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On Your Mind is the Herald/Review’s telephone opinion line and is intended as a public forum for our readers. Comments represent the opinions of callers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the newspaper or any specific knowledge that we have. Readers may share their opinions by calling 458-0332, or by e-mail to svhoym@transedge.com or regular mail at 102 Fab Ave., Sierra Vista AZ 85635. Due to the volume of submissions, comments will be limited to 150 words or fewer starting June 2. Comments are edited.
May 3
The Democratic Party’s plan to avert a past catastrophe like (George) McGovern’s loss, instituted the superdelegate plan. Quite simply, it took the decision to select a presidential candidate away from the people and gave it to their party hacks. Back to smoke-filled back-room politics. Democrats like to think the common person is too stupid to make big decisions and big government or the nanny state knows best. The superdelegates’ vote to a position to choose a Democrat presidential candidate. This tells me how they would run the government once in office, rather undemocratically.
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May 5
Big thanks to the citizen who picked up and returned all the grocery carts that were abandoned at the old rodeo site. About 20 carts had accumulated at the homeless camp.
Thanks to the bird area home owners association, for hauling in four loads of gravel to the alley behind Clayton Manufactured Mobile Homes. The alley has been a pothole slalom course for years.
May 7
If “No Child Left Behind” is the rule that must be followed, then why is the following happening to our education system and students in the Sierra Vista, Palominas, Tombstone districts and charter schools? Schools receive federal money to teach English Language Learner classes and they don’t do it. Students born in foreign countries underperform during AIMS testing because of a lack of learning and reading skills. In one instance, the person in charge of teaching ELL has expressed that he received letters about not complying with the program for his district even though funding has been received. He has been used also as a teacher when he is not even a certified substitute teacher. Many parents had been told his/her child is doing well in their studies and then at the end of the year teachers want to retain students due to poor grades and being especially poor in reading skills. Complaints from parents and teachers about schools not teaching ELL classes are being ignored by school principals, district leadership, etc. We the public would like to know what’s going on in our schools.
May 9
On Page A3 in the Herald today I see that President Bush signed a bill to explore the process of pumping water from previous oil and gas production wells to some use. Guess what? He or they stumbled onto the procedure of enhanced recovery from old wells. The enhanced recovery process starts with pumping extremely hot water into wells. The superheated water causes the water in the substructure to mix with the oil and come to the surface into a separator. Surface oil flows over down to storage tanks or trucks, then to a refinery. It sounds technical but it’s rather simple. It was proposed back in 1971, as miracles happen. They stumble upon it today. High-tech is amazing isn’t it? I’ve known about and told about this many times as a probable solution to our oil problem. Let’s wake up.
I guess by this time next year Dick Cheney will be living in Dubai. I read in today’s Herald an article about Halliburton’s former subsidiary KBR Mess Halls. I knew they were driving our fuel trucks and on at least one occasion abandoned them when attacked. I can imagine Halliburton was catering the whole war in Iraq. The company moved its headquarters to Dubai probably to avoid taxes. I’m sure Cheney will be there again, the CEO of the flagrant war profiteering institution which will become known as Cheney-Halliburton. The troops over there seem to be fed up with these people and the war in particular. Our military, at least my war — World War II, managed to provide all the particular necessities of life for us including life insurance policies. Halliburton and Blackwater did not provide for us. All the GIs today have to do is fight and die. What a modern day travesty we’re experiencing. God bless our military. May this agony end soon for all of us.
May 10
If you don’t like what’s going on in the city, show up at City Council meetings and sign up to speak. When called on, tell how to solve the problem of the day, week, month, year.
Note to imbibers: Drink all the alcohol you want and get as drunk as you want. Do it at home. Then stay there until you either throw up or sober up or both.
When it comes to the all-time champion of false promises and exaggerated claims there is none better than religion. No contest. Think about it. Religion has actually convinced people that there’s an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of 10 things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these 10 things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever until the end of time. But he loves you. He loves you, and he needs money. He’s all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing and all-wise, somehow just can’t handle money. Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more.
If you think gas prices are high in the U.S., a friend who lives in England says the price of gas there is $10 a gallon. An English gallon is 4.5 liters and a U.S. gallon is 3.7 liters, about an 0.8-liter difference. The OPEC cartel is gouging global economies. Now is the time for environmentalists to isolate themselves from rigid ideology. I wish wind, solar, biofuels, etc., could satisfy our energy needs. They are partial answers at best. The time has come to build more nuclear energy plants, drill the plentiful oil we have off our Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, build more oil refineries, and tap our limitless deposits of coal. A combination of these energy sources, along with wind, solar, and biofuels, will free us from dependence on foreign oil. We can do all this and still satisfy environmental needs. The time has come to put heavy pressure on the Washington do-nothings whom we elect and pay to represent us and demand they remove barriers, so we can get the show on the road. Playing victim isn’t going to solve our energy problems. We must take the bull by the horns ourselves.
Lori Fox wrote an exceptionally fine letter, May 10 “Democrats’ ideas won’t improve schools in Arizona.” She touched all bases for a home run. For example, she asks, “Why do Democrats across the country insist on keeping children trapped in failing schools and reject demands of parents to be allowed to choose better schools, whether charter schools or non-public schools?” The answer is blatantly obvious. Democrats are in bed with the teachers’ unions. Another valid question, “Why aren’t Democrats more concerned about giving poor Americans the choices the wealthy have so their children can get the best possible start in life?” And rightly stated, “… parents become crushed by the organized power of the people who are failing to educate their children.” Thanks, Lori, for a timely letter.
I’ve been here since Seventh Street was pretty much the end of Sierra Vista and state Route 90 wasn’t even on most maps. The places that people used to party (the bluffs, Charleston Bridge, Route 90 bridge and Hereford Road Bridge) are still and more frequently used by more people than ever was used before. To claim that “we” were a detriment to the environment is a particularly nasty thing to say to people who built your homes, your stores, your streets, your places of employment, your schools and your refrigerators. Having someplace to go to unwind without having to pay a “cover” and inflated prices was how the people who did so much for you found strength and spirit to continue to “do good” the next day. And now there are people “we” housed, feed, clothed telling us that “we” are detrimental to the same areas that “they” (in far greater numbers and more frequently) now use. Bite my hand, bookworm. If you folks are so anxious to maintain your pristine perfection, you might try to find out how to keep your pants on rather than stuffing birds.
This is in reply to the person who called in about how this is a great country because you can buy alcohol, tobacco, firearms and a Harley Davidson motorcycle all on the same block. Just don’t get caught using any of those things anywhere or at anytime.
My compliments to the city of Sierra Vista. I really enjoy their City Page. It’s not only attractive to look at but it has most of the information I’m interested in all in one place, like city activities, meetings, etc. Also, I’d like to draw people’s attention to the wonderful coffee shop at the public library. It adds a really nice component to my visits to the library. They have a remarkably inclusive menu for breakfast, lunch and desserts. Take a look and enjoy it. Let the city know this is a good idea.
I was at a local restaurant today. I am overweight and so is my daughter. There are some people who like to comment about a person’s weight because it’s the first thing that they see. There are other things that make up a person besides their weight. It’s really disturbing that people have to make comments about other people. I find it very rude, and I think some people need to learn some manners.
May 11
One habit kills more people each year than plane crashes, auto wrecks, homicides, murders, suicides, AIDS, lightning strikes, train derailments, heroin, cocaine, gin, vodka, wine, beer, whiskey, pot, ecstasy, fat, cholesterol, wars, and meth combined. Which habit alone kills all those people? Tobacco.
On the day of the mail carriers’ food drive, I noticed a truck from the Community Food Bank of Tucson leaving the vicinity of the main post office. I hope this was an indication of logistical assistance from that group, and not that the local donations were going to Tucson. There is enough need right here to be addressed by our own citizenry.
The multibillionaire George Soros is rarely mentioned in the mainstream media, and yet, he is probably the most powerful person in the Democratic Party. Born a Hungarian Jew, Soros made his billions through speculation in foreign currency. He is reputed to have brought down the Bank of England. He is persona non grata in Far East banking circles. Soros is said to have poured $350 million into the formation of numerous political organizations, like MoveOn.Org, which promote and finance Barack Obama and other Democrats running for political office (i.e., Gabrielle Giffords). Barack Obama campaigns repeatedly that he is not beholden to lobbyists and special interests. His words sound hollow when the name of the disreputable George Soros surfaces.
Check your grocery receipts. The first week in May I shopped at a local grocer and they over charged me $8.56, on a $60 shopping excursion. Two items were on sale, but the scanner didn’t read it that way. Of course, I went back and got a refund, but without a, “We are really sorry” or a coupon or a discount on my next purchase. Just a, “We owe you $8.56.” How many other people do they owe, but never have to pay up, because the customer didn’t check their receipts?
I read this quote by Gloria Feldt, the pro-abortion activist: “I value children in general, and maybe a different child at another time, but this child is scheduled for extermination.” Wow. Feldt has an “unusual” way of showing how she values children.
I would like to thank a gentleman named Robert who works for the Yaqui Electric Co. I injured my back and while I was getting out of my vehicle to go into the hospital Robert saw me and didn’t hesitate to help me get into the hospital. Robert, thank you very much. I appreciate it.
People, people! How hard is it to return your empty cart to the cart parking stalls? Some people leave them in the driveway where people’s cars get banged up. Sometimes they get out into the street. Can we chubby Americans walk a few feet to put them in the stalls? Thanks for your consideration.
I’m reading again today in your newspaper about Pat Tillman’s death when he joined the military. I’m tired of all the publicity his mother keeps getting about how she is so angry about the way he died. This is a decision he made; he knew what he was getting into. He knew the dangers. So quit giving her all this publicity and quit downgrading our military. We have too may people who don’t support the military, and it’s getting to be too much.
George Bush has nothing to do with the gas prices. We didn’t have high gas prices until the Democrats took over the House. The president can’t do a thing until Congress sends him the bills, and they have not done that.
May 12
To the person complaining about tribal gaming policies: You have money to throw away? You must be an honest person. Don’t you remember what “real” work was and how so very generous ‘real’ work was paid for? And you take it away from our community and give it away for such endeavors as “productive” gaming? And then there you are hoping for a pay-off of money that you could spend as though you worked for that money? Now that’s really honest! And you take your kids into ‘that’ atmosphere to reinforce those values and bring them back here to mingle with our children full of devil-may-care attitudes? Man, what did we ever do to you that we should commit suicide?
The comment from the Bisbee school board in Monday’s newspaper is totally out of line. Their attitude toward their students is appalling. If they really feel the need to hand out condoms, but yet they are furious with the idea, I have one suggestion for them. Just don’t have a prom at all. Let the students celebrate in some other way. Hey, board, you need to re-examine your attitude toward your students.
Well, I heard it myself. John McCain has bitten into Al Gore’s global warming hoax. Very sad. I had halfway thought I could vote for him. But now, no. It appears it’s senility, political correctness or his usual jumping over the aisle to embrace another liberal Democrat. Poor old fellow. Wasn’t he OK 20 or 30 years ago?
taxpayer wrote on Jun 3, 2008 11:39 AM: