s and 50’s. The 1960 Winter Olympics catapulted Tahoe into international fame and firmly established Tahoe as a world-class resort with a two-season economy. The ensuing 20 year building boom threatened the clarity of the lake and its environment. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency was established in 1970 to regulate growth and protect the Lake.

How Was Lake Tahoe Formed?About 2-3 million years ago, the valley that became the lake Tahoe Basin sank between two parallel fractures in the Earth's crust as the mountains on either side continued to rise. A shallow lake began to form at the south end of the valley, fed by snowmelt and rainfall. About 1 to 2 million years ago an erupting volcano blocked the outlet forcing the lake to rise. Between 1 million and 20,000 years ago large masses of ice sculpted the land surface into the terrain we see today.

What is the Weather Like?Normal air temperatures are moderate, ranging from the high 20’s in winter to high 60’s in summer. At least seven months per year, daily maximum temperatures reach the outdoor comfort zone. The sky is sunny or partly sunny 84 percent of the time, leaving only 50 days per year of cloudy weather. Between Thanksgiving and

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Easter, 80 percent of the yearly precipitation occurs, mostly as snowfall. Typically at lake level, 14 feet of snow falls over winter and accumulates to a maximum depth of 2.8 feet.

How Clear is the Water?Clarity is determined by measuring the water depth at which a one-foot diameter white disk disappears from view. In the center of the Lake, clarity has remained steady at over 100 feet. Near the shoreline, clarity has ranged from 105 feet in the late 1960’s to 72 feet in 2001. Over the last 34 years, Tahoe has lost up to 46 percent of its historic clarity due to increased pollution.

Why is Lake Tahoe so Blue?The Lake surface reflects the color of the cobalt blue sky that reigns over Tahoe much of the time. The characteristic turquoise color near shore is a combination of the blue sky reflecting on the lake and light reflected from the light colored bottom.

How Cold is the Lake?Below 600-700 feet the water temperature remains steady at 39 degrees F. During July and August, surface temperature can reach 68 to 70 degrees F. Along the shoreline, shallow enclosed areas can warm even further. In the coldest months, the lake surface temperature drops to 40 to 50 degrees F.

From the Tahoe This Week Magazine

Old West

MEDICINE WHEEL

On a wind-swept plateau nearly 10,000 feet in elevation, the Medicine Wheel stands as a sacred site and source of spiritual power to Native Americans.

The arrangement of local limestone rocks in the shape of a wheel atop the Bighorn Mountains swirls amid curiosity and controversy over its origins as well as present day use of the national historic landmark.

A University of Montana anthropologist believes the Medicine Wheel serves as a source of religious power to Native Americans. Astronomical and calendar functions served by the wheel are secondary, said Gregory Campbell in a presentation at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody.

Campbell believes the arrangement of stones in an 80-foot diameter circle with 28 "spokes" radiating from a central cairn should be called "a sacred universe" to native peoples.

Campbell says the Medicine Wheel provides a source of great sacred and spiritual power to Native Americans. While he agrees with astrophysicist John Eddy that cairn alignments do point to the rising of key stars on the summer solstice, "I would argue that the wheel was not built for looking at stars," Campbell said.

In a 1977 article in National Geographic, John Eddy of the High Altitude Observatory in Boulder, Colorado, wrote that the wheel serves as an astronomical calendar. He notes that the number of spokes - 28 - is the same as the number of days in the lunar month or one moon in Indian time reckoning.

Eddy says two of the five cairns on or near the perimeter of the wheel are on a north-south line, "making it possible that they served as horizon markers for sunrise and sunset."

One of the cairns rests off the rim of the wheel and may be a "sighting" cairn, in

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Eddy's view. He contends this cairn aligns with three other cairns to mark the rising of three of the brightest stars that shine on the Medicine Wheel - Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus, Rigel in Orion and Sirius in Canis Major.

Eddy reports between 1500 and 1900, the rising of Aldebaran could have announced the first day of summer, called the summer solstice. Throughout that time, Eddy writes, only on the summer solstice was Aldebaran's rising just near enough in time to the rising of the sun that the star was momentarily visible before it could no longer be seen in the sun's glare. "The same phenomenon would have occurred with Rigel 28 days later - the same as the number of wheel spokes and with Sirius after an additional 28 days," writes Eddy. He believes similar astronomical alignments at other stone markers in North America such as Moose Mountain in Saskatchewan suggest widespread understanding of the stellar alignments.

Campbell differs with Eddy, saying the wheel was "built along astronomical lines to establish the power of the site itself." Campbell said the wheel is seen as a place where “powerful events come to the fore" and where someone can obtain that power.

Campbell said that 150 medicine wheels exist in the northern Great Plains extending into Canada. "Only two of those 150 are related to the Medicine Wheel in terms of sophistication and architectural design," he said.

He said archaeological evidence points to "continuous use" of the site, with artifacts dating to 11,000 years ago until recent times. A piece of wood at the wheel was dated by its rings to 1760. Today, visitors to the site frequently find "medicine bundles" and offerings left by Native Americans as part of religious ceremonies. While information about the builders of the wheel is sketchy, Campbell said people who came to the area saw the wheel as special, no matter who built it.

He contends the wheel was built "by local Native American people who resided in the area for thousands of years." He said Plains Indians were capable of producing the structure, citing similarities to several Plains Indian cultures.

Francis Brown, a Northern Arapahoe tribal elder who spoke at the BBHC along with Campbell, said, "We believe that it's a source of power." Brown, who is president of the Medicine Wheel Coalition for Sacred Sites of North America, became involved when the Bighorn National Forest allowed logging, drilling and other activities near the wheel, which he described as "desecrations" of the sacred site. The U.S. Forest Service administers the site, which is in the Bighorn National Forest.

Brown noted that native peoples objected to earlier Forest Service plans for a visitor center, new parking and restroom facilities at the site, plans which were subsequently changed. Brown noted that a long term management agreement worked out with the Forest Service will retain the current requirement that people walk about a mile to the wheel from a parking area.

He said Native American people saved the wheel from "being destroyed by tourism" due to the erosion caused by so many people at the site. The site will be "open to anybody, but you have to walk," he said.

Visitors can reach the Medicine Wheel by turning north off U.S. Highway 14A near the Bald Mountain campground 34 miles east of Lovell. A sign reading "Medicine Wheel Archaeological Site" indicates the turnoff with the white dome of a Federal Aviation Administration radar station visible at the turnoff. The road is usually clear of snow by the end of June.

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Native American interpreters at both the parking area and at the wheel will provide information to visitors. Visitors are also asked not to go to the wheel during certain times when Native American religious ceremonies are conducted, such as at the summer solstice.

From the Adventures in Yellowstone County Magazine

Thought For the Day

The 9 Most Used Answering Machine Messages

9. Hello, you are talking to a machine. I am capable of receiving messages.  My owners do not need siding, windows or a hot tub, and their carpets are clean. They give to charity at the office and don't need their picture taken. If you're still with me, leave your name and home phone number and they will get back to you.

8. This is not an answering machine -- this is a telepathic thought-recording device. After the tone, think about your name, your number, and your reason for calling... and I'll think about returning your call.

7. Hi! Bob's answering machine is broken. This is his refrigerator.  Please speak very slowly, and I'll stick your message to myself with one of these magnets.

6. Hi. This is John: If you are the phone company, I already sent the money. If you are my parents, please send money. If you are my bank, you didn't lend me enough money. If you are my friends, you owe me money.  If you are a female, don't worry, I have LOTS of money.

5. A is for academics, B is for beer. One of those reasons is why we're not here. So, leave a message.

4. Hello! If you leave a message, I'll call you soon. If you leave a "sexy" message, I'll call sooner.

3. Hi.   OK, now YOU say something.

2. Hi. I'm probably home; I'm just avoiding someone I don't like. Leave me a message, and if I don't call back, it's you.

And the Number 1 Actual Answering Machine Message Recorded and Verified by The World Famous International Institute of Answering Machine Messages. 

1. Hello, you've reached Jim and Sonya.   We can't pick up the phone right now, because we're doing something we really enjoy. Sonya likes doing it up and down, and I like doing it left to right... real slowly. So leave a message, and when we're done brushing our teeth, we'll call you back. !

Contributed by Rene Charrois

Riches to Rags

Get Up to Speed on MUTUAL FUNDS

Money Market Funds invest in short-term corporate and government debt securities such as treasury bills, bankers acceptances and corporate notes. These are generally low-risk funds offering low returns.

Fixed Income Funds invest in debt securities like bonds, debentures and

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mortgages paying regular interest, or in corporate shares paying regular dividends. The goal, typically, is to provide investors regular income with low risk.

Growth or Equity Funds invest primarily in common shares of Canadian or foreign companies. Some funds focus on large "blue-chip" companies; others invest in smaller or riskier companies.

Balanced Funds invest in a "balanced" portfolio of equities, debt securities and money market instruments, and are of low to moderate risk.

Global and Foreign Funds invest in foreign securities. These funds can offer investors international diversification but are subject to risks associated with investing in foreign countries and foreign currencies.

Specialty Funds may invest primarily in a specific geographical area (say, Asia) or a specific industry (say, high tech companies). Risk is similar to that of equity funds.

Index Funds invest in a portfolio of securities representing a specified target index such as the S&P/TSX Composite Index. Variable risk parallels that of equity funds.

From the Readers Digest

Joke Time

Who’s Donkey Is This?

The pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won. The pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again, and it won again.The local paper read: "PASTOR'S ASS OUT FRONT." The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.The next day, the local paper headline read: "BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS." This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the pastor to get rid of the donkey. The pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent.The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day: "NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN." The bishop fainted. He informed the nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for $10.The next day the Paper read: "NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10." This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild.The next day the headlines read: "NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE." The bishop was buried the next day.... Morale of the story is .... being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery ... and even shorten your life. So be yourself and enjoy life ..... you'll be a lot happier and live longer!

Contributed by Linda Weaver

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Classifieds

If you would like to run a FOR SALE or WANT AD, please feel free to forward them to us. They will run in the next month’s edition only, but can be resubmitted monthly if so desired.

Voices from the Mail Box

We welcome your comments, questions, and/or article submissions to the BP Alumni Club Monthly Newsletter. Lets hear from you. We can be contacted at E-mail address: dsm106@aol.com.

Souma GobrialHi Mel and Darrel, I am always interested in reading the ANTS Newsletter. It is so informative, interesting and "funny". You are both doing a great Job!  What do we do without you guys? Thank you so very much!

Happy

Next Issue – October 2006

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