Every 53 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. Behind heart disease and cancer, it ranks as the third leading cause of death in the country; it’s also our number one cause of adult disability and institutionalization.

On December 21, 2004, Gary Edens was celebrating the 21st birthday party of his only granddaughter. Suddenly, his face appeared ruddy and droopy, and his brain functions diminished. While it’s unclear what triggered the rupturing of a blood vessel in the left portion of his brain, the consequences were immediately comprehensible: his muscular control was depleted; the diminution and loss of sensation and consciousness followed; so did dizziness and slurred speech.

Symptoms of a stroke vary with the extent and severity of the damage to the brain, and, said doctors and family, Gary’s attack was extremely severe, almost fatal. “After having a stroke the individual has to relearn how to do nearly everything,” said Jay Mitman, a physical therapist at Marcus Daly Rehab, who worked with Gary since the beginning of his outpatient recovery, more than nine months ago.

“Every stroke is different in terms of what’s affected,” he continued. “Obviously, the brain is a complex organism. With Gary, he had great deficits in speech, strength, swallowing and movement.”

At first, Gary was admitted to the intensive care unit at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. He couldn’t walk or speak at all, swallow food or drink, or move his arms or legs; he could hardly muster the fortitude to sit up on the edge of the bed.

After staying in intensive care for one week, then spending time in a transitional care unit, followed by inpatient rehab at Missoula Community Medical Center, Gary was sent to Marcus Daly Rehabilitation Services for assiduous outpatient services. Because it’s advised that people who survive a stroke begin stroke rehabilitation as quickly as possible to regain as many lost faculties as achievable, the staff went right to work. The multidisciplinary team of therapists at Marcus Daly Rehabilitation Services hoped to not only eliminate some of Gary’s physical roadblocks, but to remove the cognitive, social and emotional barriers impeding their new client’s independence.

Gary’s efficiency and sense of purpose were greatly diminished by his stroke, but they were not brought to a complete halt.

“Gary is a tough logger and farmer boy,” said his wife Barbara.

Both Edens are long-time residents of Corvallis. Gary came to Darby as a young boy, living and working the quintessential plucky and vigorous Montana man’s life: he labored as a miner, a farmer, a rancher and a millwright. Additionally, Gary served in the Navy for four years, was discharged in 1957, and spent over two decades as a mechanic and welder for the Ravalli County Road Department, maintaining the area’s curlicue side roads, in addition to designing and building its heavy equipment.

Throughout his life, Gary has cherished reading books. But, this simple adult pleasure was derailed when, at age 67, he suffered the stroke. One thing not lost, said Barbara and doctors: his zippy sense of humor.

“He’s had some difficult times and tough setbacks,” said Mitman. “But, Gary has always had an awesome attitude, has worked hard, and done everything we’ve asked.”

Two derivable effects of Gary’s stroke were apraxia and dysarthria. Apraxia is a motor irregularity in which voluntary movement is totally or partially lost without harming muscular power or coordination. With apraxia, the ability to choose and sequence movements is impaired. There are two different types of apraxia: Oral apraxia influences an individual’s ability to move the muscles of the mouth for non-speech purposes such as coughing and swallowing; verbal apraxia, or apraxia of speech, is the degeneration in the sequencing of speech sounds, commonly referred to as “slurred speech.”

Following a stroke or similar brain injury, the muscles of the face, mouth and respiratory system may become anemic, move sluggishly, or not move at all. The ensuing speech condition is known as dysarthria.

“The goal from the start has been getting Gary to be able to communicate what he wants,” said speech therapist Jennifer Joyner, who incorporated an alphabet and picture communication board where Gary could point to letters and images to translate and correspond.

Joyner has helped Gary make beneficial additions and changes to his repertoire of communication. “Although it’s been exhausting for him,” she said. “He can now say certain sounds and use a picture system to communicate. While he still has difficulty with certain numbers, Gary whips through many numbers and letters now without any difficulty.”

“She has got him signing his name,” said Barbara. “And she’s got him reading pretty darn well.”

Jennifer Dunn, now the rehab director at Marcus Daly Rehab Services, was Gary’s occupational therapist when he began the stroke rehabilitation process. Dunn’s primary focus with Gary’s rehabilitation was getting his arms, legs and body to return to the state of functionality they previously enjoyed, such as coordinating his hands to tie his shoes or open toothpaste.

“For example,” said Dunn. “If his arm is strong, I want him to be able to use that arm to dress himself. The goal was to strengthen and coordinate his body parts so he can use them functionally for daily living.”

“There were some huge mountains to climb,” said Mitman. As Gary’s physical therapist, Mitman worked on developing the basic motion and strength in his patient’s right arm, flaccid due to his stroke.

Three times a week for nine months, Mitman worked with Gary, using strength-building equipment for his muscles and attempting to restore functional mobility through controlled patterns of movement. His strength conditioning primarily focused on walking and balance through bodily conditioning exercises, like frequently stepping over cones. Over this time, Gary has recovered elasticity in his shoulder and elbow, and developed some arm movement.

And while repositioning his body and limbs has been undeniably exhausting for Gary, his mental posture, though heavily burdened, has never surrendered. “Gary’s sense of humor and attitude are remarkable,” said DJ Wilson, occupational therapist and hand specialist at Marcus Daly Rehab.

Different from physical therapists, who work on strengthening and walking, occupational therapists put function into rehabilitation by giving people independence with their daily living activities, for example dressing, showering and personal hygiene.

There are physiological and emotional components of a stroke, including depression, and overwhelmingly sad feelings over a vanished identity or lost hobbies; part of Wilson’s job, he said, is to help patients “find new hobbies and safely reconnect them with the things in life that they love to do.”

Additionally, Wilson performs home safety evaluations, making sure that all Gary’s furniture is safety-proofed, while encouraging and providing as much independence for his patient as possible. “I go to Gary’s environment to see what his needs are on a daily life basis,” said Wilson.

“Another purpose of these home visits is to try and take as much pressure off the spouse as possible,” continued Wilson.

It’s a luxury, said therapists, to have a family member or spouse capable of bearing and withstanding such emotional hardship. Wife Barbara has played a critical role in Gary’s recovery by providing him the necessities of life. Stroke victims become superfluously sentimental, their emotions effuse easily. When Gary’s memory churns through images of yesteryear like a slideshow, Barbara is there to comfort and love, allaying his sorrow.

“Gary is a good father, a good husband, and a good man,” said Barbara, adding that the couple’s blended family totaling six children is her own remarkable support structure.

Barbara is Gary’s best caregiver, said Mitman. “She is truly amazing.”

Such responsive sentiments are mutual, said Barbara. “All of Gary’s therapists have been marvelous,” she said. “They are truly good, caring and loving people. They’ve cried many tears for him.”

The fact that Gary hasn’t quit on himself or his therapists has resulted in many unmistakably positive consequences, like the development of movement in his right arm. Even though more uphill challenges wait ahead for Gary (fine motor skills still frustrate), his overall progress has been excellent.  Mitman discharged Gary from physical therapy services a few weeks ago; his occupational therapy sessions ended recently as well; and he’ll only be in speech therapy for a short time longer.

“He’s made some remarkable improvements since we all saw him nine months ago,” said Mitman. “Rebounding from a catastrophic stroke is difficult. We are all extremely proud of him.”

In 1972, the Bitter Root Humane Association was formed. However, in 1982, it lost its shelter to the City of Hamilton who took over the property for a septic treatment plant. The Association was left “high and dry” for there were no funds to relocate. They adopted out the remaining animals and closed their doors indefinitely.

That left quite a gap in years for the unwanted, abandoned, and abused dogs and cats of the Bitterroot Valley. Still, there were many concerned folks who took action as best they could by taking in and caring for animals. The pressing need for a new shelter was abundantly clear, and in 1983, a board was created to address that issue. The journey to build a new shelter would take until May, 1985 to come to its fruition.

Fundraising became the focus of the association. But, what really made the dream a reality was when Marcus Daly’s granddaughter, Countess Margarite Bessenyey, came to the rescue; she donated a 96-year lease of a spacious 2-½ acre plot of land, which is located next to the Hamilton fairgrounds. Two years later, the Bessenyey Estate deeded the land to the Association. One of the Association’s founders and then President, Betty Cook, led volunteers in fundraising for the shelter. Dances, bake sales, raffles and an assortment of other creative fundraising took place, and soon the Association funds were fat enough ($100,000) to build a shelter.

The new structure had “futuristic forethought” in that it was built with heated floors. This meant better energy efficiency and greater comfort for its guests. Nowadays, other shelters copy such a design.

The shelter’s spacious grounds grant many amenities for the animals. Dogs and cats can enjoy a day outside when weather permits, and there’s a large “meet-and-greet” park. This is where the dog you fell in love with at the shelter can interact with another pet you might have at home. (To see if they get along.)

The shelter has “no cages” cat rooms. Felines freely roam large rooms. Cats also have access to the outdoors in a huge chain link fence pen, where they can safely take in the outdoors at their choosing.

Cats tend to be susceptible to illness, and kittens are extra vulnerable to viruses and bacterial infections. To remedy that issue, kittens and adult cats are segregated. Each enjoys their own “palace,” where they frolic, sleep and eat. The shelter pays special attention to sneezing and runny noses, and any sign of illness will get a feline a trip to the quarantine room for evaluation.

“Cats are like a daycare,” Said Vicki Dawson, the director of the Shelter. “They are more susceptible to illness, especially that of upper respiratory infections.”

Buttons, the charismatic “queen of kittens,” is the sentinel of the kitten room. Though she looks almost full-grown, she is still considered a kitten. But that doesn’t stop her from taking on the adult role of mentor, protector and general guardian of the 20 or so little ones.

The 21 dog kennels are filled to capacity. With puppy siblings sharing the same pad, the count is about 31 dogs that need a loving home. All of the dogs there have great personalities, but not all of them easily show it - for it’s not easy to show one’s best side if there are chain link barriers between you and your audience!

One dog, Bubba - a pit bull - didn’t hide his fun side at all, nor did he skip any “cute classes.” He boasts a well-positioned black patch around his twinkling eye, while the rest of him is blanketed in mostly white hair. He obviously has an affinity for toys and genuinely wants to share them. It’s hard to imagine why he’s been a guest at the shelter for over three months. Maybe it’s because he intensely dislikes cats? Nonetheless, he adores kids and riding in cars, and would be a great friend to the right family or person!

But, the star dog at the shelter is “Star.” Star’s story is heart wrenching, but it is also a tale of hope, perseverance, and the ultimate act of forgiveness. She is but another “silent” victim of methamphetamine. About one-third of her body and part of her head suffers from burn injuries sustained from a meth lab fire. Neighbors took her in when her owners were incarcerated, but they felt Star needed to be put down and took her to a Corvallis vet. The vet assessed Star’s situation and refused to euthanize her. Instead he provided much needed medical treatment and then brought her to the shelter. Star is provided with soothing rubdowns of aloe vera several times a day, and she is healing wonderfully.

“People don’t think about the animals being victims [of meth], but they are,” Dawson said.

Star’s horrific past will not go in vein. She’ll be touring schools and making other public appearances with the simple and clear message of what meth did to her. She is very sweet and doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. It will not be difficult for Star to be placed in a good home.

If you are considering getting a pet, please check out the shelter at 262 Fairground Road in Hamilton. You also can view them and learn their story on the Internet at www.bitterroothumane.org.

On more than one occasion, I’ve skied with friends and had each one of them pass me by. I was never sure if I was more frustrated, or my friends for having to wait for me at the tow line. Their speed was more related to having a pair of waxed skis than it was to our different ability levels.

A pair of well waxed skis will increase the performance of the skis and at the same time allow the skier to use less energy to perform the same tasks he would do without them waxed. At the end of the day the skier with waxed skis will have more fun, be able to perform at a better level and not be so worn out that they can’t enjoy the Hot Spiced Cider in the lodge.

Waxing skis can be done using two sawhorses and an old iron. An old iron from a second hand store works better than your wife’s good iron. Many are the woes of a man that uses his wife’s iron to wax his skis.

When the skis have been cleaned and dried wax can be dripped onto the skis from the heat of the iron. Once this has been done take the iron and melt the wax into the pores of the ski by smoothly running the iron over the base of the skis. It is important not to overheat the ski with the iron, but just enough heat to allow the wax to penetrate the pores. If the ski is overheated it may soften the glues that hold the different laments together. A good universal wax that matches the temperature ranges you will be skiing in can be purchased at most ski shops. Skis should be waxed on a regular basis especially when they have that dull white oxidized appearance.

New skis come with a wax preparation and a fine tune. It is not necessary to wax a new ski unless it is the no wax cross-country ski. A new no wax cross-country ski should have a glide wax applied to the no wax area and a universal wax applied to the tip and tail sections of the ski. The glide wax for the no wax section should be the rub on type rather than the melt in wax. It is important not to fill in the grip areas of the ski with melt in wax.

After skiing on the skis thru mid season, it is important to tune the skis. A tune involves filling any holes in the base with p-tex, grinding the base and sharpening the edges. In icy conditions a sharp edge is critical to having an enjoyable experience.

As a ski shop owner who has worked on skis for over 30 years, the one problem that stands out more than any other maintenance problem is the affects of rust on the edges of a ski. Rust normally will occur if the skis are transported on a car and subjected to road grime and chemicals used to treat the road for ice. Rust pits and dulls the edges of the ski and in the tuning process an enormous amount of life is taken out of the ski. To remove rust repeated grindings must take place, grinding more of the material away than would normally be necessary. There are many cargo carriers built and designed to carry skis and protect them from road grime. If the skis are carried on the top of the car they should be cleaned after every use and put away dry in an area with low humidity. Skis are tools we use for having a fun experience in the great outdoors, and with any tool we should care for it like we do our automobiles.

Jim Wilson is the owner of Pipestone Mountaineering, located at 129 West Front Street in Missoula. Pipestone specializes in avalanche gear, winter active gear, and much more. For questions or information about outdoor products and services call 721-1670.

For the benefit of those outside the loop of taxidermy knowledge, 600 hours worth of concentrated exertion and arduous toil for a piece of work that’s submitted in a taxidermy competition isn’t unconventional. Indeed, a contender won’t win a Blue Ribbon in a state contest without applying more than 200 hours of elbow grease, and over 400 for a national.

“If you want to win a world competition,” said Dennis Nelson. “Well, then you’ll need to have at least over 1,000 hours put into a piece. It’s no joke.”

Nelson, a Darby taxidermist, understands what it takes to compete; he also enforces that understanding and exercises it in earnest. Such proof exists in the fact that his 2005 Brook Trout mount, “Memories” snatched 1st place honors in his division at the National Taxidermy Association’s recent competition in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. More than 600 hours of work, time and stress were put into the winning mount, said Nelson.

“In taxidermy competitions that amount of time isn’t even a lot. I was ready to quit after 450 hours. You know, 16 hour days spent on one thing can get frustrating. However, cutting corners will cost you points in a show, so you really need to concentrate. Judges examine your submissions inch by inch.”

And about the mount, yes, it’s a real beauty. There’s nothing ungraceful about it, heck, the fish looks as sinuous as it would in the water. With coloring on their insides, the fish’s thin gills stand out, as if the animal were still breathing. And the carbon copy brook mount is held by an even more lifelike hand; it’s a hand fashioned with a watch having a dense growth of hairs surrounding it.

“I really wanted to do something with a hand,” said Nelson, who has won state awards in Montana, Wyoming and Oregon with the very same marble and hardwood art piece. “There are quite a few subtle things about the piece that might not be picked up on at first glance.”

Characterized by such subtlety, skill and ingenuity, contemporary taxidermy has made tremendous advancements. No longer the appallingly ugly, frightfully distorted fish and game mounts still depicted in Hollywood films, genuine taxidermy is bona fide art, with the best examples capturing and precisely representing subjects the way they lived in their natural habitat. Actually, during the late portion of the twentieth century, taxidermy developed into a skilled form of wildlife craftsmanship, and today’s most noteworthy taxidermists are increasingly regarded as genuine artists.

“To recreate nature and recreate life is thrilling,” said Nelson. “I really try to do the best I possibly can because I want the customer to be ecstatic.”

Traditional fish taxidermy means skinning the fish, sewing the skin around a Styrofoam body block carved by the taxidermist, rebuilding all the shrunken skin areas that have dried up, and then completely painting all the colors back onto the sapped skin of the fish.

“Firstly, I cut and cast an artificial head, and then after the body is carved the fish’s skin is peeled off

That’s followed by lots of glueing and attaching.”

Color is a complex thing to capture, because fish turn their pigments on and off like a light switch, going from brilliant green to a silvery blue at the drop of a fin. However, for Nelson, who has decades of auto body painting experience behind him, such paint jobs come natural.

Nelson, who mounts animals ranging from big game elk to turkeys, finds birds to be the most challenging. But he has a genuine passion for waterfowl, and demonstrates his exquisite abilities in the birds displayed in his studio. Each bird has its own unique individuality and special meaning. “There are so many good forms out there today when it comes to birds,” said Nelson, who started working as a taxidermist in 1976.

In terms of larger animals and bigger mounts, recent technology has made such work much more realistic. Over the last few decades, taxidermy trailblazers have been creating anatomically precise manikins which incorporate every slight detail of the animal -- right down to each muscle and tendon -- in dramatic and striking positions. New mounting techniques allow animals to be portrayed with astonishing lifelike accuracy; in fact, today, certain taxidermists even specialize in recreating extinct animals. With mounts developed in realistic environments and poses appropriate for an individual species, modern taxidermy offers an extreme departure from the crass, snarling caricatures popularly submitted as hunting trophies years ago.

“Presently,” said Nelson. “Animals like mountain lions and elk are sculpted by world champions and calibrated on the real animals.”

The information available in a taxidermist’s reference library can make the difference between an unremarkable mount and an undeniable piece of wildlife art. Reference material can be outdoor magazine articles or books describing animal anatomy, biology and habitat. Attending related seminars and taking copious notes is certainly conducive to learning, said Nelson.

“I’ve learned so much at taxidermy seminars. At these competitions, you find out what’s wrong with your style and how to get better. There, you get to learn from the experts.”

Taxidermy is no longer shrouded in secrecy and taxidermists are much more willing to share information today as opposed to twenty years ago, said Nelson.

“When I started back in the late 1970s, nobody would tell you the tricks of the trade. Today, it’s much more wide open. Secrets aren’t kept any longer. If you want to learn, other taxidermists will teach you at these trade shows and seminars. You just have to want to learn.”

Even today, he is still eager to learn new tricks in his trade. And Nelson’s originality in taxidermy realms shouldn’t surprise considering that his full-time job involves distributing his invention designed to keep snow off the back of school buses. Invented in 1989, patented two years later, the See II Air Foil is a surface mounted aluminum unit installed at the top rear of the bus. The Air Foil combines the physical discharge of the air with breakthrough technology to prevent dust, dirt, snow and other debris from adhering to the bus’ back portion.

What started over 15 years ago with a conduit pipe, some brackets and genuine concerns about poor bus visibility due to collective dirt and snowpack, is presently a robust enterprise with a major distribution plant in North Carolina, and over 75 dealers.

While the distinct possibility exists that the See II Air Foil will not be Nelson’s final invention, it’s even safer to say that this Darby taxidermist isn’t finished accentuating his taxidermy talents and raking in accompanying awards. Perhaps, in the future, he’ll even satisfy his mighty hunger to capture a world championship, the next of which is slated for April 2007 in Reno, Nevada.

“I’m striving to win a national tournament next year and a world in two years. I want to be the best.”

With their rangy ears, low-slung structure and bulky size, basset hounds are goofy and doting dogs. Hunters by nature, these high-energy pooches have an unfathomable sense of smell, need plenty of exercise, and have a reputation for absolutely loving to be around their owners. In a perfect world, such terrific mates would never be separated from their affectionate masters or have to be removed from the custody of neglectful owners; they would never be abandoned.

But, unpredictable and unpleasant events do leave basset hounds homeless. And for more than 10 years, Basset Rescue of Montana has been placing canine rescues in foster sites and locating suitable homes for such affected dogs.

Not all of these dogs are deserted and abused, many were left by loving owners unable to provide well financially.  Some folks are forced to relinquish their bassets because they’ve had to move into a rental property which doesn’t allow pets.  For instance, Baxter is a five year old hound arriving from Missoula this morning.

“When the economic situations of people change for the worse,” says Leslie Ames, president of Basset Rescue of Montana. “It really leads to bad things for the dogs also. Many people come to find they don’t have the money to take care of them, or people have to relocate and can’t find a place that accepts dogs. It’s very hard.”

Ames says that many bassets are displaced due to divorce. “When couples split, one moves out of state, and the other moves into an apartment, and they don’t know what to do with the basset hound.”

A former orthopedic nurse, Ames took over Basset Rescue of Montana in 1995 from a Plains, MT. woman she cared for years earlier while working at St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center in Missoula.  In addition to carrying out rehabilitation work on ill bassets at her shelter, she dispenses and applies many different medicines, pills and ointments for symptoms ranging from eye and glaucoma troubles to thyroid disorders to bladder infirmities.

“My vice president is the wound care manager at St. Pat’s Center,” says Ames, after explaining her use of homeopathic herbs, including Rescue Remedy, which contains a combination of five flower essences reserved for newly arriving hounds to relieve stress, and reduce fear and nervousness. “I was a recovery room nurse for 25 years in a post- anesthesiology care unit. So, we are set up to do a dynamite job in taking care of these bassets.”

On this brutally cold December day, one of her hounds isn’t looking well, and Ames feels the animal may be suffering from bloat, or “the mother of all emergencies” as she has labeled it. Bloat is a life-threatening gastric torsion, a condition mainly affecting deep-chested, larger breeds of dogs. Usually, says Ames, this condition happens when there’s an abnormal accumulation of air, fluid, or foam in the stomach.

“You are seeing the entire medical stuff firsthand,” says Ames, stethoscope in ears, giving the sick-looking hound an emergency treatment of oral medicines.

Ames is an occupied woman, to say the least. Not only is she the caretaker, medic and president of Basset Rescue, she is the organization’s treasurer, its secretary, and handles its shipping and receiving duties.

“What can I say?” asks Ames. “I love these animals. They make me laugh. They are affectionate, wonderful, intelligent, loyal dogs. Basset hounds are a breed apart from any other. The people that own basset hounds are one big family.”

One of those super and smart bassets up for adoption is a 7 month-old neutered, tri-colored male named Jeb.  Leash trained, crate trained and house trained, Jeb is “a gregarious hound that loves going for rides and long, long walks.” Before adopting out one of her basset hounds, Ames wants the right answers to the following questions: Can you provide a secure, fenced area for your basset? Can you handle the financial obligations that come with owning a basset? Will you have the time to give your basset enormous amounts of affection and attention?

To be able to adopt a basset like Jeb, the adopting person must adhere to strict adoption protocols intent on finding the best possible “forever homes” for these basset rescues. The most important rules needing to be followed, she says, is that all new homes meet acceptable living standards and be surrounded by sturdy fencing.

“No matter where in the United States or Canada somebody lives, we will go to their homes and visit. We have contacts and fosters all over.”

Basset Rescue of Montana makes adopting persons fill out and sign detailed adoption acknowledgments, procedures done for the benefit of the homeless and abandoned dogs. New owners are contractually bound to always provide adequate food, fresh water, shelter, exercise, and veterinary care. And the adoption agreement gives Basset Rescue frequent visitation rights, and allows for the removal of dogs if something appears amiss.

The recommended adoption donation is $120, which covers costs of veterinary exams, worm checks, spaying/neutering, dental, grooming, feeding and transport. Recently, Ames added an $8 application fee for prospective adopters.

“Anyone that’s seriously interested in adopting a dog should be able to afford this payment,” says Ames.

Ames says she is often told by folks attempting to assume ownership of one of her beloved bassets, that such an event is more difficult than adopting a child from Japan.

“I really have to be strict because I am the eyes and ears of these rescue dogs.”

For more information about adopting from Basset Rescue of Montana, you may contact Leslie Ames at (406) 626-4331.

There is much more to the study of Martial Arts than just punching, kicking and the learning of such physical techniques. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Martial Arts schools in America focus only on those aspects that they can see, feel, and experience on a purely physical level, and ignore the metaphysical elements that are as important as any other techniques that may be mastered.

No matter how dedicated someone may be to mastering the techniques of any discipline, unless they are equally committed to the mastery of metaphysics, they will forever remain a mediocre martial artist. Only with the synchronicity of mind, body, and spirit may someone achieve the oneness with the art that produces a truly great Martial Artist. History has honored a few of these remarkable individuals such as Bodie Dharma, who may be called the father of all Martial Arts on the planet, or Miyamoto Musashi who was the greatest swordsman that ever lived in Japan, or even the modern equivalent of such fierce dedication, Bruce Lee. All of these men had one very important trait that seems to escape most Martial Artists today: their dedication to the unseen aspects of the Martial Arts.

There are many of these non-physical elements that should be recognized, cultivated and developed, and at least one that should be eliminated, in order to advance out of mediocrity. Anger, which is all too often found in Martial Arts schools has no place in the pure devotion to the essence of Martial Arts. The first water principle states that as the lake is calm and placid, so shall we be calm and placid. There shall be no ripples on our surface, as there shall be no emotion in our actions, nor anger in our hearts. Anger clouds our thoughts, blurs our vision, and dulls our techniques. We study and perform our art with joy in our movements and peace in our minds. We do not meet force with force, but rather as the second water principle dictates, we flow around our opponents like the river flows around the immovable rocks in its path, and we allow our opponents to flow around us as if we were the rocks.

It is important that Martial Arts be taught with the wisdom gathered from years of devotion to the art in order to guide young devotees to season and ripen naturally, and therefore recognize the responsibility of the power that has been placed in their youthful hands. Martial Arts should also be taught without any force applied to those students who are reluctant to do their best, for everyone must find their own way and some are more dedicated than others. Instead, patient, gentle instruction must be given to help others find the joy in the art that we find, then, they too will find their center and strive for excellence.

It is also important to know why you are doing what you are told to do. It is not enough for a master to tell his students to do the things that he knows will result in success, but essential that he helps them all understand why every action, movement, and juxtaposition is exactly what is necessary to accomplish the desired result in the most expedient and efficient manner. It is imperative that each student also knows what may happen if another action is taken instead of what the master tells them is the best way to accomplish it, thereby illustrating exactly why they are being told to do it in such a particular way. The study of Martial Arts must also be a study of Bio-Mechanics, so that the student may come to understand how to use the natural movements of their own human body to their advantage, and to the disadvantage of their opponent. Anatomy is therefore another very important element in the study of Martial Arts. Just as a Doctor studies anatomy in order to put a human body back together, we must study anatomy to become proficient in taking it apart.

Sometimes, even the most basic requirements of any kind of study are completely ignored. Breathing, for example is most often never even addressed, yet it is the very most essential element to the success of any physical activity. Many times during the stress of combat one may forget to breathe and find himself short of breath at a critical time. Breathing properly is also absolutely necessary to develop your internal strength called Ki in Japanese, or Chi in Chinese. This internal energy is the force that animates the human body and its development is crucial to the success of any human endeavor. Breathing properly while engaged in combat is vital to survival and the intricacies of combat breathing cannot be left to chance.

In addition to these perhaps obvious requirements, it is important that senses other than the five instinctive senses, are developed to allow us to perform well against multiple opponents, or in the dark, or if deprived of some of our normal senses, temporarily, or even permanently. Only the most ignorant would deny that such senses exist and only the naïve would suggest that they cannot be developed. It becomes the responsibility of all serious Martial Artists to develop these more esoteric abilities as well as the techniques that we have all come to think of when we think of Martial Arts. Therefore, it is wise to seek the masters who are aware of them and study with those who know methods and exercises to cultivate and develop them. It is also wise to study the writings of the ancient masters and ask questions of your living master who will have studied the ancient masters as well; and if he is wise, shall continue to do so as long as he lives.

Merlin Eagle is the owner of Washido Studio, an elite combat Martial Arts school in Hamilton. His studio is located in the Selway Commons center, just north of Sears and across from Mildenberger Motors. For further information about attending a free Hapkido class, contact him at 375-0372 or visit www.washidostudio.com.

Republican Senator John McCain stated it very clearly on the December 4 episode of “Meet the Press,” “This town has become very corrupt, there’s no doubt about it.” McCain’s statement about Washington, D.C. is certainly of interest to another Republican senator—Montana’s own Conrad Burns.

McCain’s statement was made in the context of a discussion regarding indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. When asked how many indictments would result from the controversy surrounding Abramoff, McCain was equally clear, stating “lots.”

There is much speculation about whether or not Burns will be indicted.

Within the course of one week, Burns reversed his position on whether or not to return the $150,000 in donations he received from Abramoff and the lobbyist’s clients and associates. Originally, Burns asserted that the money had already been spent and therefore couldn’t be returned.

Here’s a piece of Burns’ statement upon returning the Abramoff-related contributions, as published by The New York Times on December 17: “The contributions given to my political committees by Jack Abramoff and his clients, while legally and fully disclosed, have served to undermine the public’s confidence in its government. From what I’ve read about Jack Abramoff and the charges which are pending or about to be brought against him, he massively deceived and betrayed his clients.”

Such a reversal, of course, is a sign of trouble. It’s the sign of a public relations and legal strategy dictating Burns’ actions.

Amidst the fury of rumors about what will happen to Burns, there is also much confusion. As Margaret Taley wrote on December 8, “The plot is over the top and ever-expanding, and the cast of characters so convoluted you’ll need a map, a calculator and a wall chart to keep up.”

Given all this, the question arises, what’s at stake for Conrad Burns?

Politically, Burns is facing the challenge of his career. Facing an election this year, and having only won in 2000 with 51 percent of the vote, this could be Burns’ swan song. Facing challenges from Republicans and Democrats, Burns is certainly headed for a hard slog on the campaign trail.

Burns has been in office since 1988. His original appeal was as the everyman, the plain-talking, no B.S. candidate who was going to teach those Washington boys a lesson or two, Montana style.

As a sophomore in high school (in 1989), I watched Burns speak at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner (now known as the Lincoln/Reagan Day Dinner in many places) in Great Falls. In his speech that evening, Burns recounted with delight the reactions of his Capitol Hill colleagues reacted to his cowboy-boot wearing, tobacco chewing appearance. Even though Burns has long since traded-in his Montana rancher garb for the tailored suits and highly polished shoes of a Washington bureaucrat, he still talks with the Missouri drawl of his youth, and maintains the aw-shucks charm that originally got him elected.

But it’s not his charm that’s in question.

At the heart of the Abramoff investigation is Michael Scanlon, a former Abramoff associate and former aide to Republican Representative Tom Delay. In November, Scanlon pleaded guilty to one bribery charge, stating that he and Mr. Abramoff “engaged in a course of conduct through which one or both of them offered and provided things of value to public officials in exchange for a series of official acts.” In his plea, Scanlon cites Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio as the public official who accepted those things of value in exchange for official acts.

Scanlon’s guilty plea opens the way for him to cooperate with the investigation. What isn’t known is what else Scanlon has to say. Burns’ office has not been passive with regard to the investigation, and Burns wrote to Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez requesting a review of his conduct so that his reputation and name can be cleared.

Burns has shown all the swagger and confidence Rep. Tom Delay has shown, though Delay has already been indicted in the probe. Burns has referred to the allegations of wrongdoing as “outrageous and wrongful.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, Burns helped one of Mr. Abramoff’s clients win a $3 million grant from Congress. That client was the Saginaw Chippewa tribe in Michigan. Burns has previously stated that he helped secure said grant funds at the request of senators from Michigan.

Taking all these variables into account, what, if anything, can be gleaned from Burns’ reversal? Burns’ original assertion—that the money had already been spent—rings truer to Burns’ personality and swagger. His words from December 17, however, are the cherry-picked words of an attorney. The change in his tone, at the very least, is of an individual entrenching for a protracted battle.

Some have compared this mounting scandal to Koreagate and Abscam, both influence-peddling scandals from the 1970s. In Koreagate, dozens of congressmen were found to have accepted money from lobbyist Tongsun Park; one congressman went to prison. In Abscam, one senator and four congressmen were convicted of accepting bribes from FBI agents disguised as Arab sheiks.

Mounting political scandals can move very slowly. You watch and read, waiting for patterns to rise. And anyone interested in political scandals is familiar with the book and subsequent film “All the President’s Men,” written by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. From that story comes the notion of the non-denial denial. Burns’ statement on December 17 is such a non-denial denial.

What lies behind his non-denial denial? Time will tell. Such a scandal is the political equivalent of blood in the water. And nothing circles politicos like the smell of an open wound.