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THE SANDBOX Archive ~ 2000 (part 1 of 5)
JAN, 2000 ~ none
FEB, 2000 ~ #49, #50, #51, #52
MAR, 2000 ~ #53, #54, #55, #56, #57
APR, 2000 ~ #58, #59, #60, #61
MAY, 2000 ~ #62, #63, #64
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #49 ~ February 6, 2000
THE SANDBOX Quickie
Starting Anew After Two Severe Disasters
With A Prior Computer
"No time like the present."
From The Lost Lover
---Mrs. Manley 1663 - 1724
There is only one short item to share with you
today. But we've got to start (again) somewhere, if
we're going to start again at all. Don't you agree?
If any of you have something you'd like to talk
about this week, send it in. The next edition of The
SANDBOX is scheduled to appear next Sunday,
empty or full. The SANDBOX starts where the
ALUMNI SANDSTORM leaves off. It starts with
YOU Today. You may express your OPINION about
how things were, or are, or how they ought to be.
You can Persuade, Encourage, Explain. You can
listen to and talk about the important concerns of
today. You can even tell a few jokes if you like.
It's wholly up to you.
In any event, if you'd like to keep this thing going,
as Mrs. Manley always used to say, there's "No
time like the present..." to send something in!
Please send all items you'd like included in The
SANDBOX to THE_SANDBOX@bigfoot.com
- - - -
Today's entry is from:
Rick Maddy (67)
olekukahi@hotmail.com (R- Mad)
RE: Linus Toland (67) - Bomb Debate
Yes, there was once a "debate" in the Sandstorm
about the bomb mascot. The discussion got a little
heated (no pun) and was moved into the newly
made "SANDBOX" for such hot (no pun) topics. So,
when you discuss the mascot in here, Linus, do not
make that whistling sound before the impact. Wait...
I think they went off above ground; nevertheless, no
whistling.
Rick Maddy (67)
- - - - -
Apologies for lost mail due to computer crashes,
including address changes that were not updated
before the computer failures occured.
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-49-
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #50 ~ February 12, 2000
"The years teach much
which the days never know."
----- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
The SANDBOX is an online forum of ideas and
opinions expressed by the alumni of Columbia
High School, AKA Richland High School,
Richland, Washington.
This week's contributors:
Steve Carson (58)
Bob Mattson (64)
Eva (Clark) Perry (49)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Subj: Death Penalty
From: Steve Carson (58)
SteveNitro@aol.com
New Sandbox topic, the death penalty. In Illinois
this week Govenor Ryan put a hold on any
scheduled executions and I found myself (to my
surprise) agreeing with him. I had always been in
full agreement with the death penalty until the last
18 months when new DNA evidence has freed
several in Illinois who were convicted and
sentenced to die. It is time to review this in depth
and perhaps come up with a different penalty, like
hard labor and a true "without possibility of parole"
statute. There are situations where only the death
penalty seems just but there are too many mistakes.
Steve Carson (58)
- - - - -
Subj: Breaching The Dams
From: Bob Mattson (64)
Rmat683939@aol.com
Well, being away from the tri-cities for so long, I'd
like to know just how the dam breaching would
affect the area as far as jobs and related economic
issues. Most of the talking around here is sports
fishing related and the dwindling salmon runs. I'd
like to hear the views from those in the area that are
willing to express their concerns pro breach or not.
I'll withhold further comment until I get some more
input, Bob 64
- - - - -
From: Eva (Clark) Perry (49)
jeperry@dmi.net
Dear ones, please go to the following website and
get educated. Everyone has the right to choose
whether they want to help out with this or not, but
please at least give everyone you know the choice
to survey the information by forwarding them this
web page:
www.thecampaign.org
- - - - -
If any of you have something you'd like to talk
about this week, send it in!
You may express your opinion about
how things were, or are, or how they ought to be.
You can persuade, encourage, explain. You can
listen to and talk about the important concerns of
today. You can even add some humor if you like.
It's entirely up to you.
Remember: If what you have to say is worth
saying anywhere, it's well worth saying here!
-Al Parker (53)
Your Sandbox Moderator
See you next Sunday!
Please send your ideas, opinions and
responses to: THE_SANDBOX@bigfoot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-50-
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #51 ~ February 20, 2000
"The only reward of virtue is virtue. The only way
to have a friend is to be one."
--- Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803 - 1882
~ ~ ~
This week's articles and comments:
SAVE OUR DAMS
Gary Behymer (64)
"Not just a fish issue..."
STOCK TRADING
Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
Funny views on ups and downs.
Info and insight on the Internet.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT
Eva (Clark) Perry (49)
Hillary: Was she, is she, will she be?
THE DEATH PENALTY
Carolyn (Renaud) Carson (60)
Responding to Steve Carson (58)
The following articles and comments will appear in
an Extra Edition of The SANDBOX within a few days.
CHOOSING A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
Dick Epler (52)
"The ... process has changed..."
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE....
John Allen (66)
MORE ABOUT DAM BREACHING
Mike Cram (95)
Have you considered the silt factor?
MORE TO TALK ABOUT
Al Parker (53)
Sales Taxes and The Internet
Credit Card Fraud
- - - - -
The SANDBOX is a Class Act, Folks.
Is YOUR class represented here this week?
- - - -
Subj: Save Our Dams
From: Gary Behymer (64)
mailto:bjangary@colfax.com
This e-mail is to let you know that I am against
the removal, a much better word than the glossed
over term, "natural river draw down," of the
four Snake River dams.
This is NOT a 'fish issue'. If it were, then wouldn't
it make sense to remove the 300+ gill nets that
stretch across the Columbia River? Wouldn't it
make sense to stop the ocean harvest of fish?
Would we not remove the 'terns' from the mouth
of the Columbia?
Why would the removal of just 4 'fish friendly' dams
on the Snake River do any good? These 4 dams are
all equipped with fish ladders. How many dams in
the state of Idaho have fish ladders? Answer. NONE.
If these four dams are removed, where do we stop?
Remove all on the Columbia River? Remove Grand
Coulee Dam. It DOESN'T have any fish ladders.
Replace a renewable source of power (hydroelectric)
with coal or gas fired generators?
(1) Dam breaching is an extremely risky action.
(2) I oppose EIS Alternative 4, the dam breaching
alternative.
(3) Dam breaching WILL hurt the economy and may
NOT help the fish.
(4) Jobs and our way of life are at stake.
Let's use some common sense rather than taxpayer
dollars to make these decisions.
I do support the Corps' John Day draw down study
conclusion that no further study is necessary.
There are few biological benefits and extremely
high economic costs.
The headline read 'Holy Smolts Batman.' I would
rather replace that with "We have met the enemy and
he is us." (Walt Kelly's Pogo)
Here is the 'save our dams' web site if you have
specific questions.
http://www.saveourdams.com/
- Gary Behymer (64) -
- - - - -
Subj: TODAY'S STOCK MARKET
From: Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
mah@satx.net
Helium was up.
Feathers were down.
Paper was stationary.
Fluorescent tubing was dimmed in light trading.
Knives were up sharply.
Cows steered into a bull market.
Pencils lost a few points.
Hiking equipment was trailing.
Elevators rose, while escalators continued their slow
decline.
Weights were up in heavy trading.
Light switches were off.
Mining equipment hit rock bottom.
Diapers remained unchanged.
Shipping lines stayed at an even keel.
The market for raisins dried up.
Coca Cola fizzled.
Caterpillar stock inched up a bit.
Sun peaked at midday.
Balloon prices were inflated.
Scott Tissue touched a new bottom.
And batteries exploded in an attempt to recharge the
market.
Three new Bonds are being issued:
* Lewinsky Bond: Has no maturity
* Gore Bond: Has no interest
* Clinton Bond: Has no principle
If anyone is looking for a worthwhile stock Web site
to add to their favorites, I recommend checking out
the following site. The information on individual
stocks is very extensive and includes
over-the-counter stocks, which most sites do not.
It gives the split history for each stock, which is
very helpful information if you are looking for
stocks that split frequently like I am. It also gives a
list of brokers and their recommendations for each
stock, which I have found to be information that
many sites do not offer. The forums for each stock
are the most active that I have found.....Raging Bull
and Yahoo are their forum links. Yahoo needs to
clean up its act because their forum gets pretty
raunchy sometimes, but does have some worthwhile
postings. This site seems to grab onto the latest
press releases for each stock very quickly. You do
not have to register to get information off of this
site.
investmenthouse.com
If you are interested in keeping up with the after
hours trading activity on your NASDAQ portfolio,
checkout the following Web site. It is also helpful
during trading hours because it is real-time and it
shows how many sell orders there are compared to
buy orders. It is not a total indicator of a stock's
activity, but is helpful. You do not have to register
to get information off of this site.
island.com
Click on Island Book and then click on the version
that best suits your computer system. The JAVA
Viewer will give you continuous changes whereas
with the HTML Viewer you must keep hitting their
refresh option to get updates.
The following site has after hours quotes for all of
the stock exchanges. You do not have to register
to get information off of this site.
etrade.com
Click on Quotes & Research and then click on after
hours and enter stock symbol.
If anyone has other stock site suggestions, I would
be interested.
Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
- - - -
Subj: Fw: WOW--Believe It Or Not--
It's up to you
From: Eva (Clark) Perry (49)
This ought to give us something to think about for
sure. Read this.... It'll blow your mind.
Back in 1969 a group of Black Panthers decided that
a black man named Alex Rackley needed to die.
Rackley was a fellow Panther suspected of
disloyalty. Rackley was first tied to a chair. Safely
immobilized, his "friends" tortured him for hours
by, among other things, pouring boiling water on
him. When they got tired of torturing Rackley Black
Panther member Warren Kimbro took Mr.
Rackley outside and put a bullet in his head.
Rackley's body was found floating in a river about
25 miles north of New Haven, Conn. Maybe at this
point you're curious as to what happened to these
Black Panthers. Well, in 1977, that's only eight
years later, only one of the killers was still in jail.
The shooter, Warren Kimbro, managed to get a
scholarship to Harvard. He later became an
assistant dean at Eastern Connecticut State College.
Isn't that something? As a 60's radical you can
pump a bullet into someone's head, and years later,
in the same State, you can be an assistant college
Dean. Only in America! Ericka Huggins was the
lady who served the Panthers by boiling the water
for Mr. Rackley's torture. Some years later Ms.
Huggins was elected to a California school board.
How in the world do you think that these killers got
off so easy? Well, maybe it was in some part due to
the efforts of two people who came to the defense
of the Panthers. These two people actually went so
far as to shut down Yale University with
demonstrations in defense of the accused Black
Panthers during their trial. One of those people was
none other than Bill Lan Lee. Mr. Lee or Mr. Lan
Lee as the case may be, isn't a college dean. He isn't
a member of a California school board. He is the
head of the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights
Division. Lee is serving in that capacity illegally, by
the way, but that's another story -- another part of
the Clinton saga of ignoring the rule of law. O.K.,
so who was the other Panther defender? Is this
other notable Panther defender now a school board
member? Is this other Panther apologist now an
assistant college dean? Nope, neither. The other
Panther defender was, like Lee, a radical law
student at Yale University at that time. She is now
known as "The Smartest Woman in the World." She
is none other than the unofficial Democratic
candidate for U.S. Senate from the state of New
York ---- our lovely First Lady, the incredible
Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Sent by Eva (Clark) Perry (49)
- - - - -
Subj: Death Penalty
From: Carolyn Carson Renaud (60)
To Steve Carson (58)
I agree with your radically turned-around stance on
this issue in some cases Brother, however, I don't
believe our crippled justice system will ever figure
out a way to punish murderers appropriately. You
say life at "hard labor"? Yeah - sounds good but
that would violate the criminal's civil rights and the
state would have the ACLU all over them, tying up
the courts and spending Millions of $$ over each
case.
I do believe all evidence should be considered, DNA
specifically, and, when there is compelling evidence,
the death penalty should be carried out swiftly (after
a maximum of 2 appeals if those appeals have
revealed new and meaningful evidence).
Even if we have found a new topic to debate, I still
love you Brother -- Sis
Carolyn (Renaud) Carson ('60)
- - - - -
That fills up this issue of The SANDBOX, folks.
We'll look forward to seeing what YOU have to say
in future editions!
You may express your opinion about how things
were, or are, or how they ought to be. You can
persuade, encourage, explain. You can listen to,
think about and discuss the important concerns
of today. You can tell us about that great vacation
you took. You can even add some humor if you
like. So, let's hear from you! Send what's on your
mind or in your heart to:
THE_SANDBOX@bigfoot.com
The SANDBOX is an online sharing of Ideas,
Opinions and Personal Experience by the alumni of
Columbia High School, also known as Richland
High School, Richland, Washington.
Though through the years we have scattered like
sand throughout the world, the Col-Hi-RHS spirit
still lives and thrives as we continue to keep in
touch via the Internet.
Here's hoping you have a wonderful week!
Al Parker (53)
Your SANDBOX moderator.
The SANDBOX is published each Sunday with
additional issues as sufficient submissions warrant.
If you've missed any past issues of The SANDBOX,
you can view them all at:
http://www.bigfoot.com/~THE_SANDBOX
Copy & paste the address as one continuous unbroken
line into your browser, or just paste in:
http://www.bigfoot.com/~richlandbombers
then click on the Sandbox link under Sites of Interest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-51-
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #52 ~ February 27, 2000
"Rara temporum felicitate ubi sentire quae
velis et quae sentias dicere licet."
("These times having the rare good fortune that
you may think what you like and say what you
think.")
--- Tacitus A.D. 55 or 56 - c. 120
Histories i.1
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This week's articles and comments:
Choosing a Presidential Candidate
Dick Epler (52)
"In my view...."
"THE MORE THINGS CHANGE...."
John Allen (66)
More About Dam Breaching
Mike Cram (95)
Have you considered the silt factor?
MORE TO TALK ABOUT
Al Parker (53)
Sales Taxes and The Internet
Credit Card Fraud
NEXT ISSUE PREVIEW:
Subj: STOP THE MADNESS
From: Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
mah@satx.net
Subj: Regarding Eva (Clark) Perry's (49)
apocryphal submission:
From: jlewis@owt.com (Jerry Lewis)
And, just possibly, some very interesting
comments from YOU!
- - - - -
Choosing a Presidential Candidate
Title: In My View
By: Dick Epler (52)
depler@ortelco.net
Dateline: President's Day, 2000.
This is President's Day, and the news is all about the
Bush-McCain primaries. And we love it. It's all
great entertainment. Most of us like to sit back and
score the "news" of the day the way we would a
beauty contest or a football game. The problem,
however, is that we disagree a lot because we don't
know the rules of this weird game. So we tend to
depend on the media for help. But electing a
President is serious business, and we shouldn't have
to depend on anyone else to help decide winners
and losers. In particular, we shouldn't depend on
the media who likes to view themselves as the
fourth branch of Government.
The media is not an unbiased or disinterested party
in this process. Generally, the media is fairly liberal
primarily as a result of the nation's journalism
schools. Given that they have the power to spin an
issue/event any number of ways, we readers need a
way to filter the news of the day to find the stuff
that really matters. I have some suggestions, but
first let me give you a quick example of what I
mean.
In last week's Average Frank column (Blue
Mountain Eagle) the journalist castigates George
Bush for having too much political money as if that
were a bad thing. Eventually, he implies that Bush
can be "Presidential" by restricting the use of his
war chest. Strange logic, but not unlike what
John McCain has been preaching. It's been a
popular diversion of the media to focus on Bush's
money, family, and prep-school background to the
exclusion of his legislative record and issue
definitions. They did the same thing to Steve Forbes
and now we have one less voice for responsible
government. Money didn't help Forbes and, in New
Hampshire, it didn't help Bush. So why this
diversion? The only reasonable explanation is that
Bush's money represents a threat to both the media
and to McCain. That and the fact that Bush has a
better message than McCain and the money helps
him to get his message out in spite of the media. It
also helps Bush to defend himself against all this
mischief in what McCain and the media likes to call
"negative ads." But I'm not a shill for Bush or
anyone else. People need to make up their own
minds about the candidates. I'm more interested in
the media's infatuation with McCain with
comparisons to Clinton.
In many ways John McCain is our kind of guy: a war
hero and a maverick who wants to reform
Government. Yeah … most of us over here in Grant
County are patriotic and are mavericks. And lord
knows we'd like to reform Government.
More than that, according to Average Frank,
McCain has the "right stuff" to win – image, party
affiliation and lots and lots of memorable quotes.
Too many memorable quotes according to Average
Frank to be Presidential. Well, maybe. Actually that
stuff doesn't bother me much (I'm not very
politically correct and Jesse Ventura doesn't bother
me either). I have other concerns. Basically I worry
that McCain's a Clinton wannabe who would be
prone to making catastrophic mistakes while in
office.
Given what the media's let us know about McCain
that has to be a shocking statement. But I say that
based on evaluating McCain's military record and
the way he's run his Presidential campaign. McCain
spent 22 years in the Navy and 18 years in
Congress. So far as I can tell, neither was
particularly noteworthy with the possible exception
of his 5-1/2 years in a North Vietnam POW camp.
McCain seems to agree as that's the ONLY thing
he likes to talk about. He uses that POW thing like
a club to cut off discussion about things he's not
comfortable with (abortion and character mostly).
As he told Alan Keyes in the debates, "I've seen my
share of killing, and I don't need YOU to lecture
me on the value of life." Hmmm … I think he
missed the point, but it was effective as Larry King
promptly cut Keyes off.
I'm a Korean War Vet, USAF, five years. I like the
idea of voting for someone who's had combat
experience. But I've NEVER seen another vet use
his "hero" status to trash an opponent. It raised a
red flag, so I checked McCain's military record.
With one exception, it looks pretty good. As many
know, McCain is an Annapolis graduate with
combat experience, AND a POW hero who retired
in 1981, after 22 years, with the rank of … Captain.
And therein lies the problem. With those
qualifications, not achieving Flag rank is unusual.
Especially considering that both his father and
grandfather were Navy Admirals. How did John
miss out? I don't have an answer (yet) but
consider that during this same time period one of
McCain's contemporaries entered the Army with a
ROTC commission from CCNY, did two tours in
Vietnam, got his first star in 1978 and went on to
become a four star general AND Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs eleven years later in 1989. And this
was a black guy ... Colin Powell. Yeah, I think I
know who Powell is and I trust him. He's definitely
not a Clinton wannabe.
Other vets I've talked to (McCain supporters) shrug
off McCain's behavior by saying he's just a
politician. I suppose, but I never remember Dole,
Kerry, or Bush, Sr., ever pulling that stuff. The only
politician I know who shamelessly pushes the limits
like that is Clinton. In case you haven't been
paying attention the last seven years, here is the
Clinton Formula for getting elected:
~~~
First, the candidate needs to realize that to get
elected in the new era, the TV, press and
entertainment industry will attempt to expand their
role as the "fourth branch of Government." To
boost your chances, give them what they want.
Understand that the media needs to have daily
access to a potential front-runner. Be ready with an
"issue of the day," and be sure to include
multiple 5-second sound bites for the evening news.
Pay attention to your dress and personal
mannerisms. Consult with experts from the
entertainment industry to develop just the right
image for your particular political style.
Second, once elected, cultivate and develop a
network of people for use in subsequent damage
control. These need to include Federal judges and
prosecutors as well as the bulk of the government's
investigative machinery (FBI, CIA, etc.). Adhere to
the following principles:
1. Be positive. Spin all news items as an
affirmation of your policies ignoring any
inconsistencies. Most people are gullible with poor
memories.
2. When shading the truth, get your message
out early AND OFTEN until your version gets
accepted.
3. Anticipate being caught in a mistruth and be
prepared to attack immediately. Never allow
yourself to be surprised.
4. To put your opponent on the defensive,
become a "victim." You can render your opponent
powerless by making yourself look pitiful. Tears
and lip biting are effective.
5. When justifying any particular political
position, do it on the basis of "helping the children"
or some other powerless group.
6. When engaged in political dirty tricks,
indignantly accuse your opponent of doing the
exact same thing.
7. When bad news is imminent, leak the news
first in a way most advantageous to you.
8. Promptly reward what you want more of.
Promptly punish what you want less of. Your
supporters will quickly learn that you need
"plausible deniability" at all times.
9. Never admit to a lie or a crime. Redefine the
language and the law as necessary. Demand the
unqualified support of your party!
10. If worse comes to worse, have a fall guy
waiting who will go to prison for your crime (pay
the going rate … it'll be worth it).
11. Use polls to see how well your message is
being received. Use focus groups to modify your
message as necessary to achieve the desired result
on the populace.
12. Use government power to acquire and to
control as much money as possible. Don't keep any
more than is necessary for expenses. Spread this
money as quickly and as widely as possible to build
loyalty. When spreading the money, use the tax
code only as a LAST resort, as you don't want
people to get the idea it's their money.
13. Know your supporters as well as your
opponents. Both can do considerable damage. Use
the government's investigative agencies to keep
your "files" up to date!
14. Use Executive Orders to accomplish what you
can't get done through the legislative process even
though it's unconstitutional.
15. Never let anybody, not even your closest
associates, know everything about your "grand
legacy plan." Neutralize anyone who tries to define
you and your grand plan. You will lose if you get
defined.
16. Realize that what you say and what you do are
two different things. Always express a profound
belief in the Constitution, Law and Order, virtue
and morality; but never let any of these things get in
the way of achieving your "grand legacy plan."
17. Don't make big changes. Use an incremental
approach to go a step at a time. Likely no one will
notice where you're going until you're there.
18. Realize that timing is critical. Be ready to use
opportunistic disasters to pass the more difficult
aspects of your plan. In time you'll get everything
you want.
As McCain's famous ad against Bush said, "We
don't want another four years of someone like
Clinton." For McCain, that's an application of #6 in
the list. I'm concerned that, given the chance, he'll
run through all eighteen. He's already made a good
start.
Of course, McCain's not the only politician
emulating Clinton. Clinton seems to have become
the poster child for the new political era especially
for the democrats. But so far as I can tell, no
Republican is quite as aggressively as McCain in
adopting these techniques.
So what to do? Well as it turns out, it's not really
that hard. Basically we need to pick candidates with
a legislative record that mirrors their words. That's
easier for Governor types than for Congressional or
Vice President types, as the latter necessarily have
to implement policies not entirely of their own
making. Still there are signs. But don't accept the
media or the candidate's words. Instead, spend a
few minutes on the Internet with a good
search engine like www.metacrawler.com
to get
the facts. When evaluating the candidate, score
points for a consistency of purpose and for a
genuine respect for the Constitution. Deduct points
if the guy is a media favorite, or is a lawyer. Now,
isn't that simple?
--
Dick Epler
depler@ortelco.net
~ ~ ~
Subj: "THE MORE THINGS CHANGE...."
From: John Allen (66)
Reply-to: miles2go@cheerful.com
A little over a year ago, I wrote a different article
with the same title. Here is further evidence that
"The more things change, the more they stay the
same."
In the summer of 1976, during the ten year reunion
for our class, a girl who had been a good friend in
high school, showed above average courage by
approaching me to offer an apology she felt I was
due. I had forgotten in the intervening years, but
apparently I had asked her out on a date during our
senior year. Despite my poor recall of that
instance, I have every reason to believe that this
occurred, for she possessed that rare combination
of being intelligent, talented, very attractive AND
tall. As she reminded me, she had initially agreed to
the date but then ultimately made some excuse and
the date never occurred. In making her apology,
she proceeded to tell me the real reason for backing
out was that her mother had forbade her to go out
with me for no other reason than that I was a
Roman Catholic. While I would never have
assigned any blame to her for having obeyed her
parents, it was obvious she felt perhaps, that at 18
years of age, this was one time she should not have
obeyed. The point is that this was the one and
only time in my life to that point where I was aware
that I had been discriminated against for my
religious beliefs. My parents had told me stories of
their early marriage in Muskogee, OK where they
were necessarily low key regarding my mother's
Catholicism for fear that my father might lose his
teaching position at the local high school, and
I certainly remember sufficient vitriol surrounding
the 1960 presidential election when the first
Catholic president was elected. Nevertheless, in my
youth and even in my adulthood, I have been under
the secure impression that this ignorance was/is not
widespread, primarily because it never affected me.
Even after having my bubble burst to some extent at
the 10 year reunion, I pretty much considered it
as an isolated incident.
I am now beginning to wonder if I have not simply
been naive all these years. In the last 3 months, a
man whom I have admired in the past, former
football record setter with the Seattle Seahawks and
now Republican Congressman from Oklahoma,
Steve Largent, had the incredible nerve (indicative
of much deeper problems) to ask Father Timothy
O'Brien, a Roman Catholic priest and interviewee
for the position of Chaplain of the US House of
Representatives, if he did not think that wearing his
Roman collar in the House would be "divisive."
Surely no man with the visual acuity to have caught
as many NFL footballs as Largent did, could have
failed to notice that the outgoing Lutheran
chaplain, Rev. James Ford, had been wearing a
Roman collar ever day he (Largent) had been in the
House since his debut in 1995. Additionally,
House Speaker Dennis Hastert and House majority
leader Dick Armey, in defending their choice of the
#3 recommended candidate, have attempted to
claim that they did not know the bi-partisan
selection committee of nine Republicans and nine
Democrats had placed Father O'Brien as #1 on
the final list of three which was submitted to the
House leadership (Hastert, Armey and Gephardt).
Armey has been so Clintonesque as to claim that he
didn't even know FATHER O'Brien was a Catholic
priest. Articles from several reputable news sources
(the AP, New York Times, Boston Globe, Roll
Call, Washington Post) quoting many of the 18
member selection committee and Armey himself,
give lie to these preposterous claims.
Sadly, I am left to conclude that at least 62 million
US citizens can't completely dispense with watching
their back where religious discrimination is
concerned. Apparently, it is simply buried a little
deeper. "The more things change..... " As I
understand it however, the full House must vote on
this matter of who will become Chaplain, AND
Hastert and Armey have chosen to postpone the
vote since they have come under some small "inside
the beltway" fire for their questionable behavior. I
wonder sometimes when I hear people cry for John
Rocker's head on a spike for what he SAID, what
should be done with people like Largent, Hastert,
and Armey for what they are actually DOING. I
have seen plenty of coverage on an ignorant cracker
relief pitcher from Georgia, but I don't remember
seeing even one report on CNN, ABC, NBC or
CBS news regarding this House Chaplain situation,
so what should be done with the appropriate
Network Executives? Before we start chopping
heads, perhaps we should consider who bears the
greater responsibility in matters of prejudice and
discrimination? Is it the Congress and network TV
execs or is it "20 something" relief pitchers.
Reportedly, the vote of the full House will occur this
month (Feb) and now, having read this little piece,
you probably have time to further define YOUR
character by what you do (or do not) communicate
to your respective House Representatives.
---John Allen (Class of '66)
- - - - -
Subj: About Breaching The Dams
From: Mike Cram (95)
trin_mike@email.msn.com
I will admit that I do not know everything about the
breaching of the dams. But here is some of what
we have discussed in my classes at WSU-TC. From
what I gather, the breaching of the dams, will hurt
economy, draw down the river which will affect
local habitat, in that, I mean by drawing down the
level of the river, you then change the ecosystems
of animals who live in/around the river. A big
reason, and one I feel is pushing this, remember this
is purely my opinion, but the delta, mouth of the
Columbia where you have these towns on the
beach, are not getting the sediment deposit in the
delta like they should. because the dams collect
large amounts of sediment behind them that would
usually flow downstream to the delta of the
Columbia. The people who first came up with the
idea of building the dams were just thinking of
power and jobs. They didn't think into the future or
consider that all this sediment would build up in the
dams.
Eventually the sediment is going to fill the dams and
the dams will become huge waterfalls because all
the sediment will render the dams useless. It would
be very expensive to clean all the sediment out.
So even though I am not for dam breaching, it is
going to eventually have to be done. But anyway,
the lack of deposition of sediment in the mouth of
the Columbia tends to lead to larger waves which
can/will destroy the beaches and eventually the
towns (far into the future) They are going to, in
time, start to get larger and larger waves which,
unfortunately, do to political pull, because they
have a much larger population over on the Westside
will ultimately lead to a breaching of the dams in
order to save the people/towns.
This is just what I have discussed in class and heard.
I have done no real research into it. But just take it
at face value.
Take Care,
Mike Cram (95)
- - - - -
MORE TO TALK ABOUT:
Sales Tax: Local Business and The Internet
Legislation is pending before the Pennsylvania
Legislature to eliminate sales tax in the
commonwealth to allow "brick and mortar"
retail businesses to be more competitive with non-
Internet marketers who are not required to collect
sales taxes. Of course, the legislature would then
look for other ways to replace the revenue formerly
raised by the sales tax. Do you think such
legislation would help to create a more free and
open market place in the state where you live?
Would it ultimately enhance overall revenue for
your state? How would such legislation affect the
business you are involved in now, or businesses
you've been involved with before? How might such
legislation eventually benefit you as a tax payer / as
a consumer? Do you want the sales tax to be
eliminated where you live?
MORE TO TALK ABOUT:
Credit Card Fraud
I have recently learned from personal experience
that an unscrupulous person who has obtained your
credit card number, expiration date and mailing
address can max out your credit card overnight by
making mail order purchases. Many mail order
companies, apparently, are not at all concerned
about whether or not the person ordering and
receiving the merchandise has the same name
and address as the legitimate card holder.
Billions of dollars of fraud has been committed in
this way. This is costly to all of us, whether we've
been directly "hit" or not. The cost of such criminal
acts is always passed down to the legitimate
consumer-tax payer in one form or another.
The question is this: Should merchandise purchased
by credit cards require a "pin number" for security,
just as personal identity codes are required when
receiving cash?
If enough responses to this question are sent to The
SANDBOX, I'll send a compilation of your remarks
to major credit card companies.
If you simply wish to answer "yes" or "no" to the
question, "Should credit card companies require
personal identity codes ('pin' numbers,) for
merchandise purchases as well as for cash?" You
can simply paste this paragraph into an E- mail, add
your "yes" or "no" and send it to:
THE_SANDBOX@bigfoot.com
You may also wish to contact your own
credit card issuers if you think this idea is
important enough. This simple change in credit
card safety could save a lot of people, including you
and me, ethical businesses, law enforcement and
the credit card issuers themselves, a lot of dollars
and a lot of annoying pain!
- - - - -
That's it for this issue of The SANDBOX, folks.
What's said next is largely up to you.
You may express your opinion about how things
were, or are, or how they ought to be. You can
persuade, encourage, explain. You can listen to,
think about and talk about the important concerns
of today. You can tell us about that great vacation
you took. You can even add some humor if you
like. So, let's hear from you! Send what's on your
mind and in your heart to:
THE_SANDBOX@bigfoot.com
The SANDBOX is an online sharing of Ideas,
Opinions and Personal Experience by the alumni of
Columbia High School, also known as Richland
High School, Richland, Washington.
Though through the years we have scattered like
sand throughout the world, the Col-Hi-RHS spirit
still lives and thrives as we continue to
communicate.
Here's hoping you have a wonderful week!
Al Parker (53)
Your SANDBOX moderator..
--52--
The SANDBOX is published each Sunday with
additional issues as sufficient submissions warrant.
If you've missed any past issues of The SANDBOX,
you can view them all at:
http://www.bigfoot.com/~THE_SANDBOX Copy & paste
that as one continuous unbroken line into your browser,
or just paste in:
http://www.bigfoot.com/~RichlandBombers
then click on THE SANDBOX link under Sites of
Interest
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
-52-
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #53 ~ March 5, 2000
"It wasn't always like this?
Perhaps it wasn't, but it is,"
---W.H. Auden 1907 - 1973
This week's Contributors are:
Commenting on Credit Cards and Pin Numbers:
Mary (Kingsley) Spradlin (49)
Maren Smyth (64)
Sharon (Brooks) Sims (62)
Tom Hemphill (62)
Sherry Nugent Dupuy (62)
Sales Taxes and The Internet:
Tom Hemphill (62)
Norma (Loescher) Boswell (53)
Responding to other Member comments:
Jerry Lewis (73) to Eva (Clark) Perry (49)
Hugh Hinson (52) to Dick Epler (52)
Lee Harvey Oswald's Motivation?
Vikki Kestell (70)
Toss Them All Out!
Patty Stordahl (72)
Stop The Madness
Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
The next issue of The SANDBOX will include:
Ron Richards talking about dams.
Marc Franco responding to Dick Epler
Other Tricks They're using to milk
Your Credit Cards - Al Parker
And as likely as not, some poignant comments
from YOU!
~ ~ ~
Issue #53 of The SANDBOX Salutes:
The Class of 1953!
... and the following classes whose members led
the way through those very special years in
Richland just ahead of 1953! Check the web
pages of these classes for E-mail addresses and
drop these people a line!
1942 1943 1944 1945 1946
1947 1948 1949 1950 1952
The web page of each of these classes also offer
links to personal web pages of class members.
Go to:
Http://www.bigfoot.com/~RichlandBombers
and link to the class year of your choice!
~ ~ ~
Subj: Credit Card "Pin" Numbers for Merchandise Purchases.
In Issue #52 of The SANDBOX, we asked this question:
"Should credit card companies require
personal identity codes ('pin' numbers,) for
merchandise purchases as well as for cash?"
Here are the responses you gave:
From: Mary (Kingsley) Spradlin (49)
mespradlin@texoma.net
Yes. However if the card number was obtained
from use over the Internet why could the pin no.
not be obtained the same way?
[Moderator's note: Good point. However, I was
referring to information gained by physical theft,
as did occur in my case, not info gained on the
Internet. The "culprit", a visitor to my home,
stole at least two of my credit cards. He knew
my mailing address and that was all he needed,
along with the credit card number and expiration
dates displayed on every credit card, in order to
order computers and auto accessories by
telephone. One of the mail order companies I
talked to over the phone while tracking all of
this, expressed no concern whatsoever that the
person receiving the merchandise had a different
name and address than the name and address
assigned to the card. The vulnerability of "pin
numbers" given over secure areas on Internet
servers to legitimate vendors is, (hopefully),
somewhat remote.]
~ ~ ~
Subj: Should "Pin" numbers be required for
Merchandise as well as Cash Transactions?
From: Maren Smyth (64)
YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~ ~ ~
Subj: Pin Numbers for Credit Card Puchases
From: Sherry (Nugent) Dupuy (62)
Granshery@aol.com
I have been thinking on this very issue.
Last fall, my Visa Gold had a $4100 charge on it which
was not mine. To make a long story short - I had used
the card the year before with NEC - it was an inhouse
theft of my credit card # and exp date. Two computers
were ordered and sent somewhere in California. NEC
had my # and exp date...would they not also have had
my pin number on record?
Sherry Nugent Dupuy (62)
Live and savor every moment..... this is not a dress
rehearsal!
[Moderator comment: Probably. And a dishonest phone
order taker could use that pin number, along with other info
to make charges on your card. The beauty of pin numbers
however, is that you can change them as often as you wish,
automatically and privately over the telephone, without the
hassel of having to cancel your card(s). Same thing goes
with passwords on your Internet accounts. It's a good idea
to change those passwords every few months.]
~ ~ ~
Subj: Should "Pin" numbers be required for
Merchandise as well as Cash Transactions?
From: Sharon (Brooks) Sims (62)
sanstorm@3-cities.com
What a great idea. Using a pin number for a
Credit card purchase. I would feel much safer
using my card over the Internet too. Yes vote.
Thanks
~ ~ ~
Subj: Credit Card Merchandise Sales & Pin Numbers
From: Tom Hemphill (62)
tom@esilimited.com
YES - USE PIN NUMBERS and require venders
to call for an authorization number
~ ~ ~
Subj: Internet Sales and Sales Tax
From: Tom Hemphill (62)
tom@esilimited.com
Sales Tax: Local Business and The Internet
This will become a bigger issue in the near future
and it has affected our community already.
Perhaps Internet sales should include a federal
sales tax with a certain percent being sent to
the customer's local government. In our small
community, 60% of the income of our town and
county comes from sales tax. If local sales are
compromised by the Internet, we run the risk of
increased property tax and water/sewer rates.
Nobody will win this battle.
Tom Hemphill (62)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Check out Clinton, States Take on Net Tax
Clinton, States Take on Net Tax Also, online
voting discussed by Clinton and Governors....
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,34619,00.html?tw=wn20000229
~ ~ ~
Subj: Sales Taxes and The Internet
From: Norma (Loescher) Boswell
boswelln@oneworld.owt.com
I like being able to buy computer products on the
Internet without paying a sales tax. So far I'm not
a big net buyer. I know states need sources of
revenue, but buyers need to conserve their
resources too!
~ ~ ~
Subj: Regarding Eva (Clark) Perry's (49)
apocryphal submission
From: Jerry Lewis (53)
jlewis@owt.com
I wish that people would check out their stories
before they passed them on. It might be easier
for a person to objectively assess a story like that
if there were credible (or any, for that matter)
resources listed to evaluate the story. But, like
the bulk of the (well, it might be true, so I'll
forward it to everyone whose e-mail address I
have) stuff that gets slung about the Internet,
there is no built in way to check it's veracity.
So, I went to my favorite hoax debunking site,
the Urban Legends Reference Pages at
www.snopes.com and did a search for "Warren
Kimbro" and voila, a whole, detailed analysis of
this story, down to large sections that matched
the text that Eva forwarded. You can read all
about it at
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/panthers.htm .
And unlike the story we read in the
Sandbox (which no doubt has been circulating all
around the Internet), it has two links and about a
half dozen references at the bottom of the page.
The highlights of it are that yes, Warren Kimbro
was involved in the guy's murder (and may have
pulled the trigger on the shot to his head), but he
was "allowed to plead to a lesser charge (second
degree murder) in exchange for turning state's
evidence ... then sentenced him to life in prison
but released him after four years". But the stuff
about Bill Lann Lee and Hillary Clinton is very
suspect. The Urban Legends page goes on to
say it was the 12,000 Black Panthers swarming
the campus that slowed things down (it wasn't
actually closed). Because Clinton and Lee were
there, they are plastered with guilt by association.
At the time, Lee was an undergraduate not
a 'radical law student' and
Clinton's role as a first year law student was to
'assist the ACLU to monitor the trial for civil
rights violations.' They are basically damned
because they were there, and because people
don't like them. (It would not be surprising if
they did demonstrate, after all it was the late 60s).
It's too bad that more people don't take the time
to check out this kind of screed (political or not)
before they pass it on. I suppose those who
believe that the Clintons, and liberals in general
are evil, will read it and nod and cluck about how
right they are, but it really actually does a
disservice to their cause because it makes other
assertions they make suspect.
I usually don't even read the Sandbox, but I just
happened to scan this one and in my campaign to
stop reflexive redistribution of false legends, I
just couldn't resist responding.
Jerry Lewis (73)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Lee Harvey Oswald's Motivation?
From: Vikki Kestell) (70)
kestell@nmeri.unm.edu
I read Kathy Wheat Fife's (79) excerpt from
her former uncle's book regarding a possible
motivation for Lee Harvey Oswald's assassination of JFK.
[Ed. Note: Readers can see the excerpt referred by going to:
http://AlumniSandstorm.tripod.com/htm/2000-03-01KW.htm]
If you haven't read the passage, it does present
a credible alternative, the possibility that Oswald
was actually trying to assassinate Connally
rather than JFK, Intriguing. Y'know, because we
will just never know the real answer to certain
dark events in history I sometimes just wish
we had a way to go back and video tape certain
scenes: Dallas, 11-22-63; the night Nicole
Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were
murdered; Christmas night, Boulder, CO, home
of Jon Benet Ramsey; etc.
Vikki Kestell (70)
Manager, External Liaison and Development
New Mexico Engineering Research Institute
Albuquerque, NM
~ ~ ~
Subj: Toss Them All Out!
From: Patty Stordahl (72)
DZIGNRITE
All the incumbents want radical, compassionate
reform, toss them all out. President Colin Powell
and VP Alan Keyes, Would any one else love to
see this ticket? Gore is just a liar, Bradley is
boring, Bush is strong but a mama's boy and
McCain God bless him is an under achiever
though many great qualities. I want a real leader,
real compassion, real change, not dancing over
50 white puppets. I for one am sick of the
incredible insecurities in the over 50 American
European decent males in an income bracket
higher than $150,000.00 per year who are afraid
to vote for a Male or female minority. They are
every bit as American and bleed red just like you
and I and it is their turn to lead us. I think many
of the upper snobbery of the royal courts has
entered our political ranks and the wealthy feel
that they are above being lead by someone who
is real and won't be bought.
I love Alan Keyes tax issues, Fair no kidding this
guy is the only one with common sense. Like he
said, America do you want real change or are
you just pretending you want change. If you
want change get on your knees, pray to your
higher power and vote for the man who doesn't
make you feel warm and fuzzy.
Want a real change? Then lets put someone there
with real strength of character and a real hard
line stand for what our country was founded on.
Radical ideas. How about Jessie Jackson and
Alan Keyes, that ought to shake government up.
What do you think?
Patty Stordahl (72)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Stop The Madness
From: Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
mah@satx.net
The current federal administration has set into
motion a malignancy that could at any time affect
any one of us. Every day the barrage of lawsuits
grows, shattering the fabric of this country and
destroying our peace of mind. We are seeing
irresponsible lawsuits being filed by state and
federal administrations against big businesses just
to satisfy a political or monetary agenda. I find
this very disheartening because these suits have a
ripple effect that can change the course of many
lives. Many people can be caught in the crossfire
and end up losing their job security, retirement
benefits, and investment portfolios. The
consumer also pays for this madness through
higher prices.
We have seen how the lawsuits against the
tobacco companies have snowballed despite their
frivolous nature. I personally fail to see the
rationale behind the lawsuits since cigarettes are
a legal product and one that has carried a
warning label since 1966. I fail to see how
someone can be accused of hiding something
from you that you already know because it is a
no-brainer. Will lawsuits against Microsoft spin
out of control now that the federal government
has planted the seed? Will this madness cause
software prices to increase for consumers and
life-savings to be lost for employees and
investors? These are real possibilities given the
fact that we are seeing the equivalent of road
rage in our jury boxes today, making it possible
for plaintiffs to receive unconscionable
settlements in lawsuits that have no merit.
Let us not forget that Vice President Al Gore
showed us that he is into the blame game when
he blamed the tobacco industry for his sister's
death rather than consider her responsible for her
own actions. My father died from smoking 38
years ago at the age of 57 and it has never
entered my mind to blame anyone but him for his
death. Let us not forget that it was Senator John
McCain's over-zealous Bill against the tobacco
industry that caused the tobacco companies to
walk away from the negotiating table.
We have seen Janet Reno and her entourage join
hands and raise them in jubilance before our very
eyes on TV at the prospect of bringing down
Microsoft. One might interrupt this display of
exuberance to mean that capitalism is no longer
respected or acceptable in this country.
I am concerned about my future financial security
because my life-savings is tied to a large
company with deep pockets. I will not vote for
anyone who has a record of favoring litigation
over personal responsibility or irrational
reparation from companies for misconduct over a
rational resolution. The only way to stop this
madness is to be very sure that the person who
we elect to the highest office in this country has
common sense and integrity. We need a person
who will make ethical decisions that are in the
best interest of the American people.
Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Likes Dick Epler's Comments
From: Hugh Hinson (52)
To: Dick Epler (52)
Dick I thought your piece on President was well written
and thought out. I agree with you. Hugh Hinson (52)
~ ~ ~
That's about it for this issue, Folks. The
SANDBOX is filled to the brim once again!
Thanks for all of your contributions.
The next issue will feature comments from Ron
Richards, Marc Franco, and quite possibly,
YOU! See you next time.
Al Parker (53)
Your SANDBOX moderator
~ 53 ~
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #54 ~ March 12, 2000
"This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man."
---Shakespeare's Hamlet
~ ~ ~
This Weeks's Contributors
And What They Are Talking About:
Mari (Leona Eckert)Leahy (65) Talks About
Smoking, and Who's to Blame.
Marc Franco (66) discusses Dick Epler's
Reasoning regarding presidential nominees
Ron Richards (63) responds to Mike Cram
about tearing down the Snake River dams..
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65) talks to Patty
Stordahl (72) about potential candidates.
Patty Stordahl (72) gives her take on credit cards
and pin numbers.
GasOut 2000 - What do YOU think?
~ ~ ~
Issue #54 of The SANDBOX salutes:
The Class of 1954!
Check the following Internet location for Class
of '54 names, E-mail addresses and Personal
Pages on the Web! Chances are, someone there
would like to hear from you!
http://richlandbombers.1954.tripod.com/
You can also add you own E-mail address
to that page if you are a '54 grad and haven't
already done so. You may also volunteer to take
over maintenance of that site.
~ ~ ~
From: Mari (Leona Eckert)Leahy (65)
Me12147@aol.com
To Mary (Ray) Henslee (61). RE: Stop the
Madness. You say your own father died from
smoking thirty-eight years ago, at the age of 57.
You follow that with, it has never entered my
mind to blame anyone but him for his death.
It is amazing to me that you can be so positive
about what and who caused your own father's
death. I would imagine that he had smoked for
what - twenty, maybe thirty years, before his
death? Personally, I can't recall much information
being available on the hazards of smoking during
that era. Granted, HE chose to smoke. HE
wasn't aware that the cigarette companies were
deliberately adding stuff to their product to help
addict their customers. In HIS time, probably
75% of the adult population smoked. Many
things may cause cancer or emphysema. Just
read the papers any day of the week to find the
newest culprit. Hope you cut out hot dogs when
they claimed they could cause cancer. Milk,
eggs, and cheese too. Granted, you are saying
we are a society too eager to sue, to avoid
responsibility for some of our own actions, but I
found your example pretty cold-hearted and
unsympathetic. There are times when companies
need to be held accountable for their
irresponsibility. Many have died from cancer,
who smoked. There are many who died from
cancer who never smoked.
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65)
~ ~ ~
Marc Franco Respects Dick Epler's Reasoning.
From: Marc Franco (66)
Reply-to: mfranco@sttl.uswest.net (Marc Franco)
As one of the liberals in this forum, I would like
to congratulate Dick Epler on what I thought
was an outstanding letter about the candidates. I
mention that I am a liberal, because from other
notes that I have seen from Dick, I have
considered that he is a moderate conservative.
(If I am wrong, Dick, forgive me.) I thought it
was a thoughtful and well-reasoned letter,
and in several of his points that he was warning
to beware of, I saw myself. I had been
planning to vote for McCain in this primary, and
at this late date, I probably still will - if not
McCain, then Bradley. But Dick raised
many good points, and I need to think about them.
I do have one question. Dick mentioned that
McCain might "repeat" some of Clinton's
"catastrophic mistakes." This is actually an
excellent point. We have probably all read about
McCain's temper and his shooting from the hip -
certainly the groundwork is there for later BIG
mistakes. However, other than the Monica
situation, what "catastrophic mistakes" are you
referring to, Dick? Clinton has certainly made
errors, but offhand, other than Monica, I can't
think of other total screw ups that are much
different than what any other president has done.
-Marc Franco (66)
~ ~ ~
Subj: About Tearing Down the Dams
From: Ron Richards
mailto:G1A1S1@aol.com
To Mike Cram:
Your Sandbox submission raises an interesting
point regarding silt. But the reduced silt load
resulting from the deposition of the silt in the
dam reservoirs also causes several other large
problems. For one, it clears up the river water to
the point where downstream anadromous fish
migrants become easier pray for the predator fish
and birds. A major problem - as evidenced by
the relatively large salmon runs which
corresponded to the increased silt loads in the
lower Columbia following the eruption of Mount
St. Helens.
Mike, it's O.K. to be in favor of dam breaching
even if you live in the Tri-Cities. On February
17, I attended the Corps hearing in Pasco to
testify in favor of dam removal and I lived
through it. And there were a number of very
impressive presentations made in favor of dam
breaching by Hanford employees whom I assume
are still alive.
The opponents' comments were primarily
based on the usual fear factor regarding loss of
jobs. They tried to portray breaching as
"extreme" and something that should only be
done as a last resort. Well folks, with the really
extreme likelihood that the fish runs will go
extinct if the lower Snake River dams remain in
place, the "extreme" thing to do is to leave the
dams in place. Less than 30 sockeye salmon
returned last year, out of a run that used to
number in the hundreds of thousands. If
breaching should only be done as a last resort,
when should that resort be taken? When there is
only 1 sockeye salmon left? That would be
interesting.
And there is no need to fear the loss of jobs.
Think back to when the community "leaders" in
the Tri-Cities opposed the Hanford Cleanup
tooth and nail in the late 70's. You heard the
same argument. These "leaders" finally got
smart and began supporting the cleanup in the
early eighties. They have been thriving off that
ever since. The same would occur with dam
breaching - except there would be a more
tangible result.
Ron Richards ('63)
P.S. As I was standing in line to register to
testify at the Corps hearing, I had a rather lively
discussion with a rather redneck rancher from
Benton City. In the course of that conversation
he made the comment that he hoped the fish
would go extinct because he then would no
longer be required to keep his cattle out of "his"
creek. Although none of the people who I heard
testify at the hearing in opposition to dam
breaching made that same assertion, extinction
would be the obvious result of the delay tactics
that they were espousing. One must wonder
how many of them harbor the same basic hope as
my rancher friend from Benton City does.
~ ~ ~
Subj: Presidential Candidate Choices
From: Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65)
Me12147@aol.com
Responding to Patty Stordahl (72)
President Colin Powell and Vice President Alan
Keyes, or Jessie Jackson and Alan Keyes???
Please - have a heart.
Of ALL the candidates running this election year,
there is only ONE that has lived his life in the
service of his country. He may have a temper
(who doesn't, occasionally?), and he may not
have been able to accomplish all that others feel
he should've by now. No other candidate though,
has already given so much of himself to his
country and is still willing and able to do much
more. He has EARNED the right to run for
president. More than I can say for any of the
other candidates.
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65)
[At this point, Mari, (or anyone else), what do
you think about the idea of McCain running as
an independent?
~ ~ ~
Subj: Credit Cards & Pin Numbers
From: Patty Stordahl (72)
DZIGNRITE@aol.com
Regarding Pin numbers for CC purchases over
the Internet. All another pin number does is lulls
us into a false sense of security. When every day
local high school kids can hack their way into the
CIA & FBI files and God knows where else.
This does not even include the professional bad
guys who hack into business files over the net for
a living. Nor will it take care of the people who
look through your garbage to find old billing
receipts that get carelessly tossed out.
The truth about credit card use is that if you once
give it out even at the store you are subject to a
dishonest employee and you are no longer safe.
You take your risks.
I do love the convenience of the monster in my
wallet, but I use it as seldom as possible and
when I do have to reserve a car or flight or hotel
I try to get the name of the person I give my
number to. I cannot even bring myself to call
into QVC on diamonique night. Now that is a
hard one for me. As for pin numbers and
banking on line or purchasing randomly, though
convenient I vote, When at all possible, keep
your transactions local. I would no more put my
personal information on the net than I would put
it on the sendBOX. By the way. I still like the
name Sand Box better.
Keep a tight grip on your wallet and never trust
your computer to safe guard your information.
Now what do you all feel about taxing the
Internet businesses? Free non taxed E.
Commerce? Is this good business sense or just a
way for huge billion dollar industries to force
higher local and state and federal taxes on the
little guys? If they do not pay for the use and
transactions, who will?
Regarding political integrity, or political honor
isn't that what we would call an oxymoron?
Patty Stordahl (72)
~ ~ ~
Moderator's Note: "Pin" numbers, (personal
identity numbers), do not appear on credit card
slips that are tossed into the garbage. A pin
number authorization requirement absolutely and
unequivocally would have kept a total of $3,300
from being fraudulently charged against credit
cards stolen from me. One fraudulent charge
was made at a local tire store; the other by
telephone to a mail order computer company in a
different state.
It is very true that some sales receipts, carelessly
handled, will give away your full name, 16 digit
account number and expiration date. An
unscrupulous predator, some whom I have
witnessed prowling through garbage cans,
ATM waste baskets, and automobiles, looking
for that information, will then be able to look up
your name and address in the phone book, if you
are listed there. If your listed address is the same
as your credit card billing address, voila!, the
criminal mind has everything needed to start
milking your credit card at will. They can do it
on the telephone. They can do it on the
Internet. They can even do it in the local tire
store, if they are clever enough and the sales
clerk is careless enough. How do I know? It
happened to me. A pin number authorization
requirement would definitely have stopped this
particular criminal dead in his tracks. He would
have had no way of knowing what that pin
number was. Luckily, I saw that $2000 worth of
computers were billed to me on my credit card
statement before they were shipped.
The tire store "bought" the story from someone
impersonating me over the telephone, saying I
was giving permission for a person with a
different name and address than me to make
purchases against my account. He could not
have pulled that off if a pin number
authorization number had been required.
Pin number security works with cash
disbursements and is always required by the
banks. It will work with products and services as
well. It would also keep kids from "sneaking"
their parent's credit cards as "proof" of age,
in order to check out areas normally reserved for
so-called "adult" tastes. The "pin number" can
be invisible to both vendors and banks by
making that number electronically transmittable,
but illegible and unprintable at any point along
the way.
That's how passwords work. Your Pin number
should work the same way for you when you are
buying merchandise just as it does when you
are "buying" cash. You punch the number
yourself, into the terminal, the telephone, or
onto your computer screen. Regardless of what
your pin number is, if others see it all, all they
see is something like: "****." Banks require
personal identity numbers in order to protect
their own interests when they are "selling"
cash. Vendors and Credit Card holders deserve
the same kind of protection the banks have
always insisted on reserving for themselves.
Regarding using Sendbox@aol.com as The
Sandbox mailbox: The name of this forum
continues, as always, to be The SANDBOX.
Sendbox@aol.com was chosen as The
SANDBOX mailbox only because another
person or organization was already using The
SANDBOX name @aol. So, you Sendbox your
SANDBOX entries to me, and I Sendbox the
SANDBOX back to you. That is how
Sendbox@aol.com became the place you send it
to, as well as the place I send it from.
- ap -
How's this?? You can also now use the address:
sandbox@richlandbombers.com
~ ~ ~
GasOut 2000 - Will It Work?
Several have written and forwarded messages
advocating that, as done on April 30,1999, a
"gas out" be staged across Canada and the U.S.
to bring the price of gas down. Many feel that
was an effective tool then. Following this
paragraph is the "gist" of what is being
proposed. Rather than republish that "forwarding
effort" here, we'd be interested in comments in
your own words as to whether you are in favor
of participating, and why you think it may or
may not be effective in helping to bring down the
rapidly escalating price of fuel at the pumps.
Also, what about heating oil prices? How is all of
this affecting you, personally, or your line of
work?
Here's what's being proposed:
Do not buy any gasoline from APRIL 7, 2000
THROUGH APRIL 9, 2000. Buy what you
need before the dates listed above, or after,
but try not to buy any during the GAS OUT.
What do you think? Can this be an affective tool?
~ ~ ~
Thanks to all the contributors to this issue of
The SANDBOX. Send all your comments, ideas and
personal experiences you'd like to share to:
Sendbox@aol.com
OR
sandbox@richlandbombers.com
Remember: What you Say is What You Get!
~ 54 ~
***************************************
***************************************
********************************************
THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #55 ~ March 19, 2000
"Nothing ever becomes real till it is
experienced ~ even a proverb is no proverb
to you till your life has illustrated it."
--John Keats 1795 - 1821
Look Who's Talking Today:
About The GASOUT Idea:
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65)
Jerry Lewis ('73)
McCain as an Independent?
Mari (Leona Eckert)Leahy (65)
Smoking, Death and Politics
Andrew Eckert (54)
It Takes More To Be President
Patty Stordahl (72)
And Coming Soon, in SANDBOX #56:
"Shell Games"
by John Allen (66)
"Ludicrous Lawsuits"
by Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
"More In Common Than Many Would Guess"
by Dick Epler (52)
R2K All Class Reunion: "Snake Dance Precautions"
by Denny Damschen (62)
And quite possibly, Something Great From You!
~ ~ ~
SANDBOX #55 Salutes: The Class of 1955
Check Out the Web Site:
http://richlandbombers.1955.tripod.com/
Find E-mail addresses
Personal Web Page Links
And lots of other good stuff.
Say Hello to Someone There!
~ ~ ~
Subj: Re: GASOUT
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65)
Me12147@aol.com
Maybe it would help but I doubt it. What I
personally feel would be more effective is for at
least a month, buy only enough gas at one time
to get you where you need to go for a day or
two at a time. During that month, share rides as
much as possible and limit leisure driving to a
minimum. Gas companies would be beside
themselves by the end of that month--I think!
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Gas Out
From: Jerry Lewis ('73)
jlewis@owt.com
You wonder, can the 'gas-out' be an effective
tool? In short, my answer is NO. For a variety
of reasons, this is a misguided (I was going to
say idiotic, but that might be too strong) effort.
Going to my favorite source for myth debunking,
the Urban Legend website, I quote "the 'gas
out' is an ineffectual, misguided effort that hurts
the wrong people and does nothing to change
gasoline prices, this time backed by news reports
about last year's non-event."
To read all the gory details:
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/gasout.htm
Jerry Lewis ('73)
jlewis@owt.com
http://www.owt.com/users/jlewis/
~ ~ ~
Subj: McCain As An Independent?
From: Mari (Leona Eckert)Leahy (65)
Me12147@aol.com
McCain running as an Independent? He has
already said no, but I wish he would say yes.
Yes, I would vote for him if he did. Third parties
don't stand much of a chance but maybe McCain
could change that. Whatever he decides to do,
my own opinion is that we owe him, if nothing
else, a debt of gratitude for all he has already
given to this country. Viva la America!
Mari (Leona Eckert)Leahy (65)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Smoking, Death and Politics
From: Andrew Eckert (54)
ECKERT1108@aol.com
In reading Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65) two
contributions, the first on smoking and death, I
was unable to determine any direction or
conclusions that she was making. Certainly hope
she wasn't defending the tobacco company's, but
if she was, I'M not surprised many smokers
make all the excuses.
She also spoke on McCain for president and that
would be my wish as well. The Reform Party has
been in turmoil and at one time not along ago
there president/Chairman was asked if he
thought the party could or would consider
nominating McCain and his reply reportedly was
yes even if he had been nominated by the
Republicans. Maybe he will come in late and do
the same as Jessie Ventura did. About the only
ticket that I think could beat him if he did this
would be the Clinton/Gore or said more
properly, the Gore/Hillary Clinton ticket. As we
know the Clinton's are very clever people and to
run Hillary on the ticket it was necessary to make
her a national politician. This maybe is what's
going on in NY. The house in Westchester
County is just what Bill needed to be close to his
new job with his golfing buddy and partner,
some job, eight million a year for playing golf
and making phone calls, with bonus's of another
two million, as reported in George Magazine. So
Hillary will be available to run with Al if a
woman is needed on the ticket, she certainly
would trump Lizzy Dole. If this scenario was to
play out what about that senate seat in NY? I
see two candidates waiting, that either one could
likely win it fairly easily, Mario Coumo or Rubin
who is back in NYC. This year certainly has the
possibilities of being very exciting. This Bush W
is unbelievably dumb, once again the hard right
of the party is steering straight towards a cliff.
Robertson, Falwell, and Reed are calling all the
shots as they did four years ago, maybe after this
next election there will be another party and we
the people will have more input in selecting
candidates.
Andrew Eckert (54)
~ ~ ~
Subj: It Takes More To Be President
From: Patty Stordahl (72)
DZIGNRITE@aol.com
Responding to Ms. Leahy.
No one is questioning moccasins sacrifices but
being president takes more than being a POW
from any war. It takes a skilled articulate savvy
leader, a political manipulator to turn other
aggressive leaders in a way that is favorable to
the desired results. It has nothing to do with
service to ones country in a military fashion.
It has to do with what image they portray to the
foreign countries as well as to their own.
Some may not like Clinton's morals but he is a
hell of a politician. Some may even fear an
Afro-American leading our country because they
are different. I remember when my grandmother
told me not to go to a minority or woman Dr.
Why, because they were different. She said they
were not as clean, Where did she get that one?
Women would only make good nurses? Get real.
This is progressive America. Prior to her death
in ‘87 she had eaten her words many times. I
personally find it hard to go to a male Dr. now.
Question raised in my mind was: If you are in the
military for 20 years and only rise to rank of
Captain you lack leadership skills somewhere.
Whether it is in actual follow through during the
tough time or where I can't say but somewhere
he was deemed qualified to lead the few- not
qualified to lead the masses. A President must
lead the masses.
I respectfully disagree with your feelings that he
has more right to run. I don't think that one
person has more right to run for office than
another. Please try to remember this is
AMERICA the land of opportunity. Look at the
reaction temper McCain displayed at the loss of
his nomination. Would you want that temper
erupting in a heated international political forum?
I would certainly hope not.
Did you watch the way he blew up after he found
out the republican nomination went to Bush? He
was way out of line with people just doing their
job. I do agree a temper at times is a good thing.
But a temper out of control or unchecked for
even a minute can devastate all progress made.
I was very involved with being a McCain
supporter in the beginning. I joined his web sight
to the troops group. But I also got involved
with all the other candidates as I wanted to make
a solid decision. I got in chat rooms with vets as
well as young people and old alike. Being
politically informed to the best of my ability is a
need for me as I am sure it is for you. I have a
hard time just rooting for the cute one or the
underdog just because he appears to have a
charismatic personality. I have learned though
the years that not always but usually someone
who shows all his cards to soon is a very poor
long term strategist. Unfortunately this proved
to be true in McCain's tactics even by his own
camp's admission. Luke Skywalker image was
way to immature for me and beat to death. I
switched after much informed conversation and
political review. I personally loved the way Alan
Keys handled himself and how he openly was
sick of the candidate bashing debates. He stuck
to real issues. He gave hard to swallow but true
solutions. Why would he be so far fetched to be
a real leader? He was the ONLY one to say hard
things that would be good for the country as a
whole. He is the only one who did not have to
apologize for any of his stands or actions.
I am not afraid of change nor a Minority
president. His stand was strong. No loop hole
flat tax. It is time all free loading Americans got
out of their special interest hand out lines and
got a job and worked and paid taxes and supported
their own kids and country. Dead beat parents-
take care of your own children. Stop running away.
If you supported your own kids there would be no
tax supported Child support agencies.
Tax supported welfare lines would be smaller.
You are not keeping your money from an ill
spending father or mother you are keeping your
money away from your child. Be a true
American belly up to the bar in tough times it is
our duty to teach our own children responsibility.
Keyes message shoulder the blame for your own
actions. Stop blaming others for what you lack.
Revive your faith (what ever it may be) and roll
up your own sleeves and get back to what made
America great. The family and God.
I hear White moms say if my son was black he
could get a grant. If my kid was a minority he
could get a better opportunity. Why do white
girls have to date black guys, I have heard young
white underachievers say this also! IT MAKES
ME SICK. The remark you made about Jackson
& Keyes- Please, what was that all about?
What do you think If Jackson and Keyes got in
office all whites would be shackled as their
ancestors were by Whites many years ago?
I feel if we really want change we need to be
honest and not just vote for the pretty face, race,
or the party nomination, We should vote for
someone who is strong in leadership can speak
to the masses with common sense, can also wield
a big stick when necessary and is above
castrating his or her opponent when given 30
minutes of tax paid air time. Personally I don't
care if you are green. If you are right for the job
you are right for the job. After I read and
listened to some of the vets who actually said they
were POW's with McCain and their feelings
regarding him and his abilities under pressure is
what really opened my eyes. McCain in my
educated, researched opinion, though a
tremendous, deeply convicted man was found
lacking in presidential progressive leadership
skills I feel that are needed to run the country I
live in. Of course, as you know, opinions are like
belly buttons, Every one has one and they all
stink. In the end we all have to live with our own
decisions.
Thank you for your comments regarding my
entry. And though I am also saddened by GORE
getting the nomination. Was there ever a doubt?
patty stordahl (72)
~ ~ ~
Thanks for all your contributions, everyone.
Once again, The SANDBOX has been filled to
the brim. Tune in again next time, and see what
Mary (Ray) Henslee (61) has to say about
ludicrous lawsuits and "hear" what John
Allen ('66) has to say about Shell Games, Dick
Epler's (52) conversation with Marc Franco and Denny
Damschen's (62) snake dance precaustion advice.
"Smile, because when you least expect it,
something in YOUR own heart and mind
may compel YOU, too, to send something to:
The SANDBOX
sandbox@richlandbombers.com
See you next time!
~ 55 ~
***************************************
***************************************
********************************************
THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #56 ~ March 27, 2000
"I love life. I wake up everyday excited to wake
up. You want to know what I think? I think you
have to stop feeling sorry for yourself, and start
thanking the day instead of scowling at it."
-- Goldie Hawn --
~
~ Look Who's Talking Today ~
"More In Common Than Many Would Guess"
By Dick Epler (52)
Be Careful at the Y2K All
Class Reunion Snake Dance
By Denny Damschen (62)
Shell Games
by John Allen (66)
Ludicrous Lawsuits
by Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
~
SANDBOX #56 Salutes: The Class of 1956
Check Out the Web Site:
http://richlandbombers.1956.tripod.com/
Find E-Mail addresses
Personal Web Page Links
And lots of other good stuff.
Say Hello to Someone There!
~
Moderator's Notes:
Well, people, looks like the year 2000 is
going to be a very busy year for YOUR SANDBOX,
as your contributions and the year's news both
continue to accelerate! It would appear that one
SANDBOX per week just "ain't gonna cut it."
Today's news, which you've been commenting
on regularly, can get old very fast and you
deserve to have your poignant topical comments
not appear outdated. There are a bunch of you
waiting "in the wings," already, with articles
about saving the Snake River salmon as well as
a lot of other stuff. As long as this great
enthusiasm to express your own ideas, opinions
and personal experience in this continues, I will try
to get Your Sandbox issues out more frequently.
It's always great hearing from each of you about
things that are important to you!
- Al Parker -
And Now For This Issues Entries:
More In Common Than Many Would Guess
From: Dick Epler (52)
For Marc Franco (66)
Thanks, Marc, for your comments
expressed in Issue #54. I've
often thought that we two
probably have more in common
than many would guess.
However, I need to correct the
impression that I was worried
that(in words you mistakenly
ascribed to me) "McCain might
‘repeat' some of Clinton's
‘catastrophic mistakes'." Not
true. Rather I worry that McCain
is prone to making catastrophic
mistakes while avoiding all
responsibility by the use of
Clintonian techniques," which I
then went on to enumerate in
issue #53.
Regarding Clinton himself, I
agree with you that except for
Monica, Clinton's genius has
always been the avoidance of
responsibility for ANY mistakes;
by design, he ALWAYS leaves
himself an out. Even with
Monica, he might have gotten
away with a perjureous lie
except for DNA testing of
Monica's dress. Once out of
office, of course, he may yet be
prosecuted. Nevertheless, the
democrats are right. As bad as
perjury is, the incident was not
a catastrophic mistake on the
national level. But McCain is
NOT Bill Clinton. With McCain, I
DO worry about CATASTROPHIC
mistakes being made at the
national level.
My main concern these days is
always the possibility that the
country would consider electing
a person (either republican or
democrat) whose main
qualification to the Presidency
is the ability to Clintonize bad outcomes.
In the case of McCain,
both his military and political
records have been littered with
disasters and bad decisions, but
the media seems overly
fascinated with his Clintonesque
strategy while ignoring his lack
of substance.
McCain's gone now (almost), but I
think we all need to learn from
this experience. We can't depend
on the media. We need to do our
own research. For Richland
Bombers and other intelligent
computer users, the Internet is
the best place to start.
~
Subject: Snake Dance
From: Denny Damschen (62)
mailto:Denny.Damschen@pnl.gov
Take Precautions With Physical Activity (R2K
Snake Dance)
If you're single and in your mind "getting a little
action" means you don't need to take a laxative
or "getting lucky" means you find your car in the
parking lot then you're getting a little older and
you should slow down when you participate in
the R2K Snake Dance.
If you're a married male and your wife gives up
sex for Lent and you don't know about it until
the 4th of July or if you're a married woman and
you don't care where your spouse goes, just as
long as you don't have to go along, you're
getting older and you should take your time
when Snake Dancing.
We don't want anyone to get hurt so if you have
stopped growing at both ends and have begun
growing in the middle or if it takes longer to rest
than to get tired, take it easy Snake Dancing.
If your mind is slipping or your memory lapsing
or...uh... I forget the rest....
Ideas - Opinion - Personal Experience
Subj: SHELL GAME
From: John Allen ('66)
Reply-to: miles2go@cheerful.com
Wed. 15 Mar '00
Last Sunday, Wayne LaPierre and Charleton
Heston of the NRA offended the delicate
sensibilities of William Jefferson Clinton by
implying that he was a liar and more directly that
he was willing to accept a certain level of
violence in this country in order to promote his
agenda on the subject of gun control. The very
next day, El Presidente was, predictably, front
and center with his "hurt and indignant" act. Mr.
Heston's statement, contained within the body of
a national NRA advertisement, will be
considered by many to be extreme. "How can
Moses call the President of the United States a
liar on national TV?" people will ask. The more
appropriate and obvious question is, "How can
he not?" Of COURSE Clinton is a liar. He has
been found to be one by a Federal District Court
Judge (Susan Webber Wright) and has paid a
$93,000 fine for having lied under oath in her
courtroom. Additionally, there is a better than
even chance that he will be disbarred in the
State of Arkansas for having lied in federal court.
It's just NOT a question any more. The man is in
his mid fifties and his adult character was carved
in stone long ago. For those of you who like to
delude yourselves with the theory of "divisible
integrity" (which basically says that some public
officials will lie about certain things but never in
their official capacity), let me suggest to you that
there is absolutely no evidence to support the
theory. The simple truth is that liars lie. It's
what they DO, and they quickly arrive at a point
where it becomes reflexive, as much as
considered, behavior. "Divisible integrity" is no
more a possibility than being a little bit pregnant.
The really aggravating, and more importantly,
TRULY FATIGUING problem with Clinton is
not just that he is a liar, but that he is such a
GREAT liar. Every time he opens his mouth to
say anything of substance (gun control legislation
included), we have to stop and slap ourselves to
be reminded that there is no better than a 50/50
chance that what he is saying is true. No matter
how convincing he sounds, we must to look at
EVERY SINGLE WORD to see where he might
be shading, bending, or completely dispensing
with the truth. I don't know about all of you,
but I'm overly tired with always having to
wonder "what the meaning of is, is." Wouldn't
it be more simple in the future to elect someone
who does not already have a light-year long
track record of deceit? In any event, Moses is
right, and don't you dare forget it.
Where Mr. LaPierre's allegation is concerned, the
truth is not easily arrived at, but although his
suggestion about a level of violence being
acceptable to the administration is extreme, it is
neither ill-considered nor indefensible. Evidence
of Clinton's Machiavellian propensities is hardly
in short supply. In the last three years in this
country, over 6000 students have been caught
inside our schools in the possession of firearms.
Only 13 (thirteen) were federally prosecuted
and NO parents; WHY? Further, the very act of
a felon attempting to buy a gun is itself a felony.
But of the over 250,000 felons the Clinton
Administration likes to brag about having
prevented from legally buying a gun, none of
them have been prosecuted either; WHY? Do
we really believe that having been denied the
legal purchase of a firearm and left on the street,
these felons will not simply obtain one illegally?
Finally, Project Exile which emerged in the state
of Virginia and which has been promoted by the
NRA and prosecutors throughout the country,
would automatically put a felon in the slammer
for five years if that felon is caught in possession
of a firearm. WHY is it that the Clinton Justice
Department has resisted all attempts to introduce
this kind of "result getting" legislation on a
national basis? If the Clinton Administration is
unwilling to put people in jail for their felonious
behavior, there has to be some reason. If it
is not that they are willing to accept a certain
level of violence to put more gun control
legislation on the books, then WHAT IS THE
REASON? Could it be that passing laws is
relatively easy, whereas ENFORCING them is
messy (real people actually going to real jail).
This administration has never been big on law
enforcement in general (it's kind of a "sixties"
thing), in part because if they were, there is no
telling how many of THEM would be in jail right
now for Campaign Finance law violations among
other crimes. Simply passing new gun laws
primarily accomplishes one thing: It gives voters
the false sense that something is actually being
done so that "credit" (read that "votes")
can be collected. But however much (and
however temporarily) it makes us "feel good" to
pass new gun legislation, when it is rarely
enforced, it does nothing to solve our problem.
In many cases, no amount of legislation will ever
make a difference. Far too many in our society
have come to the false hope that somehow we
can eventually legislate a perfect world where
nothing bad ever happens. That government is
the answer to all our problems, is the implicit and
unbelievably arrogant snake oil which primarily
liberal law makers are prone to pedaling. That
snake oil doesn't exist, and some day we
"boomers" must finally accept the wisdom our
parents possessed; that the actual exercise of
individual responsibility will always surpass the
legislative efforts of vote hungry politicians who
are all too eager to please, to promise and to
deceive.
Certainly at the very least, the Clinton
Administration has some serious "splaining to
do" about it's paralysis in the area of enforcement
of current gun laws. It is hardly without the
realm of possibility that the only gun law this
Administration wants to enforce is the one
currently IN force in Great Britain; confiscation.
Unfortunately for the American people, getting
tough on true offenders of current law
certainly does nothing to promote that end.
Finally, on a different note, I would like to say
that in the past, and to my discredit, I have
allowed myself to become involved in name
calling contests with other contributors to the
Sandbox. Including my last submission, I will no
longer be mentioning the names of any other
contributors, and I am hoping that others will see
their way clear to follow that example. I'm a
good enough writer to express my opinion on
issues without becoming embroiled in juvenile
personal disputes, and if you graduated from the
RHS gene pool, you are capable of the same.
---John Allen ('66)
~
Subj: Ludicrous Lawsuits
From: Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
mah@satx.net
I felt compelled to write the commentary that I
wrote a few weeks ago after reading a news
release that came out stating that the Attorney
General of New York was considering a lawsuit
against the General Electric Company, which I
thought to be ludicrous. I decided that we had
all better try in our own way to make a
difference before the lawsuit mentality that is so
pervasive in our society today spins any further
out of control.
It saddens me to find out that someone would
perceive me as unsympathetic to the suffering of
smokers, especially my own father's suffering,
just because I choose not to blame the tobacco
industry for my father's death. I have just tried
to look at the situation with the tobacco industry
objectively and not allow myself to be conned
into being a blamer by those with an agenda.
Although smoking was not as cognizant a choice
before the warning label, there was some
knowledge of its adverse effects and definitely
concrete evidence that cigarettes were addictive.
The warning label does not seem to deter a lot of
people, making it quite evident that smoking for
many people was and always will be a personal
choice based on desire, not logic or knowledge.
I think that there is much hypocrisy to be found
surrounding the tobacco issue, which is why I
question the legitimacy of the lawsuits being
waged by state and federal administrations. In
1966 the government mandated that a warning
label be placed on cigarette packs. The
government could have attempted to ban them at
that time, but chose not to. Now after all of
these years, the government wants billions of
dollars from the tobacco companies as reparation
to help pay for tobacco related illnesses.
Shouldn't the government consider itself equally
to blame since it chose and still chooses to keep
cigarettes a legal product? Many advocate
punishing big tobacco for selling their evil weed,
but I am yet to hear one elected official or citizen
suggest that cigarettes should be banned. Big
tobacco represents big tax revenues and there
lies the one and only reason why they are not
banned, which is hypocrisy at its worst. The
tobacco growers have always known that the
product that they were growing was additive and
harmful, yet the government continues to
subsidize them rather than sue them. Obviously
it has been known since the first cigarette was
inhaled by a human being that they are addictive,
unless in the early days people just did not know
why they were being motivated to jump on their
horse and make tracks to the general store for
some smokes. It is the nicotine in tobacco that
makes cigarettes addictive and harmful.
Tobacco is hardly a secret ingredient of
cigarettes.
A director of a restaurant association wrote a
letter to the local newspaper recently addressing
the problem of lawsuits. Obesity is on the rise
and there are those who are now blaming
restaurants for offering foods that cause weight
gain in tempting large portions. He has observed
that the same legal strategies used in class-action
suits against tobacco companies and gun
manufacturers are now being talked about as a
way of addressing obesity related health
problems. He feels that as a society, we are
courting disaster if we continue along this path.
I totally agree and I feel that any elected official
who favors litigation over personal responsibility
or seeks unreasonable reparation from companies
for misconduct over a rational resolution sets an
example that makes any successful individual or
business fair game for predators.
I am concerned that if we as a society continue to
condone the blame game, we will in the end reap
what we sow......a generation of people who do
not feel that they should be held responsible for
their actions because they are only giving in to
the temptations put before them by others.
Mary (Ray) Henslee (61)
~56~
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #57 ~ March 30, 2000
"It wasn't the wine," murmured Mr. Snodgrass,
in a broken voice, "It was the salmon."
Charles Dickens 1812 - 1870
Pickwick Papers
~ ~ ~
~ Look Who's Talking Today ~
Some of the New Subscribers Checking in:
Anna M. Durbin '69
Jim Rice '75
John Yesberger '70
Dtrent1957@aol.com
Alan Porter '67
"Just a couple comments, please."
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65)
"McCain!"
Steve Carson '58
Tearing Down The Dams (Or Not)
Gary Behymer '64
Ron Richards '63
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy '65
Sandra Summers '76
~ ~ ~
SANDBOX #57 Salutes: The Class of 1957
Check Out the Web Site:
http://richlandbombers.1957.tripod.com/
Find E-Mail addresses
Personal Web Page Links
And lots of other good stuff.
Say Hello to Someone There!
~ ~ ~
Subj.: Subscribe
From: Anna Durbin (69)
golddurb@libertynet.org
To: sandbox@richlandbombers.com
Hi. I would like to play in the Sandbox, too.
Please add my address to your list.
Your Richland Bomber family welcomes you,
Anna. Climb right in!
~ ~ ~
From: Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65)
Me12147@aol.com
Subj: Just a couple comments, please.
Regarding the comments from Andrew Eckert (54)
stating he couldn't quite figure out if I was
making excuses for the tobacco companies or
not. Because I AM a smoker that wouldn't
surprise him if I was because most smokers do. I
was NOT and I am not willing to make excuses
for their actions. Don't think there is an excuse
that would be truly legitimate!
As to Patty Stordahl asking, "What is that," in
regard to my saying "oh please" to a
Jackson/Keyes ticket--No thought of race
entered my mind. It was totally my response to
the men themselves and the thought of the two
of them trying to govern this country! Sorry but
just can't "picture" that as a happening thing.
To the remarks about McCains' temper. Show me
just ONE person who has NEVER lost their cool
for a few moments when they are passionate
about something or someone and I'll show you a
person who doesn't care passionately enough! As
to his remarks concerning the "reverends," all I
can say is, listen or read the WHOLE
conversation rather then one sentence from it.
You all have a good day now.
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy (65)
~ ~ ~
Subj: McCain!
From: Steve Carson 58
SteveNitro@aol.com
McCain! Through the first few primaries I kept
an open mind and was sort of attracted to his
maverick approach. Then as I observed him in
South Carolina and Michigan, lying with a
straight face and his comments in his news
conferences, I lost any traces of support. I think
we would go from having a President without
any integrity to one who would throw temper
tantrums and hold his breath if he didn't get his
way.
On the "hero" status, he did show character by
refusing to accept the special privilege to get a
ticket out and, I'm sure that those years were
pure hell. AND he was not the only one there. I
has become my opinion that, lacking any
outstanding achievement in the military, I will
respect his service but count him among a large
number of heros who were POWs.
When you look at his leadership style, which he
kept hidden for the most part during the early
campaign, you have to wonder why the rest of
his fellow Senators just don't like working with
him. His near tantrums on the campaign began
to look like whining and his mantra of no tax
cuts for the "rich (which has been defined as
making over $36,000 by the Clinton gang) does
not resonate in my world.
McCain for Veep............No.
McCain for Defense Secretary....You Bet.
Steve Carson 58
~ ~ ~
From: jrice@sojourners.com (Jim Rice) ('75)
Reply-to: jrice@sojourners.com
To: sandbox@richlandbombers.com
Please subscribe me.
Consider yourself subscribed, Jim. Jump right in!
~ ~ ~
Subj: 'Save Northwest Salmon'
Gary Behymer ('64)
Reply-to: bjangary@colfax.com
Sign the Petition to 'Save Northwest Salmon'.
To save Northwest salmon, four large obstacles
must be removed...and they aren't dams.
There are at least four big obstacles to saving
Northwest salmon. But, contrary to recent
claims, they aren't dams. They're mind-sets-ways
of thinking that have led the region down false
paths and brought about mistakes that have
been equally costly for people and salmon.
The Northwest needs a reasonable, balanced and
fair salmon solution.
Go to:
http://www.e-thepeople.com/affiliates/national/index.cfm?PC=PETFV1&PETID=355826
Click on the above URL. [Or paste this address
into your browser.] If does NOT all fit on one
line then go to:
http://www.e-thepeople.com
...then to 'environment' to find 'Save Northwest
Salmon'.
Gary Behymer
Class of 1964
~ ~ ~
From: johnyes@excite.com (john yes)
To: sandbox@richlandbombers.com
Hi. I would like to be put on the subscription list
for The Sandbox. Thanks.
Welcome, John. Lots of room for everyone here.
~ ~ ~
Just a reminder to some of our newer readers,
before posting the following item. The Alumni
SANDSTORM is an online publication about
memories of our growing up in Richland. The
SANDBOX, which you are reading now, is
about Current Ideas, Opinion and Personal
Experience. From time to time readers have
shared with us their feelings about where one
thing or another ought to go, and we are always
listening. In any case, both publications are
intended for your enjoyment, enlightenment and
most especially, your personal participation. -ap
Subj: Re: Snake River Salmon
From: vegas68@cheerful.com (vegas68)
To: G1A1S1@aol.com
Gary didn't make any "statement" in the
Sandstorm... he only posted a URL.... I
didn't even go to the URL.
Bomber cheers,
Maren
This was in response to:
Ron Richards ('63)
G1A1S1@aol.com who wrote:
To: Gary Behymer (64):
I appreciate the effort that you and Maren make
in producing the Alumni Sandstorm. I also
appreciate your right to take a political stand on
an issue as important as saving the Snake River
salmon from extinction. And I assume, from
your message posted in the Alumni Sandstorm on
March 26 regarding that issue, that your policy of
excluding political messages from the Alumni
Sandstorm has been abandoned - at least to allow
rebuttals to the message found at the Internet site
to which we were referred by your message.
In a nutshell, Gary, we do need to avoid this "Us
vs. Them mentality" that your Internet site
suggests. But it is extreme hypocrisy for the
people at your Internet site to plead for the
elevation of politics over science when it is they
who ignore what the vast majority of scientists are
telling us.
Your Internet site's reference to studies that "show
increased survival under currnet (sic) river
conditions" demonstrates just how blind to
science they are. What real science tells us is that
the current conditions caused by the dams
devastate salmon in a multitude of ways,
including, but in no way limited to:
(a) the elimination of major spawning grounds;
(b) the direct killing of downstream migrants in turbines;
(c) the indirect killing of downstream migrants
by the elimination of suspended silt in the water
column (which causes increased consumption by
predator fish and birds);
(d) the indirect killing of downstream migrants
because of the additional migratory time to the
ocean (which causes increased mortality due to
physiological changes occurring prior to the
fishes' arrival at the ocean, and again due to
increased consumption by predator fish and
birds);
(e) the indirect killing of downstream migrants
through fish stunned by passage over and through
the dams being deposited in concentrated
locations where they become easy pray for
predator fish and birds; and
(f) the indirect killing of upstream migrants
through the inefficiencies of fish ladders and the
effects of dam reservoirs including increased
water temperatures, reduced oxygen levels, and
interference with homing instincts.
The overwhelming weight of scientific evidence
simply shows that removal of the four lower
Snake River dams is the only option that has a
reasonable chance to save the Snake River salmon
from extinction.
I will agree there is no "silver bullet" in every
instance for the recovery of salmon. But the
elimination of the four lower Snake River dams is
as close to a silver bullet as you will get for the
Snake River salmon. One frequently hears that
the "Four H's" (hydropower, hatcheries, harvest,
and habitat) must all be addressed to preserve the
salmon from extinction. In the case of the Snake
River salmon, however, it is hydropower that has
caused the need for the hatcheries by eliminating a
vast area of spawning grounds; it is hydropower
that harvests the vast majority of the fish, and it is
hydropower that has ruined the habitat by
changing the salmon's natural river habitat into a
series of lakes. In the case of the Snake River,
hydropower and the Four H's are virtually
synonymous.
You are looking a gift horse in the mouth, Gary.
The large majority of the people in Washington,
the large majority of the people in the Northwest,
and the large majority of the people in the
country, want to save the salmon from extinction
and they are willing to pay for it. Instead of
fighting dam removal through association with
those who make embarrassingly unintelligent
assertions such as the labeling of the removal of
the four lower Snake River dams an "unproven
radical measure," you should embrace the concept
and encourage your governmental representatives
to mitigate any adverse impacts in a manner that
guarantees a positive impact to eastern
Washington. Just as everyone in Richland has
benefitted from the Hanford cleanup over the last
twenty years, everyone in eastern Washington can
benefit from a "Snake River cleanup" for the
foreseeable future.
- Ron Richards ('63) -
~ ~ ~
Subj: Subscribe
From: DTrent1957@aol.com
To: sandbox@richlandbombers.com
Please add me to your distribution list!
Gotta be some entertainment in there!
~ ~ ~
Subj: The Harvest is Great but the Salmon are
Few. What's up with that?
From: Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy '65
Me12147@aol.com
I find it difficult to worry about the extinction of
the Snake River salmon when I saw Indians
allowed to sell many, huge salmon for a dirt cheap
price, down at Columbia Point Park last summer.
If extinction is a REAL possibility, why is that
allowed and why are we still able to buy and eat
salmon? Doesn't make sense to me. Sincerely,
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy '65
~ ~ ~
Please add me to the sandbox mailing list so I can
play too.
adporter49@hotmail.com
Alan Porter 67
~ ~ ~
Subj: Salmon vs. People:
Which Species is Endangered Most?
From: Sandra Summers '76
SweetAdvis@aol.com
There is so much I would like to say on this issue,
and so little time; So Little Time in regard to my
own hectic life and the lives of all of us, and So
Little Time left within which to make carefully
calculated decisions and study the impending
implications of whatever IS or IS NOT going to
be done in regard to tearing down Pacific
Northwest power and navigation dams with the
hope of saving salmon runs.
I would hate to see things going all to hell just
because too many of us, like me, are just to
terribly busy with our own life challenges and
interests to get involved in helping resolve matters
so important as this. Maybe I'll have more time
later, to say more.
Just let me say this for now: In the name of
progress, comfort and need, and sometimes
greed, we have made a lot of mistakes in the last
two hundred years and more. This includes what
we've done with our dams as well as many other
"civilized" developments and attitudes. In many
ways, it would seem, we have "shot ourselves in
the foot."
I can only address one portion of the effect of
tearing down these dams now, but let me tell you
this, with all my heart. If those dams are torn
down, without first "putting in place," (not just
planning and proposing), a system of Clean
Energy Replacement for the power production
that is going to be lost, we might just, in effect,
be "shooting ourselves in the head." Replacing
clean hydro power with the dirty burning of
hydrocarbons not only will worsen the
environment both for us and our native fish. It
will also put more of our national fate in the hands
of foreign powers who do not necessarily have
our best interests in mind.
As I see things in this world now, mankind is just
as endangered as are the Northwest salmon runs.
I hope we don't end up sacrificing either for the
other, but if we don't first replace what we are
getting ready to destroy, then perhaps the fish
have far more practical intelligence than us and
really deserve to have things as they were in 1492.
~ Sandra Summers (76) ~
~ ~ ~
Thanks again for all of your contributions,
everyone. There are a lot more of your letters
in the SANDBOX mailbox that I haven't been
able to get to yet. But keep on sending your
stuff in. Your ideas, your opinion, your
personal experience is very important. So, let's
hear from you in The SANDBOX. More Issues,
More Subscribers, More Things to Talk About, as
the Year 2000 rolls on! What you have to say
here could benefit the quality of life for all of us,
so don't hold back!
Reminder: Please include name:
First (Maiden) Last (Class Year)
With all submissions and subscription requests.
-Al Parker
Your Sandbox Moderator
sandbox@richlandbombers.com
~ 57 ~
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #58 ~ April 5, 2000
"She that in wisdom was never so frail
To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail..."
- from William Shakespeare's Othello -
~ ~ ~
SANDBOX #58 Salutes:
The Col-Hi Class of 1958
Class AA WashingtonState Basketball Champs
Class AA Big Nine League Basketball Champs
Class AA Yakima Valley League FootballChamps
Go to that Site for a great picture
of coach Art Dawald and the team!
http://richlandbombers.1958.tripod.com/
Find '58 Roster, E-Mail addresses
Personal Web Page Links
And lots of other good stuff.
Say Hello to Someone There!
~ ~ ~
Look Who's Talking Today:
About Salmon vs. Dams:
"What about the impact on power, prices,
food production and continued mass net
harvesting by native Americans?"
- Jeff Brown '70
"You can't have the Snake River salmon on
the Endangered Species list, and on the menu at
the same time."
- Karen Schildknecht Mateo '67
"The fishery was maintaining...until all the
Fish processing ships and thousands of miles of
seine and gill nets went offshore..."
- Gus Keeney '64
"The fools in Portland need to clean up the
sewer they call the Willamette before they EVER
think about telling US what to do with OUR
Dams."
- Paul Casey '70
Other Subjects:
"...if we deserve Bill Clinton..."
- Ray Wells '54
"the kind of intelligent discussion ... that befits
the fact that we did get a useful education at
RHS or Columbia High School..."
- Irene de la Bretonne '61
A Tragedy and Warning Shared:
"We reap what we sow."
- Katie (Sheeran) Johnson (61)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Subj: Salmon vs. Dams: What will be the Cost?
From: Jeff Brown (70)
BrownJJ@email.msn.com
Response to Ron Richards (63).
Ron, your response to Gary Beyhmer (64)
seemed a little harsh. It sounds as though this is
a passionate topic for you (It is for me). Maybe
you are a professional environmentalist. While
your facts may be correct regarding the mortality
of young salmon on the Snake river, it would be
helpful if you could reference your sources. Also
since you appear to be so well informed, maybe
you can enlighten the rest of us as to what the
impact of the removal of the dams would have
with regards to power availability and cost to the
Western consumers? What is the impact to
farmers and food production? What is the
Sociological Impact? Where will power to our
communities be coming from over the next 20
years? Is it true that the Frasier river in British
Columbia is a dam-less river and that the
percentage depletion of the Salmon runs on this
river are similar to the percentage depletion of
salmon runs on the snake river? If so, could there
be other major reasons for salmon depletion.
What are the effects of salmon fishing in the
Pacific ocean on the salmon runs for our rivers?
And what about the politically incorrect topic of
Indian fishing on the mouths of many of our
rivers? Do you think that the indiscriminate
stretching of multitudes of nets across the
mouths of our rivers has any effect? If so how
much?
I live in western Washington, where you may also
live. Over here we have all seen the way today's
Indians fish. In just the casual course of
observation when I travel locally, I have seen
numerous instances of Indian nets stretched
across the Puyallup river, the Nisqaully river,
Chamber creek, and more. I have recently
worked as an outside architectural consultant to
a tribe on the west coast of Washington. In the
course of my consulting I have seen a fish
catching/processing factory at the mouth of one
of our rivers. During the course of regular
monthly visits I have seen seasonal runs of a
variety of fish ranging from King Salmon and
Sockeyes to Steelhead and rare Blueback
Salmon being netted at the mouth of this river.
It is hard to believe that any fish is left to return
after the massive catches I have seen. The
female salmon are stripped of there eggs and
tons of these salmon eggs are shipped to Japan
for consumption (not to mention the
salmon).
While the dams have some obvious effect on our
salmon, I would rather think that we could divert
some of our 'passion for the environment' and
'dollars to tear down dams', toward applying our
selves to mitigating the effects of dams while
also capturing the water resources of our region
for power and farming. Do you think we are
capable of applying ourselves in that manner?
And what about the Indian? How long will the
Indians remain immune to the scrutiny or our
environmentally sensitive minds and hearts?
Jeff Brown (70)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Re: Salmon Recovery
From: Karen Schildknecht Mateo (67)
CuteNBossy@aol.com
To Ron Richards (63)
I think the only question I have is how can the
removal of the dams, and the expense it will be
to the taxpayers, be the ONLY "reasonable"
solution? I guess I must have missed something
if it's possible to destroy 4 dams, that are the
'supposed' cause of salmon extinction, while
allowing ocean netting, river netting, destruction
of salmon at the hatcheries, allowing the terns to
feed freely, and raising the salmon limits of the
recreational fishermen on charter boats? And you
say that hydro power is the MAJOR cause of
salmon reduction? If the majority of the people in
Washington, the Northwest, and indeed, the
entire country, are really serious about saving the
Snake River salmon, why are they still eating it?
Until people can refrain from catching, selling,
and eating the salmon, how will it ever replenish
itself? I saw the following statement in the
newspaper about 3 weeks ago, unfortunately I
can't recall the name of the gentleman who said
it, but it completely explains how I feel: "You
can't have the Snake River salmon on the
Endangered Species list, and on the menu at the
same time." The only way the salmon are going
to be able to replenish themselves, is to call a 3
to 5 year moratorium on fishing and netting. I
can't see how anything else will work. When the
Spotted Owl was placed on the Endangered
Species list, no one was allowed to even set foot
in the area where they were nesting. The owls
survived, the lumber industry survived, and so
will the fishing industry. What will happen
if, after tearing down all 4 dams, the salmon keep
diminishing? Are YOU going to pay to have the
dams replaced? I've also read studies that show
the Snake River will take up to 50 years to
recover from all the damage removing the dams
will cause, so I guess it's really a moot point,
since it's actually our children who will pay for it
all in the end. Why not try to ban all salmon
fishing, and especially stop allowing the Japanese
to use mile long nets in OUR waters (thereby
saving the fish near THEIR shores), for a period
of 3 years, and if it's determined that there is
absolutely no increase in the salmon population,
then we can tear out the dams. Isn't that, after
all, the course of action with the least long term
destruction?
- Karen Schildknecht Mateo (67) -
~ ~ ~
Subj: Fisheries:
From: Gus Keeney '57
sgkeeney@ados.com
To Ron Richards(63)
I am glad to see you are so open minded that
you failed to mention the fishery was maintaining
(With the Help of the hatcheries) with all the
dams in place until all the Fish processing ships
and thousands of miles on seine and gill nets
went offshore several years ago. These nets
are just outside our official offshore boundaries.
Gus Keeney(57)
sgkeeney@ados.com
~ ~ ~
Subj: Bill Clinton
From: Ray Wells (54)
ray@transcribing.com (Ray Wells)
I appreciated (and agreed with) John Allen's (66)
analysis of the Wayne LaPierre, Charleton
Heston, Bill Clinton scenario. Now I wish
someone would take it on themselves to do the
same kind of analysis to show why our current
good economy was set into motion before
Clinton took office. And I'd like someone to
explain why Bill Clinton continues to get high
approval ratings in spite of having a disastrous
foreign policy, and no realistic plans to solve the
current problems facing our nation, e.g., the
current oil/energy crisis, failure of public
education, high illegitimate birth rate, illegal
drugs, single parent families, and (oh yes) failure
to enforce the current gun laws. Maybe the
popularity of porn on the Internet and Bill
Clinton's popularity go hand in hand. In the final
analysis, the people get what they deserve. And
if we deserve Bill Clinton, it doesn't reflect good
on us.
- Ray Wells (54) -
Subj: Likes Ron Richard's Response
From: Irene de la Bretonne (61)
IreneHays@aol.com wrote:
Excellent, Ron, I appreciate your response. Your
message IS the kind of intelligent discussion I
believe the majority of the Sandstorm-reading
alums welcome and that befits the fact that we
did get a useful education at RHS or Columbia
High School. However, I fully expect that my
response will be excluded from the Sandstorm
just as yours has been by exception. Alas, keep
the faith!!!
Irene de la Bretonne (61)
Dr. Irene D. Hays
~ ~ ~
Subj: Where Is It Written?
From: Paul Casey '70
CaseyPA52@aol.com
Where is it written that we have to have Salmon?
I don't particularly care if salmon are "wild" or
ranch raised -- either way they taste nearly the
same. The Indians should stop netting, and the
commercial fishermen and Japanese should stop
fishing for Salmon. And the fools in Portland
need to clean up the sewer they call the
Willamette before they EVER think about
telling US what to do with OUR Dams.
~ ~ ~
Subj: Reaping What We Sow
From: Katie (Sheeran) Johnson (61)
Tjoh500077@aol.com
Recently Tom and I had a tragedy in our family
that I want to share for a "heads up" to
everyone. It might be a little long and you can
cut it if you want but I'm going to tell my story.
Our Miniature Schnauzer Gracie, got out of the
yard the other day and Saturday we received a
call from someone saying they had found her and
where we could find her body. Someone had
dragged, choked and stabbed her out by an
orchard near our home. She was our sweetheart
and was everybody's friend. We lost more than
our best friend this week. We lost faith in the
community.
We're wondering how someone could have killed
a helpless, friendly little dog. Would it bother
them to kill a child?
Food for Thought: Someone else wrote....Let's
see, maybe it's because Dr. Spock said we
shouldn't spank our children when they
misbehave because their little personalities
would be warped and we might damage their
self-esteem. And we said, an expert should
know what he's talking about so we won't spank
them anymore. Then someone said that teachers
and principals better not discipline our children
when they misbehave. And the school
administrators said no faculty member in this
school better touch a student when they
misbehave because we don't want any
bad publicity, and we surely don't want to be
sued. We accepted their reasoning. Then some
of our top elected officials said that it doesn't
matter what we do in private as long as we do
our jobs. And agreeing with them, we said it
doesn't matter to me what anyone, including the
President, does in private as long as I have a job
and the economy is good. Someone said let's
print magazines with pictures of nude women
and call it wholesome down-to-earth
appreciation for the beauty of the female body.
And we said we have no problem with that.
Someone else took that appreciation a step
further and published pictures of nude children
and then stepped further still by making them
available on the Internet. We said they're entitled
to their free speech. The entertainment industry
said, let's make movies that promote profanity,
violence, and illicit sex. And let's record music
that encourages rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and
satanic themes. Let's make video games where
children learn to consider it sport to kill and
maim anything that moves. We said it's just
entertainment, it has no adverse effect and
nobody takes it seriously anyway, so go right
ahead.
Therefore, now we're asking ourselves
why our children have no conscience, why they
don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't
bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, or
themselves. Probably, if we think about it long
and hard enough we can figure it out. I think it
has a great deal to do with... "we reap what we
sow".
I wrote this in memory of Gracie.
-Katie
~ 58 ~
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #59 ~ April 12, 2000
"Good company and good discourse
are the very sinews of virtue."
- Izzak Walton 1593 - 1683
~ ~ ~
The SANDBOX #59 Salutes:
The Col-Hi Class of 1959
http://homepages.go.com/~dentover/59rhs/rhs59.html
There you will Find `59 Roster, `59 E-Mail List
Find there also: A ton of pictures from:
57 - 58 - 59 Columbian Annuals
And pictures from:
20th Reunion 25th Reunion 40th Reunion
John Northover is your Host and Site
Administrator for the class of `59.
Send any update information to him:
dentover@funtv.com
~ ~ ~
Look Who's Talking Today:
Talking About Salmon vs. Dams:
"As long as the Asian countries are allowed to
harvest millions upon millions of tons of salmon,
what we do in the Northwest to preserve the run
is futile and of little result other than to act as
political rhetoric to gain the votes of the groups
that are willing to give up their country but are
not willing to protect it."
- Jay Siegel `61
"When a plan is based on "doing the one right
thing," I have to suspect a hidden agenda that
has nothing to do with the stated problem. In
such cases, arguing the "rightness" of any
particular option is a diversion and a waste of
time. It's generally more useful to focus on NOT
DOING ANYTHING OBVIOUSLY WRONG."
- Dick Epler `52
~ ~ ~
"We need an alternative power source in place
before destroying our dams. There are other
considerations... " (regarding) "such heavy
demands on our environment...self-limit family
size..."
- Norma Loescher Boswell `53
~ ~ ~
Subj: Salmon and Dams and Family Size
From: Norma (Loescher) Boswell `53
boswelln@oneworld.owt.com
Sandra Summers has said what's on my mind!
We need an alternative power source in place
before destroying our dams.
There are other considerations. A very important
one is to self-limit family size so as not to make
such heavy demands on the environment. With
that decision in place, every other effort to better
the human condition will stand a better chance of
success.
- Norma (Loescher) Boswell `53
~ ~ ~
Subj: A sadness!
From: Jay Siegel `61
jazfuchsias@prodigy.net
To: Ron Richards,
I just wanted to drop a line from a place that is
not as directly impacted upon by the dam
question. It is a question very close to my heart
as some 45 years ago, I fought a battle against
the first high dam on the Cowlitz River - we lost
that battle.
Are the dams a factor in the decline of the salmon
on the Snake River? There is no denying that
they are a factor. Are they the cause of the loss
of entire subspecies of life from the earth? Most
definitely not!
Will the removal of these dams allow the runs to
recover? That is one that only time will tell. It is
however apparent to many people that removing
the dams will only extend the misuse of this
resource, the Pacific Salmon, for a time.
Destroying the dams does not address nor will it
impact upon the major cause of the loss of the
salmon runs through out the Northwest - the
aggressive harvesting of our salmon, on the high
seas, by other countries. As long as the Asian
countries are allowed to harvest millions upon
millions of tons of salmon, what we do in the
Northwest to preserve the run is futile and of
little result other than to act as political rhetoric
to gain the votes of the groups that are willing to
give up their country but are not willing to
protect it.
Increasing the number of salmon reaching the
ocean only increases the number of fish that will
be harvested off shore. Instead of spending the
money to broach the dams, lets put it to work
eliminating the real problem. I have spent some
time in Japan, and one of the most noticeable
features of its coastal waters is the lack of life.
Their demand for food is so great that the waters
have been made almost sterile by over fishing.
The same attitude has been applied to all the seas
of the world - take all that you can without a
thought for tomorrow.
Some 220 years ago, when our territorial limit
was set to 12 miles, that seemed a safe distance
as no cannon could throw a projectile further
than that. Now, that 12 miles has become the
laughing stock of the whole world: will spend
billions to help other countries, and millions to
save endangered species all over the world, but
our politicians would rather destroy the economy
of one of our own regions than to take a stand
and say: NO FISHING! The distance is not the
important thing, the wholesale harvesting of the
runs must be stopped!
If that is done, then talk about the dams; if they
are still a significant problem, then maybe they
should be broached, but lets stop the over
harvesting on the high seas. As US registered
liner on the high seas is US property, why then
cannot the salmon that are from our water be
considered US property and protected from
exploitation even if they should wander 1000
miles from our coast.
At one time, "We the People" stood for
something. It meant that the other nations of the
world would no longer walk over for their own
ends. If war was necessary to protect the
interests of The People in general then that was
the action taken. The people who are benefiting
from those dam on the lower Snake are part of
The People. They deserve to be taken into
consideration whenever the "good of the whole"
is discussed.
Even the "experts" are not sure that opening the
dams will bring back the salmon runs, but they
do agree that stopping the wanton slaughter on
the high seas will stop the decline! Instead of
condemning the dams, which are providing for
The People, let's condemn the harvesters from
other nations that are willing to not only destroy
the salmon run for their own greed, but will
willingly standby and allow the "well
intentioned" within our country destroy part of
our economy, and thank us for making more
salmon available for them to harvest.
- Jay Siegel `61-
~ ~ ~
Subj: The NW Salmon Debate
From: Dick Epler
depler@ortelco.net
The only thing I know about the NW
Salmon Debate is what I've read from Ron
Richards (63)and Gary Behymer (64) in recent
issues of the Sandstorm and SandBOX. I'm
unaware of any controlling legislation and
haven't attended any of the Corps of Engineers
meetings. However, I do consider myself a
common-sense environmentalist, and a
conservative in the "old tradition" of keeping
the best of what we know is true, while requiring
a close scrutiny of the unproven. I'm hoping the
comments of a neophyte in these matters might
provide some additional insight to this debate.
My perception so far is that something is missing
in the way the problem and solutions are
currently framed. I'm a builder, not a destroyer,
and in my life I've never seen a problem that
didn't have a constructive solution. On the other
hand, I know intuitively that any catastrophic
solution, such as destroying the dams, is likely to
cause more long-term problems than anyone can
predict. Worse, the desired result of returning
large numbers of salmon up the Snake River is
not likely to happen. Not when only 30 sockeye
salmon returned last year (Ron's data).
I say that in spite of Ron's assertion that "The
overwhelming weight of scientific evidence
simply shows that removal of the four lower
Snake River dams is the only option that has a
reasonable chance to save the Snake River
salmon from extinction." From my experience,
that's not a reasonable statement and it
immediately raised a red flag for me.
No one interested in "real" science could or
would make such a statement. There may be a
lot of data, but so far as I can tell, no one has yet
constructed a verifiable experiment, statistically
large enough, to consider all the known factors.
If there were such results, I don't believe we'd
be having this debate. What Ron thinks is science
may be nothing more than "PhDs for hire" whose
job is to provide the illusion of science to justify
a political agenda or conclusion. That's called
"junk science." While I don't know that to be
true in this case, I know some environmentalists
have used this technique before and Ron's
assertive statement is a trigger.
Understand I don't suspect Ron's motives. So
far as I know, all the alumni of RHS are
honorable people. Yet it's quite possible to be
misled by elitist personalities who croon, "trust
me" with little real justification for what they're
advocating.
Here's what I would need, at a minimum, to
support a drastic decision to destroy the dams: a
simple data table that correlated all the options
involved in the extinction of the Snake River
salmon to their percentage contribution to the
overall problem. Of course, an independent
verification of the results (peer review) by
leading scientists in the field is mandatory. That's
called "real science" and should have been
produced at least 15 years ago (maybe it was).
So that's one thing. However, another red flag
was raised when Ron compared the proposed
Snake River cleanup to the Hanford cleanup.
Now that's something I do know a little about.
I just downloaded the most recent Hanford
Annual Report (1998) to review the cleanup
progress since I left in 1995. Little has changed.
While there's been a lot of activity, there's not
been a lot of "essential cleanup" done on the
level originally proposed in the early ‘70s. The
Port of Benton is NOT going to be able to
reclaim all the contaminated land anytime soon
for the purpose of raising crops and animals as
originally promised in the early ‘90s. It's not that
we don't have the science. Most of the science to
cleanup Hanford has been known since the
mid-‘50s (and yes, I was there then). The official
reason for not doing the work is always the same
down through the years – worker safety. The
real reason, however, is politics. Recall that in
the absence of politics, The Corps of Engineers,
along with about 50,000 workers, built the city
of Richland (houses and stores), the reactors, the
separation plants, and the 300 Area research
facilities in just 22 months for about $350
million. During this time there were only 11
deaths in two incidents – a pretty good safety
record. So large government projects CAN be
done without compromising safety, and in the
absence of perfect knowledge (another reason
for not doing the work). Nevertheless, in the
current environment, the science-driven cleanup
mission had to change to accommodate the
politics of too much money (everyone wants
their fair share).
Accordingly, DOE and Hanford have generated
mountains of paper over the years to justify
continued funding, but the essential cleanup
(tanks, K-basin, and soil vitrification) schedules
continue to be rewritten. I can't fault anyone. In
the absence of any real threat to downwinders or
anyone else, this is a perfectly natural
development. Understand, the simple passage of
time has continued to reduce the radioactive
hazards as the really bad isotopes (high activity)
dissipate with each passing year. Remaining are
the long-lived isotopes (less dangerous) in the
ground and tanks that are still slowly migrating
toward the Columbia River. Presumably,
Hanford will address this problem when it
becomes necessary.
One of the earliest, and eminently practical,
cleanup solutions (proposed in the early 70's)
was simply to build a fence around the place to
buy the time needed for nature to do her work. It
was rejected as being bad for the local economy.
And so we developed the current
full-employment plan to dispose of the easy stuff
while still producing the requisite time. As Ron
says, the Hanford cleanup has been good for the
economy of the Tri-Cities, but with one
exception the decision was not based on science.
Once science had determined that the unique
basaltic geology of the area was sufficient to
significantly slow the migration of the long-lived
isotopes toward the Columbia River, the decision
to postpone essential cleanup was a no-brainer.
Someday, after more than 55 years, we may yet
get around to the "real" Hanford cleanup (but
then again, maybe not!).
To translate these lessons to the Snake River
salmon cleanup, we need to ask a couple of
questions: Is the proposed destruction of the
dams associated with a full-employment plan? If
so, how many federal dollars have been allocated
over how many years? With Hanford, these were
known factors early in the process.
At this point, I must confess: I lied. Even if Ron
gave me the "table of options" I requested, I still
might not support destroying the dams. I have
one more concern. Let's suppose Ron's worst
fears are realized. Suppose the dams stay in place
(or don't) and the Snake River never sees
another wild salmon? What's the worst impact of
that scenario? Apparently very little. My
grandchildren will still be able to fish for salmon
in Idaho because of seeding from the hatcheries.
On the other hand, what's the worst impact of
destroying the dams? Apparently quite a lot.
Many industries and people will be affected
across the Northwest. Worse, we don't even
have the beginnings of that needed
full-employment plan (read federal dollars) to
assure that existing and forecasted levels of
electricity, irrigation, and transportation will be
replaced in time to prevent major impacts on
people and associated economies.
Here's a rule-of-thumb I've found useful in these
situations. When a plan is based on "doing the
one right thing," I have to suspect a hidden
agenda that has nothing to do with the stated
problem. In such cases, arguing the "rightness"
of any particular option is a diversion and a
waste of time. It's generally more useful to focus
on NOT DOING ANYTHING OBVIOUSLY
WRONG. To save the Snake River salmon, there
are, no doubt, quite a number of constructive
options that can still be done that are "not
obviously wrong." In which case we still need
that option table! Nevertheless, I've signed
Gary's petition.
~ ~ ~
Please send all your entries and free (on or off)
subscription requests to:
sandbox@richlandbombers.com
Please include you First, (Maiden), Last name
and class year with all subscription requests.
~ 59 ~
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #60 ~ April 15, 2000
Look Who Was Talking Yesterday:
"About things on which the public thinks long
it commonly attains to think right."
- Samuel Johnson
(1709 - 1784)
Look Who's Talking Today:
"If you like the $2 a gallon gas prices, you're
going to love the price of food and electricity
with the dams gone."
- Patrick Goble `71
"Leaders are not always pretty. Not always
nice, don't all believe in God. I am sure though,
every great politician was also a great poker
player."
- Patty Stordahl `72
"I think growing up at Ground Zero did have
an impact on how I view being alive- it is a gift,
it is a gas and it can be gone in a flash."
- Peggy Hartnett `72
"Stand Proud, America!"
-Tom Hemphill `62
"The Salmon issue almost feels like
motherhood and the flag to those of us
raised in the shadow of the Dams on the
Columbia..."
- Helen Cross Kirk `62
"If we aren't talking about what you want to
talk about, who are you going to blame?"
- Al Parker `53
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
SANDBOX # 60 Salutes The Class of 1960!
When you go to:
http://richlandbombers.tripod.com/1960/
You will find: Class Roster, E-mail Addresses,
40th Class Reunion Info, In Memoriam, Album
of Grade School Class Pictures, Notes, Comments,
Other good stuff: Webwright: Richard Anderson
~ `~`~`~`~`~
Here is More of What You're Saying Today:
From: Patrick Goble `71
Pacube@email.msn.com
Subj: Get Rid of The Factory Ships
To save the salmon, try getting rid of the factory
ships off the mouth of the Columbia River run by
the Japanese and other countries. Then if the
Indians want to fish as a right of their heritage,
have them fish as their ancestors did, not
with modern methods. If you like the $2 a gallon
gas prices your going to love the price of food
and electricity with the dams gone.
~ ~ ~
Subj: Keep Us Strong and Prosperous
From: Patty Stordahl ‘72
DZIGNRITE@aol.com
Regarding McCain and personal preferences.
And to the comment that I only read one line—
No need to get ugly. I must admit though, I'm
now 46 and finding my arms don't seem to be as
long as they used to be. I tend to read articles in
their entirety through what my children now call
the slits in my face. For you who are not visually
challenged this means squinting, or getting my
magnifying glass out. I also read the negative
articles and research them as well.
I really have never been one to take any one at
face value. This may be sad to some who are a
bit more naive or had a more protected life but I
have prospered in my later years by being very
thorough in my studies of the people I come in
contact with or need to rely on. Steve, you
could not have put it in better words. McCain
does not have the control a true politician needs,
regardless of Passion or Morals.
I would challenge any American out there who
can find one great leader in our country's history
that does not have serious skeletons and
indiscretions in their lives or in their families lives
as a matter of fact in our own personal lives.
So moral behavior is not a factor with me in
running for office. Some of our most beloved
and revered politicians have been nothing less
than deviant. But they get the job done.
Time to get off the poor McCain wagon I think.
The American People listened and watched all
the incumbents and the American people voted.
POW's all sacrificed and stood tall. I am so
proud of all our vets, Especially the Viet Nam
men and women. That is the battle that I grew
up around and I wore many copper bracelets.
That was the war, (it was a war to me), maybe
not labeled one, but hell nonetheless. That truly
touched my life.
McCain:
Passion maybe, ego definitely, pretty family, you
bet. Leaders are not always pretty. Not always
nice, don't all believe in God. I am sure though,
every great politician was also a great poker
player.
Run the country and keep us strong and
prosperous that is what I want.
- Patty Stordahl (72)
~ ~ ~
From: Peggy Hartnett (72)
highdesert@theriver.com
(A modern hotel in a timeless town)
Re: Salmon and the dams
and: McCain
and: Tobacco
and: Aliens
I am so tired of hearing "Indian" fishing as a real
threat to salmon. I cannot believe that the ones
they are harvesting for their own consumption
or for sale is a real problem. We have known the
fish were going since they first studied the effect
of really hot water releases from the reactors,
since McNary went up, and since we allowed
commercial fishing at the mouth of the
Columbia. I am not sure it is possible to undo
what we have done but that doesn't mean we
shouldn't try whatever we can. And everyone
acts like there will be power rationing if we take
down some dams. Well, that might not be such a
bad idea in and of itself. We all need to step
away from the TV a little, but it might also
generate interest in alternative power. I live in a
primarily rural county in southern Arizona and
the amount of solar and wind generated power
for personal consumption is something we are
pretty proud of. The technology is here, it is
affordable, yes it takes a little more care from the
consumer than flipping a switch, but you know
what, we weren't nearly as concerned about Y2K
as lots of folks.
Re: McCain
Has anyone noticed that we Bombers who live in
Arizona have been pretty quiet on this subject?
Re: Tobacco
We as a community of people consume all kinds
of products that we know are harmful, I
personally believe that the cigarette companies
not only knew their product was harmful but did
their best to hide the facts and mislead the public,
however we have still known the dangers and
still choose to smoke, and drink and take drugs
and drive while drinking and skydive and
rockclimb and ski and scuba dive and hang glide
and get on airplanes and go into post offices. The
two points I am trying to make are: We make
our own choices and in most cases there is a
great deal of information available to us to make
intelligent choices, the other one is, we are all
going to die and placing blame doesn't alter the
fact. I think growing up at Ground Zero did have
an impact on how I view being alive-it is a gift, it
is a gas and it can be gone in a flash.
Re: Aliens
Does the border between Washington and
Canada look like martial law has been declared?
It does here. I am curious to know what folks off
the border have to think and who you all think is
crossing and why is a 6 yr. old from Cuba a
refuge and a 6 yr. old from Guatemala a
criminal?
- Peggy Hartnett `72
~ ~ ~
Note: Usually, we favor items written by
Richland Bomber graduates in The SANDBOX.
We make an exception in this case by sharing an
editorial by a Canadian television commentator
about America, as published in The
Congressional Record.
Subj: America
Sent by: Tom Hemphill ‘62
tom@esilimited.com
TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES
Widespread but only partial news coverage was
given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast
from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian
television commentator. What follows is the full
text of his trenchant remarks as printed in the
Congressional Record:
"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for
the Americans as the most generous and possibly
the least appreciated people on all the earth.
Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain
and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by
the Americans who poured in billions of dollars
and forgave other billions in debts. None of these
countries is today paying even the interest on its
remaining debts to the United States.
When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956,
it was the Americans who propped it up, and
their reward was to be insulted and swindled on
the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.
When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the
United States that hurries in to help. This spring,
59 American communities were flattened by
tornadoes. Nobody helped.
The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy
pumped billions of dollars into discouraged
countries. Now newspapers in those countries
are writing about the decadent, warmongering
Americans.
I'd like to see just one of those countries that
is gloating over the erosion of the United States
dollar build its own airplane. Does any other
country in the world have a plane to equal the
Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the
Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them?
Why do all the International lines except Russia
fly American Planes?
Why does no other land on earth even consider
putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk
about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios.
You talk about German technocracy, and you get
automobiles.
You talk about American technocracy, and you
find men on the moon - not once, but several
times - and safely home again.
You talk about scandals, and the Americans put
theirs right in the store window for everybody to
look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not
pursued and hounded. They are here on our
streets, and most of them, unless they are
breaking Canadian laws, are getting American
dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.
When the railways of France, Germany and India
were breaking down through age, it was the
Americans who rebuilt them. When the
Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central
went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose.
Both are still broke.
I can name you 5000 times when the Americans
raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can
you name me even one time when someone else
raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think
there was outside help even during the San
Francisco earthquake.
Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one
Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them
get kicked around. They will come out of this
thing with their flag high. And when they do,
they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands
that are gloating over their present troubles. I
hope Canada is not one of those."
Stand proud, America!
End of Editorial
This is one of the best editorials that I have ever
read regarding the United States. It is nice that
one man realizes it. I only wish that the rest of
the world would realize it. We are always blamed
for everything, and never even get a thank you
for the things we do.
I would hope that each of you would send this to
as many people as you can and emphasize that
they should send it to as many of their friends
until this letter is sent to every person on the
web. I am just a single American who has read
this, I SURE HOPE THAT A LOT MORE
READ IT SOON. Stand proud, America!
- Tom Hemphill `62
~ ~ ~
Subj: Not Just Political Rhetoric Here
From: Al Parker `53
sandbox@richlandbombers.com
or: Adamstreet@aol.com
Moderator's Note: Some people like more salt,
some people like more pepper. Some like equal
amounts of both. Keeping the two items in
separate containers allows the user to select the
proportions most satisfying to him or her.
That's the basic reasoning behind the two
separate publications, The Alumni
SANDSTORM and The SANDBOX. The
SANDSTORM is designed to work best with
memories about growing up in Richland. The
SANDBOX works best for current Ideas,
Opinions and Personal Experience. Once in a
while the interests of one may overlap the other.
You can subscribe to and participate in one or the
other or both. Just as you do with salt and pepper
at meal time, you may select the exact proportion
of each that satisfies you most. The following
item is reflective of discussions involving the
difference.
But, before we get to that, let me emphasize
strongly also, one more point: And please
remember this! The SANDBOX has always
welcomed personal expression about things we
can do to improve the quality of life for all of us,
but is in no way limited to "political rhetoric."
The value of both publications depends on your
personal participation. So- If we aren't talking
about what you want to talk about, who are you
going to blame?
"Good company. Good discourse." Izaak Walton
would like it here.
-Al Parker
Your SANDBOX Moderator
~ ~ ~
Subj: Clarification Appreciated
From: Helen Cross Kirk (62)
To: Maren Smyth ‘64
(Sandstorm Editorial Staff)
Dear Maren,
Thank you for clarifying that we will not need to
listen to political rhetoric in the Sandstorm. The
Salmon issue almost feels like motherhood and
the flag to those of us raised in the shadow of the
Dams on the Columbia, so I felt that was why
you had made the exception. But I am not up to
every and all political issues which we all have
and feel are so very important.
The reply you published was very well thought
out in my opinion.
- Helen Cross Kirk (62)
~ 60 ~
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #61 ~ April 26, 2000
"I'll love you dear, I'll love you
Till China and Africa meet,
And the river jumps over the mountain
And the salmon sing in the street."
From: As I Walked Out One Evening
By W. H. Aulden (1907 - 1973)
~`~`~`~`~`
Look Who's Talking Today:
"Each year the fish arrive, looking as though
they had swum the whole ride in the luggage
compartment of a greyhound bus."
- Bob Mattson (64)
"...most Americans ... would rather watch
something more important and more relevant to
their lives, like their daily fix of "General Hospital"
or some hour-long MSNBC puff piece on such
historical heavyweights as Kathy Lee Gifford or
Britney Spears."
- John Allen (66)
"The Sandbox allows me a glimpse into the
minds of fellow Bombers in a way I never had. It
is certainly interesting to see the diversity in
thought which has emerged from such a
close-knit community."
- Gene Trosper (85)
~ ~ ~
"I am always interested when somebody
simply ascribes everything evil to a single person,
and will admit nothing good about that same
person."
- Marc Franco (66)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The SANDBOX, Issue 61, Salutes:
The Class of `61
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Garden/5385/
Go there for E-mail addresses, Class Roster,
News, Class Pictures, Reunion News and
Pictures, Great Links.
Site Administrator: Jay Siegel, jasiegel_61@yahoo.com.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's more of what we're talking about today:
Subj: Wind, Salmon and Renewable Power
From: Bob Mattson (64)
Rmat683939@aol.com
I just had to mention that in my billing statement
this month was a flier from Portland General
Electric.
"Wind and salmon, renewable power. Nearly
2,000 customers have enrolled in PGE's Clean
Wind and Salmon-friendly power.*tm. Our
customers are supporting wind. Our
shareholders spent over 2 million in 1999 to
support the extra cost of wind resources
generated from the Vansycle Ridge facility in
Northeastern Oregon. PGE is also working with
the BPA to provide new wind sources our clean
wind program. Investigating several sites to
assure minimal environmental impacts. Perhaps a
new wind project will be announced later this
year."
I live in the lowest canyon of clear creek. It does
flow from a foothill, Goat Mountain, 4000 feet
above me. Each year the fish arrive, looking as
though they had swum the whole ride in the luggage
compartment of a greyhound bus. Simply put, I
spent six minutes sleeping through my radio
alarm this morning, plugged in and trying spawn.
- Tuna Bob -
~`~`~
Subj: A NATION TURNING INTO TIN MEN
From: John Allen (66)
Reply-to: miles2go@cheerful.com
Portland, Oregon, 14 April 2000
In The Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man spent his time
searching for that which he did not have - a
HEART. If one is to believe recent national
public opinion polls and the comments from
"man on the street" interviews concerning the
Elian Gonzalez case, the majority of our country
has somehow during the last 30 years, managed
to lose the same vital organ for which the Tin
Man was searching. It is truly difficult to watch
a once great nation who knew what it was to the
world, instead become hardened with what
passes for blasé sophistication. I can't count the
number of people I have heard make the same
comment of, "I'm tired of hearing about it." To
that I say, "Poor America!" How horrible things
must be for us that we should be plagued by a
problem not curable with the click of a mouse or
a remote control. How forgetfully ignorant we
have become that we can't be bothered for more
than a day or two, listening to the plight of a six
year old child who literally watched his mother
make the ultimate sacrifice to deliver him from
the clutches of Fidel Castro. We used to know
that Castro's Communism is not the rough moral
equivalent of our Democracy, and that Fidel
himself is no less a ruthless criminal than Adolf
Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Sadaam Hussein, or Pol
Pot. But no longer! That America has largely
disappeared.
Ordinarily in a case like this, my sympathies
would be for the rights of the surviving parent.
But when that parent, either by choice or by
force, lives in a country which has
constitutionally declared the non-existence of
parental rights, not to mention individual
HUMAN rights, then he cannot be deprived of
that which his country will not even recognize.
Assuming they have even considered it, I wonder
what Americans think will happen to this child if
and when he is returned to Fidel - a man
provably guilty of the outright murder of many
children. Now that Elian has tasted some of
him to spread the good word to his little friends.
Given that, what methods do people think will be
used to convince little Elian to keep his mouth
shut - behavior generally foreign to most six
year-old boys. The answer these days is, most
Americans don't CARE what techniques will be
used, just so they don't have to hear about this
little boy for one second longer. They would
rather watch something more important and
more relevant to their lives, like their daily fix of
"General Hospital" or some hour-long MSNBC
puff piece on such historical heavyweights as
Kathy Lee Gifford or Britney Spears.
So why IS the Clinton Administration giving the
bum's rush to young Elian? Very simply, despite
his phony, "never let 'em see you sweat" facade,
Bill Clinton is so exorcised about his likely
write-up in history books he will live long
enough to read, he is making every conceivable
last ditch effort to accomplish something which
will win him the Nobel Peace Prize and maybe
rescue him from the cutting room floor of US
Presidents. With most of his other foreign policy
initiatives undergoing rapid deterioration
(Northern Ireland, Kosovo, and Haiti to name a
few), he believes he can gain a rapprochement
with Castro and normalize relations between our
two countries before the 22nd Amendment
gives HIM a boot similar to the one he is trying
to give little Elian. Despite comments from
attorney Greg Craig, Bubba's thinly veiled
mouthpiece in the matter, the only actual law
involved in this whole proceeding is the Cuban
Refugee Adjustment Act of 1966. This is a law
which, under normal circumstances, would give
the little boy unquestioned asylum from Castro.
It is only his age and the very sacrifice of his
mother which gives the US government any
discretion in the way it INTERPRETS this law.
However, "interpretation" of law is, usually, a
matter for the judicial branch, not political hacks.
The Adjustment Act is a law with which Clinton
has already played political games by "executive
order" limitations. Is it really a big surprise
that this President is not at all concerned with the
thousands of ILLEGAL Mexican immigrants
who can be counted on to vote Democrat when
given their US citizenship immediately prior to
general elections, while simultaneously limiting
the LEGAL immigration of Cubans whose
history predicts they will almost certainly vote
Republican. Nevertheless, attorney Craig who,
along with his patron, has recently found a new
appreciation for the "Rule of Law," has also
begun to pontificate about the violations of law
committed by the Miami relatives of the boy.
Not surprisingly, he never mentions exactly
WHICH law that is (OR if his most recent
definition of the "Rule of Law" includes telling
the TRUTH, the WHOLE truth, and NOTHING
BUT the truth when testifying under oath in
a US court). Really, how dare a shill like Craig
criticize Elian's relatives for trying to ensure for
him the God-given rights which are denied him in
Cuba! Instead, Craig and most of the liberal
media in this country are doing their dead level
best to make sure that the Cuban American
community of South Florida is demonized as
"crazy, hot-blooded Latinos, full of unreasoning
hatred for Fidel Castro and prone to violence."
Perhaps each of us should seek out a Jewish
American and tell him or her that it's time to get
over Adolph Hitler and the holocaust, and simply
"move on." I mean, really, aren't we all just a
little tired of hearing about that ancient history,
too? Sadly, I'm afraid that also merits a "yes"
answer in today's America.
Finally, for those few who have wondered what
Clinton was doing with his time and his Rhodes
Scholarship at Oxford University and in the
Soviet Union (clue, it wasn't studying OR
graduating), ask yourself why nearly every
Clinton tax measure is aimed at redistributing the
wealth created by individual Americans so that,
rather than "equality of opportunity," this
country will eventually stand for "equality of
outcome" (however pitiful that outcome will be).
And why did Clinton fully support the embargo
against the extreme RIGHT-wing repression in
South Africa, and yet does NOT now support
the continued embargo against the extreme
LEFT-wing repression in Castro's Cuba?
But let's not allow these bothersome details to
interrupt our long political snooze or begin to
regenerate our national "heart." The Tin
Man was surely a fool; little Elian is simply "in
the way;" and, at the end of the day, it's really
"all about Bill," isn't it?
---John Allen (`66)
~`~`~
Subj: Thank You For The Sandbox
From: Gene Trosper
Reply-to:gtrosper@ez2.net
To: sandbox@richlandbombers.com
I'd really like to say "thank you" for such an
interesting e-publication: The Sandbox.
It's good to know what former Bombers think,
feel and believe with regard to current events and
politics. Going to RHS, I was caught up in sports,
music, partying and all the usual teenage
diversions from adult life. Politics seemed so far
away, so boring. I never really got to know how
my friends and classmates felt about the world at
large. The Sandbox allows me a glimpse into the
minds of fellow Bombers in a way I never had. It
is certainly interesting to see the diversity in
thought which has emerged from such a close-knit
community. What makes it even more
interesting is that Richland has always been
pretty much a "government town."
Perhaps growing up in a government town has
contributed to my political and philosophical
development from apolitical nothingness to
libertarianism and a fervent interest in everything
political. I can definitely point to the fact that my
grandfather (the man who raised me), who was a
fire department captain at Hanford's 300 area,
was sent to Kadlec Hospital numerous times
for radiation exposure. Having him die in '81
from massive cancer (lungs, brain, etc.) after
being given a clean bill of heath by a company
doctor just before retirement really made me
think, but I soon filed it away somewhere in my
gray matter, only to resurface as an adult.
Again, thanks. I look forward to all the great stuff
published in the Sandbox. It's encouraging and
inspiring to read the wit and wisdom of those
from my former hometown.
--Gene Trosper. class of `85
(well...woulda been, If I hadn't transferred
in my junior year!)
~ ~ ~
Portland, Oregon, 14 April 2000
Subj: reply to Ray Wells
From: Marc Franco (66)
Reply-to: mfranco@sttl.uswest.net
I was extremely interested in Ray Wells letter
about Bill Clinton. I am always interested when
somebody simply ascribes everything evil to a
single person, and will admit nothing good about
that same person. John Allen has done this often-
I mention John because Ray did- but up until
now, most people have had a more balanced
response to Bill Clinton, whether they like him or
dislike him. Let's examine Ray's questions and try
to answer them. First off, Ray would like
someone to analyze why people don't recognize
that the present good economy was set in motion
before Clinton entered office. (I'm paraphrasing a
little, but I do believe my paraphrase does match
Ray's intent.) Actually, Ray, I think most people
are perfectly aware that the present good
economy was set in motion well before Clinton
entered office. I would say that it was actually
set in motion by the Reagan administration.
Even though we have been deeply in debt since
then, we seem to live through it and it would be
difficult to deny that Reagan really got this
going. But this kind of thing is always true. All
presidents build on the achievements and the
conditions set by their predecessors. Nobody
comes in a total vacuum. But your apparent
attempt to deny that Clinton deserves ANY
credit for this economy is, I believe total folly.
Sure, the groundwork was in place when Clinton
arrived. And yes- Alan Greenspan absolutely
deserves tons of credit. But to deny that
Clinton's economic team has been excellent,
including Robert Rubin (I hope I have the name
right)- [You've got it right -ed.] widely
considered one of the best Treasury secretaries
the nation has had in years- detracts from
your credibility. Just because you don't care for
Clinton does not mean everything he does is
wrong.
Next point- You ask why Clinton still gets
such high approval ratings. Part of that started
after the disastrous impeachment attempt, which
many people recognized was blatantly political.
Clinton's polls rose quite sharply during that
time. However, I am a little surprised that you
seem to be unaware that Presidents's approval
ratings are ALWAYS high as long as the
economy is good. This was been true over and
over again. If the economy were bad, then so
would be Clinton's ratings. The economy is
good- therefore, Clinton is healthy. Real simple.
You mention the disastrous foreign policy-
there are certainly things you may not like about
his foreign policy- I for one would like to see
him be tougher with North Korea. However-
disastrous? Worse than that of other Presidents,
such as Reagan, Bush, or Jimmy Carter? Perhaps
you can explain what has been disastrous, rather
than simply something you don't like? And why
do you think it has been particularly worse than
any other President?
The other problems you mention are
certainly serious problems. However, since you
don't want to give credit to Clinton for the
good economy, because it really started before
he entered office, I am somewhat surprised to
see you attempt to give him credit for all of these
serious problems. Are you seriously claiming that
they all started with Clinton? If they started
before Clinton, why do you give Clinton the
credit? You didn't do that with the economy. I
do absolutely agree with you about failure to
enforce current gun laws. It makes me sick to
think of what people get away with, when it's
even illegal. But I am extremely unaware that
earlier administrations did any better or different.
I didn't think that ANYBODY had enforced the
current laws. Maybe you could explain why you
think that earlier administrations had enforced
gun laws better than the present one. Perhaps
you could explain why the decline of public
education began only with Bill Clinton, as you
are implying, and that earlier administrations
somehow did a better job of protecting public
education? I am simply unaware of how much
better things were with previous administrations,
but maybe I am stupid. Since you clearly despise
Clinton quite a bit, I should possibly make clear
that I am not defending Clinton a bit in my above
letter. What I am protesting against is the
imbalance of your letter- saying that all bad
things are because of Clinton, and all good things
must have started before he came into office.
Other than the Monica affair, Clinton does not
seem to have been any better or worse than most
other presidents.
Marc Franco (66)
- 61 -
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #62 ~ May 7, 2000`
New Archive Site:
http://THE.SANDBOX.tripod.com
"Friendship should be more than
biting Time can sever."
- T.S. Elliot
(1888 - 1965)
Look Who's Talking Here Today:
"I continue to watch our maverick from
Arizona and his references to his three step
program to recover from his lost bid for the
nomination..."
- Steve Carson `58
"Richland was not just a place of the
Cunningham's, [Happy Days TV family].
Richland is also a place where some very
serious decisions were made that will affect
many generations to come."
- Verla Farrens Gardner `61
"....how good Social Security could be, if
only one change were made, and that change is
to jerk the Golden Fleece retirement out from
under the Senators and Congressmen, and put
them in Social Security, with the rest of us..."
- Maren Smyth `64
"...If this is a goal to which some of you
would care to aspire..." (A Challenge)
- John Allen `66
"To put away one's past, is to put away part
of one's self. All of our experiences, for good
or ill, are what makes us who we are, TODAY.
- Michael West Rivers `68
"What a shameful scene it was that Saturday
morning! America, we must wake up."
- Ramona Miller `54
~ ~ ~
The SANDBOX, Issue #62 Salutes:
The Columbia/RHS Class of 1962
To get to their website, go to ALL Bomber Alumni Links:
http://www.bigfoot.com/~RichlandBombers
And click on 1962. You will find:
Class Roster, E-mail List, Graduation Portraits,
Pre-RHS Pictures of 62 Grads, "Help Identify
Mystery Bombers," 1962 Memorial page, Photo
Gallery, 1962 In History.
~ ~ ~
Here's More of What We're Talking About Today:
Subj: McCain
From: Steve Carson 58
SteveNitro@aol.com
I continue to watch our maverick from Arizona
and his references to his three step program to
recover from his lost bid for the nomination. If I
recall correctly the first step was denial, the
second anger and the third acceptance. His tone
on the Sunday morning programs was more
statesman like than anything he said during his
rocket ride in the campaign. I don't doubt his
sincerity and believe he is a good man. Perhaps
the May 9th meeting with the Gov. Bush will
bring him the peace he needs to get back on the
team and control his temperament.
- Steve Carson 58 -
~ ~ ~
Subj: The Nuclear Age: Our Heritage?
From: Verla Farrens Gardner '61
Verla@bctonline.com
Yes, I agree Jay, [Siegel-61] the desert does cool
off in the evening Growing up on the desert I
used to take a sweater with me in the evenings
during the summer on the East coast - but not
for long.
I have lived on the East coast, (Washington,
DC) and traveled to South Carolina many times
(my first husband's home) and lived in the
Midwest (Kansas City, MO). The weather is
considered a noncontroversial item to discuss
with people - but maybe not.
There has only been one snide remark to arrive at
my home address by someone who did not really
want to identify themselves - I love the people
but not the product. My parents were sheep
ranchers, I was born in Hermiston. My parents
worked hard to make a living off the land until
they were 45. Finally they came to Richland to
make a living from a product they did not believe
was justified. Oh, I have heard the high ground
and the low ground of nuclear. I have been
ripped a good one by many when asked where I
graduated from high school. It was like I
personally dropped a bomb on Japan.
My point is that Richland was not just a place of
the Cunningham's. (Happy Days TV family)
Richland is also a place where some very
serious decisions were made that will affect many
generations to come. Too often, I feel,
Richlandites gloss over the fact that the
mushroom cloud began in our back yard. Like
Mr. Rogers says, "You build one missile and I
build two." and on and on - any Richland graduate
is capable of doing the math. I have traveled in
Japan and also loved the people.
What part of our heritage is entwined in the grave
decision made to enter the world in the use of
nuclear weapons and power? Are nuclear
power and weapons good for the world today?
It is like, growing up in Richland, we do not talk
about the "stuff" in the back yard. Richland is
like many a place - there is murder, hatred,
incest, domestic violence, child abuse and, yes,
there are MANY MANY good people. Maybe I
am one of a few with sorrow in my heart that the
nuclear age is here. Does no one have remorse
for being part of letting the seepage begin...
It would be fitting in my mind to say, on entering
Richland - "and forgive us, Holy Father, for the
sins committed here.....
- Verla Farrens Gardner '61
~ ~ ~
Subj: Put Congress on Social Security
From: Maren Smyth `64
vegas68@cheerful.com
So that any who don't, may know...
Our Senators and Congressmen don't pay in to
Social Security, and, of course, they don't collect
from it. The reason is that they have a special
retirement plan that they voted for themselves
many years ago. For all practical purposes, it
works like this. When they retire, they continue
to draw their same pay, until they die, except
that it may be increased from time to time, by
cost of living adjustments. For instance, former
Senator Bradley, and his wife, may be expected
to draw $7,900,000, with Mrs. Bradley drawing
$275,000 during the last year of her life. This is
calculated on an average life span for each. This
would be well and good, except that they paid
nothing in on any kind of retirement, and neither
does any other Senator or Congressman.
This fine retirement comes right out of the
General Fund: our tax money. While we who
pay for it all, draw an average of $1000/month
from Social Security. Imagine for a moment if
you can structure a retirement plan so desirable
that people have extra deducted so that they may
increase their own personal retirement income.
A retirement plan that works so well, that
Railroad employees, Postal Workers, and others
who aren't in it, are clamoring to get in it.
That is how good Social Security could be, if
only one change were made, and that change is
to jerk the Golden Fleece retirement out from
under the Senators and Congressmen, and put
them in Social Security, with the rest of us, and
watch how fast they fix it. If enough people
receive this, maybe one or some of them along
the way, might be able to help. How many can
YOU send it to?
- Maren Smyth `64
~ ~ ~
Subj: What Has Passed Is Still a Part of Us
From: Michael West Rivers `68
mwestr@lasvegas.net
Michael West Rivers wrote:
To Verla Farrens Gardner, ( but HEY, everyone
can READ it.) :o) I for one am sorry you feel
that way. To put away one's past, is to put away
part of one's self. All of our experiences, for
good or ill, are what makes us who we are,
TODAY. Though I admit, I have been surprised
to find so many of my old friends, who have
done just that. Parts of their lives they have just
decided to "forget" and their friends with it. "Out
of sight, out of mind." For what ever reason.
That's OK. Some things are best not to drag
-up, though it never stops "being" in the little
space allotted it in our mind. Some just had
periods of their lives, that for them, were
all-round "bad." Another has good memories of
those same times, but is cut out, because of the
"time period" it covers. They do not cease to be
MY dear and cherished friends, for I will always
have the good memory of their friendship and
companionship, in what, for me, was a "good"
time. So, they will stay in my mind and heart, my
friend.
As for Richland being a "hot and barren land," it
may perhaps be. Though it is not NEARLY so
HOT and BARREN as Las Vegas and it's
people are "real." Their reality deals with
reality.
On to what seems to be the crux of the matter:
It would seem that you are "hang'n" with
people who would have you deny your very
existence. And it doesn't take a history buff,
(which I am), to stop and say, "I've heard THAT
song before."
Surrounded by those who do not approve, of this
or that, who "take a stand," and you also want
to take a stand, but CAN'T, or you think you
can't, without denial. I believe those you wish to
deny, would refer to this as "plausible denial,"
A "prepared statement," to the affect that you
had no "choice" in the matter. Your parents
were\ there, so you were, in effect, "forced" to
be born there, and should not be held
accountable for your parents actions. (This
statement, only to be used, if someone discovers,
your "secret.") I would agree with you about tax
payer's money being spent in large quantities
there, and a lot of OTHER places. And I might
add, a lot of the money the Government spends,
IS wasted. Who needs a "toilet seat" that costs
$2,700.00 (heard that somewhere) and isn't even
GOLD, doesn't work any better than a "cheaper
model" and probably didn't come in a "designer"
color. I won't even go into a hammer's cost and
maintenance. But, that is NOT the point. The
point IS, that without the spending (and the
waste that goes with it), we would not be able to
have the opportunity to have this exchange, via
e-mail. We would not be able heat our TV
dinner in the micro wave. (Hey, I'm still single)
None of us, would be able to get our daily dose
of nostalgia, while reading the Alumni
Sandstorm. (Heaven forbid, not THAT.) We
would not have MOST of the "good" things we
have (along with the accompanying "bad" things)
and use every day. And many of these are, "bi-
products" of inventions and innovations hit upon
while spending (and perhaps wasting some)
taxpayer money.
As you have seen these pages, I suspect that there
is "something" there, deep down inside, hidden
away, that makes you "want to remember" the
"good things." It may be that in your denial, you
have your commuter disguised as something
else, and you are "secretly" viewing this site,
from the privacy of your bathroom or even a
"hidden room" in your basement, lest any
discover your, "awful and shameful past". :o) As
for me, I am PROUD to have been born in
Richland. In fact, if it hadn't been for Richland
and the reason it was built, I and many who
were born there would not have been born at all;
for my parents and many others, met in Richland.
With all the good and bad, ups and downs in my
life, that make up my being; I wouldn't trade or
deny my birth place and it's accompanying
memories for ANYTHING!
OK, guess I'm finished there. For those of you
who have heard- (I don't know from whom, or
perhaps I do...) or just "ASSUMED." My
brother is NOT, an only child! On that "WB"
thing: Now I always figured it stood for "woulda
been," but I've seen a "wanna be" in there and
that makes me feel so "LOW," "CHEAP" and
all-round "COMMON." So, how's 'bout we just
think of it as "WARNER BROTHERS," COOL
cartoons them. Now, I'm finished here, except to
say, Maren, "the checks in the mail."
- Michael West Rivers `68
(WARNER BROTHERS)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Let's Focus On The Issues
From: John Allen ‘66
Reply-to: miles2go@cheerful.com
I was somewhat discouraged to see that in the
most recent issue of the Sandbox, my challenge
to write only about issues and leave the names of
other Sandbox contributors aside, was unable to
be met. However, I am willing to concede that
perhaps not everyone read that pledge/challenge
in Issue 56, Part II. If this is a goal to which
some of you would care to aspire, but you are
not quite certain how to accomplish it, I
encourage you read those articles which I may
submit in the future to see exactly how it's done.
It should be relatively simple for any graduate of
RHS.
---John Allen ('66)
~ ~ ~
From: Ramona Miller `54
CADESNANA1@aol.com
Thank you, John Allen, for saying it all much
better than I could have regarding Elian. What a
shameful scene it was that Saturday morning!
America, we must wake up.
- Ramona Miller 1954
~ ~ ~
Thank you, SANDBOX contributors and readers
for your enthusiastic participation and interest!
Many of you have already sent contributions for
future editions that will be appearing soon on a
screen near you! Please send all submissions
and subscription requests (on or off) to:
sandbox@richlandbombers.com
Also, please include your class year! I always
enjoy getting together with you this way. May
all of your important challenges be met, your
obstacles overcome and your innermost goals
achieved!
-Al Parker '53 (and still learning)!
Your SANDBOX Savant
(Or something like that.)
- 62 -
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #63 ~ May 13, 2000
"To see what is in front of one's
nose is a constant struggle."
-George Orwell
(1903-1950)
Look Who's Talking Today:
"His motto has always been,
`the buck stops ANYWHERE but here."
- Barbara Barron Doyle `50
"Isolation is one of the worrisome issues of
people in today's society."
-Verla Farrens Gardner '61
"You speak of Human Rights in regard to
Cuba?? What about Children's Rights here in the
USA??"
- Sherry Nugent Dupuy `62
"I really don't know what to think of
my nation at times, especially when issues
like Elian Gonzalez come to the forefront."
- Gene Trosper `85
"Is someone sniffing the poppies on the way
to The Emerald City?!
- Michael J. Crowley `66
"Bill Clinton is and has been the very best
president in your life time."
- Andrew Eckert `54
"Clearly, after reading a conservative based
letter in The Sandbox the liberals on any given
issue see the light and undergo an immediate
conversion to the conservative point of view and
the conservative upon reading a pro Liberal
piece disavow all their past baggage and endorse
the Gore ticket in order allow this great nation to
continue with the Bill and Hillary legacy of big
government."
- Paul Webster `56
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The SANDBOX, Issue #63, Salutes:
The Columbia/RHS Class of 1963
To get to the website, go to All-Bomber-Links:
http://www.bigfoot.com/~RichlandBombers
and click on 1963
There you will find: Class Roster, E-mail
Addresses, Grade School Pictures, 35th
Reunion Picture, and lots of other good stuff,
including sports scores for the year.
~ ~ ~
Here's More of What We're Talking About Today:
Subj: Other Than Monica?
From: Barbara Barron Doyle (50)
Elyodmij@aol.com
Concerning Mr. Franco's comment that, "Other
than Monica," he hasn't done anything other
Presidents haven't done. Lying under oath and
being caught at it, depleting the military to the
point that we can't defend our shores but can
send out personnel, for indefinite time periods to
the countries involved in every military mistake
he has made the last eight years, lying to his
Cabinet and friends so they will defend him on
television (to their later embarrassment), and
hanging poor old Reno out to dry while hiding
behind her skirts. His motto has always been,
"the buck stops ANYWHERE but here."
If Gore and Mrs. Clinton are elected to office,
this country deserves everything it will get and
they will get four more years of Bubba.
Barbara Barron Doyle (50)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Sorry To Hear of Loss
From: Verla Farrens Gardner `61
kengardner@bctonline.com
Katie, I was sorry to hear of the loss of your
family's pet in such a gruesome manner. One of
the Couch's in the Portland had a similar
experience recently.
Having lived on a ranch for my early years,
animals are like people to me, each with their
own personality. I can only wonder why
someone would even want to do such an act.
Losing a family pet can be just a traumatic as
losing a family member and the grieving process
has the same route.
I watch my niece & her husband raising their
children 6 and 4 and watch with admiration.
They make it a priority to be with and there for
the children. Isolation is one of the worrisome
issues of people in today's society.
Best regards, Verla Farrens Gardner '61
~ ~ ~
Subj: What About Our Own American Children's Future?
From: Sherry Nugent Dupuy (62)
Granshery@aol.com
Let me say first that Elian is a dear child. Many
have taken him to heart. Some have taken the
Cuban-American cause to heart. Now let me say
to you who go on and on about Elian's future -
What about our own American children's future?
Why do I not see a wordy piece about these
children who are falling through the cracks of
American society? These children who will be
the ruling generation while we are in our
dotage.....these children who do not have
ANYone who loves them, (unlike Elian who has
people fighting over who loves him best), six
year olds who are murdering each other and
plotting to murder each other, helpless abused
children who are returned by the courts or
agencies to the abusive family to be tortured
further or finally killed, abandoned newborns in
dumpsters, children being shot while visiting the
National Zoo,......shall I go on? Let us clean up
our own backyard before trying to impose our
hypocritical ideas on another nation - even Cuba.
It CAN be done with one child at a time. The
money/attention/time spent by the media and
politicians (read taxpayers) on this one child
while we ignore our own. Sad. Time to come
out of that cocoon that makes you think the
American way is still the right and only way
cause something is wrong here with this picture.
Time for the fatcats in DC to hold
hearings/investigations into SOME Child
Protection Services and find out why they are
above the law, why they are not held accountable
when an abused child is returned to parents who
begin the abusing again or eventually kill
him/her. Time to find out why the courts often
just give these most horrendous of murderers a
short prison term tantamount to a slap on the
wrist. If you don't recognize this as something
far more urgent than our relations with Cuba, I
challenge you to go to:
http://grandma.simplenet.com/LittlestAngels.htm
and read as much as you can stand. These are
case histories of murdered children in this great
country.
You speak of Human Rights in regard to Cuba??
What about Children's Rights here in the USA??
Thank you for your time and attention.
Sherry Nugent Dupuy (62)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Elian and Communism
From: Gene Trosper
Reply-to: gtrosper@ez2.net
I really don't know what to think of
my nation at times, especially when issues like
Elian Gonzalez come to the forefront.
I don't know about many of you, but my family
fought against the evils of communism...in fact
our nation was joined together in fighting
communism. Today, I can't say for certain if our
nation has the same resolve to fight tyranny and
oppression.
After the "taking" of Elian on Saturday, April 22,
opinion was split even about whether the INS
should have used the force it displayed. The
numbers became a bit more skewed when the
question of whether Elian should be with his
father. 65-70% of Americans polled said yes, he
SHOULD be with his father. The unfortunate
matter of this however, is that many of those
who support a father/son reunion took on a
knee-jerk reaction by supporting Cuba and Fidel
Castro, as if they were inseparable elements for a
reunion.
V. I . Lenin used to have an interesting phrase to
describe well-intentioned people who parroted
the party line out of ignorance. He (and the
Communist Party leadership) called them "useful
idiots." In defending the reunion of Elian and
Juan Miguel Gonzalez, people are defending
Fidel Castro and Cuba's communist system,
stating that people aren't as oppressed as we
think or that just because Cuba has free health
care, it's a better place to raise children. Of
course all of this is said in reaction to those
(including myself) who merely point out that
Elian has no hope for a good future in
Cuba under it's current dictatorial regime.
Somehow, they think that arguments against
Castro and communism are synonymous with
keeping Elian here against the will of his father.
Therefore, the rationale goes, to allow Juan
Miguel his "rights" as a father (there are no
parental rights in Cuba), there must be a
vigorous defense of Cuba and it's leadership. To
do so will show the "commie-haters" as morally
bankrupt, greedy and intolerant. Unbeknownst to
them, however, they are only exposing
themselves as ignorant of the facts and as willing
pawns in a political chess match between Cuba
and the United States.
The fact that many people are engaging in such
willful defense of something they have no
knowledge of makes me wonder aloud as to the
future course of our nation. Would such an
outpouring of support for the Cuban way of life
been seen as little as 20 years ago? I sincerely
doubt it would have on such a massive scale. All
it takes is a trip to the CNN Cuba chat board to
realize the nature of what I say. People are going
so far as to proclaim Cuba as a nation much
more hospitable to human rights than the United
States!
If anyone is tempted to fall into this trap, do
yourself a favor first and research the
background of Cuba and it's leadership. Do not
immediately ignore with contempt the claims
made by Cuban exiles. Do not immediately
scorn facts such as the law which makes children
property of the state. Do not ridicule the
suffering people deal with day after day in this
communist "paradise." Don't be a useful idiot.
-Gene Trosper `85
~ ~ ~
Subj: Poppies! Poppies!
From: Michael Crowley `66
Reply-to: mdacrow@enteract.com
Oak Park, IL, 26 April 2000
Regarding John Allen's latest
tirade-masked-as-commentary ("A NATION
TURNING INTO TIN MEN," #61), let me see if
I get this right:
I have a daughter, Amy, whom I take to Cannon
Beach. One day while swimming together I
drown, but she, hapless child, clings to a
floatable device, and is washed down the coast
to Manzanita. Luckily, John is there, rescues
her, learns her identity, and takes her away to his
home in Portland.
News of this dramatic rescue reaches my
erstwhile wife Debora, ('64) back in Chicago.
When she demands her daughter back, John
refuses, citing Debora's residence in Chicago, an
obvious hotbed of un-American sentiment, as
witness its subservience to and oppression by a
Democratic mayor. No, he will provide my
daughter with Truth, Justice and The Republican
Way, values far superior to the (obviously poor,
by virtue of their venue) family values which
Debora claims to want to continue to provide.
The battle between Illinois and Oregon escalates
to the federal courts, who, in their wisdom (well
OK, John, their unfettered power), says that
Amy must remain in Oregon until the interstate
custody battle between the evil Illinois and the
beneficent Oregon is settled. Debora flies to
Portland, produces documentation of her
parenthood, and wins an amazing Oregon state
court order (based on foolishly inadequate laws)
to regain custody. In carrying out its lawful
order, the Multnomah County Sheriff arms its
deputies against former Ranger John's
proclaimed duty to rid America of "bad" people,
and, in a three minute pre-dawn raid, rescues Amy
and returns her to Debora. Only John's
pride is hurt.
Debora and Amy retire to a cabin above
Multnomah Falls to await the legal denouement,
where Debora uses a digital camera and
Microsoft Photo Editor to create doctored
"photos" of Amy ostensibly happy to be back
with her Mom. John sees this as confirmation of
his previously undocumented claims of poor
parenting, proclaiming no decent parent would
use a Microsoft product in the company of
minors.
All these weeks the Oregonian keeps the story on
the front page, but the public is tiring. Is this
because they have no HEART, or because they
do, and are merely siding with the parent over
the rescuer?
Is someone sniffing the poppies on the way to
The Emerald City?!
- Michael J. Crowley
Bomber-might-of-been - '66
~ ~ ~
Subj: The Best President In Your Life Time
From: Andrew Eckert (54)
ECKERT1108@aol.com
Nowadays, as I find I never seem to have any
time to respond to the rantings and the hate
writings of the extreme right, or more
appropriately called, vicious right. I'm always
heartened to read what most reflects my
sentiments, written by Mr. Marc Franco. We
apparently think somewhat alike and obviously
both are very intolerant of the writings from one
of the kings of sleazy, hate filled, writings. That
would be the rantings and ravings of one John
Allen. This man epitomizes the group who have
such hatred and envy of the Clinton's that no
matter what happens in this world, they will find
a way to blame the Clinton's.
Thank you. Marc. for taking the time to rebut his
hatred, showing me as well as everyone that
there are still people with some sense of decency
and with some rational clarity of thought. Bill
Clinton is and has been the very best president in
your life time, John Allen. Choke on that.
- Andrew Eckert (54)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Fair and Balanced and 100% Correct?
From: Paul Webster `56
BabLen@aol.com
I have not had the opportunity to read the
Sandbox as often as my wife so I was quite
interested in the format. The thing I find most
fascinating is how fair and balanced the letters
are. I am amazed at how blessed we were in
Richland to be endowed with the intellectual
honesty to be 100% correct on any subject we
decide to write about. Clearly, after reading a
conservative based letter in the Sandbox the
liberals on any given issue see the light and under
go an immediate conversion to the conservative
point of view and the conservative upon reading
a pro Liberal piece disavow all their past
baggage and endorse the Gore ticket in order
allow this great nation to continue with the Bill
and Hillary legacy of big government. Since I
have been away from Eastern Washington for
such a long period I find myself suffering from
intellectual doubt on some issues, albeit very
few. Is it possible that Fish or Power, Elian's fate
in the United States, or any of the special interest
presentations I have read may have more than
one correct answer? God forbid. Would I be a
communism because I believe the Cuban boy
should be with his surviving parent? Or should
we require the Pro Power group to spawn with
the salmon to better understand their plight?
Having said all of this it reminds me of a quote I
keep over my desk that I am forced to look at
when I believe I have all the answers to very
devise issues.
("Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes
your time and annoys the pig.")
- Paul Webster (56)
- 63 -
***************************************
***************************************
********************************************
THE SANDBOX ~ Issue #64 ~ May 27, 2000
"They say a reasonable amount of flees is good
fer a dog--- keeps him from broodin' over bein' a
dog,"
- Richard Bethell, Lord Westbury
(1800-1873)
Look Who's Talking Today!
"It is a well known fact that our founding
fathers went to great lengths to eliminate the
privileged class such as the royals and nobility.
However, in recent years the Congress has been
working very hard to defeat that notion...They
have now taken on the airs of Dukes and
Duchesses."
- Lee Johnson '55
"We had something great in Richland, ... Our
churches were "United Protestant". Our teachers
were of a quality beyond compare. We could
leave our doors unlocked and our bicycles laying
on the front yard. We could stay out until
midnight on those warm summer nights."
- Jay Siegel '61
"Discovery has a momentum of its own and
the only difference, [had we not gotten there
first,] would be that the Nuclear Age would have
started in another country, probably Japan, which
even had a bomber on the drawing board to
deliver their weapon a one-way distance to New
York City."
Burt Pierard '59
~ ~ ~
"Elian's mother lost her life trying to bring her
son to a country where he would be able to have
some personal "rights." ... Politics had NO
business being involved in this "family matter."
Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy, '65
~ ~ ~
"A big brown bear is entering the clearing just
a few yards from me. He's sitting down now,
looking around. Must be about 450 lbs or so.
He seems to be taking an interest in me."
- Al Parker '53
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The SANDBOX, Issue #64, Salutes:
The Col-Hi/RHS Class of 1964
To get to the '64 Home Page, go to:
All-Bomber-Links-
http://www.bigfoot.com/~RichlandBombers
When you click on 1964, you will find:
Class of '64 Grade School Pictures and links to:
The Year 1964, 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, Year
Reunions, Pictures & Stuff , 35th Year Reunion
Memory Book Update and Some '64 gatherings.
Also, go to the Then And Now ~ Website by
Terry Liechty to see Before and After pictures of
1964 Class members and other great pictures.
The '64 Home Page is maintained by Maren
Smyth, '64.
Maren maintains sites for a lot of other
classes also, and could use a hand with some of
them! Let her know if you are interested in
helping out! Mail to: Vegas68@cheerful.com
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's more of what we're talking about today:
Subj: Congress: Extra Special People?
From: Lee Johnson '55
BeegByte@aol.com
I must take up my pen and support Maren's
assertion that the Congress has set themselves
up as extra special people. One of the many
things is by having an exclusive, overly generous
retirement scheme designed to enrich themselves
at public expense.
It is a well known fact that our founding fathers
went to great lengths to eliminate the privileged
class such as the royals and nobility. However,
in recent years the Congress has been working
very hard to defeat that notion by setting
themselves separate from a number of laws and
dipping into the public funds. They have now
taken on the airs of Dukes and Duchesses.
- Lee Johnson '55
~ ~ ~
Subj: Why the guilt?
From: Jay Siegel '61
jazfuchsias@prodigy.net
RE: "The Nuclear Age: Our Heritage?"
by Verla Farrens Gardner (61)
(As seen in issue #62 or The SANDBOX)
No Verla, there is no need for us to ask for His
forgiveness for having been a part of the
manufacture of one of the bombs dropped on
Japan nor for the part played in ushering in the
"Nuclear Age".
I spent many years stationed in Iwakuni, Japan
only about 20 k from Hiroshima. I have met
people who were there when the bomb was
dropped, people who lost relatives and people
who had no connection other than being
Japanese. I have been spat upon, cursed at,
hugged and shared tears with Japanese
Nationals. The loss of life and property was sad-
but the number of lives saved was miraculous! It
was summed up for me by a retired Japanese
Major: I had met his daughter at an English Club
that I taught at and was invited over to their
home for dinner. I was met at the gate to their
yard by her mother who told me that it was not
possible for me to have dinner there. We went
down and had dinner there. As we talked, I was
told that her father, who had been in the Army
during the war would not allow Americans into
the house. Our friendship continued and her
mother attended some of the English Club
meetings. The Japanese decided to throw a party
for the last meeting that I attended before we
rotated back to the States. Hiroko and her
mother were there, accompanied by a very
distinguished gentleman - I guessed him to be her
father. As we sat talking, English Clubs were
actually coffee klatches, Hiroko came up with
her father and introduced us. I bowed and then
extended my hand to shake hands (it was our
club's symbol of the joining of the cultures). He
paused, then extended his hand to me, and with
tears in his eyes and in very broken English made
this statement to me: "I have been a fool! I have
blamed you for my own stupidity! I could not
accept that the act that my country committed
against yours was neither justified nor
reasonable. I could not accept that, by attacking
Pearl Harbor, we committed a grievous act that
could only be interpreted by the people of the
United States as a most dishonorable thing! Yet
you and most of the United States Marines here
in Iwakuni have forgiven us!
By dropping the bombs on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, you saved my life and the lives of most
of our military, we were already planning a final
and honorable stand to the death on our Home
Land. I, my wife and children are alive today
because of those horrible days. The losses were
sad, I lost friends that day (when the bomb was
dropped on Hiroshima), but I now know that
single act was one of the most honorable ever
performed by man. Please accept my humble
thanks and forgive me my arrogance."
I can no longer remember his name, only the
strength and courage that he showed. I wanted
to hug him, but instead bowed and told him in
Japanese that he was welcome. He and his wife
left shortly thereafter, but Hiroko told me that he
had spent the past three months learning the
English in order to put his feelings into words
that I could understand. I have stored them in my
heart forever, and when I see demonstrators in
Japan or the States complaining about Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, in bring up the image of that man
and know "the rest of the story".
As for the ecological mess that has been created
at Hanford: that too will pass. As man grows in
skills and technology, we tend to focus upon the
immediate results - that is human. We try to
foresee any impact upon our world, but we are,
alas, nearsighted. It is not just with radioactive
materials, it is with everything. But by realizing
the good - the number of cancer patients whose
lives have been saved by radiation treatment, for
instance; and working to eliminate the bad, we
will continue to grow.
I hold those memories of early Richland precious
because they were very special - more idyllic
than many lives, but special because we were
given an insight into what is possible for a
community to be like. The saddest part is that the
world continues to drift away from that existence
that we knew. There is too little forgiveness and
to much recrimination.
We had something great in Richland, something
that was caused by "the product". Our churches
were "United Protestant". Our teachers were of a
quality beyond compare. We could leave our
doors unlocked and our bicycles laying on the
front yard. We could stay out until midnight on
those warm summer nights.
Our goal should be to pass those good things on
to our children and their children. The bad is
there, just as there is evil in the world. It is not to
be ignored, but neither should it be honored by
making it more important than the good.
God gave us this world to oversee - He knew that
we would do a terrible job of it, but He had
enough faith in us to keep us around. He didn't
have to save Noah and his family but He did. We
need to make use of the tools that He gave us: an
open mind and a loving heart. We need to try to
make this world more like that Richland.
We have seen what the future can be: what we do
with that insight is up to us.
- Jay Siegel (61)
~ ~ ~
Subj: A Richland Bomber and Proud of It
>From Burt Pierard '59
BPierard98@aol.com
RE: "The Nuclear Age: Our Heritage?"
by Verla Farrens Gardner (61)
(As seen in issue #62 or The SANDBOX)
The overall tone of your submission appears to
promote the preposterous concept that if the
Manhattan Project had not occurred, somehow
the Nuclear Age would not have happened. In
light of the fact that 3 other countries (Germany,
Japan & USSR) were simultaneously working on
the same objective, it is absurd to assume that
scientific discovery would have stopped if the
U.S. had not participated. Discovery has a
momentum of its own and the only difference
would be that the Nuclear Age would have
started in another country, probably Japan, which
even had a bomber on the drawing board to
deliver their weapon a one-way distance to New
York City.
I, for one, am sick and tired of people trying to
make me ashamed of my devoutly patriotic
parents for uprooting their lives and moving to
Hanford Camp (1944) with all the basic living
hardships, to work on an "important war job"
(quote from the duPont recruiting booklet). My
Dad rapidly became a community activist,
embarking on many projects to improve morale
in Richland Village and make the community
more "livable." These projects included, among
other things, Charity Drives, War Bond Sales
Drives, Richland Days Parade Chairman, and
building The Co-Ordinate Club clubhouse to
provide a social club for the non-Corps of
Engineers (they had the Castle Club) residents.
I am not only, not ashamed of my parents and
town, but I'm damn proud of them and the whole
unique experience.
In response to your statement about crime in
Richland, I originally assumed you came to town
after the essentially crime-free early days of the
40's & 50's (before the turnover & influx of
outsiders) but I've been informed by somebody
who knew you that you were here and should
have remembered (maybe a Senior Moment?).
In any event, the official crime statistics for
1945, 1946, & 1947 were: zero murders or
major crimes of violence, one traffic fatality,
juvenile delinquency 70% below the national
average, zero relief roll, no vagrants and two
suicides. The most remarkable statistic is that
the City's two jail cells never held a prisoner.
I'm sorry your Richland experience was such a
bummer and you feel you must conceal your
origin, but for me, I'm a RICHLAND BOMBER
and proud of it.
- Burt Pierard (59)
~ ~ ~
Subj: Why Did They Have To Interfere?
From: Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy, '65
Me12147@aol.com
Concerning the matter of Elian Gonzalas, I only
want to ask, WHY the government, Reno, & the
INS felt it necessary to interfere at all?! In my
humble opinion, Elian's mother lost her life trying
to bring her son to a country where he would be
able to have some personal "rights." The fact that
he survived when his mother didn't makes me
believe that her wishes for her son's safety should
have been considered first and foremost. She
gave her life so that Elian would have a chance
for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I
can think of absolutely no instances where the
"head" of a country, and the powers that be in
another country, have stepped to the forefront
and DEMANDED the right to decide what is
best for this young boy, or any other child. This
was/is a civil matter that should've had the
chance to be decided by Elian's FAMILY, not
the governments of either country! For Reno to
claim that they had no other options is/was bull
puckey. If the father is this wonderful, warm, and
loving parent that the governments of two
countries are trying to sell us on, then WHY did
it take four months for him to voice any concern
about having his son returned? What kind of
circumstances can any of us conceive of that
would bring two governments well into the
limelight to correct? Would Clinton or any other
president of this here United States of America
DEMAND the return of one of our children if
the rolls were reversed? I think not. Politics had
NO business being involved in this "family
matter."
- Mari (Leona Eckert) Leahy, class of 1965
~ ~ ~
Subj: I Have Fond Memories of Richland and
Washington State, But Pennsylvania Ain't Too Bad!
From: Al Parker '53
Adamstreet@aol.com
I'm enjoying my first prelude to summer here
in Western Pennsylvania, having recently moved
here from Washington State. How unique and
wonderful it is to me to see wild turkeys
running across the road, deer chasing each other
across the driveway, ducks coming up from the
river to be fed, wild rabbits gathering in the yard.
Chipmunks are all over the place and I am
watching lanky black squirrels jumping from tree
to tree as I rest in this carpeted fern-laden forest
mixed with conifers, oak, maple and other
deciduous growth. Wild flowers abound. Blue
Jays, woodpeckers, robins, and tiny red-winged
things are maneuvering, knocking on wood, and
flitting about. Sunlight streams down filtered,
through the leaves and branches overhead while
bird songs fill the air. A hawk is soaring high
above and humming birds are hovering.
Dusk is drawing near. Soon I will hear a rousing
chorus of frogs and crickets emanating from
down the river a piece. One night soon, I will
view the lightning bugs with delight and
wonderment. Perhaps, when they come, I shall
capture some of their light in my hand.
Awesome! A big brown bear is entering the
clearing now, just a few yards from me.
Must weigh about 450 pounds. He's sitting
down now, looking around. He seems to be
taking an interest in me...
Bye...gotta go now!
- Al Parker '53
Thank you everyone for you interest and con-
tributions, and thank you also for all the items
you've already sent for Issue number 65 of The
SANDBOX!
Please include your class year, first name, former
last name (if changed), and current last name
with all submissions and (on or off) subscription
requests and send them to:
sandbox@richlandbombers.com
With great regard for all of you,
-Al Parker '53
Your Sandbox Moderator In Residence
(Or something like that.)
- 64 -
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End of JAN thru MAY, 2000
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
MAR thru DEC, 1999 ~ JUNE thru AUG, 2000