Letters

Happiness is a …

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

There’s a story that’s been making the rounds on Alternet.org, called, “The Five Top Regrets People Have at the End of Their Lives,” www.alternet.org/5-topregrets-people-haveend-theirlives. I don’t want to crib the whole story, so go read the idea development, but the five the author lists are 1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. 2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. 3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. 4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. 5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

On Facebook, Robb Wolf, the fitness and diet guru, posted a link to 12 things happy people do differently. I can’t link directly to that image, so here’s a non-meme version I found: www.sensophy.com/wp-content/uploads /2012/01/12-Things-HappyPeople-Do-Differently.pdf.

I found happiness on my own back deck. On Sunday, I corrected my Multimedia Reporting class papers. I was not wearing a shirt, and I actually sweated a bit, and even though I was working, I was happy. I’m a simple soul.

I’m sitting here, on Monday, thinking No. 8, increase flow experiences, trumps everything else. “Flow experience” is “when you’re so focused on what you’re doing that you become one with the task. Action and awareness are merged.”

With “flow,” there is no second-guessing of how you live life. And when you move from one flow to the next, there are no regrets. I’m far from the end of my life, but even now, the crap I beat myself up over is when I don’t follow my instincts and stay true to myself.

I don’t make any claim to be the happiest person on the planet, but I’m pretty content most of the time. I’m also smart enough to recognize that happiness is something that must be pursued to be achieved.

—D. Brian Burghart brianb@newsreview.com

Please help

Re “The Game” (Feature story, Feb. 7):

I just watched a show on Oprah Winfrey Network. In Washington, there are hundreds of girls as young as 12 being forced into prostitution. I watched a 12-year-old girl, a little tiny thing, get into a pickup truck. I haven’t been able to sleep since. Please log into oprahwinfrey.com and look for Our America with Lisa Lang. Girls, there are people trying to help, but not enough funding. Please bring awareness to your community, please help these little girls! Tammy Capone Stoughton, Mass.

Some tartar with your fish?

My name is Arne Preber, a 65-yearold woman born in January 1947, suffering from a long-time cancer of the breast. I am a missionary, and I have decided to willingly donate the sum of $5.5 million to charity and individuals through you for the good work of the lord, and to help the motherless, less privileged, and also for the assistance of the widows.

My coming in contact with you is solely by the divine will and no doubt about it. Please, like I told you earlier, I’m a missionary woman from Germany but residing in Ghana for the missionary works.

My husband was an engineer with an oil company in Ghana. In fact, it is too sad to let you know that I lost my dear husband and two kids in a tragic motor accident, and since then I have been battling with this deadly breast cancer disease which most specialist doctors have confirmed that I may not survive no matter what.

All I want to do now is to present you as my family next-of-kin to receive the $5.5 million, which me and my husband deposited in a security company. I want you to receive this money and use it to help the less privileged, widows and orphans.

Kindly furnish me your full name and your address, also your contact number, so that I will prepare all relevant documents with the assistance of our family lawyer to effect the release of the fund to you. Arne Preber via email

Problem acknowledged

Re “8 Things that you do not know about the homeless” (Feature story, Jan. 3):

I feel that the author missed the mark with this story. The homeless are oppressed by the system itself, and they are being used as a tool to create revenue for the city of Reno. If the author had not done a fly by night job of reporting and had done a little more research, the truth would have come forth.

As to the reader who asked if JJ Baily is right when he said the city makes money off the homeless, the answer is yes. I myself stumbled upon this by accident, then made the choice to research this information further and get to the truth. What I discovered is that the Reno Police Department has homeless people marked as targets in order to meet their quota. They keep the homeless oppressed and create revenue to fund the system that protects them from the law they swore to uphold.

AReno PD officer kicked a homeless person while he was sleeping, then proceeded to handcuff and beat him for asking, “Why?” The homeless man was charged with three felonies which in turn were dropped when and if he signed a release form stating he would not sue the city of Reno. (Is that blackmail?) It gets better—this happened in a safe zone created for the homeless to rest, stay safe and escape such abuse.

This whole incident was captured on video as it happened and witnessed by several people. This is just one of many stories of abuse aimed at the homeless by the Reno PD. If I were to assault, threaten with arrest, intimidate and dispose of their belongings only to throw them out in the cold with no blankets or shelter on a rainy night, I would most likely be charged with several different crimes, then incarcerated. Why then does a badge make one man a criminal and the other above the law for crimes against our fellow man?

This is just a taste of what is happening to the homeless here in Reno. Acommunity silenced with cries of help falling on deaf ears and forced from public view. To see the oppression one only needs to look and listen. The author was told but failed to recognize the real story. When someone’s belongings, driver license, birth certificate, food stamp card, etc., is tossed in the trash, and then they’re arrested and then put back into society with nothing, there is a problem.

Rick Carter via email

Our Mission To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages people to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor/Publisher D. Brian Burghart News Editor Dennis Myers Arts Editor Brad Bynum Special Projects Editor Ashley Hennefer Calendar Editor Kelley Lang Editorial Intern Tracie Douglas Contributors Amy Alkon, Chanelle Bessette, Megan Berner, Matthew Craggs, Mark Dunagan, Marvin Gonzalez, Bob Grimm, Michael Grimm, Nora Heston, Sheila Leslie, Dave Preston, Jessica Santina, K.J. Sullivan, Kris Vagner, Bruce Van Dyke, Allison Young Design Manager Kate Murphy Art Director Priscilla Garcia Associate Art Director Hayley Doshay Design Melissa Arendt, Brian Breneman, Vivian Liu, Marianne Mancina, Skyler Smith Advertising Consultants Meg Brown, Gina Odegard, Matt Odegard, Bev Savage Senior Classified Advertising Consultant Olla Ubay Office/Distribution Manager/ Ad Coordinator Karen Brooke Business Manager Grant Ronsenquist

Throw cash to reduce class size

Re “Don’t throw cash” (Letters to the editor, Jan. 31):

I am disappointed that my letter was misinterpreted. First, I never said, “Don’t throw cash.” That’s a headline the editors of this paper made up. Second, the letter writer’s response (“Pass the hat,” Feb. 7) shows an obvious misunderstanding of my point and even misquotes me.

In my letter, I stated that my kindergarten was half-day, and we did not have PE and art teachers in my elementary school. Yet most of my fellow students graduated and went on to become successful. Sheila Leslie is proposing that we spend already-scarce education funds on full-day kindergarten and hiring PE and art teachers for elementary schools. My point was that these things are unnecessary and will not help us improve our dismal graduation rates. The money would be better spent on reducing class size and separating out the kids who actually want to learn, so that they can learn without interference from the kids who want to goof off.

Karen Inda Sparks

Silver fox

Re “Suffer the children” (Left Foot Forward, Jan. 24):

I am an old/ultra conservative reader—probably not your average reader. Mainly, I look at the movie reviews, as I go to the movies a lot. I like Bob Grimm’s movie reviews. For the most part, he’s right on.

Sheila Leslie is obviously an accomplished writer. I’m sure her column would have gotten a 4.0 for grammar from a writing teacher or professor. However, her content is a crock of shit.

Is this lady for real? On the other hand, maybe I’m not for real. Obama did get reelected—so what do I know? If this is the general populace’s line of thinking, then we really are in a lot of trouble. 2008: Obama promised to reduce unemployment. He hasn’t. 2008: Obama said he would reduce the deficit. He hasn’t. 2012-2013: No one knows yet what is in the health care plan. They certainly don’t know how it will be paid for.

Gay people and illegal residents: They helped get Obama reelected, but so what? Is this going to help solve any of the country’s problems?

The tax system is broken!

Personally, I think we’re headed down the same road as some European countries. And it isn’t pretty. Frank Hanhisalo Reno

Gold finger

Re “Back to the gold mine” (Left Foot Forward, Feb. 14):

Sheila Leslie’s column contains misleading information. For starters, any mine’s “worth” is more properly referred to as Net Present Value (NPV), which is not equal to the gross value of the minerals in the ground nor the gross value of minerals produced, as is so commonly referred to by tax liberals. Net Present Value is the sum of all revenues minus the costs of doing business, including taxes, discounted back to today using an interest rate that compensates owners and investors for their risk and the time value of money. ... Net Present Value is usually only a small fraction of the gross value of the minerals in the ground.

Thomas Bagan Sparks

Executive Assistant/Operations Coordinator Nanette Harker Assistant Distribution Manager Ron Neill Distribution Drivers Sandra Chhina, Gil Egeland, Neil Lemerise, John Miller, Russell Moore, Jesse Pike, David Richards, Martin Troye, Warren Tucker, Matthew Veach General Manager/Publisher John D. Murphy President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Chief Operations Officer Deborah Redmond Human Resource Manager Tanja Poley Business Mary Anderson, Tami Sandoval Systems Manager Jonathan Schultz Systems Support Specialist Joe Kakacek Web Developer/Support Specialist John Bisignano 708 North Center Street Reno, NV 89501 Phone (775) 324-4440 Fax (775) 324-4572 Classified Fax (916) 498-7940 Mail Classifieds & Talking Personals to N&R Classifieds, Reno Edition, 1015 20th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 or e-mail classifieds@newsreview.com Web site www.newsreview.com Printed by Paradise Post The RN&R is printed using recycled newsprint whenever available. Editorial Policies Opinions expressed in the RN&Rare those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permission to reprint articles, cartoons or other portions of the paper. The RN&R is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. All letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form.

THIS MODERN WORLD BY TOM TOMORROWBIG HE ADERS GIZA 25pt 25k SMALL HE ADERS GIZA 15pt 55k (60% OF BIG HE AD)

BIG HE ADERS GIZA 25pt 25k by Dennis Myers Do you own a gun? SMALL HE

Asked along the Riverwalk

Erik Holland

Artist No. If I had a gun I’d shoot myself in the foot with it. I’m not violent.

Stacy Brookner

Retiree No. I don’t use a gun, need a gun. It’s good I didn’t have a gun. If I had a gun I would have used it to save my life. I was stabbed in Salt Lake City. I’m sure if I had a gun I would have killed the guy.

Happy median

We recently read this paraphrased comment from Republican Nevada Assemblymember Don Gustafson in the Las Vegas Sun: “As far as Nevada’s motorcycle helmet law goes, 31 states have repealed similar laws and research has shown little change in motorcycle crash death rates, Gustavson said. Most injuries from crashes are to the arms, legs and other parts of the body—not the head.”

Gustafson was referring to Senate Bill No. 150, which was sponsored by Sens. Gustavson, Barbara Cegavske and Scott Hammond. That bill would principally change the state’s motorcycle helmet laws so people over the age of 21 would not have to wear a helmet while riding.

The question that arises for us is, why in the world would a legislator bother to mislead the public when the simple truth is all the argument he or she needs?

Let’s get a couple of things straight. First, research does not show that the repeal of helmet laws causes little change in motorcycle crash death rates. In fact, according to research on fairwarning.com, when helmet laws are repealed, and despite overall reductions in death rates on the road, deaths for unhelmeted motorcycle riders and passengers go up. In fact, since helmet laws began to be repealed, motorcycle deaths have more than doubled. When you have a second, pull out your smartphone and read this research (not while you’re driving, please): http://tinyurl.com/7gqrfzy.

The story has a great infographic using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that says, “In 1997, 1 out of every 20 traffic fatalities was a motorcycle rider. In 2010, it was 1 in 7.”

In fact, to us people with the Class M driver licenses, Gustafson’s statement is ludicrous, and so far beyond what we know to be true, it’s hard to believe he said it. We’ll take it one step farther. You know those full helmets, the ones with the chin bar? Those helmets are actually safer than the half-helmets you see the rebel riders wearing because the majority of motorcycle deaths are caused by damage in the lower part of the face caused by kissing bumpers. And you know why? Because those riders’brains are protected by the halfhelmet.

Now, many readers will get this far and decide not to read on. “Oh, it’s just those commie liberals spouting liberal nonsense that I can’t be bothered to consider because it contradicts what must be true in order for me to believe nonsense like ‘research has shown little change in motorcycle crash death rates.’”

But by considering all the facts, we’re going into our decision with eyes wide open.

At least the motorcycle riding members of this staff think motorcycle helmet laws should be repealed. Of course, their minimum insurance must include the cost for a lifetime of care in a vegetative state, so taxpayers don’t get the bill. These riders, after all, are not putting anyone but themselves and their passengers at risk. And adult passengers get to decide whether they get on at all.

There are enough laws that require people to protect themselves. Shouldn’t this be Darwin’s law at play? In other words, the government shouldn’t require us to wear helmets or seat belts or close-toed shoes, and people should have the freedom to choose whether they want to risk death in order to feel the wind in their hair. That’s what freedom is all about.

It’s only logical. Ω Emily Just

Assistant school principal No. They make me nervous. I’ve never considered it.

David Calkins

Merchant No, I do not. I’ve considered it plenty of times. My brother is a huge gun collector and fan. ... I might feel different about different weapons, but I have no need for a gun.

Kathleen Otley

Artist Actually, I do. I’ve never fired it, though. My partner wanted to get one, and I thought, “No way she’s having a gun, and I’m not.”