Sequim Gazette Editorial and Letters to the Editor
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Support your local market
The vendors of the Sequim Open Aire Market would like to thank all who came out and shopped local at our Indoor Home Holiday event last Saturday. Your enthusiastic support means a great deal to the market artists, farmers, crafts people and bakers who comprise a vital element of our local economy and greater community.
The market also would like to recognize Stephen Rosales and the Boys & Girls Club for their generous spirit and extraordinary work to help make the event a success. The staff and volunteers at this fine organization provide a safe, positive and fun environment for children and the importance of the work they do - especially to the youth they serve - cannot be measured. The look of disappointment and disbelief etched onto the faces of the more than dozen teens who stopped by last Friday evening to find the Teen Club closed for the holiday spoke volumes about its importance to them.
The 2009 market season begins early this year with our Winter Warm-up on Feb. 7. See you then!
Mark Ozias
Open Aire Market director
Sequim
Making our day
I am sure most of Sequim, if they are up early, have noticed the happy gentleman that works the crosswalk at the corner of Fir Street and Sequim Avenue. Every day he is out there with the biggest smile and waves to every car that passes. He has genuine warmth about him. He has made many a Monday seem brighter. My kids and I look forward to seeing him and we make sure we try and wave back ... A special thanks to him in our community for the small things that make people's day.
Teila Henn
Sequim
Use reason
The latest news from Olympia is that next to a Christmas scene, some atheists have posted a sign indicating that heaven, hell and God do not exist and urging people to use reason.
Reason indicates to some of us that it is impossible to prove a negative, or a bunch of them. If there were no God, there would be no God-given rights, and the law of the jungle would prevail unimpeded. General Sherman was right, war is hell, and we have it because sometimes it is the only way to stop greater evils. And oftener because there are some would-be gods out there that want to exercise their wisdom on the rest of us, and as soon as one gets established, somebody else comes along with as big a fist and ego.
Reason also tells us that some of these bright ideas have been tried before, of abolishing God and letting people's natural goodness bubble to the top and cure all problems. Revolutionary France, Albania, North Korea, Red China, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany are good examples. They prove that hell exists and can be brought to earth while promising heaven.
In 1859 Charles Darwin wrote a book on "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life." He thought the answer was by race, like a lot of his adherents, but at least he thought improvement was possible. We can use reason to tell what has been acted on before and measure it.
Sound reasonable?
Robert Robinson
Sequim
Change, change, change
Not long ago I read a joke. It said all the politicians running for president are promising change to the American people. We send them billions and billions of tax dollars and they send us the change.
Funny? Not really. There is too much truth in it to be funny.
That got me to thinking. They all promise change. How about if they run on a promise of restoration rather than change. A restoration that would take us back in time to a place where things ran better, smoother and life was more enjoyable.
Change? That, in truth, is what they have been giving us all along.
We used to have a strong dollar ... Politicians changed that.
Life used to be sacred ... Politicians changed that.
Marriage used to be sacred ... Politicians are changing that.
We used to be respected around the world ... Politicians changed that.
We used to have a strong manufacturing economy ... Politicians changed that.
We used to have lower tax structures ... Politicians changed that.
We used to enjoy more freedoms ... Politicians changed that.
We used to be a large exporter of American-made goods ... Politicians changed that.
We used to be an openly Christian nation ... Politicians changed that.
We used to teach patriotism in schools ... Politicians changed that.
We used to educate children in schools ... Politicians changed that.
We used to enjoy freedom of speech ... Politicians changed that.
We used to enforce legal citizenship ... Politicians changed that.
We used to have affordable food and gas prices ... Politicians changed that, too. And one could go on and on with this list.
What hasn't been changed politicians are promising to change that as well if you will only elect them.
When, oh when, is America going to sit back with open eyes and look at what we once were and where we have come and say, enough is enough?
The trouble is, America's youthful voters today don't know - and many older ones seem to have forgotten - that a great America existed 40 and 50 years ago. They see the world as if it has always existed as it is now..
When will we wake up? Tomorrow may be too late. When will America realize ... Politicians are what is wrong with America?
Bill and Carole Black
Sequim
Sequim sales tax refusal
The rejection of Sequim's sales tax increase causes me to ponder how important a handful of votes can be. The loss the taxpayers handed to this city was not overwhelming but enough to be decisive. I have fantasized if the vote cast on my ballot was fortunate enough to be the final tie breaker. Even though my vote was not in favor of the increase, the loss was bittersweet for me.
Perhaps the state of our economy was the chief reason. Perhaps taxpayers fear major tax hikes on the federal and state level to pay for all the election promises. Possibly it is as simple as the taxpayers need to see something in it for them, for a change.
The promise of a chicken in every pot gets old after a while. The streets and sidewalks can be paved with gold but all that will bring is more traffic and greater speeds through our residential areas. Our pitiful streets now boast a 38 mile-per-hour speed limit and beyond. This is calculated using the Sequim Police Department's adjusted speed rate (25 mph + 13 mph grace = 38 at a minimum). What will be the allowed speed when the roads are fixed? Maybe with better streets we will see more 18-wheelers traversing through our residential neighborhoods or heavy construction equipment rumbling through a residential area at 6 in the morning. Smoother roads will allow the noisemaker vehicles and their operators to create more disturbances all hours of the night because they wouldn't have to slow down to dodge potholes. Saving the best for last, taxpayers will have a more sporting chance while they run the gauntlet dodging vehicles and risking their lives attempting to cross Sequim's streets from the newly built sidewalks.
This city needs to learn how to do some minor improvements before they can tackle major ones. They need to come to the realization not all the residents live on the city's edge. Many live within this noise-infected rat hole. Sequim's grand vision of a pedestrian friendly town where people and vehicles can co-exist is more like Sequim's grand illusion.
Roger Sklors
Sequim
Electoral college fraud?
Since 1824 when the total number of voters was recorded, there have been 1,825 separate presidential elections, each with a different vote value per voter. Each state runs its own election; and thus 1,825 elections. And the number of voters per population count is different in each election.
This is how the Electoral College works, with vote values ranging from 9.72 (South Carolina, 1924) to 0.44 (Illinois, 1840).
With such a wide margin, normally such results would be thrown out as massive fraud.
It is commonly accepted that voters receive one vote per voter in a democracy. Where is that in the Electoral College? Isn't that reason enough to get rid of such an unreliable method of choosing a president? Remember George W. Bush?
There is a very simple and safe way to elect a president.
Every time we use a credit card on the phone to make a purchase, we are actually making a selection.
Voting under a federal process, which is really the responsibility of the government, we would receive a voter card and by telephone, place our vote. Just as with a credit purchase, we would be given an authorization number that identifies our transaction and the card cancels. That number would attach to the vote, to be listed by zip code where we would see that our vote was properly counted.
Only we will know our authorization number so it would be fraud-proof. And no voting machines would be needed.
Clint Jones
Sequim
The vendors of the Sequim Open Aire Market would like to thank all who came out and shopped local at our Indoor Home Holiday event last Saturday. Your enthusiastic support means a great deal to the market artists, farmers, crafts people and bakers who comprise a vital element of our local economy and greater community.
The market also would like to recognize Stephen Rosales and the Boys & Girls Club for their generous spirit and extraordinary work to help make the event a success. The staff and volunteers at this fine organization provide a safe, positive and fun environment for children and the importance of the work they do - especially to the youth they serve - cannot be measured. The look of disappointment and disbelief etched onto the faces of the more than dozen teens who stopped by last Friday evening to find the Teen Club closed for the holiday spoke volumes about its importance to them.
The 2009 market season begins early this year with our Winter Warm-up on Feb. 7. See you then!
Mark Ozias
Open Aire Market director
Sequim
Making our day
I am sure most of Sequim, if they are up early, have noticed the happy gentleman that works the crosswalk at the corner of Fir Street and Sequim Avenue. Every day he is out there with the biggest smile and waves to every car that passes. He has genuine warmth about him. He has made many a Monday seem brighter. My kids and I look forward to seeing him and we make sure we try and wave back ... A special thanks to him in our community for the small things that make people's day.
Teila Henn
Sequim
Use reason
The latest news from Olympia is that next to a Christmas scene, some atheists have posted a sign indicating that heaven, hell and God do not exist and urging people to use reason.
Reason indicates to some of us that it is impossible to prove a negative, or a bunch of them. If there were no God, there would be no God-given rights, and the law of the jungle would prevail unimpeded. General Sherman was right, war is hell, and we have it because sometimes it is the only way to stop greater evils. And oftener because there are some would-be gods out there that want to exercise their wisdom on the rest of us, and as soon as one gets established, somebody else comes along with as big a fist and ego.
Reason also tells us that some of these bright ideas have been tried before, of abolishing God and letting people's natural goodness bubble to the top and cure all problems. Revolutionary France, Albania, North Korea, Red China, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany are good examples. They prove that hell exists and can be brought to earth while promising heaven.
In 1859 Charles Darwin wrote a book on "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life." He thought the answer was by race, like a lot of his adherents, but at least he thought improvement was possible. We can use reason to tell what has been acted on before and measure it.
Sound reasonable?
Robert Robinson
Sequim
Change, change, change
Not long ago I read a joke. It said all the politicians running for president are promising change to the American people. We send them billions and billions of tax dollars and they send us the change.
Funny? Not really. There is too much truth in it to be funny.
That got me to thinking. They all promise change. How about if they run on a promise of restoration rather than change. A restoration that would take us back in time to a place where things ran better, smoother and life was more enjoyable.
Change? That, in truth, is what they have been giving us all along.
We used to have a strong dollar ... Politicians changed that.
Life used to be sacred ... Politicians changed that.
Marriage used to be sacred ... Politicians are changing that.
We used to be respected around the world ... Politicians changed that.
We used to have a strong manufacturing economy ... Politicians changed that.
We used to have lower tax structures ... Politicians changed that.
We used to enjoy more freedoms ... Politicians changed that.
We used to be a large exporter of American-made goods ... Politicians changed that.
We used to be an openly Christian nation ... Politicians changed that.
We used to teach patriotism in schools ... Politicians changed that.
We used to educate children in schools ... Politicians changed that.
We used to enjoy freedom of speech ... Politicians changed that.
We used to enforce legal citizenship ... Politicians changed that.
We used to have affordable food and gas prices ... Politicians changed that, too. And one could go on and on with this list.
What hasn't been changed politicians are promising to change that as well if you will only elect them.
When, oh when, is America going to sit back with open eyes and look at what we once were and where we have come and say, enough is enough?
The trouble is, America's youthful voters today don't know - and many older ones seem to have forgotten - that a great America existed 40 and 50 years ago. They see the world as if it has always existed as it is now..
When will we wake up? Tomorrow may be too late. When will America realize ... Politicians are what is wrong with America?
Bill and Carole Black
Sequim
Sequim sales tax refusal
The rejection of Sequim's sales tax increase causes me to ponder how important a handful of votes can be. The loss the taxpayers handed to this city was not overwhelming but enough to be decisive. I have fantasized if the vote cast on my ballot was fortunate enough to be the final tie breaker. Even though my vote was not in favor of the increase, the loss was bittersweet for me.
Perhaps the state of our economy was the chief reason. Perhaps taxpayers fear major tax hikes on the federal and state level to pay for all the election promises. Possibly it is as simple as the taxpayers need to see something in it for them, for a change.
The promise of a chicken in every pot gets old after a while. The streets and sidewalks can be paved with gold but all that will bring is more traffic and greater speeds through our residential areas. Our pitiful streets now boast a 38 mile-per-hour speed limit and beyond. This is calculated using the Sequim Police Department's adjusted speed rate (25 mph + 13 mph grace = 38 at a minimum). What will be the allowed speed when the roads are fixed? Maybe with better streets we will see more 18-wheelers traversing through our residential neighborhoods or heavy construction equipment rumbling through a residential area at 6 in the morning. Smoother roads will allow the noisemaker vehicles and their operators to create more disturbances all hours of the night because they wouldn't have to slow down to dodge potholes. Saving the best for last, taxpayers will have a more sporting chance while they run the gauntlet dodging vehicles and risking their lives attempting to cross Sequim's streets from the newly built sidewalks.
This city needs to learn how to do some minor improvements before they can tackle major ones. They need to come to the realization not all the residents live on the city's edge. Many live within this noise-infected rat hole. Sequim's grand vision of a pedestrian friendly town where people and vehicles can co-exist is more like Sequim's grand illusion.
Roger Sklors
Sequim
Electoral college fraud?
Since 1824 when the total number of voters was recorded, there have been 1,825 separate presidential elections, each with a different vote value per voter. Each state runs its own election; and thus 1,825 elections. And the number of voters per population count is different in each election.
This is how the Electoral College works, with vote values ranging from 9.72 (South Carolina, 1924) to 0.44 (Illinois, 1840).
With such a wide margin, normally such results would be thrown out as massive fraud.
It is commonly accepted that voters receive one vote per voter in a democracy. Where is that in the Electoral College? Isn't that reason enough to get rid of such an unreliable method of choosing a president? Remember George W. Bush?
There is a very simple and safe way to elect a president.
Every time we use a credit card on the phone to make a purchase, we are actually making a selection.
Voting under a federal process, which is really the responsibility of the government, we would receive a voter card and by telephone, place our vote. Just as with a credit purchase, we would be given an authorization number that identifies our transaction and the card cancels. That number would attach to the vote, to be listed by zip code where we would see that our vote was properly counted.
Only we will know our authorization number so it would be fraud-proof. And no voting machines would be needed.
Clint Jones
Sequim
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