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THE SANDBOX Archive ~ 2001 (part 1 of __)
JAN, 2001 ~ #119, #120, #121
FEB, 2001 ~ #122,
#51, #52
MAR, 2001 ~ #53, #54, #55, #56, #57
APR, 2001 ~ #58, #59, #60, #61
MAY, 2001 ~ #62, #63, #64
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue 119 ~ January 17, 2001
"All words are pegs to hang ideas on."
-Henry Ward Beecher-
Catching Up:
The SANDBOX is back after a short timeout enabling your
moderator to catch up on a number of essential business
and family matters with very positive results. (Yes,
Virginia, I do have another life, and am enjoying it
thoroughly!) Your invitation to share with all of us your
ideas, opinions and personal experience continues! May I
extend my apologies to those whose entries have been kept
on hold during the interim. It will take a few issues to
get caught up on all your valuable contributions. Even if
inspired by events since past, your thoughts are no less
worthy now. May they, as well as you, long endure the
inevitable test(s) of time.
Alumnily yours,
Al Parker
Your Sandbox Host
~ ~ ~
Contents:
Nuclear Energy
by Sandra Genoway (Jeneaué-Spruksts) ('62)
My Final Word on the Subject
by Kathy Hodgson Lucas (76)
The Bomber Name
by: Ray Stein (64)
Crap Still Flows; Fish Still Swim
by: Bob (Mike Clowes) Carlson '54
---------------------------------------------------
Subj: Nuclear Energy
From: Sandra Genoway (Jeneaué-Spruksts) ('62)
fashdes@prodigy.net
Re: Power Plants
With the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant in Oregon and the
WPPSS Plants Nos. 3 & 4 at Satsop in Washington State
closed down, and with too few new power plants or sources
developed in California in the past ten to twenty years,
we are now having to pay exorbitant prices for electrical
energy. I do not quite understand why natural gas energy
has gone up, first. Of course, some of our energy costs
increases this year here in the Pacific NW is due to lack
of sufficient rain fall to fill up the rivers where the
electrical producing-dams are located.
Perhaps we should contact our legislators in Olympia and
ask them if it would not be prudent to try to attract
more clean energy-producing industries to come to
Washington State (and, also, start up the Satsop plants).
We could ask for legislation that would be more favorable
to these types of industries and businesses in the form
of tax reform, etc. Or, I guess we could all do a rain
dance, and pray, a lot!
-Sandra Genoway ('62)-
~~~~
Subj: My Final Word on the Subject
From: Kathy Hodgson Lucas (76)
KATHLUC@aol.com
To Marc Franco (66) re Issue 115
Geesh, this is getting out of hand. The original reason
for my entering the Sandbox fray in the first place was
to address the tone of certain letters, specifically,
your Issue 102 entry re Mary Ray Henslee's remarks about
jet planes running out of fuel. Granted, it is hard to
read expression in the written word, but I felt the
sarcasm oozing from some of your statements and you
accused Mary of hysteria. I simply replied that Mary had
a valid point and that contradictory evidence exists in
the question of global warming. I never said that we
need do nothing about it, I merely questioned foregone
conclusion. I called your tone hysterical, not your
arguments. In your Sandbox entry of Issue 108, you,
yourself, commented that you sounded hysterical. In my
Sandbox entry of Issue 109, I stated that steps have been
and are being taken by the United States to reduce and
hopefully eventually eliminate potential global warming
contributions, but asked exactly how drastic of measures
should be taken at this point, when we have only a 60%
consensus of the scientific community that global warming
is probably taking place, but have no proof. That said,
I reiterate that I never stated that we need be doing
nothing, as you have implied. I also dispute the premise
that previous Administrations have done nothing to
address the problem. The question is not whether we take
any steps at all to reduce global warming, it is how big
and fast of steps to take.
I rather enjoy some of the Sandbox entries as
informative, but more and more seem to digress into
personal hostility. I chose to jump into the fray when
you accused Mary of an hysterical diatribe, but also
chose to stay plumb out of Harry Potter (talk about
hostile!) and Homosexuality. My only point was that one
shouldn't accuse another of something that they
themselves are displaying. The environmental discussion
was a side issue, but while we're on the subject.... Some
recommended reading for the better informed:
"The Heated Rhetoric of Global Warming" by
Jerry Taylor, Cato Institute "Climate of Fear: Why
We Shouldn't Worry About Global Warming" by
Thomas Gale Moore, "Global Warming: The
Origin and Nature of the Alleged Scientific
Consensus" by Richard S. Lindzen, MIT, "Hot Air
on Global Warming," Detroit News Online,
11/29/00, "A Decade of Hot Air" by Patrick J.
Michaels, Cato Institute "Greenhouse Warming:
Fact, Hypothesis or Myth? by Douglas V Hoyt,
"Global Warming Research Still Rife with
Uncertainties," American Institute of Physics,
"Greenhouse Forecasting Still Cloudy," Science,
5/16/00, and "Trashing the Planet" by Dixie Lee
Ray, (my favorite Democrat),
Again, I do not contend that global warming does not
exist, I merely question the extent to which we should
act (read: panic). I rest my case.
--Kathy Hodgson Lucas (76)
~~~~
Subj: The Bomber Name
From: Ray Stein (64)
raystein@uswest.net (Ray Stein)
To Robert Shipp (64) and Burt Pierard (59)
Thanks to both of you for your inputs to the Sandstorm
regarding the origins of the name "Bombers". In Robert's
article, Dale Gier goes public with his recollection that
the name came from the Day's Pay plane. I know from the
Sandstorm that other alum from that time period (i.e.
Mary Triem Mowery (47)) are just as adamant that the name
"Bombers" refers to the atomic bomb. Burt's submission
refers to a Villager article (9/13/45) that says the
Bomber football team will be called the "Atomizers" or
the "Bombers." Burt also refers to the 45'-46' Col-Hi
yearbook as further evidence that the namers had the
atomic bomb in mind.
Now part of me says lets not start this up again, there's
too many people that get all fired up about this topic
and want to toss in a discussion of the mushroom cloud as
well. But, Robert and Burt have set a very calm and
factual tone, so I thought I would give some of my
opinions as well.
The first time I saw the Day's Pay mural, I was at a
class reunion function. I remember talking with my old
neighbor Jim Vache (64). Our conversation went something
like this: "Where did this Day's Pay plane come from?",
"The Bomber name came from the atomic bomb," "Who is
rewriting history?," "Are they trying to sanitize the
past?"
I held that opinion until 3 yrs. ago when I talked to a
friend of mine, who happened to be a Col-Hi Alum. I
asked Pat Green (48) about the Bomber name, and she
related a story similar to what Dale Gier said, that is,
the name was changed during the 44'-45' school year as a
result of the contributions of Hanford workers to buy a
plane. I asked her if she had any yearbooks and she
showed me annuals from 45'-46,' 46'-47.' and 47'-48.'
There was no 44'-45' annual, just a collection of
pictures that were copied and put together years later.
Now, Burt is correct, the theme of the 45'-46' annual is
the atomic bomb. There are drawings of atoms and such,
as well as a drawing of a plane. Also true however, is
the fact that there is absolutely no mention of a name
change from Beavers to Bombers. There is a page that
chronicles the events of the 45'-46' school year, but no
mention of the name change. There is a section that
talks about the atomic bomb and Hanford, but nothing that
says the name "Bombers" is derived from the atomic bomb.
So if the name change occurred in the 45'-46' school
year, why was it completely ignored in the annual? Since
the theme of the annual was the atomic bomb, wouldn't you
think there would be some mention of a Bombers-Atomic
Bomb connection? I must say that there is also no
mention of a Bombers-Plane connection either. I looked
at the 46'-47' and the 47'-48' annuals and I found
references to coaches as "pilots" (count one for the
plane); but also there was, I believe, the first picture
of our beloved bomb (count one for the bomb).
Now, I certainly don't want to disparage the memories of
any alums. I know my classmates (64) and I couldn't even
remember whether we graduated indoors or outdoors (till
we saw the pictures). I like what Robert Shipp said,
that he doesn't care what the origins of the name, he'll
always be proud to be a Bomber - me too! I plan to look
at the Villager microfilms when I get to Richland,
especially the article from 9/13/45. So call me
skeptical, call me "plane" stupid, but remember an old
60's tune that said, "There ain't no good guy, there
ain't no bad guy, there's just you and me and we just
disagree."
With Bomber pride inside,
--Ray Stein (64)
~~~~~
Subj: Crap Still Flows; Fish Still Swim
From: Bob (Mike Clowes) Carlson '54
Albany, Oregon
bobsown1@hotmail.com
In issue 116, fellow classmate, Ray Wells (54), posed
two questions. I will pose two answers, they may not be
the right ones, and they may flow against the tide.
Anyway, here goes.
1. Yes, Ray, the crap does flow from the Willamette
into the Columbia, where it is no doubt joined by the
crap from Camas-Washougal, all of which joins the crap
from Longview-Kelso and Saint Helens. Surprisingly,
salmon do seem to be able to swim past. At least some of
them do, if the count at Bonneville is anything to go by.
It is probably not too healthy for them, but they do
survive. I have heard that spawning salmon don't care
too much about eating along the way. This may be an old
fisherman's tale to explain why he didn't catch any.
Some progress has been made, but unfortunately, from
about Oregon City to the mouth things happen to the river
that have been going on for at least three decades and
maybe longer. Attempts are still being made to clean the
river up, and in parts it is in fair shape; not as
pristine as it was before Lewis and Clark, but not too
bad.
2. Probably the reason "Doctor John, Governor Man"
doesn't do much about cleaning up his own river is that
the subject is a political hot potato. It is in his own
back yard, so to speak, whereas the Snake River dams he
doesn't like are mainly in Washington. On the other
hand, with the exception of Tom McCall, no governor of
the state has taken up the challenge of cleaning up the
Willamette. They do give lip service to the idea, but
they don't want to get on the bad side of anyone who
opposes the idea. Most of those in opposition are either
the big paper mills or some of the bigger farmers in the
valley.
During Tom McCall's tenure a "greenway" project was
established for the purpose of restoring the river. It
still functions, but not without a struggle to remain
alive in a war against those mentioned above and the
legislature (who don't see any political good).
Oh yes, the current "Guv" is a doctor, licensed and
all that. But when his term runs out, be very careful
when traveling through the Klamath Falls area. He used
to work in the emergency room in a hospital in that area.
Rumor has it that he was asked not to hang around when
any medical emergency greater than "terminal hangnail"
happened.
Hope these answers give you some insight into local
problems here in the state where Beavers rule and Ducks
suck.
That's my opinion and I'm welcome to it.
--Bob (Mike Clowes) Carlson '54 - Albany, OR
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That concludes this issue of THE SANDBOX folks. Please
include your class year and maiden name, (if applicable),
in all correspondence and subscription requests. You may
also include your current locale if you wish. It's easy
to join us in the ongoing conversations here. Just send
your comments to: THE_SANDBOX@bigfoot.com! We are the
Alumni of Richland High School, Richland Washington,
AKA Columbia High School, representing classes from 1942
through 2000. Visit the THE SANDBOX website.
Al Parker (53)
Shippenville, PA
Your SANDBOX Host
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~119~
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue 120 ~ January 24, 2001
Still Catching Up:
The SANDBOX has recently been taking a timeout to
allow your moderator catch up on other important business.
Even if inspired by events since past, your thoughts and
ideas are no less valuable, and in some cases offer great
historical perspective to all of us to consider.
Contents:
Rolling Blackouts - Could It Happen Here?
Sandra Genoway (Jeneaué) Spruksts (62)
The Rule of Law versus The Rule of Lawyers
Dick Epler (52)
Florida Supreme Court says recount rules
need to come from the Legislature
Dick Epler (52)
------------
Subj: Rolling Blackouts - Could It Happen Here?
Date Submitted: 12/25/2000
From: Sandra Genoway (Jeneaué) Spruksts (62)
fashdes@prodigy.net
[Please note date this letter was written, and what has
happened since -mod].
Dear Bombers,
Well, for all of you *not* living in the Puget Sound
region, we have been informed by our local news networks
that our temperatures will be plummeting, starting
Saturday night, and that we could also have about one or
two inches of snow. SNOW -- the word that causes panic in
every Seattle-area driver's heart. Even a few inches of
wet, icy "snow" can reek havoc, causing many slippery
slopes impossible to drive or walk on.
If that wasn't bad enough! They are also telling us that,
first, Californians will be experiencing "rolling
blackouts" due to a lack of energy supply and that,
second, that these blackouts may extend up to the Puget
Sound region. I have heard that certain "elements" of
Californians were successful in blocking the building of
enough *nuclear power plants*, and much of anything else
that can efficiently produce large-scale electrical
supply, during the 1970's, 80's and 90's, due to
environmental "concerns." So, now that California has too
many people living in it for the amount of electrical
power it produces or that it receives from states
(including Washington's WPPSS No. 2 Power Plant electrical
supply on the BPA power grid), there will be "rolling
blackouts" (periods of times when specific areas will have
the power turned off so that other areas can have power
during "peak" times) and these blackouts will also be
extending to the Puget Sound Region.
We have recently been asked by the Governor to conserve
electrical use starting Saturday, December 10, since there
will be a power shortage to California AND Washington (not
Oregon ?) when the subzero/deep freeze temperatures hit.
Also, the cost of natural gas has already gone up and will
be going up even more along with electricity. And, they
want to remove the dams on the Snake and Columbia Rivers!!
Does that make anyone suspicious, as to what is *really*
going on? I don't think it is going to help the salmon
that much if the dams are removed. There are other
processes that have yet to be tried to help the fish. All
the time that my dad (who was a biologist) worked for GE
and Battelle at Hanford while I was growing up, I never
heard that the fish numbers were decreasing because of the
dams on the Columbia River. The ranchers and farmers in
the Columbia Basin and elsewhere in Eastern Washington
will surely lose much of the irrigation water and
electrical supply they need to grow their crops, if the
dams and irrigation systems are tampered with, and I have
heard and read that they are not too happy about that
possibility.
While working at Hanford, I learned that projected future
electrical supply studies showed that more energy sources
needed to be developed, nationwide, and there were
predicted shortages, if these electrical needs were not
met. These projected needs were for predicted future
industrial and residential needs, based on an influx of
new population to Washington State, and elsewhere.
However, if there really are electrical shortages now, how
come we are just now, all of a sudden, experiencing the
blackouts? I do not recall this happening last year.
California does not have the extremes of winter
temperature ranges that Washington State has, and does not
require the same kind of electrical service. You would
think that blackouts in California would occur in the
summer during hot weather temperature peaks; not in the
winter. I guess the shortages during the winter months are
from the Northwesterners using more electricity and gas to
heat their homes and offices during cold weather
temperatures, and that puts the extra drain on the whole
BPA grid.
I know this argument has been raging for many years, about
sharing electrical and water supply with California from
our Columbia River and nuclear power plants, and I guess
some people have been afraid that this day was coming!
Sandra Genoway (Jeneaué) Spruksts (62)
~~~~~
Moderator's Note: The following two items from Dick Epler,
written earlier, give historical perspective to the recent
turbulent elective process in Florida.
Subj: The Rule of Law versus The Rule of Lawyers
From: Dick Epler (52)
depler@ortelco.net
Date Submitted: December 9, 2000
This last Friday, the Florida Supreme Court awarded Gore
383 additional votes (on top of what they previously
awarded on November 26th), reducing Bush's lead from 537
votes to 154 votes. The court then mandated an immediate
manual recount of any "undervotes" not already counted in
Florida, of which 9000 are from Miami-Dade County alone.
No one doubts this is an attempt by the Florida court to
give the election to Gore. Consider that this was all
ordered without knowing whether any of the manual recount
votes were legal (i.e., Constitutional) per the US Supreme
Court's decision. Indeed, in it's December 8th ruling, the
Florida Supreme Court didn't even mention the superior
court's set-aside ruling, which bumped the Bush lead back
up to the originally certified count of 900+ votes pending
a future ruling. Now, with the "safe harbor" date of
December 12th looming for the certification of electors,
the goal set by the Circuit Judge Lewis is to have the new
numbers to the Secretary of State by 2PM Sunday afternoon.
Presumably that provides a few hours for subsequent
judicial review by Bush (in the interests of fairness, you
know) before the electors have to be certified. The
endgame, of course, is to be ahead when the clock runs
out. However, you need to know, none of this has anything
to do with "the will of the people" or a desire to "count
every vote."
If the Democrats have their way, our President will be
determined by a relatively small collection of votes from
a fairly dysfunctional group. Here, I'm reminded of what
Einstein is reported to have said when asked his opinion
of democracy. He said: "Democracy can be a good thing, but
I'm not sure I agree with the notion that two idiots are
really better than one genius."
Perhaps it's poetic justice that in this election, Gore
might be elected by one of his own, i.e., someone
obviously technologically-challenged. Yet, I'd be
surprised if most of the Nation, Democrat and Republican
alike, aren't a little disturbed that our President could
be decided by the "undervote," i.e., where the voter's
preference was "none of the above." Worse, however, is the
implied notion that an "undervote" anywhere in the nation
will always favor a Democrat is also troubling, and I
wonder what Gore knows about these kinds of voters that I
don't. Has the Democratic Party really changed that much
in the last decade or so? Maybe, though I hope the
metamorphosis isn't totally complete.
Our founding fathers wanted a nation where the Rule of Law
prevails, rather than the Rule of Men, as was the case in
Europe in the eighteenth century. Their governing concept
was simple: A Constitution and a Bill of Rights would form
the basis for organizing a government that would preserve
certain inalienable rights for the citizens. All other law
would be subservient to this rather elegant Document. It
wasn't supposed to be perfect, but basically it worked as
intended for almost 200 years. Only recently have we begun
to deviate significantly from the Constitution. Detractors
want a "living Constitution" that can be conveniently
interpreted to fit a desired outcome. And so we have
gradually degenerated into a nation where the Rule of
Lawyers prevail rather than the Rule of Law.
It's a tradeoff. Law that is clear and unambiguous that
everyone can understand, like the Constitution and the Ten
Commandments, tends to make lots of powerful people
uncomfortable, but makes the administration of justice
relatively easy. Where the law is well known, people don't
need lawyers to settle differences. On the other hand, law
that is convoluted and confusing and hard to understand
works against those who are not members of the bar (an
inside club) while inviting selective justice. Over time,
we've gradually migrated to the latter position. Indeed,
it's gotten so bad that I doubt any of us can get through
a week without breaking numerous laws, assuming we're
involved in doing something useful. But we don't worry
because we think we're not important enough for the
authorities to prosecute. Until one day, in the middle of
the night, there's a knock on the door …
The world has been through this before. When Justinian,
the First, became Emperor, in AD 527, he found the law of
the Roman Empire in a state of great confusion, resulting
in a huge waste of human and natural resources.
Immediately after his accession, he appointed a commission
to deal with all the imperial law (called constitutions).
The 10 commissioners went through all the law, selecting
those that had practical value, cutting all the
unnecessary stuff, eliminating contradictions, and then
adapting all the provisions to the circumstances of
Justinian's time. The resulting Codex Constitutionum
(Justinian Law) was formally decreed two years later in
529, and ALL other law not included in this document was
repealed. In the interests of justice, I'm beginning to
think our Nation needs to do something like that now. But
if we don't feel the urgency, I suspect it's primarily
because we believe we can afford the resulting waste a
little longer. And yet, this election may provide some
motivation for a legislative review of our Election Law at
least in Florida. As you might guess, I have suggestions,
but I'll leave that for a later time.
Since Jim Vache (64) brought it up, it might be useful to
note the distinction between political and legal
questions. In a Republic like ours, political questions
are supposed to be resolved by that branch of Government
with the largest representation of the electorate, i.e.,
the House of Representatives. That's the branch of
government charged to make law to affect the citizenry.
The courts (whose members are appointees, not electees)
are prohibited from deciding political issues. Courts are
supposed to decide legal issues based on existing
statutes, case law, the presentation of fact (the record),
or generally some combination. In areas where statutes
conflict or new situations not previously covered arise,
judicial restraint is appropriate. That is, the court
simply decides it has no jurisdiction, implying that it
will be up to the legislature to correct.
When court activists attempt to justify the rulings of the
Florida Supreme Court to "make new election law," many
reference the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison (1803)
as establishing the doctrine of judicial review. Yes, that
Court declared a law passed by Congress as
unconstitutional, but in so doing, it also exercised
judicial restraint in refusing to usurp a power reserved
by the Constitution to the executive branch involving
political appointments (read the opinion to understand).
The Court simply said it had no jurisdiction (unlike the
Florida Supreme Court).
--Dick Epler (52)
~~~
Subj: Florida Supreme Court says recount rules need to
come from the Legislature
Date Submitted: 12/22/2000
From:
depler@ortelco.net
You may have missed this, as it wasn't widely reported,
however, today's Infobeat (Internet) news (12/22/00)
included this marvelous Associated Press item:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Developing a standard for hand
recounts of ballots is a job for state lawmakers, the
Florida Supreme Court said Friday in response to the U.S.
Supreme Court decision that ended the marathon
presidential election. Development of a "specific, uniform
standard necessary to ensure equal application and to
secure the fundamental right to vote throughout the state
of Florida should be left to the body we believe best
equipped to study and address it, the Legislature," the
court said in the unsigned opinion. Two weeks ago, the
court had given that job to a circuit judge ordered to
oversee a hand recount of some 9,000 ballots from Miami-
Dade County and the so-called "undervote" - ballots with
choices that were not read by voting machines - from all
67 counties. But 10 days ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ended
the legal struggle between Al Gore and George W. Bush by
reversing Florida's court-ordered recount of presidential
ballots.
Yes they got it right this time but it's not something
they didn't know before their December 8th ruling. The
State Court simply took a calculated gamble which failed
because of courage of the Federal Supreme Court, who
really didn't want to get involved (and shouldn't have had
to). Our Constitutional system still works, but just
barely. I sincerely hope Bush can rebuild it at all
Government levels.
--Dick Epler (52)
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That concludes this issue of THE SANDBOX folks. Please
include your class year and maiden name, (if applicable),
in all correspondence and subscription requests. You may
also include your current locale if you wish. It's easy
to join us in the ongoing conversations here. Just send
your comments to: THE_SANDBOX@bigfoot.com! We are the
Alumni of Richland High School, Richland Washington,
AKA Columbia High School, representing classes from 1942
through 2000. Visit the THE SANDBOX website.
Al Parker (53)
Shippenville, PA
Your SANDBOX Host
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~120~
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue 121 ~ January 30, 2001
"Fellow citizens, We Cannot escape history."
- Abraham Lincoln -
This Issue Reviews Recent Electoral Events With
An Eye Toward History.
Subjects and Contributors:
Dick Epler's Comments on Election Irregularities.
Peggy Hartnett (72)
Votes and Vote Counters
Bill Didway (66)
Has your Chad been Dimpled?
Andrew Eckert (54)
Fat Ladies Not Allowed to Sing
Bob (Mike Clowes) Carlson ' 54
What Has Happened to Bomber Basketball?
Richard Anderson (60)
-------------------
Subj: Dick Epler's Comments on Election Irregularities.
From: Peggy Hartnett (72)
highdesert@theriver.com (A modern hotel in a timeless town)
I read with interest that a number of illegals from Mexico
voted here in the Southwest and CA and that the
overwhelmingly voted for Gore. I can believe anything
actually but I live in a small backward town on the
Mexico-AZ border, I know many of the fine people who work
the polls, many are Hispanic in background/culture/primary
language but they are all US Citizens. So, I wonder how it
is we "know" that all those Hispanics who voted here in
the West were illegals, how it is that they got to vote
(Where I live you still have to present identification),
when one of the major "complaints" about illegals is their
problem with English and if voting is a private affair,
how do we know they voted for Gore? Just curious since no
one that I know who worked the polls has indicated there
was any such problem. And I think I need to ask a direct
question, are you suggesting that just because some
precincts with large African-American populations had very
high voter turnout there must be fraud? Perhaps those
people have a greater sense of
community/responsibility/need than our cynical minds can
imagine.
All of this leads me to want to suggest a couple of books
that, though fiction, should give us pause on where all
this information and technology that we have access to
could lead: "Cryptonomicon " by Neil Stephenson & "The
Killing Time" by Caleb Carr.
If any of you have already read them, I would love to hear
what you thought.
One last thought, go outside tonight and look up at the
stars--now that is a good way to keep an appropriate
perspective on things.
-Peggy Hartnett (72)
~~~~
Subj: Votes and Vote Counters
Date Submitted: 12/11/2000
From: Bill Didway (66)
didway bj@fidalgo.net
I think it was Joseph Stalin who said, "It is not the
voters that choose the winner but the vote counters."
~~~~
Subj: Fat Ladies Not Allowed to Sing
From: Bob (Mike Clowes) Carlson ' 54
bobsown1@hotmail.com
Date Submitted" 12/15/2000
It would seem that the Supreme Court has decided that
fat ladies are not allowed to sing in the state of
Florida; hence we'll never really know the "true" vote
count from that state. What the real surprise of the
Court's decision is that two "party" appointees bolted and
voted for the opposition. Will this mean a change in the
Court? Will the Bush kid ask these two to resign so that
he might appoint those who would adhere to the party line?
And now the hue and cry is for "voter reform" (or is it
"ballot reform")? Wouldn't the better choice be "candidate
reform"? In this particular election there was no lessor
of two evils, no "clear cut" leader, no one to whom the
populace could look at with admiration. All we got was a
lackluster, somewhat tarnished (in his own right) vice
president who thought the job should be his, and a
governor whose major claim to fame is that during his
administration his state executed more people that the
rest of the nation combined.
A friend of mine predicted that in two years it will be
difficult to find anyone who will publicly admit to voting
for Bush. I would say that in two years it will be
difficult to find anyone who will admit to having voted in
this election. And guess what the first thing we have to
look forward to will be? Tax reform. Yes, it seems that
the 1% who make the most money and pay the least taxes are
going to get yet another tax break. I truly feel sorry for
these people, think of the hardships they must face each
time April (formerly March) 15th, rolls around.
And now to more pleasant things. Oregon's illustrious
governor, who believes the Snake River dams should be torn
down, is now demanding a meeting to address the
electricity shortage in California and how it affects
Oregon and Washington. I guess he got his latest
electricity bill and saw that the cost of river water had
gone up, therefore he has to pay more for the electricity
he used. Never mind that the state of Confusion (AKA
California) deregulated power companies. It seems that
this wonderful thing, deregulation, is only capable of
driving prices up not down. Those who have been
"deregulated" only want to make as much money as they can
before they get "regulated" again.
Never mind all that, we must tear down the dams so that a
few fish can live free.
Well, that's my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.
Bob (Mike Clowes) Carlson ' 54
~~~~
Subj: What Has Happened to Bomber Basketball?
From: Richard Anderson (60)
mailto:bomber60@pobox.com
Last night (Tuesday, Dec. 19) I got to witness a result of
today's astonishing coaching philosophy: Bombers 48 -
Kamiakin 57, after overtime. Bombers scored 6 two-point
baskets in four and one half quarters of hoops — SIX!
During the first half of the game Bombers accumulated all
of 18 > points from 5 three-point baskets and 3 (somewhat
miraculous) free throws. In all the team would throw up 23
heaves at the hoop from 3-point range. This would be all
well and good if the team comprised midgets; however, the
only "midget" is a useful Stein-sized sophomore guard,
John Tierney -- the rest of the roster is all over 6 foot
(an OK starting five could be 6-2, 6-2, 6-4, 6-6, and 6-6;
what would Dawald have done with that)? So does this crew
bang away inside? Well no, it does not: from what I
observed play number "five" seemed to consist of five
(snappy) passes around the three-point arc, ending with a
heave at the basket. Does this crew look foremost for a
fast break? Well, no, it does not: having grabbed a
rebound the player carefully hands the ball over to a
guard underneath the basket and everybody proceeds up
court at a stately pace worthy of a funeral. You have just
no idea how boring this sort of thing is to watch! I'll
give the kids credit for sticking with the "program"; it
must be even more boring for them to play this style of
"basketball."
Sartorial notes: 1) Bomber home uniforms are traditional
yellow with subdued trim and an elegant Bomber mushroom
cloud logo on the left thigh of the shorts, 2) Coach would
not be out of place on the bench of an NBA team -- very
natty suit, carefully knotted tie, a real clothes horse!
Sigh.
--Richard Anderson (60), Richland
~~~~
Subj: Has your Chad been Dimpled?
Date Submitted: 12/25/2000
From: Andrew Eckert (54)
ECKERT1108@aol.com
This article was in the BBC News, on their web site.
A fascinating news site.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1086000/1086411.stm
The counting of contested ballots continue
An American newspaper which is reviewing votes in Florida
says it has uncovered evidence of irregularities which,
together with the discarded ballots, could have affected
the outcome of last month's presidential election. Having
examined just under a quarter of the ballots cast in one
county, the Miami Herald said it found nearly 150
ineligible votes, including one cast in the name of a dead
man. Many Gore supporters believe their votes weren't
counted.
Last week, the same newspaper reported that tests
conducted just before the polls opened showed that 13 out
of 20 voting machines were faulty in two of the precincts
with the highest rates of discarded votes. The Miami
Herald and other organizations have commissioned a recount
of votes excluded from the final tally and which were at
the center of the debate over the outcome of the
elections.
Both candidates needed a victory in Florida to win the
presidency - George W. Bush was declared the winner in the
state by fewer than 1,000 votes after the US Supreme Court
halted a manual recount.
An estimated 60,000 votes, or "undervotes" were excluded
from the final result across the state of Florida.
The Supreme Court put an end to hand counts A recount
undertaken for the Miami Herald in just one of the state's
67 counties indicates that Mr. Gore picked up what could
have been a decisive number of extra votes.
The Miami Herald - which endorsed Vice-president Al Gore
during the campaign -- also looked for irregularities in
Florida's most populous county, Miami-Dade.
On Sunday the newspaper reported that it had found a vote
cast by someone calling himself Andre Alisme. But Alisme
(Alis me)? died of cancer in 1997.
The paper also said it found nearly 100 ballots from
people not registered to vote, and 25 from felons with no
voting rights, as well as other irregularities.
America was divided over the recounts The investigators
suggest that if the same trend were repeated across the
county, hundreds more illegal ballots could have been
cast. The Miami Herald said antifraud rules were not
always followed because some of the poll workers were so
poorly trained that they did not know the verification
procedures.
Other possible causes were poll workers faced with
constant engaged-tones when calling the Elections
Department hotline, or feeling pressured by long queues.
The Miami Herald's investigation into the Florida vote is
expected to continue well into the New Year, possibly when
George W. Bush is already occupying the White House.
The Bush team has dismissed the exercise as "mischief-
making," and one Bush ally has proposed the ballot boxes
be sealed for 10 years. "WHY?" But the paper's executive
editor, Martin Baron, has said it is not intending to
declare who it thinks should have been declared the
winner.
"Our intent is to examine the ballots and describe in
detail what they show," Mr. Baron said. "People can come
to their own conclusions."
END OF QUOTE
Now what if Gore turns out to have won this as clearly as
the 500,000 popular vote indicates?
In Yeltsin's book, he wrote that the KGB informed him
fully a year before it broke that they had information
that the Republican party was going to bring down Clinton
with a sexual scandal. If we thought that was divisive
what will happen if this, The stealing the presidency??
becomes the agenda of the democratic party, the Hordes of
Lawyers, and of coarse the media.
--Andrew Eckert (54)
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That concludes this issue of THE SANDBOX folks. Please
include your class year and maiden name, (if applicable),
in all correspondence and subscription requests. You may
also include your current locale if you wish. It's easy
to join us in the ongoing conversations here. Just send
your comments to: THE_SANDBOX@bigfoot.com! We are the
Alumni of Richland High School, Richland Washington,
AKA Columbia High School, representing classes from 1942
through 2000. Visit the THE SANDBOX website.
Al Parker (53)
Shippenville, PA
Your SANDBOX Host
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~121~
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THE SANDBOX ~ Issue 122 ~ February 3, 2001
"Energy is equal to desire and purpose."
~ Sheryl Adams ~
Subjects and Contributors:
Conspicuous Consumption
Bob (Mike Clowes) Carlson '54
Tri-Cities: A Safe Place To Live?
Sonny Parker Class of 81
Richland: An Important Part of History;
Keeping the Discussion on a "Higher" Plane
Jim Anderson WB 72
Energy: Safer Nuclear Hybrids, Windmills,
Gas and Coal Fired Super Heaters
Vernon Holt (Booster '47)
Energy & Environment: Part II
Fuel Efficient Hybrid Cars
Bob Rector '62
------------------------------
Subj: Conspicuous consumption
From: Bob (Mike Clowes) Carlson '54:
bobsown1@hotmail.com (Robert Carlson)
Bob Carlson made the following observations while driving
home from Christmas last December
It occurred to me on the way home Christmas night (from
number three son's house, to keep the record straight),
that during this time of year quite a few people are given
to festive displays of the season. And not only
individuals, but also some public entities. Not too long
ago, the Eugene, Oregon, Fire Department was admonished by
some zealous person about "seasonal secular displays." It
would seem that the Eugene F.D., had committed the heinous
crime of erecting a Christmas Tree in the downtown fire
station. Apparently this was in violation of separation of
church and state clause in the Constitution.
Nothing, to my knowledge, was said about the display on
the grounds of the county fairgrounds, which were not only
"seasonal secular displays" but also electrically lit. In
case you are really interested, the light strings were
arranged to represent trees and a star.
There are many people in the fair city of Eugene who have
jumped on the "tear the Snake River dams down" campaign.
It should also be noted, that some of these people have
decorated the exteriors of their homes with "gaudy" light
displays. These are some of the same people who have taken
the Fire Department to task for erecting a Christmas Tree
on city property.
And therein lies the rub. What with the poor, pitiful
Californians being forced to operate their laptops by
candlelight, and not being able to recharge the batteries
on their cell 'phones; why are the citizens of the state
of Oregon using "precious" electricity for "seasonal
secular displays?" And why are these selfsame citizens
joining the march to eliminate sources of electrical
energy for the sake of a fish or two? To be honest, I
don't have an answer to that one.
Our illustrious governor (and staunch anti-damist) has
remained somewhat silent as of late, except for a call to
have the increasing power rates investigated and/or
regulated, particularly by Californians who have just
recently deregulated power rates.
In other news too sick to describe, the OCA have
announced they will submit yet another "anti gay"
resolution for the people to favour. I guess being told
"no" four times just doesn't register on their minds. We
can only hope the citizenry will see this one for what it
is, and will resounding sent it down in flames. The OCA is
getting to be as much fun as vote counts in Florida.
Speaking of which, Norma Loescher Boswell forwarded to me
a quasi legal interpretation of what transpired in Florida
courtesy of "The Supremes." My only response was that even
though Yogi Berra made the call to Algore and said "It's
over." The Supremes have ruled that "fat ladies are not
allowed to sing in Florida." Which means, Yogi not
withstanding, it ain't over but yet it is. I just wonder
if the actual ballot re-count will ever be announced once
it has been completed.
Makes one wish for the good old days of crooked
politicians and shady deals contrived in smoke filled back
rooms. At least they were honest about their thievery.
That's my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.
--Bob (Mike Clowes) Carlson '54
~~~~
Subj: Tri-Cities; A Safe Place To Live?
From: Sonny Parker Class of 81
sonny.parker@honeywell.com
I'm sorry to hear about all the possible Power plant-
related cancer, diseases, etc. (RE: Jenny, class of 80.) I
lived in Tri-Cities for 4 years, and got out as soon as
possible (graduation). Call me paranoid, but I looked at a
map, and noticed the Hanford area is upstream of town.
Great planning! The list of my friends, relatives, and
acquaintances that have had cancer, hysterectomies, etc.,
keeps getting longer. I don't think it's a coincidence for
that many people are sick (or dead ). I'll always fondly
remember my days at RHS, and I'd really like to spend time
around my family, but I won't expose myself to that
environment. Always sending my best wishes to the kids of
TC, for they have no choice but live there. Exposure to
contaminates will be something they have no choice
in...until they get old enough to move away. My apologies
to those faithful that love the Basin, (including my dad).
Maybe I'm imagining all this, (after all...the government
says it's safe, right)? They wouldn't lie to us would
they?
--Sonny Parker Class of 81
"The Turbine Surgeon"
~~~~
Subj: Richland, An Important Part of History and
Keeping the Discussion on a "Higher" Plane.
From: Jim Anderson WB 72
jima@speakeasy.org
I've followed the "Bomber" saga recently with great
interest, and have really enjoyed all the give and take. I
would like to comment on the "anti-PC" sentiment being
bandied about. The recent reference to the "Made in
America, Tested in Japan" T-shirt raises a couple of
issues, with the writer's "Hey, they started it, we just
finished it!" stance. The people who started it were not
the people who were obliterated by the bomb. Like in most
wars, the leaders and the citizens are worlds apart, and
regular Japanese folk going about their business, doing
the washing, taking care of their babies, and cleaning
their houses can hardly be painted with the same brush as
military leaders. Embracing and understanding the
construction of the bomb as an important part of Richland
history is one thing, but making a joke out of misfortune
of so many citizens is altogether another.
I'd also like to note my objections to the use of "PC" as
a way to dismiss objections and opposing viewpoints. My
beliefs, like most people's, are based on a lifetime of
experience, and do not come from some list that someone
handed me with the "PC Beliefs" heading. Calling someone
PC is just a way to marginalize and dismiss their beliefs.
Here's to keeping the discussion on a higher "plane" (so
to speak)!
--Jim Anderson WB 72
~~~
Subj: Energy: Safer Nuclear Hybrids, Windmills,
Gas and Coal Fired Super Heaters
From: Vernon Holt (Booster '47)
Mendham, NJ
holthome@worldnet.att.net
Although not a Richland graduate, I was there from 1950 to
1953 as a 20 year-old idealist thinking future explosive
(bad pun or good double-entendre?) electrical energy needs
will be provided by nuclear energy, and became much
enamored with the area, before two years as an unhappy
Korean War draftee. Reading the Sandstorm for several
months brought back so many good memories, and I have
enjoyed immensely getting caught up on the remarkable
graduates from the past 50 years and their many comments
about Hanford, Bombers, the Columbia Basin News and the
Tri-City Herald that stirred up a big controversy when I
was therein suggesting the old simple 1910 Magruder Reader
should be replaced with better kindergarten and first
grade readers! Was that the forerunner of "revisionists"
that some have commented on?
On the one hand I believe historical truth is very
important and "will set us free" to avoid some of the
mistakes, but on the other hand it is often a good idea to
change with the times and dress up images a bit, even if
just to make Seattleites more comfortable.
I am still optimistic about safer hybrid nuclear power
plants with gas or even coal fired superheaters for the
top 10% of the energy needed to get much higher overall
power plant efficiencies with lower maintenance costs
(assuming the spent fuel elements are not processed). But
I am even more enthused about wind mills to generate
electricity, though potential is less than 20% of what is
needed. Many hundreds are being built in the "wind tunnel"
of the Great Plains, my home state of South Dakota. From
the Gulf Coast of Texas to northern Canada a 20 to 30 mph
wind blows from the South all summer day and night and the
other direction all winter long bringing "northerners" and
much snow. The short spring and short fall are indeed
nice, but the steady strong breeze the rest of the year
wears you down. It wore me down in my first 20 years.
--Vernon Holt, Mendham, NJ
~~~~~
Subj: Energy & Environment: Part II
Fuel Efficient Hybrid Cars
From: Bob Rector '62 ~ b_rector@owt.com
Fun stuff about the "New" Hybrid Cars. (both gas & elec.
powered)
*info. via business associate and Tri-Cities Wine Lover,
Dr. Bill Jandeska, Chairman, General Motor's Power Train
Group.
First of all, several of us have expressed hope (even
trust) in the electric car and the "zero emissions"
mandate from (democratic) congress. Dr. Jandeska and
Detroit have been waiting to see how the experiment has
gone in California:
The Experiment:
California tried to legislate electric cars into
existence with a mandate that 4% of vehicles sold in CA.
would be "0" emission vehicle sales. With that mandate, l3
electric vehicle manufacturers set up sales in California
last year. However, the l3 manufacturers sold only 1,277
electric vehicles in all of California and the program has
been a dismal failure. It seems that people just do not
want them. (they have no power or distance)
As we speak, Detroit is waiting to see if the California
legislature will back down and allow Hybrid Cars to be
sold in lieu of "Zero emission automobiles."
I promised to outline the four types of Hybrid cars which
make up the New Wave or Green Wave in automobiles.
However, I have been upstaged by Time Magazine so will not
waste the time: (will summarize Time Magazine, and Bill
Jandeska's personal experience with these cars)
Choice #1, ON THE MARKET TODAY, but you have to wait some
for delivery is the Toyota Prius. (about $19,000) details:
Dec.11, 2000 issue of Time, page 95
*comment from Bill Jandeska: "It's a very nice car." "We
really like it."
Choice #2 in the Time article is the Honda Insight
($19,000) and ON THE Market TODAY. also page 94, of the
Time article.
*comment from Bill Jandeska: "It's a piece of unprintable
verbiage."
So, there you have it. If you wish to purchase a hybrid
today we have a recommendation for the Toyota, but a
strong concern about the Honda.
"What you want to do," says Bill, is to go down and order
next years full size hybrid truck from GM. It is the
Silverado. It has crew cab with "french doors." (Both side
doors open from the middle area) which gives a wide access
to the cab. Bill says it "drives like a Cadillac" and
several personal friends of his have already ordered one
for their retirement vehicle.
Hybrid vehicles improve mileage approx. 17% with their
electric motor assist.
*the battery charges when you are going downhill and
when you hit the brakes.
*an onboard computer decides when to pull power from
the gasoline engine and when to use the electric power.
**BEST thing is that your hybrid truck (or car) has a
110 power outlet! You can go camping and plug in your
electric chain saw, or TV, or coffee pot.
Contractors no longer need generators or regular
power supply, cause they can drive most tools from the 110
on the truck! Just cool.
The Silverado sounds like a serious option to me.
--Bob Rector '62
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End of JAN thru ***, 2001
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MAR thru DEC, 2000 ~ *** thru ***, 2001