Letters to the Editor
About energy, promises, and global warming
Gregory D. Anderson
Cave Junction
Hillary told us approximately a year ago that if we elected Democrats, gasoline prices would come down. (So much for her word.)
Bat- and bird-killing windmills, unless they can be seen from Teddy Kennedy’s compound, can produce a little energy. Harnessing the energy from ocean waves could help. Solar energy has shown promise.
The ethanol joke has caused the price of corn to go so high that the poor in Mexico can’t afford their staple, corn tortillas, because they have increased in cost 300 percent. Some farmers and some huge corporations like ADM are making huge amounts of money.
Meanwhile we have found that substituting ethanol for gasoline does nothing toward cleaner air, does nothing to save money, and does nothing to reduce oil consumption. The oil used spraying, cutting, processing, and shipping the corn uses as much energy as ethanol saves. If taxpayer subsidies to the fat cats were taken away, it would be a loss. But Democrats always reason if it makes you feel good, that’s the important thing.
If the Dems and radical enviros had not blocked drilling at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or off the coasts, or in the oil-rich sands in Utah that Clinton put off limits, or allowing refineries to be built, we would have much more oil and much lower gas prices.
Global warming is taking place on planets throughout our solar system, but only on Earth is it man’s fault. The religion of “Man-Caused Global Warming,” led by Pastor Algore, is the greatest hoax perpetrated on the taxpayers in my memory.
The “carbon credit” ruse is to make the limousine liberals feel good in their energy-burning mansions and private jets.
It took years to dispel the “spotted owl” myth. After closing hundreds of mills, costing considerably more than 100,000 jobs; and resulting in suicides, divorces and poverty for many families, we all know now that man and logging were not the problems. Scientists tried to tell the Clinton administration that the barred owl was the problem, but they could not be heard above the din of the leftists enviros worshipping at the church of the spotted owl.
This is, of course, the reason elected liberal officials like Dave Toler don’t have the money they say we need today.
If we had an independent major media that questioned the off-the-wall assertions by the looney liberal left, we would have fewer manufactured crisis and save a lot of taxpayer money fighting phantoms. If you think the spotted owl myth caused problems, the myth of man-caused global warming will dwarf it.
Unfortunately, ignoring their “separation of church and state” mantra, the government schools are teaching this religion and even using their bible, “An Inconvenient Truth,” as a text.
‘In the company
of greatness’
From Tom Ninow
Cave Junction
On May 4 I returned home from a funeral for a man that I barely knew, yet I felt that I should attend because my encounter with him impressed me so. As I sat through the eulogy and testimonials of his life I felt that I had known him for a long, long time.
He was a former U.S. Marine, a Vietnam veteran, who suffered debilitating injuries requiring amputation of both legs. Although he suffered a long and undoubtedly painful readjustment, there were none present who testified of his complaining.
Eventually he returned to civilian life and, despite his being a “short” person with backward shoes, took his place in society and eventually became an inspiration to his family, friends, church, and even to people who never really knew him -- like me.
I saw John Granville around town, and once was introduced to him in Selma. Through my wife I also met his son, “J.J.,” a tall, gangly kid with a big, genuine smile, a firm handshake, and a desire to become a Marine -- like his Dad.
That’s about all of my experiences with John Granville except for hearing others testify about him, what happened to him, what he was doing, prayer requests -- and one day John Granville died.
I was shocked. I didn’t even know that he was ill, and now he’s gone.
I read his obituary and thought that here was a real man: A man who did something with his life. He also stood for something, and was twice incorrectly pronounced dead because he acted upon his belief.
John gave a large portion of his life, and probably would have given all if necessary for his beliefs, his country, and countless Americans, one of whom is me.
This called me to think again of the price some have paid so I can be free. Soon I noticed some rather large saltwater drops upon the page I was reading, and things were suddenly out of focus.
My thoughts raced to another time and place where 2,000 years ago someone else took a great deal of suffering and died -- for me. I didn’t know him either, but I read about him. In that same book it also says that, “The greatest love a man can show is to die for someone.”
It states that although perhaps one might die for his friend, it would be most unlikely that one would die for someone he didn’t know. Or perhaps even one who disliked him.
What courage. What principle. What love.
At that funeral, I again saw, through the eyes of a weepy old man, that I had been in the company of greatness: John Granville.
IRVAC projects, volunteers noted
From Dorothea Hover-Kramer
Cave Junction
It has been my pleasure to represent the Illinois River Valley Arts Council (IRVAC) as president this year and to observe and appreciate the fantastic contributions of nearly a hundred volunteers to our Learning Through Arts program.
The Learning Through Arts is a multifaceted program that brings art education into the school system in conjunction with the school curriculum. Thus, teachers, volunteers, and students collaborate to bring each culture that is being studied to life through various art forms.
This year we sponsored three projects at Lorna Byrne Middle School: the Latino-oriented Day of the Dead project in November, the Asia project in February, and the recently completed Africa project in early May. The co-ordinators for each project were Gabi Salas-Roth, Patti Culver, and Sue Lily, respectively, and did a superb job of assisting program chairman Kathy Kelley in actualizing the goals of each project.
But none of it could have happened without the steady stream of capable volunteers from the community who assisted. Each knows who they are, and deserve much appreciation.
It is gratifying to know that so many people from this community want to help our
students to deepen their understanding of art and culture.
Use supertankers to stop wildfires now, he says
From John F. Rambousek
Yucca Valley, Calif.
I’m writing to urge citizens to get government agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, FAA, and local and state fire agencies off the backs of the supertanker water bomber companies that built the DC-10 and Boeing 747 supertankers, privately investing millions of dollars for which they have received almost no returns.
This is because the forest service reportedly has refused to use supertanker aircraft to fight fires on federal land for more than 12 years, allowing horrible loss of life and destruction in the meantime.
How long will we stand for this deliberate destruction of human life and property by our own public safety officials? Right now, reportedly there are only two supertankers in our country while the Russians, offering us help refused by the forest service, are flying at least five IL-76 supertankers worldwide and accident-free for more than 12 years.
They are the DC-10 stationed at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, Calif.; and the Boeing 747, which our so-called public safety and fire officials have never allowed to be used, even when virtually the whole Southwest was burning awhile back.
The Websites DC-10 supertanker, evergreen supertanker, and JBS.org (search: wildfire) on Google can be searched, and we can demand that our public safety and fire officials be held accountable. Congress can be contacted; fire season is here, and our fire officials are again putting us in grave danger.
Supertankers can stop uncontrolled wildfires now devastating our country in one day that would otherwise take weeks or months to control. Private enterprise will use and build them if given the chance.
