TERRE HAUTE — Good impression of Wabash Valley
Just a short note to say my wife and I were vacationing up your way about a month or so ago and really enjoyed the Covered Bridge festival in Rockville and other communities, but before I talk more about that, we would like to thank either your city or Vigo County law enforcement.
We were coming back from the festival and I told my wife I would like to look around your beautiful Vigo County courthouse. We were staying at the Days Inn right up the road — well, we couldn’t turn on the road before the courthouse so we turned on the road right past it.
Right after the turn, lights started flashing and I wondered what was going on; I had turned down the wrong way of your one-way street. The officer held up cars that were coming in our direction. My wife said to turn around, which I did, fully expecting to be stopped to be given a ticket or at least a warning. We received neither, to our surprise!
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation; we really appreciated it. People complain about things all the time, but to recognize people for their service and understanding we couldn’t pass up.
By the way, we did stop at Wendy’s between the motel and courthouse and walked over after eating to see your gorgeous courthouse. I love military history and was very impressed with your monuments honoring your Vigo County veterans, especially the World War II sacrifices; my father was in tank destroyer group.
We love your area’s covered bridges, garage sales, corn and the Gaithers. My wife and I visited Alexandria to see Bill and Gloria Gaither’s studio and shops; when we opened the door to the shop, Gloria was standing there. My wife’s trip was just about complete after meeting her.
Thanks again ya’ll. We will be back.
— Mike and Nancy Spires
Leesville, S.C.
Help needed to
change state laws
I am trying to get the child support laws changed in Indiana. I do not work for our government in any way. I am a private citizen trying to make a better future for our children.
If you are tired of dealing with a deadbeat parent, if you know someone who is, or if you would just like to help send an e-mail to 79trm@comcast.net.
Thank you to those who have responded, but we need more help for this to work.
— Tambi Manns
Claypool
Current economic downturn provides wake-up call
The recent stock market crash and bank failures have sent shock waves through the economy. In the 28 years that I have been in business, I have never had bad economic news affect my business like I have seen these past two months. There has been nothing even close.
The encouraging part of all this is that it has been a wake-up call for me. I should have been prepared for this recent economic downturn. Even though I was not ready, I can learn from my mistakes and begin making the changes that need to be made.
Yes, the federal government will attempt to bail us out of this difficult time, but the positive results will only be temporary, and the economic stimulus efforts will only make the next economic downturn even worse. If we act smartly, we will use this upcoming artificial recovery as an opportunity to get ready for the future.
Here are some things that we can all do:
n Make a commitment to not add any new debt.
n Develop a debt-reduction plan.
n Work toward being able to pay every bill the very day that we receive it.
n Begin building an emergency fund.
Many can improve their financial position by reducing or eliminating spending on such things as alcohol, tobacco, drugs and gambling. There are other things that many of us can save money on such as eating out less, switching to a dial-up Internet and reducing our cable TV.
For many, the single most significant thing you can do is to overcome the temptation to buy a new vehicle. For many years now, the federal government has been in bed with the auto industry, and because of this you can count on any economic stimulus efforts to include incentives to make it easier for you to get a loan for a new vehicle. If you can afford a new car payment, try spending that money on repairs instead.
Taking care of the things that you already have instead of buying new will go a long way to helping you to be financially strong. As an example, you can have your carpets cleaned for a tiny fraction of the replacement cost. Of course, I am not suggesting having your carpets cleaned if you are struggling to pay your basic bills.
Start getting ready now for the next recession, because it will be really bad.
— Mark May
Mark May Carpet Cleaning
Terre Haute
Christian nation?
Opinions differ
This is in response to Joe DeLorme’s letter on Monday, Nov. 24, that we should be afraid of President-elect Obama’s Muslim ties. The editor pointed out that Obama has no Muslim ties.
But the idea that we should be afraid of someone not Christian really irks me. This nation was founded on diversity which is one of our claims to greatness. And no, we have not been a Christian nation for 230 years. We have NEVER been a Christian nation.
Let’s hear from some of our Founding Fathers on that point.
“Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise.” — James Madison.
“This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.” — John Adams.
“I have found religious dogma unintelligible. Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.” — Ben Franklin.
“Religion is the most perverted system that ever shone on man.” — Thomas Jefferson.
“Religion is a system of superstition that produces fanatics and serves the purpose of despotism.” — Thomas Paine.
They tried to protect us from being governed by religion.
— Bruce Sheets
Cory
Real truth of JFK
death shrouded
In the piece “JFK and the Conspiracy Theorists”, Mr. Kauffman asks us to accept the official conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone as the assassin of JFK on the strength of a 1,612 page book written by Vincent Bugliosi. He goes on to explain that the strength of “simple reasoning” as explained by Mr. Bugliosi is enough to justify this conclusion. Furthermore, Mr. Kauffman claims, “… Bugliosi’s book demolishes every conspiracy theory it confronts.”
Well, with that being said, perhaps we should pay more attention to what Mr. Bugliosi said recently in the Huffington Post online in an article dated May 19, 2008.
Mr. Bugliosi writes, “If Bush, in fact, intentionally misled this nation into war, what is the proper punishment for him? Since many Americans routinely want criminal defendants to be executed for murdering only one person, if we weren’t speaking of the president of the United States as the defendant here, to discuss anything less than the death penalty for someone responsible for over 100,000 deaths would on its face seem ludicrous.”
Is Mr. Bugliosi advocating the prosecution of George W. Bush? Is he serious? Judging from the article and its date it is “simple reasoning” that Mr. Bugliosi is nothing more than a sensationalist who writes with a political goal in sight. Furthermore, Mr. Bugliosi’s impeccable record for convictions is also stated at the same Web site. “In his career at the L.A. County District Attorney’s office, he (Bugliosi) successfully prosecuted 105 out of 106 felony jury trials, including 21 murder convictions without a single loss.”
So we see that Mr. Bugliosi has quite a conviction record as a prosecuting attorney. In fact, it is “simple reasoning” that Mr. Bugliosi could probably get a conviction on any case that he took to trial regardless of its merits and that he is a common money-grubber.
Therefore, it is MY “simple reasoning” that Mr. Kauffman has been duped. It is also MY “simple reasoning” that we will never know the whole truth regarding the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and that we should probably get over it. I realize that is hard for the resident historian of your newspaper to swallow. Nevertheless, the question remains, should somebody write President George W. Bush a letter of warning about what Mr. Bugliosi has said as posted on this Web site?
— John Garner
Terre Haute
Brace yourself for
a cable rate hike
Like so many others, I was irritated by the self-serving commercials run by both WTHI-TV and Time Warner Cable during the time that their dispute kept the station off of the cable. Now we see that Time Warner trumpets their agreement. Unfortunately it seems likely that this “victory” is really a predictor of another rate increase.
Television stations and cable TV are some of the most profitable businesses in our country. And any known increase in their costs seem to lead directly to an “unavoidable” increase in the amount I am billed each month.
If I want any more than the basic channels I must accept many channels that no one in my house watches as part of a package. I wish I had a virtual monopoly in selling my products.
— Edward C. Wormser
Terre Haute
Cancer patients
need our help
I am so proud to be an American and to be living in a free country. I can’t imagine being under fire 24/7 and being afraid all of the time. This is supposed to be a country where we take care of our own, but I’m seeing more and more of this not being done.
I am a cancer survivor and know not only what people with cancer go through but what they have to fight for to live. It’s like punishing them for being sick. They did not ask for this. All they want is to be able to get treatments, get prescriptions, and being able to pay their bills without not having something to eat.
I am in the process of helping a man in his 40s to get back and forth to his treatment. He lives quite a distance away and has no transportation and no insurance. He cannot get help as his Medicaid is pending. We donate to some of these agencies and this is what happens.
This is his second bout with the cancer. He not only has to deal with the cancer, not being able to work, losing his home, but also worry about getting his treatments and prescriptions.
Our Regional Hospital Cancer Support Group was approached about this situation. Lee Cain and myself stepped up to the plate. This man has to have these treatments! What is he supposed to do? Sit down and die?
We are cancer survivors. This is what we do. We don’t expect a pat on the back. This is who we are. Yes, it takes fuel and yes, it is a little cheaper now than when we started, but what is a couple of gallons of gas compared to a man’s life? Through God’s grace, this will all work out. This is a very humbling situation and really makes us appreciate what we have. More so, being who we are.
What is wrong with this picture? This shouldn’t be this way. We can only do so much. The Hope Center Foundation has helped greatly with some of this. It is really frustrating to see him and knowing that he is not the only one that has slipped through the crack.
We as cancer survivors know there has to be something done to make these situations better. I know that God has put us in this place for a reason and I pray He will give Lee and myself the strength and wisdom to keep on keeping on. Thanks to Linda and Melonie at Dr. Schmidt’s office for caring about the patients and using their eyes and ears to help people in need.
The whole thing is about surviving and not drowning in this society that lives in the real world. Open up your hearts and help someone. It is so rewarding to help someone other than ourselves. Be thankful for what you have, but keep in mind, I could be writing about you.
God bless our country, our troops and our president-to-be.
— Norma J. Boyll
Terre Haute
Thanks for support
of Meals on Wheels
According to MSNBC, three Meals On Wheels agencies in the country have had to close down because of a lack of funds. Economic times are tough, and most analysts agree it will get tougher.
That is why the staff of Meals On Wheels would especially like to thank everyone who participated in our recent Bingo fundraiser.
To the VFW, to the MOW board members/spouses who donated time and talent, to the media who professionally advertised the fundraiser, to the churches who included our information in their bulletins, to the 41 local businesses who donated their products for door prizes, and to everyone who purchased a ticket and shared their laughter — we thank you.
We wish you a safe holiday season. And we hope to see you next year.
— Carol Pabst
— Judi Vincent
Terre Haute Area
Meals on Wheels
