THE CONWAY DAILY SUN, Tuesday, December 27, 2011— Page 7
Tele-Talk
What’s the best thing about Christmas? There were 20 responses to this week’s Tele-Talk question is “What’s the best thing about Christmas?” Spending time with loved ones topped the list of responses. The best thing is it only comes once a year and it is over on the 26th. This is Peter in Conway. The best thing I think about Christmas is just plain the joy of it all. Thank you. Merry Christmas. For me, this year, the best thing about Christmas was more Charlie Brown Christmas trees. Actually the question should be why is the Conway Public Library so disrespectful to its own Christian commu-
nity? After 35 years of decorating the library and this year, nothing. That big, beautiful tree is not put up. Who are these interlopers outside or within who are threatening the librarians. And another point is, why wouldn’t the librarians themselves say let’s stop, we’ve done this for 35 years and now we’re not going to put up the tree? Is it outsiders who have come in that are disrespecting us Christians? I especially like “holiday” at the White House with Obama’s “holiday” tree and the “holiday” carols being sung. My favorite is “O Feiertag Baum,” which translates in English to “O Public Holiday Tree,” This is Ralph in Eaton.
It’s when all the freeloading relatives split and go home. Cheer up. The politicians recently extended unemployment benefi ts, (free money), and when that runs out you can always get a job at McDonald’s. Peace. The following Tele-Talk responses were posted on The Conway Daily Sun’s Facebook page: Family and friends. Profit! LOL. Family get togethers (and friend parties). January. Family. Being with friends and family. Oh,
and the great food! Hearts growing warmer with the cold. When it is over. Just kidding. It is being with family and friends. Sharing well-spent time with loved ones. The charities that come out of the wood work for less fortunate families. It makes me feel better during the holidays, knowing that I’ve helped make a difference by donating here and there. Skiing! Seeing the happy faces as they open their gifts on Christmas morning. Sharing special times with family and friends!
LETTERS
Nation is dying because its value system was built upon a lie
Thanks to selectmen for rebuilding flood-damaged areas
To the editor: My thoughts shared with heart surgeon Dan Morgenstern: Your metaphor of the magnificent tree that eventually dies and rots is poignant, albeit not what is happening. A tree has a natural life span Dr. Morgenstern. It lives, hopefully, like a child when given the proper nutrients and nurturing. It thrives and grows to its optimal capacity in nature. When it dies, slowly, like the aged willows that still struggle to bring forth leaves in my yard, it finally succumbs to the circle of life and goes back to the soil, becomes part of the new again, making that soil a bit more fertile. It does not erode or degrade the land that gave it life, birth, as we do to this land. It does not pollute the water it could not live without, or poison the air, as our industrial “revolution” has done to ours. No, it decomposes, and turns back to another form of life that in turn, will being forth new organisms that will continue the circle of life and perhaps, be bit stronger. This nation is not dying of natural causes, but by its own hand, from the inside, out, like all those people you cut open because, like this nation, they became diseased from the inside out. This nation is dying because it built its power and prestige off theft, and teaches that theft is normal, all through the education system that exists to make future consumer capitalists out of its young, at a cost to this earth no dollar figure could calculate. What does the extinction of species go for these days? This nation is dying because its value system was built upon a lie, the lie that humans are the dominant species and all the earth is for us alone, all others can be eradicated, eliminated, used as commodities, stolen for profit like America, for sale to the highest bidder. Its earliest citizens came here to escape the very systems it has since created. Its earliest citizens came, found native peoples,
To the editor: After reading the recent letter by the Bartlett selectmen on Dec. 22, I want to offer my sincerest thanks to the selectmen and the town of Bartlett for their unwavering efforts and diligence in rebuilding fl ood damaged areas after the August hurricane. I was still a part-time resident at the time of the fl ood. I watched the Saco River wipe out great chunks of River Street and render the River Street Bridge unsafe for crossing all in a matter of a few minutes. The bridge and the road are the only means of egress to reach Bartlett Village from our neighborhood. At the time my guess was that we would be cut off from the rest of the town for a week or more. The very next morning I watched as a coordinated, systematic , an overwhelming response of assistance came from the town as well as the residents in the area. The workers worked nonstop until late in the evening moving huge boulders, bringing in fill, assessing damage to the bridge. The police department was there to answer questions and offer assistance. I had an “Ocean City” sweatshirt on at the time and one police offi cer sought me out and explained to me what was going on and offered assistance and
waged war on them, stole their land, and proceeded to carve America into pieces. After the much-lauded pioneers came, after “the West was won,” and cows and sheep started the foundation of economic power, slavery, another form of theft, took its toll on the hearts of humanity. When trees die and rot, they enhance the soil and give back something. What will America’s legacy be? And what new breath will spring forth to grow a new path of equity, justice, freedom for all? Perhaps the time has come to look inside, and discover what is critical for our survival as a species, connected to every other species and life supporting system under assault in the commodity , profit driven value system of continued growth. Like Americans’ bodies, growth can only last so long, before it takes its toll. Part of the rot you speak of is your own industry, an entire medical empire built upon another lie. As far back as 1896, insightful nutritionist Ellen G White said,” Physicians who use flesh meat and prescribe it for their patients ( the reason your industry, cardiology, exists) should not be employed in our institutions, because they fail decidedly in educating their patients to discard that which makes them sick. The physician who uses and prescribes meat( and dairy, liquid meat) does not reason from cause to effect, and instead of acting as a restorer, he leads his patients by his own example to indulge a perverted appetite. The physicians employed in our institutions should be reformers in this respect and in every other. Many of the patients are suffering because of errors in diet. They need to be shown a better way. But how can a meat eating physician do this? By their wrong habits, they trammel their own work and cripple their usefulness.” Laura Slitt Bartlett
Congress shelves insider trading ban on itself To the editor: Congress has parked a bill that would have prevented members from trading on non-public information they receive in the course of their legislative process. If this ain’t insider trading, then nothing is!
This is just another example of members of Congress treating themselves as above the law. If you are as ticked off about this as I am, contact Shaheen, Ayotte and Guinta and let them know it! Art Micallef Bartlett
asked if there was anything I needed. He did not know I was a resident and wanted to make sure I felt safe. By the day’s end the bridge and all the roads from Route 302 to Hart’s Location were open. In other states and municipalities it might have taken a week before the first boulder was moved and even the temporary work would still be in progress today. Yes these efforts cost money, and just as we all came together those days in August we all have to come together to share the burden for the cost now and in the near future. I can only imagine that the effort and time to secure funds from the federal government was as monumental a task as fi xing the damage to our town. I truly appreciate every hour and minute the town representatives have given to make this financial burden less for us, while at the same time having the foresight to try to prevent a future storm from infl icting as much damage. This resident of Bartlett is proud of where he lives and the neighbors and community that make this town an amazing place to live. Steven Hempel Bartlett
Altrusa sponsored wonderful party for foster families To the editor: On Saturday, Dec. 3, more than 60 area foster children and foster families enjoyed a wonderful Christmas party sponsored by Altrusa International and New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Division for Children Youth and Families Offi ce (DCYF) in Conway. The event was held at Runnells Hall in Chocorua, which was decorated with a Christmas tree donated by Altrusa. All the children were able to enjoy the day with crafts, cookie decorating, and face painting by Hunter Calomb. Santa was at the event to welcome all the families as they arrived. The children were able to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Everyone was able to enjoy the day with appetizers made by the staff at DCYF and a beautiful holiday cake donated by
Altrusa. Lastly Altrusa International generously donated a new book for all children at the holiday celebration, and Gail Calomb, assistant supervisor at DCYF donated a Christmas ornament for everyone in attendance. DCYF would like to thank the entire Altrusa organization for their incredible generosity. The members put on a memorable afternoon that greatly exceeded our expectations, and filled the children’s hearts with Christmas joy. Finally, a big thank you to our dedicated Carroll County Foster and Adoptive Parents for making life better for so many of the state’s children. Families interested in providing foster care may call 1-800522-4628 for more information. Jennifer Krieger, resource worker Conway DCYF