The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
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. Please keep comments less than 90 seconds. Comments are edited and limited to 150 words.
June 13
|
|
Algonquin Water Co. has applied for an expansion of its territory that will affect the Hereford and Whetstone areas. This is a reminder that the Arizona Corporation Commission will hold a public comment meeting on June 23 at 4:30 p.m. at the Windemere Hotel on S. Highway 92.
June 14
Matt Hickman’s Zumba is funnier than the funnies. I’ll be laughing all day! I hope he doesn’t smoke, drink or chew now, because I want him around for a long time.
Reading on your front page of June 14 about “Locals cross border in search of cheaper gas.” Then back to the U.S. highways paid for by gas tax on gas in the U.S., It helps me understand why GM, Ford and a very large number of other companies go across the border, This, I am sure, has nothing to do about a very large trade deficit, We the people of the USA are the ones who make the trade deficit, When I buy clothes I look at the label, If it says China, I find something else, I know the companies have things made in other countries and then add something so they can say made in U.S, But it’s worth a try. Bush and company are not interested in trade unless it has to do with one of their oil wells, Buy USA.
I did a little research on the Center for Media and Public Affairs cited by Francis N. McWilliams in the June 14 letter to the editor. It turns out the Center is funded by right wing foundations. No wonder it found Fox News to be more balanced. Personally, I don’t like any of the TV news. They are more interested in things that will keep viewers glued to the screen rather than boring and complex facts.
A fit fat Boomer in a BMW saw the glimmer of a slim trim swimmer from his Bimmer and the rumor is they used their sense of humor to enjoy a super summer — her and himmer. Now have cool keen summer, you and them-er.
June 15
Dentists are doctors. We should stop saying “doctors and dentists” as if dentists were less educated or necessary for our general body health and longevity. Dentists know more than do doctors of philosophy, science, and medicine all combined, regarding the mouth, gums, teeth, facial nerve distribution, and the preservation of our ability to eat. I am not a dentist or a relative of one; but my dentist did an outstanding job of fixing a rare tooth problem ... on a Saturday. The scheduled procedure was painless and totally comfortable, and I felt relaxed.
Barack Obama promises to pay for his socialized medicine proposal, and numerous other proposals, by raising taxes of those people earning over $250,000, but at the same time cutting taxes of the middle class. He avoids mentioning that most of the people earning over $250,000 are small businessmen — who furnish the largest number of jobs to the American economy. The outcome will be less small business investment, inevitably increasing unemployment, and cause diminishing tax returns to cover the cost of his proposals. In no way will raising taxes of only people earning over $250,000, representing 24.1 percent of all income and paying 43.6 percent of all federal personal taxes (Tax Policy Center) — at the same time cutting taxes of the middle class - pay this mounting bill! Obama is playing new game of deception with 2008 voters.
It will be so wonderful to get the new Wal-Mart Supercenter with Sam’s Club in Sierra Vista and then we will not have to choose between just the three major grocery stores to shop. The prices at Wal-Mart are very good. We know people that have these in their cities. It makes a major difference. They have their own gas station. People will not be held in bondage to the high prices like we are now. Sierra Vista has the highest food prices in the state of Arizona. This will change when they get here. We’re very grateful that you’re coming and you can’t get here soon enough.
June 16
I read the article about people driving over to Naco for cheaper gas prices. PEMEX gas stations are run by the Mexican government which the writer failed to mention. They have been accused many times of adding water to their gas or having the pumps only give you about 90 percent of what the gas pump shows. These facts can be verified on the Internet. One person responding online to this story blamed it on Bush (of course) when actually the Democrats have blocked offshore drilling, Alaska drilling and Rocky Mountain oil shale production.
Save your money, even if our economy is “the best it has ever been” in 388 years: Wipe off greasy sticky dishes, pans, and utensils right after use, with a small used paper towel or napkin wet with a half teaspoon of white vinegar. Before using any dish-washing liquid, dilute it 10 times. Then when you need some, try no more than two drops of the diluted amount. Letting the items sit for a while in sudsy cold water is as effective as the concentrated original in hot water. I learned tips like this by living through the “Great” Depression, which now looms ahead for all of us if we don’t quit wasting what we have.
Checked snopes.com on Obama quotes. They give them a multiple (some true some false rating) but when you read the actual text of the books on snopes, the sense is right there, and usually the exact wording. I checked an email about Senator Clinton that snopes.com said was false. Went to original newspaper reports from the time and so on. Snopes was being less than honest. To put it mildly. I’ve come to the conclusion that snopes.com does have their own agenda on some things and if we want to know for sure, we need to do some searching ourselves.
I’m calling about Movies in the Park on June 14. It was “The Wizard of Oz”. I think this is a great, awesome idea. I have participated in both of these this year. But I never realized how many rude, selfish, inconsiderate people we have here in Sierra Vista. My family and my sister-in-law’s family together with six children were sitting on blankets. Granted we were a good ways from the screen. People, looking right at us, sat in chairs right in front of us. That happened to many people. I understand you might have to stand up to go to the bathroom or get a drink or some food. But move, don’t get up and stand there. I saw that, too. I think maybe they should have a rule that people with chairs should sit farther back. It’s a hugescreen and the sound system is good.
June 17
There must be a thinking problem in the sports department — no senior golfer division in your Sierra Vista City Golf Tournament this year!! Many of us were told that the senior division would have too many players thus leaving less gift certificates for the other flights — strange that it was never a problem before. Your ladies flight this year had only four players — how do you award their prizes? Many of us seniors who have supported your tournament for many years did not play this year. Sports department, what do you and the Sierra Vista Herald have against seniors?
Editor’s note: The Herald/Review was not involved in the decision of what divisions were offered at this year’s city golf championship.
Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats predicted the surge in Iraq would be an abysmal failure. The opposite has proven to be true. The surge has become a stunning success with a promising resurgence of stability in Iraq. Sheepishly, the media is relatively quiet on the subject. No way is the media going to allot any credit to their avowed enemy, the Bush Administration. Instead, the media seems still hoping for more body counts. For the benefit of us voters, however, Barack Obama has given an early indication of his inexperience and faulty judgment.
Over the past month or so, I have seen two articles in the Herald about the Limelight/ Off Broadway situation. Each article was limited to the basics of the court case. Kathryn Chaffin-Honda founded Limelight over 20 years ago as a way to bring fine arts to Sierra Vista and introduce kids to theatre and dance. Through her efforts, Sierra Vista has hosted the Moscow Ballet, sent kids to college with fine arts scholarships, raised money for various organizations with Limelight Performances and brought countless hours of enjoyment to the whole community. I think Sierra Vista owes it to Kathryn and her family to publish an in depth article from her side of the story from start to finish.
This is in reply to the May 30 caller regarding the pigeons. There were never hundreds of pigeons there, 40 to 50, maybe. My husband fed birds and the pigeons came to eat, too. I would gladly put up with the mess to have my husband back. You see, he died on Easter Sunday.
I’m calling about today’s front-page story about the death of Border Patrol agent Neil Hepburn. The subheadline says, “Son of local hospital CEO died in an accident last fall in California.” This man died after a head-on collision with a vehicle traveling the wrong way on State Route 52 in San Diego. The woman driver was drunk and on the wrong side of the highway. This was not an accident as your article mentions three times. It is a drunk driving crash. Choosing to get drunk, get into a 2-ton lethal weapon, and choosing to drive at 100 mph with a blood alcohol count of 0.21 is no way, shape, or form an accident. My condolences to the family of the victim of a horrific crime. And shame on the Herald for lessening the aftermath by their choice of words.
It never ceases to amaze this Cochise County native how all the “imports” to this area seem to think that the Central Arizona Project is the answer to all the water problems that they have created with all their over-building and devil-may-care water use. The CAP was only meant to go as far as Tucson and now that the flow from the Colorado River is so much less than when it was authorized, it is unrealistic to even consider using CAP water. Who is going to pay to build the canals, pump the water uphill at least 2,500 feet in elevation, and through or around mountains — not me. And where you gonna store it? If any of you think that the CAP is going to solve the water problems in this valley or for the mines in Bisbee, think again.
Attention veterans interested in college assistance. Check out Upward Bound at 480-965-1292 in Tempe, at Arizona State University. This program may be available at the University of Arizona South but I don’t know for sure. It’s a totally free federal program that helps veterans get into college or technical schools. It’s offered to all veterans of all wars with no time limitations on their programs. They offer day and night courses and it’s open entry. You start and end when you want. It’s free. They’re hoping to offer classes for veterans online but that’s not presently available. Check it out. It’s free and it sounds pretty good.
My family had a wonderful time at the Movies in the Park on Saturday evening. That was a very delightful way to spend Saturday night. We’ll be back for more Movies in the Park. Thank you so much Cox Cable and the Herald/Review.
Homosexuality is not a lifestyle; it’s an inborn trait that no one can change. OK all “straights” — did you choose to be heterosexual? Or white? Or colored-on-the-outside? No. You were born that way and can’t change it. Some evangelical Christians try to shame and persuade gays to “change your sinful ways” but such efforts are useless. If predominantly Catholic Hispanic California voters try to nullify “gay marriage,” gays and straights will continue to do what they must, while the religious will continue to object because they can’t do otherwise. Let us all rest in peace. And with tolerance for the “different.” Hey, we’re all different. No two alike.
I agree with some of Betty Ploeger’s concern in her June 17 letter, “On Your Mind attacks shouldn’t be printed.” However, it hardly calls for the Herald to practice censorship. Freedom of speech does have wide parameters. Perhaps she might make allowance for people sometimes over-reacting with unfair criticism, given we’re in the heat of a presidential election. Like Ploeger, I’m no fan of Barack Obama. Once someone scrutinizes the impressive rhetoric, there is little substance left.
Many of his statements and proposals reveal an Obama who is inexperienced, even inept and dangerously erratic, in his understanding and judgment concerning serious domestic and global economic and security issues.
His unsavory long term associations and friendships with undesirable radicals create suspicion and a pattern regarding judgment, commitment, and character. Overall, the persona of Obama shows a wide gap between perception and reality. With each passing day he appears more like the typical politician with catchy phrases.
Tom Smith wrote on Dec 15, 2008 6:21 PM: