Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 8, 2014

Mountain Views News Saturday, February 8, 2014 
15OPINION Mountain Views News Saturday, February 8, 2014 
15OPINION 
Mountain 
Views 
News 
PUBLISHER/ EDITOR 
Susan Henderson 
CITY EDITOR 
Dean Lee 
EAST VALLEY EDITOR 
Joan Schmidt 
BUSINESS EDITOR 
LaQuetta Shamblee 
SENIOR COMMUNITY 
EDITOR 
Pat Birdsall 
SALES 
Patricia Colonello 
626-355-2737 
626-818-2698 
WEBMASTER 
John Aveny 
CONTRIBUTORS 
Chris Leclerc 
Bob Eklund 
Howard HaysPaul CarpenterStuart Tolchin 
Kim Clymer-KelleyChristopher NyergesPeter Dills 
Hail Hamilton 
Rich Johnson 
Merri Jill Finstrom 
Lori KoopRev. James SnyderTina Paul 
Mary CarneyKatie HopkinsDeanne Davis 
Despina ArouzmanGreg WelbornRenee Quenell 
Ben Show 
Sean KaydenJasmine Kelsey Williams 
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STUART Tolchin........On LIFE 


SAFETY, ADAPTATION AND

COMMUNICATION 


 Well this Sunday daughter’s boyfriend is a screenwriter 

started out as a day who specializes in science fiction and 

in which I was feeling graphic novels and goes all over the 

pretty safe and secure. country to speak at conventions and is a 

As we all know it was part of a whole world that I completely 

the great American Holiday celebrated do not understand. 

by almost everyone. It was Super-Bowl For those few of you who are as 

Sunday, the day we all gather together unaware as I am, graphic novels are 

to view the championship game kinds of comic books that deal with all 

between the winner of he National kinds of subjects and are something like 

Football League Champion, the Seattle video games in book form, I think. I 

Seahawks versus the American Football have never played video games either. 

League Champion, the Denver Broncos. After all, I am now in my seventieth year 

Perhaps it should be called Super-- which may not be sufficient excuse for 

Bowl Half-time Sunday because, as I my continued ignorance.

understand it, more people watched the Anyhow, the game started and on 

half-time activities than actually watch the very first play the Bronco center 

the game. This may be a true sign of our and quarterback failed to communicate 

times.and the ball was snapped over the 

 On this particular Sunday my extended quarterback’s shoulder when the 

family, more or less, gathered together quarterback was not paying attention. 

at my daughter’s home. The family This resulted in a “Safety”. My wife 

consisted that day of my wife, my son, my reasonably asked what a safety is and I 

daughter, my friend John, my daughter’s confidently explained, happy to be an 

boyfriend and me. The boyfriend had expert. Together my wife and daughter 

done a wonderful job of cooking up then asked, “Why is it called a “safety”? 

some chili and of creating a roaring fire “It doesn’t look very safe”. Alas, my 

in the fireplace. The game began with a feeling of expertise vanished. I had no 

thrilling rendition of the Star Spangled idea of why a safety is called a safety and 

Banner sung by Opera Singer, Renee I still don’t know. My wife wondered 

Fleming. Everyone seemed to enjoy why the players couldn’t communicate 

the song, which allowed me to relax a even though it was noisy. Didn’t they 

bit because sometimes I wonder if there know it was going to be noisy? I couldn’t 

is any kind of entertainment that can answer. Already on the first play I was 

properly interest all of the people in this revealed to be something less than an 

diverse group. My wife and I have been expert.

together for about twenty years and this Perhaps you don’t understand 

was almost the first time that I can recall my feeling. Up until very recently I 

her sitting together with a group for the always had the feeling that I was the 

purpose of watching a football game.caretaker making the world “safe” for 

,My daughter, sick of being forced my family. Abruptly this all seems to 

to watch sports by me as a child, has have changed as my family now seems 

forbidden my son and I to ever watch to be more concerned with taking care 

sports on her television. Needless to of me. I don’t like it. I want to remain 

say, my daughter’s and wife’s attitudes young, vital, healthy, and “safe”. I want 

towards football is very different from to have confidence in myself and my 

the attitude of my friend John, my country. I want to believe that whatever 

son and I. I really liked the feeling of catastrophe next appears on the 

watching the game together because, horizon, be it drought, water shortage, 

for a change, I felt competent to answer or global conflict, my country and I 

any questions my wife and daughter will be informed and aware enough 

might have about something. This to meet the challenges even if they are 

is contrary to my usual feeling these unexpected.

days of being the one who must ask Let’s hope a lesson can be learned 

the questions about the proper usage from the defeated Broncos and from 

of the new technological devices that me. No matter how much we think 

keep arriving and continue to baffle we know, we don’t know enough to be 

me. It’s not only technology that baffles completely prepared for the unexpected. 

me. It’s entertainment that is viewed in We must continue to learn and to adapt. 

mysterious places other than the good No matter what we think we have 

old TV that one just turned on and already achieved, it will not help the 

watched. My wife and daughter and world to cope with the emergencies 

my daughter’s boyfriend are forever of tomorrow unless we learn to view 

talking about series that they view on ourselves realistically, and to effectively 

their lap tops in mysterious ways. My communicate. 


LEFT TURN /RIGHT TURNHOWARD Hays As I See It

 
“You know the offense: “Well, actually, not everybody does, 
president doesn’t work forbecause what ends up happening is we end 
Fox, right? He can deviate up creating a political agenda on something 
from your script.”Democrats and Republicans should be 

- Jon Stewart on “The unified in trying to figure out how we’re 
Daily Show” going to protect people . . .” 
There seemed to be O’Reilly tried to force a fumble: “Your 
reliance by one side on detractors believe you did not tell the world 
the old tried-and-true it was a terror attack because your campaign 
playbook on Super Bowl didn’t want that out. That’s what they believe.”

Sunday, but the broadcast 

 But the president maintained control: 

on Fox showed those plays had run out of 

“And they believe it because folks like 

gas.

you are telling them that – and what I’m 

 Prior to the Seahawks facing off against the saying is, that’s inaccurate. We revealed 

Broncos, Bill O’Reilly came with the old Fox to the American people exactly what we 

News playbook to face off against President understood at the time. The notion that we 

Obama.would hide the ball for political purposes 

when a week later we all said in fact there was 

 O’Reilly kicked off with the ACA. Was the 

a terrorist attack taking place; the day after I 

president aware there was going to be such a 

said it was an act of terror, that wouldn’t be a 

problem with the October 1 roll-out?

very good cover-up ....” 
The president responded, “I don’t think 


 O’Reilly went deeper into the Fox 

anybody anticipated the degree of problems 

playbook: “I’ve got to the IRS thing ... 

you had with healthcare.gov; the good news 

Douglas Shulman, former IRS chief, he was 

is that right away we decided how we were 

cleared into the White House 157 times . . . “

going to fix it, it got fixed, within a month


and-a-half it was up and running, now it’s The president explained, “Mr. Shulman, 

working the way it’s supposed to and we’ve as head of the IRS, is constantly coming in 

signed up 3 million people.”because at the time we were trying to set up 

Healthcare.gov ... and the IRS is involved in 

 That play went nowhere, so then the 

making sure that that works as part of the 

question of why the president hadn’t fired 

overall healthcare team ... Number two, we’ve 

HHS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius.

also got the IRS involved when it comes to 

 The president stuck to his own game plan. some of the financial reforms to make sure 

“We’ve got 3 million people signed up ... we don’t have taxpayer-funded bailouts in 

we’ve got over 6 million people signed up for the future.”

Medicaid, we’ve got 3 million young people 

 O’Reilly tried the same play that went 

under the age of 26 who’ve signed up on 

nowhere before: “... what some people are 

their parents’ plans, so what we’re constantly 

saying is that the IRS was used at a local level 

figuring out is how do we continue to improve 

in Cincinnati, maybe other places ... “

it, how do we make sure that folks who 

don’t have health insurance can get health “Absolutely wrong.” said the president.

insurance and those who are underinsured 

 O’Reilly persisted: “How do you know that, 

can get better health insurance.” 

because we still don’t know what happened?” 
As for Sebelius, “I promise you that we hold 

“Bill, we do. That’s not what happened. 

everybody up and down the line accountable, 

Folks have, again, had multiple hearings on 

but when we’re mid-stream, Bill, we want to 

this. I mean, these kinds of things keep on 

make sure that our main focus is, how do we 

surfacing, in part because you and your TV 

make this thing work so that people are able 

station will promote them ... “

to sign up? And that’s what we’ve done.”

 There were other batted-down attempts 

 O’Reilly attempted to catch the defense off-

by O’Reilly:

guard with an abrupt switch to Libya. The 

question was, on the day our Ambassador “72% of the babies in the African-

and three other Americans were killed in American community are born out of 

Benghazi, was the president told “it was a wedlock now. Why isn’t there a campaign by 

terrorist attack”? Did they “use the word you and the first lady to address that problem 

‘terror’?very explicitly?” 

 The president explained, “Understand, by “Actually, Bill, we address it explicitly all 

definition, Bill, when somebody’s attacking the time ... whether it’s getting publicity or 

our compound, that’s an act of terror – not is a whole different question.”

which is how I characterized it the day 

“Alright – Keystone pipeline ... 42,000 jobs 

after it happened . . . People understood at 

...”

the time something very dangerous was 

happening, that we were focused on doing “Well, first of all, it’s not 42,000. That’s not 

everything we can to protect them . . . I’ve correct. It’s a couple thousand to build the 

gone through this and we’ve had multiple pipeline ...”

hearings on it . . . we’ve got to make sure that 

 Jon Stewart marveled that whenever 

we’ve implemented not only all the reforms 

President Obama addresses the economy, the 

that were recommended by the independent 

environment, world conflict, etc., Fox News 

agency, but we also have to make sure that 

accuses him of distracting attention from 

we understand, our folks are out there in a 

the “real” issues of the botched “Obamacare” 

hazardous, dangerous situation, and . . .

roll-out, Benghazi or the IRS “scandal”. 
O’Reilly interrupted, “I think everybody 

If Republicans are to have any relevance 

understands that, Mr. President.”

in the months leading to November, they’d 
And then President Obama went on better come up with a different playbook.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

AT LEAST IT’S NOT SNOWING! 

If somebody gave of the Parsonage.
out an award for Enveloped in this aroma of sheer ignogrouchiness 
and rance, I said out loud something to the efdownright 
cantan-fect, "I hate this cold weather!" Following 
kerousness, I am that pointed observation, as I now reflect, 
sure I would take I also growled most viciously.

top honors. Of course, according to the It was then I heard a noise explode be-
Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, there hind me.
is no honor in being grouchy or cantan- "Well, at least it is not snowing! You 
kerous nor is there room for it in our should be grateful for that."
humble abode. I swung around as quickly as possible, 


 For the past week I have been grouchy and there standing in all her glory with 
and cantankerous and any other adjec-both hands firmly planted on her hips 
tive you might want to throw into that was my wife staring in my direction. The 
pot of naughtiness. By the time the week tone of her voice and her demeanor re-
ended that pot was boiling hot and about vealed I was in for one of her infamous 
to explode.lectures.

 It is always beneficial to look back over All week long, we had been noticing 
an incident and figure out where you some of our family up north experiencmade 
your mistake. I often don't do it, ing some very severe snow conditions. 
but in this case, the mistake I made was Some even missed school for several days 
so obvious it could not be overlooked.because of the snow drifting. One family 

 Most faults can be remedied if you know member way up north was without elecwhat 
to do about it. Then, there are those tricity for nearly a week. In some of these 
mistakes that no matter what you do, it areas, the temperature has been in the mi-
still ends up being a mistake. My mistake nus degree for at least a week.
was I exhibited my downright grouchi- "Don't you know how lucky you are to 
ness and cantankerous spirit in front of live in a place where it doesn't snow and 
my wife.the temperature doesn't get below zero? 

 I know the marriage manual says there Instead of complaining, you should be 
should be no secrets between husband grateful for what you really have. Think of 
and wife. Down through the years I have members of our family up north suffering 
tried to maintain that part of the marital in that freezing weather! Would you like 
relationship, and I have done a good job to change places with them right now?"
thus far. What the manual does not say is, I have often said this and I am sure I 
there are special times when a husband will continue saying it until the day I die, 
should not speak his mind in front of his when my wife is right she is right. No arwife. 
My wife constantly reminds me that gument from me here.
God gave men, two ears and one mouth Then she made a statement I am still 
for a particular purpose, open our ears mulling over. "Be thankful for what you 
and shut our mouth.don't have."

 I do not think I got that far in the in- I must say she had a great point there. 
structions, but I will take my wife's word Sometimes it is quite hard to be thankful 
on that one, you can be sure.for what you do not have when you are so 

 In my defense, however, this past week caught up in the problems right in front 
I was colder than I have ever been in all of you.
my life, at least that I can remember. Now, Thinking about that, my grouchiness 
it is one thing to be cold, but quite a dif-and cantankerousness began evaporating. 
ferent thing to tell somebody, especially I suppose they have their place, and I am 
your wife, that you are cold.ashamed to admit they are in my place 

 I made that mistake once and told my more often than I should allow them.
wife I was cold. She felt my forehead, got In many ways, it is easy to be thankful 
out my bathrobe, fussed over me all eve-for what you have in your hand at the 
ning and made me hot tea with honey to time. The apostle Paul pointed this out 
drink. I wanted to tell her that I was cold; in one of his letters. "And let the peace 
I did not have a cold.of God rule in your hearts, to the which 

 It was so cold the little gray cells were also ye are called in one body; and be ye 
shivering so much they were not func-thankful" (Colossians 3:15).
tioning 100%. According to some peo- For most of us, being thankful does not 
ple's opinion, it is a rare occasion when come natural. It is something we have to 
they do function 100%.work at on a daily basis. It has to go a step 

 As I remember it, I was looking out our further.
back patio window, watching it drizzle Be thankful for what you do not have 
and shivering in the cold. If I need any de-and you will be all that more thankful for 
fense on my side, I did not realize that in what you do have. 
the same room was the Gracious Mistress 

FEAR AND LOATHING IN GREG Welborn 
THE HEARTLAND

I didn’t comment on the State of The politically favored, set 
Union Speech last week because there of creditors can benefit. 
really wasn’t much to it. I am joined in that 
opinion by the vast majority of Americans In the above referenced 
who collectively awarded it the lowest credit negotiations, the 
viewership of any such speech over the government threatened 
last 10+ years. It’s easy to attribute that one attorney with 
to simple boredom, but there seems to personal ruin for 
be more here. Americans aren’t looking defending his client’s 
away because their bored; they’re looking rights too aggressively. 
away because they’re scared. 


The government claims the right to force 
The fear in the heartland is almost mainstream religious groups (Catholic 
palpable. Politicians inside the beltway nuns) to abandon one of their most basic 
or the state capitals don’t get it. They beliefs or face ruinous fines. 
seem shocked to hear that Americans of 
all political persuasions have lost trust The I.R.S. and F.B.I. are corrupted to 
and fear that the country is heading the point of becoming arms of political 
in the wrong direction. This isn’t just censorship and coercion. 
a conservative thing either. When the 
Edward Snowden, the current poster child A school board forced students to attend 
for fearful lefties, strikes out at the abuses Cinco De Mayo celebrations while 
he fears from the N.S.A. but can’t see the preventing them from holding an Honor 
abject contradiction in seeking safety in a America celebration. 
Russia ruled by a former member of the 
K.G.B., then you know fear of government And lastly, from that State of The Union 
has a home on both the left and the right. Address nobody watched, the President 
That just makes those in the middle even of The United States told us he’ll simply 
more nervous. use executive action to do what he wants 

if Congress tries to interfere. 
I’m writing to my liberal and conservative 
friends, asking them to take a look at Whether on the left or right, each of 
what America is becoming and to band us must understand the dangers of 
together in the commonalities of their concentrating power in the hands of 
legitimate fears. The great beauty of politicians. Our founders knew it 
America has always been that our form firsthand. Perhaps we’ve grown too 
of government prevents either side from complacent over the centuries. The power 
truly imposing their will upon the other. that is given to presidents, governors and 
Whoever was in the majority has always legislatures can be used to impose liberal 
faced restrictions on what they could do. edicts, but I would warn my friends on 
Government power was held at bay by a the left that those same powers can later 
system of checks and balances. Things be used to impose conservative edicts. 
are changing, though. Despite the media’s When one group’s rights are trampled, the 
claims that partisanship prevents things other groups’ rights soon will be. 
from getting done, let’s look at what 
actually has been done in recent years. Americans across the board say they don’t 

like or trust politicians, but they continue 
The E.P.A. justifiably claims they have the to give those same politicians more power. 
power to imprison a man for cleaning up Lots of Americans feel – no, fear – we’re 
his yard because it was situated in what at the tipping point. Too many freedoms 
is considered a wetland. These aren’t the are being lost, and respect for government 
woods we’re talking about; this is a man’s is diminishing. Here, a dangerous cycle 
backyard. can build. As respect for government 

diminishes, lawlessness will increase. In 
The federal government can now turn more laws and restrictions will be 
force private citizens to enter into a written, further undermining respect, 
private contract with a business of the thus accelerating the cycle. 
government’s choosing. 

Both Liberals and Conservatives should 
At the state level, government can legally be able to agree on the mutual benefit of 
take your property in order to give it to limited government. Beyond the specific 
a business which promises to use the merits of any given political issue, lies a 
property for something better. Of course, deeper, greater truth. No government 
deciding what’s “better” is something should have so much power that the will 
reserved to government bureaucrats. of a temporary majority can be imposed 

on a minority. Affective government 
The federal government can interfere requires compromise. The only time 
in credit negotiations to force one set of politicians are unanimous is when they’re 
creditors to take losses so another, more taking power from the people.