January 5, 2023

Andersonville

by lyle e davis

Andersonville, Georgia, is located in south-central Georgia, near the towns of Americus and Plains. Though this small Georgia town claimed only 20 citizens, Andersonville would become known as one of the more infamous names in history.

Officially, it was known as Camp Sumpter. But, to the world, it will always be known as Andersonville. To the prisoners who endured Andersonville . . . it was known as Hell on Earth.

Overseeing this monstrosity was Captain Henry Wirz, the commandant of Andersonville Prison and the only Confederate soldier convicted and executed for war crimes during the Civil War.

Andersonville, Georgia, is the site of the best known of all the American Civil War (1861-1865) prisoner-of-war (POW) camps.

How Did Andersonville Happen?

Lacking a means for dealing with large numbers of captured troops early in the Civil War, the U.S. and Confederate governments relied on the traditional European system of parole and exchange of prisoners. The terms called for prisoners to give their word not to take up arms against their captors until they were formally exchanged for an enemy captive of equal rank. Parole was supposed to take place within 10 days of capture. Generally it was granted within a few days, especially after a major battle where thousands of troops were involved. Sometimes parolees went home to await notice of their exchange; sometimes they waited near their commands until the paperwork was processed.

This practice evolved into a more formal exchange, and then was virtually discontinued altogether. Just one of the reasons for the practice

of exchanging prisoners failing was the refusal by the Confederate Government to exchange or parole black prisoners. They threatened to treat black prisoners as slaves and to execute their white officers. While paroling was in force, many inequities surfaced in the system. Soldiers assigned to detention camps frequently suffered from shortages of food and clothing and poor sanitation and were victimized by a criminal element among them. The men often became pawns for the governments, officers at one point being denied parole until formally exchanged. Union authorities generally withheld parole and exchange from guerrillas, bushwhackers, and blockade-runners, which resulted in retaliatory action by the Confederacy.

As paroles and exchanges became less frequent, the net result was the development of prison camps on both sides. Discussions on exchange continued until October 23, 1862, when United States Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton directed that all commanders of places of confinement be notified that there would be no more exchanges. This decision would greatly affect the large numbers of prisoners in both northern and southern prison camps. The so-called “holding pens” now became permanent prisons.

Prisons that were open stockades existed only in the South, and the most infamous was Andersonville.

The Hell Which Was Andersonville

The history of Andersonville has startled and shocked the world with a tale of horror, of unspeakable living conditions. At times it seemed that the prison at Andersonville had been selected for the most terrible human sacrifice that the world had ever seen. Into its narrow walls were crowded thirty five thousand enlisted men. For long and weary months here they suffered, maddened, were murdered, and died. Here they lingered, unsheltered

from the burning rays of a tropical sun by day. One could, and did, witness every stage of mental and physical disease, as starving, emaciated, prisoners would wither away, festering with unhealed wounds; gnawed by the ravages of scurvy and gangrene; with swollen limbs and distorted faces, covered with vermin which they had no power to kill, exposed to the flooding rains which drove them drowning from the miserable holes in which, like pigs, they burrowed. The prisoners would lie in squalor, with naked limbs and matted hair. They were filthy with smoke and mud; soiled with the very excrement from which their weakness would not permit them to escape. They were eaten by the gnawing worms which their own wounds had attracted; with no bed but the earth; no covering but the sky; these men endured what has been described by many as a combination of the worst of Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Hell.

The deep south location, the availability of fresh water, and its prox-

in the latter part of the summer of 1864 the Confederacy offered to unconditionally release prisoners if the Union would send ships to retrieve them. Union ships did not arrive until December of that year.

Although death rates were high in other civil war prisons as well, none approached that of Andersonville. The condition of the prisoners at Andersonville on its liberation led Walt Whitman to write, “the dead there are not to be pitied as much as some of the living that have come from there--if they can be called living.”

Clara Barton assisted with the processing and identification of bodies at Andersonville at the end of the war and realized the need for an organization to assist in cases of dire need. She founded the American Red Cross as a result sixteen years later.

Captain Henry Wirtz

To some, he is guilty of atrocities not repeated until Nazi Germany,

Andersonville from page 1

imity to the Southwestern Railroad, made Andersonville a favorable prison location. Politically, it was relatively easy to locate here as there were only 20 persons then living in Andersonville. There was, simply speaking, no one to object. So Andersonville was chosen as the site for a prison which would later become infamous in the North for the thousands of prisoners that would die there before the war ended.

The stockade enclosure was approximately 1010 feet long and 780 feet wide. The walls of the stockade were constructed of pine logs cut on site, hewn square, and set vertically in a wall trench dug roughly five feet deep. According to historical accounts, the poles were hewn to a thickness of eight to 12 inches and “matched so well on the inner line of the palisades as to give no glimpse of the outer world”. A light fence known as the deadline was erected approximately 19-25 feet inside the stockade wall to establish a no-man’s land keeping the prisoners away from the stockade wall. Anyone crossing this line was immediately shot by sentries posted at intervals around the stockade wall. Sentries were paid a bounty for every prisoner they shot. Thus, many sentries would shoot prisoners wheth-

er they had crossed the deadline or not, simply for the bounty.

At first, it wasn’t so bad. The prison had been built for 10,000 and while under that figure, life was bearable. Prisoners began arriving at the prison in late February of 1864. But, by early June the prison population had climbed to 20,000. Consequently, it was decided that a larger prison was necessary, and by mid-June work was begun to enlarge the prison. The prison’s walls were extended 610 feet to the north, encompassing an area of roughly 10 acres, bringing the total prison area to 26.5 acres. The extension was built by a crew of Union prisoners consisting of 100 whites and 30 African Americans in about 14 days. On July 1, the northern extension was opened to the prisoners who subsequently tore down the original north stockade wall, then used the timbers for fuel and building materials. By August, over 33,000 Union prisoners were held in the 26.5 acre prison.

During the 14 months it existed, more than 45,000 Union soldiers were confined here. Of these, almost 13,000 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding, or exposure to the elements.

Inside Andersonville

The daily ration for the prisoners and guards was scant, a bit of corn

meal, a bit of beef, perhaps a bit of bacon. The lack of vegetables led to numerous cases of scurvy from which many died. Area residents offered to supplement the daily rations, but prison officials would not allow any assistance.

Sanitation

The guard and hospital facilities outside the prison were upstream and the stream was used for disposal of trash, body and animal wastes, and for bathing. The stream was also used for the same purposes within the prison. The prisoners were forced to drink from this polluted stream as it was the main water source. The only other sources of water were a few wells, inadequate for many to use, closely guarded by gangs of Union prisoners. The flow of the stream was insufficient to carry the high volume of wastes from within the prison and prisoners began developing dysentery and diarrhea from drinking it as well as gangrene from having it get into wounds. The conditions were so poor that in July 1864 Captain Wirz, the Camp Commandant, paroled five Union soldiers to deliver a petition signed by the majority of Andersonville’s prisoners asking that the Union reinstate prisoner exchanges. The request in the petition was denied and the Union soldiers, who had sworn to do so, returned to report this to their comrades.

The prison population continued to grow to over 33,000 in August of 1864. Hundreds of soldiers were dying each day. The “deadhouse” outside the prison was filled beyond capacity and bodies were being stacked outside prior to burial.

Prisoners were relying on shelter from a few crude huts, pieces of tents and holes they had dug in the ground. There was no clothing given to prisoners, so most wore only ragged remnants of their uniforms or in some cases, nothing at all. Gangs of Union soldiers formed and began stealing from (and in some cases attacking in order to steal from) other soldiers what little they had in the way of clothing, shelter or provisions. Several Union soldiers brought the attacks to the attention of the Confederates and were allowed to try Union gang members. Some were hung for crimes against their fellow Union soldiers.

But the death and suffering of prisoners during the civil war could not be totally blamed on the Confederacy and the officials at Andersonville. The Union had its share of rascals as well. They would either deny measures that would ease the suffering of both their own prisoners as well as those from the Confederacy, or take their own sweet time in responding. For example,

Give Us This Day our

Those New Quarters

Hang on to any of the new Minnesota quarters you may acquire. They may be worth MUCH MORE than 25 cents!

The US Mint announced today that it is recalling all of the Minnesota quarters that are part of its program featuring quarters from each state.

This action is being taken after numerous reports that the new quarters will not work in parking meters, toll booths, vending machines, pay phones or any other coin-operated devices.

The problem lies in the unique makeup of the Minnesota quarter which was designed by a couple of

Norwegian specialists, Sven and Ole.

Apparently the duct tape holding the two dimes and a nickel together keeps jamming up the machines.

YA SHURE - YOU BETCHA

Clever Marketing

A Chinese guy goes to a Jewish fellow to buy black bras, size 38. The Jew, known for his skills as a businessman, says that black bras are rare and that he is finding it very difficult to buy them from his suppliers. Therefore he has to charge $50.00 for them. The Chinese guy buys 25.

He returns a few days later and this time orders fifty. The Jew tells him that they have become even harder to get and charges him $60.00 each.

The Chinese guy returns a month later and buys the Jew’s remaining stock of 50, and this time for $75.00 each.

The Jew is somewhat puzzled by the large demand for black size 38 bras and asks the Chinese guy, “please tell me - What do you do with all these black bras?”

The Chinese guy answers: “I cut them in half and sell them as skull caps (yarmulkes) to you Jews for $200.00 each.”

Senior Bus Tours

A tour bus driver is driving with a bus load of Seniors down a highway when he is tapped on his shoulder by a little old lady. She offers him a handful of peanuts, which he gratefully munches up.

After about 15 minutes, she taps him on his shoulder again and she hands him another handful of peanuts.

She repeats this gesture about five more times.

When she is about to hand him another batch again ....he asks the little old lady, ‘Why don’t you eat the peanuts yourself?’.

‘We can’t chew them because we’ve no teeth’, she replied.

The puzzled driver asks, ‘Why do you buy them then?’

The old lady replied, ‘We just love the chocolate around them.’

Southerners have the lowest stress rate because they do not take medical terminology seriously. You are going to die anyway, so live life ... and don’t worry so much.

Artery

The study of paintings Bacteria

Back door to the cafeteria Barium

What doctors do when patients die Benign

What you be, after you be eight Caesarean Section

A neighborhood in Rome Cat scan

Searching for Kitty Cauterize

Made eye contact with her Colic

A sheep dog Coma

A punctuation mark Dilate

To live long Enema Not a friend Fester

Quicker than someone else Fibula

A small lie Impotent Distinguished, well known

Daily Chuckle This week, a compendium of wit, wisdom and neat stuff you can tell at parties. Enjoy!

and to others, he is a martyr for the Great Southern Cause. He was the Commandant of Andersonville Prison.

Excerpts from his trial:

George W. Gray testifying for the prosecution on the charge of murder:

I am in the military service of the United States; in the 7th Indiana Calvary, Company B.

Q. How long have you been in the service?

A. In my last term two years and one month; I was taken to Andersonville on the 10th of June, 1864, and remained until November. I saw prisoners shot on or near the dead-line, on several occasions. I was down, in the fore part of my imprisonment, to get water at the creek. That was the only resource for obtaining water, except you had a right in one of the wells. The crowd was very great there. It was absolutely necessary sometimes either to get over the dead-line or to thirst. I have seen men on five or six occasions either shot dead or mortally wounded for trying to get water under the dead-line. I have seen one or two instances where men were shot over the dead-line. Whether they went over it intentionally, or unconsciously from not knowing the rules, I cannot say. I think that the number of men shot during my imprisonment ranged from twenty-five to forty. I do not know that I can give any of their names. I did know them at the time, because they had tented right around me, or messed with me, but their names have slipped my mind. Two of them belonged to the 40th New York Regiment. Those two men were shot just after I got there, in the latter part of June, 1864.

no chance of seeing him unless he was in the stockade. The majority of those whom I saw shot were killed outright; expired in a few moments.

Q. Do you know anything about the prisoner (Wirz) having shot a prisoner of war there at any time?

A. He shot a young fellow named William Stewart, a private belonging to the 9th Minnesota Infantry. He and I went out of the stockade with a dead body, and after laying the dead body in the dead-house Captain Wirz rode up to us and asked by what authority we were out there or what we were doing there. Stewart said we were there by proper authority. Wirz said no more, but drew a revolver and shot the man. After he was killed the guard took from the body about twenty or thirty dollars, and Wirz took the money from the guard and rode off, telling the guard to take me to prison.

A. G. Blair testifying about inhumane treatment

I was in the military service of the United States, in the 122d New York. I was taken prisoner on the 23d of May, 1864, at the battle of the Wilderness. I was taken to Libby Prison first, and from that to Andersonville, where I arrived about the first of June. Captain Wirz was in command of the prison when I arrived there. I have heard a great many questions asked Captain Wirz about rations whenever he would come into camp. His reply was generally an oath, saying that we would get all the rations we deserved, and that was damned little.

On one occasion when he was asked by several of the prisoners who had not had any rations for twenty-four hours, when they were to have any, he made remark that if the rations were in his hands we would not get any. That was in the beginning of July, 1864, just before or after the 4th.

Oodles!

Looking for things to do? Places to go? Check out Oodles every week for listing of civic and service club meetings throughout the area.

Have an event you need publicized?

Email it to: Oodles.ThePaper@gmail.com If you submit photos do not embed them. Send them as jpg, tif, or pdf attachments only.

Simple press releases are the best: who, what, where, when, why. Please no brochures or flyers. Keep it simple You’ll get more ink!

Escondido Chamber Leadership Luncheon

The Greater Escondido Chamber of Commerce is committed to equipping, supporting, and empowering our business community. The Leadership Luncheon provides opportunities to learn from influential business and community leaders who will motivate and provide practical tools to help businesses thrive and make our city better. It is a platform for connection, guidance, and building encouraging and lasting relationships through community.

Join them for an educational presentation and relevant conversation on Leadership on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, from noon to 1:00pm at the Greater Escondido Chamber of Commerce. Fix Auto Escondido is the event sponsor, and lunch will be provided. We are bringing together leaders from entry-level positions, middle management, and senior management levels to provide all attendees with a wealth of resources for maximum impact.

Guest Speaker is Richard D. Marks, author of Expect Great Things to Happen, and CEO of RDM Management Group. Richard specializes in professional development, sales, leadership training in both the public and private sector, and developing teams to achieve high performance levels.

Woman’s Club Luncheon

A. I saw the sentry raise his gun. I hallooed to the man. I and several of the rest gave the alarm, but it was too late. Both of these men did not die; one was shot through the arm; the other died; he was shot in the right breast. I did not see Captain Wirz present at the time. I did not hear any orders given to the sentinels, or any words from the sentinels when they fired; nothing more than they often said that it was done by orders from the commandant of the camp, and that they were to receive so many days furlough for every Yankee devil they killed. Those twenty-five or forty men were shot from the middle of June, 1864, until the 1st of September. There were men shot every month. I cannot say that I ever saw Captain Wirz present when any of these men were shot. I had

I have seen him stand at the gate when sick men were carried out. The men were very anxious to get out of the sun into the shade, and they would rush out to a small passage-way made in the large doors coming out, just to suit him. I have seen him shove the well, and the sick who were being carried, over on their backs; or sometimes he would order the guards to do it. The condition of the men taken out of camp into the hospital was hopeless - all that I ever saw taken out.

Edward S. Kellogg testifying for the prosecution

I was in the military service of the United States. I was in the 20th

The next meeting of the Woman’s Club of Escondido will be held on Monday, January 9th, starting at 10:30am. Their clubhouse is located at 751 No. Rose Street (corner of Mission Avenue), Escondido. The program will be “How to Keep Your Home Safe As you Age.” It will be a Power Point Presentation, with practical tips for you to use in your home. Lunch will be served after the program. Cost is $15/ person if you are staying for lunch. Reservations need to be made by Saturday, January 7th. Guests and potential members are always welcome. Please call the Woman’s Clubhouse at 760.743 9178 and leave a message with your name and phone number and someone will call you. We look forward to seeing you at this first meeting of the new year 2023! Happy New Year to all!

Visit A Farmers Market

Wouldn’t you rather stroll amidst outdoor stalls of fresh produce on a sunny day than roll your cart around a grocery store with artificial lights and piped in music? Come to a Farmers Market instead. Here are a few Farmers Markets located in North County. To see a complete list visit https://www. sandiego.org.

Escondido

The Escondido Arts Partnership (EAP) sponsors the Escondido Certified Farmers’ Market on Tuesdays 2:30 till sunset. Located at Juniper Street between Grand Ave and Valley Parkway at Heritage Garden Park in Downtown Escondido.

San Marcos

The San Marcos Farmers Market is conveniently located at 251 North City Drive, San Marcos, CA, 92078, off Highway 78 and Twin Oaks Valley Road and is open year-round, Tuesdays, 3pm-6pm.

Vista

Vista’s Farmer’s Market is the longest running farmers market in the county (since 1981) open in all weather every Saturday from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. Admission is free and it is located at 325 S Melrose Dr.

Oceanside

The Oceanside Farmers Market is hosted by MainStreet Oceanside each Thursday morning from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. The event is held in Downtown Oceanside, adjacent to Civic Center Plaza, and features dozens of vendors offering a rich variety of fresh local produce, flowers, nursery items and more.

The event also features vendors of handmade crafts such as jewelry, wearing apparel, soap and lotions, seashells, photography and many others.

Plan to stay for lunch, as you’ll find many food vendors with a wide variety of delicious offerings such as panini sandwiches, gyros, crepes, ethnic foods, and others.

Corner of Pier View Way and Coast Highway.

Q. Did you see the person who shot them?

Suspect Arrested for the December 21st Robbery of US Bank

CARLSBAD, Calif. — On Friday, December 30, Detectives from the Carlsbad Police Department arrested the man believed to have committed the December 21 robbery of US Bank, located at 770 Carlsbad Village Drive. The investigation by Carlsbad Police detectives, with assistance from the FBI and local community members, identified the suspect as Steven Struhar, a 24-year-old resident of San Marcos, CA. Mr. Struhar was arrested by members of the Carlsbad Police Department near his residence.

At the time of the bank robbery, Mr. Struhar was released on bail and awaiting sentencing in the United States District Court, Southern District of California, on federal charges of bank fraud and making false statements.

Mr. Struhar was booked into the San Diego County Jail on the charges of robbery, California Penal Code 211, and committing a felony while out on bail, California Penal Code 12022.1(b).

If you believe that you have information that can assist with this investigation, please contact Detective Jordan Walker at 442-3395674 or Jordan.Walker@carlsbadca.gov

Local News

Human Remains Located

CARLSBAD, Calif. – On December 30, officers from the Carlsbad Police Department responded to a call of a shoplift that had occurred at the Ralphs grocery store, located at 7140 Avenida Encinas. At approximately 4:09 p.m., while checking the area for possible suspects, officers located what appeared to be a homeless encampment with human remains in the brush area, southeast of the shopping center. Based on the condition of these remains, it appears as though they had been there for some time, possibly months. The County Medical Examiner arrived on scene to assume the investigation after Carlsbad Police Department crime scene investigators processed the scene. The identity of the deceased is pending further investigation by the Medical Examiner’s office. There was no indication of foul play or anything otherwise suspicious located at the scene.

Police media contact: Lieutenant Shaun Lawton, 442-339-2115

CCAE Museum Exhibition Statement Regarding Controversial Art Work

The City’s Statement regarding the controversial art work included in the current CCAE Museum Exhibition:

A week before the opening of a new exhibition, the City of Escondido was made aware of a potentially controversial piece of art that will be displayed in the California Center for the Arts, Escon-

dido’s Museum. According to the Center’s Executive Director, the artwork depicts officers as pigs.

There is a very close partnership between the City and the California Center for the Arts, Escondido (CCAE.) However, the CCAE Board and staff are responsible for programming the content of the CCAE Museum and Theaters.

The City of Escondido and the Escondido Police Department fully support and defend a person’s constitutional rights of free speech and expression.

Escondido City Manager Sean McGlynn stated, “I want to take this opportunity to stress my unwavering support for the women and men who comprise our police department. Every day I see the dedication, commitment, and professionalism they display as they keep our wonderful community safe and secure.” In addition, Escondido Chief of Police Ed Varso shared, “I am extremely disappointed to learn about the art piece depicting insulting images of honorable police officers. Despite my disappointment, police officers understand that there are times when people will sling insults, even when we are there to protect them. The members of the Escondido Police Department will continue to display professionalism and serve our community.”

Tell Us Now

As your County Supervisor, ad-

vancing government programs that promote efficiency and accessibility for the residents of North County is among my top priorities. If you have a problem that needs County assistance our Tell Us Now! phone app provides an efficient and convenient way to report issues directly to the County.

Available to iPhone and Android users, the County’s Tell Us Now! app builds on the County’s commitment to customer service by making County systems more efficient. It is a user-friendly app where constituents can report non-emergency problems to the County. Through the app you can contact many County Departments to report a variety of issues, such as County Code Compliance to report graffiti; and the County Department of Public Works to report road maintenance, signs and traffic issues.

It’s easy to use—See a problem, take a photo, add some text and send! The app will alert someone to clean up the mess, repair the sign or fix that error! If you see a pothole, send it in on the app and we will get it repaired shortly. Be sure to download the app today and participate in making your neighborhood and our County a better place to live!

As always, if we can be of assistance or answer any questions, my team and I can be reached at (619)531-5555 or via email at Jim. Desmond@sdcounty.ca.gov. We are still happy to help with any of these issues too!

The faculty member warned us at the beginning that these kids would bond with us . . . and they did. But we bonded with them as well.

Man About Town

My Hidden Valley Kiwanis Club has joined in a service project set up by my good friend, retired CPA, Kevin Camperell.

Four of us volunteered from 10:30am to 12:30pm, one day a week, to teach/help 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders to read.

These are mostly Latino kids who generally speak English reasonably well but have had difficulty in reading. We meet with them, go over a reading book with them, have them read to us and we help them when they struggle with words, encouraging them to sound out the words, etc.

This past Wednesday was the final week and we said our goodbyes at the end of the class period to each of the kids. The school will now study the program and determine if they want to go forward. We Kiwanians have already given a ‘thumbs up’ that we intend to do it again. We LOVE it!

As for my kids, they gave me a Thank You card, signed by each of them, Sirene, Joshua, Frankie and Sara.

That alone was very nice.

But then came the topper. My last student, Frankie, is a chubby little Latino kid, a mischievous look in his eyes and grin . . . he is a handful and can be a bit of a troublemaker . . . but we hit it off and worked well together.

At the end of the class I praised him for how well he was read-

ing, how it was clear to me that he must have been reading at home, how his mom and dad must be really proud of him . . . and how proud I was of him. I also told him I hoped we’d meet again and, perhaps, he could be in another of my classes.

He looked at me . . . asked if he could have a card. I gave him a 3x5 card and he took a red Sharpie pen and drew the following: The stick figure is me. Those are hearts floating around me.

I think Frankie was telling me he loved me.

I didn’t cry but there sure were some tears welling up in my eyes . . . and my heart skipped a few beats.

I absolutely LOVE this program and can’t wait to do it again.

Thanks to Kevin Camperell for coming up with this idea and to Rose School, Escondido, CA., for giving a green light to this pilot program. Now let’s continue it!

San Marcos Pickleball Courts Closed for Maintenance

The City of San Marcos Public Works Department will be resurfacing the pickleball courts at Innovation Park, located at 1151 Armorlite Drive, between Jan. 9 and Jan. 23. Please note that work may be delayed depending on the weather conditions.

During the two-week construction period, the four pickleball courts will be closed while the remainder of Innovation Park, including the dog park, restrooms and picnic tables, remain open to the community. This routine pickleball court maintenance will create a safer environment for users.

Residents are encouraged to visit other San Marcos pickleball courts located at Connors Park, 320 W. San Marcos Blvd., and Woodland Park, 671 Woodland Parkway.

For additional information, please contact the City’s Public Works Department at (760) 752-7550.

Labour Pain

Getting hurt at work Medical Staff

A Doctor’s cane Morbid

A higher offer

Nitrates

Cheaper than day rates Node I knew it Outpatient

A person who has fainted Pelvis

Second cousin to Elvis Post Operative

A letter carrier Recovery Room Place to do upholstery Secretion

Hiding something Seizure Roman emperor Tablet A small table Terminal Illness

Getting sick at the airport Tumor

One plus one more

***

1. In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame. Two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.

~John Adams

2. If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed. ~Mark Twain

3. Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself.

~Mark Twain

4. I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.

~Winston Churchill

5. A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

~George

and car keys to teenage boys.

~P.J. O’Rourke, Civil Libertarian

10. Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. ~Frederic Bastiat, French economist(1801-1850)

11. Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. ~Ronald Reagan (1986)

12. I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. ~Will Rogers

13. If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free!

~P.J. O’Rourke

14. In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.

~Voltaire (1764)

15. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you! ~Pericles (430 B.C.)

16. No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. ~Mark Twain (1866)

17. Talk is cheap...except when Congress does it. ~Anonymous

18. The government is like a baby’s alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. ~Ronald Reagan

19. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.

~Winston Churchill

20. The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.

~Mark Twain

Andersonville from page 3

new York regiment. I was captured. I was taken to Belle Island. From thence I was taken to Andersonville. I arrived there the 1st of March, 1864.

I saw other men shot while I was there. I do not know their names. They were Federal prisoners. The first man I saw shot was shortly after the dead-line was established. I think it was in May. He was shot near the brook, on the east side of the stockade. At that time there was no railing; there was simply posts struck along where they were going to put the dead-line, and this man, in crossing, simply stepped inside one of the posts, and the sentry shot him. He failed to kill him, but wounded him. I don’t know his name. I saw a man shot at the brook; he had just come in. He belonged to some regiment in Grant’s Army. I think this was about the first part of July or the latter part of June. He had just come in and knew nothing about the dead-line. There was no railing across the brook, and nothing to show that there was any such thing as a dead-line there. He came into the stockade, and after he had been shown his place where he was to sleep he went along to the brook to get some water. It was very dark, and a number of men were there, and he went above the rest so as to get better water. He went beyond the dead-line, and two men fired at him and both hit him. He was killed and fell right into the brook. I do not know the man’s name. I saw other men shot. I do not know exactly how many. I saw several. It was a common occurrence.

The Execution of Captain Henry Wirz

On November 10, 1865, Wirz, guarded by four companies of soldiers, was led to the gallows in the Old Capital Prison Yard before some 250 spectators who had government issued tickets. The

spectators chanted “remember Andersonville” as Wirz ascended the stairway of the gallows. A hood was placed over Wirz’s head and the rope around his neck. Wirz last words reportedly were that he was being hanged for following orders. The trap door was sprung open at 10:32 a.m. stretching the rope as it suddenly bore Wirz’s weight. Wirz’s neck was not broken by the fall and he writhed about as he slowly died of strangulation.

The crowd openly displayed satisfaction that Wirz was dead. The public had been made aware of the deaths caused by autrocious conditions at Andersonville; the press had printed photographs of the worst of the surviving prisoners; those prisoners who had survived despised Wirz; the public had cried out for vengeance and all had waited through a trial lasting sixty-three days for retribution to be had. Forgiveness was not possible as reflected by Walt Whitman regarding Andersonville when he wrote, “ There are deeds, crimes that may be forgiven but this is not among them. It steeps its perpetrators in blackest, escapless, endless damnation.”

With the execution of Henry Wirz the desire for vengeance felt in the North apparently died. No additional “conspirators” were tried or even indicted. Henry Wirz became the only person ever to be executed in the United States for war crimes.

Henry Wirz’s trial set the precedent for future war crimes trials and was cited in the war crimes trials following both World War I and World War II. “I was simply following orders” was no longer acceptable as a defense when “crimes against humanity” were committed by soldiers. The Wirz trial clearly provided that there are limitations to the extent military orders, which violate the rules of war or common law of humanity, may be followed. It established that military personnel may be held personally accountable for following such orders.

Bernard Shaw

6. A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, whichdebt he proposes to pay off with your money.

~G. Gordon Liddy

7. Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. ~James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

8. Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. ~Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

9. Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey

21. The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

22. There is no distinctly Native American criminal class...save Congress. ~Mark Twain

23. What this country needs are more unemployed politicians. Edward Langley, Artist (1928-1995)

24. A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. ~Thomas Jefferson

25. We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.

~Aesop

Legislative Priorities for 2023

California is increasingly unaffordable. We have the nation’s most expensive housing and the highest energy costs. We must reform policies that increase costs and impose burdensome fees on every home built, including rental units, making it difficult or impossible to find a place for many to live. State energy policies that drive up electricity costs, and our highest-in-the-nation gas prices/ taxes, need serious reform. Water is another problem. Bureaucratic hurdles blocking new dams must be revised. Current storms may fill existing reservoirs, built for a much smaller population, but additional water storage facilities are needed to serve agriculture and almost 40 million Californians.

Public safety should be a top priority. But from fentanyl trafficking to smash and grabs, leniency has been disastrous. Penalties for purveyors of fentanyl and other deadly poisons need to be strengthened. My legislation allowing life sentences for fentanyl traffickers if they cause death or serious injury was blocked by the majority, despite skyrocketing death rates. And we can cut down on smash and grabs if we allow felony penalties for thefts, including those under $950, as in legislation I authored last session.

The placement of Sexually Violent Predators in San Diego County is ongoing. Residential neighborhoods and rural communities where families try to raise chil-

dren in a safe environment aren’t equipped to cope with the SVP moving in next door; nor should they have to. The entire placement process needs revision.

Homelessness is getting worse, despite billions spent. Causes overlap, and include housing costs, mental illness and drug addiction. My legislation allowing Medication-Assisted Treatment for drug addicted inmates under county supervision will help keep drugs off the streets, while also helping to reduce opioid deaths and crime. Mental health is an important issue affecting so many families. Working to increase parity between mental health and physical health is one of the main issues our bi-partisan Mental Health caucus works on. Increasing access to care and needed treatments must be a priority, including increasing the number of treatment providers. But it’s just part of the puzzle. We must consider every tool available to solve these complex problems.

These issues, and many more, are nonpartisan and need immediate attention. The 2023 session will be busy, and hopefully, productive.

Assemblymember Marie Waldron, R- Valley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the cities of Poway, Santee, portions of the City of San Diego, and most of rural eastern and northern San Diego County.

Problem Solved

by Christopher Elliott

What happened to Stefanie Rogers’ Christmas tree? And why won’t Home Depot refund her for the plastic Tannenbaum she never received?

Q: I ordered a $390 Christmas tree from Home Depot to be shipped to my home. I did not receive the item. Home Depot advised me to contact FedEx and my credit card company, Wells Fargo. FedEx opened a case but later emailed me and stated, per their investigation, that the package was delivered correctly.

The Wells Fargo investigation

is underway. FedEx advised me to have Home Depot file a lost package claim, but Home Depot states they do not file this type of claim.

I have now purchased a second tree and would like my money back for the one I did not receive. Can you help me? -- Stefanie Rogers, Mobile, Ala. A: Home Depot should have delivered your Christmas tree as promised. But instead, it looks like it handed off the tree to FedEx, which then claimed that it delivered your tree. But you say it didn’t.

The online chat between you

5th District Supervisor Jim Desmond

Our Migrant System is a Mess

Over the past days, 1,071 migrants have been dropped off at transit stations across San Diego County.

Here’s how it works. People from around the world come across our southern border and ask for asylum. If they’re deemed qualified for a hearing, they’re given a court date in the future. Federal law only allows Border Patrol agents to keep these asylum seekers for a limited time. When that time expires, they have to release them. So, for the past four days, Border Patrol has been dropping hundreds of people a day at various public transit stations across San Diego County.

Our immigration system is broken and it’s now on full display in San Diego County. This is not humane. This is not compassionate. My heart breaks for these people who are trying to better their lives. The majority of the migrants don’t speak English and don’t have the resources to get to their final destination, but they’re just dropped and left in our County. Charities in our region, led by Jewish Family Services and Catholic Charities, have stepped up to serve and help manage the migrants coming out of Federal release, but they have limited capacity and resources. The County of San Diego has about 600 beds available, and the current influx exceeded capacity.

The Federal Government is using these asylum seekers as political pawns while straining our resources in San Diego County.

The Federal Government is failing in its obligation to protect the peo-

ple of San Diego County. This system is broken and puts our region at risk. If the Federal Government wants to process asylum seekers, it must provide adequate resources to manage people entering our region.

We already have a severe homeless problem in San Diego County and dropping 1,000 people onto our streets will only perpetuate the issue. Our hospitals, homeless shelters, law enforcement, public health department, and social services are already at and beyond capacity and should not be forced to chase the actions of the Feds to protect San Diegans.

Dropping migrants seeking asylum at our transit centers without critical resources to manage them puts the asylum seekers at risk, and it places the people of this region at risk.

The Federal Government should fund and operate temporary shelters or housing, on Federal properties, and process people through to their final destinations, not release them on our streets and transit centers. They should not allow anyone else into our region until they are able to manage them.

In the meantime, I’m going to continue to look for solutions to help those in our County and work to fix our broken immigration system. I will keep you updated.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond, 1600 Pacific Highway, #335, San Diego, CA 92101, United States http:// www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/

and Home Depot is pretty illuminating. It continues to insist that you received the tree and that you even signed for it. But you insist you didn’t.

It’s interesting that Home Depot publishes a page on its site about online orders but never addresses the possibility that your shipment fails to get delivered. I mean, you can’t be the first to whom this has happened.

However, Home Depot publishes a vision statement that promises “quality products, service, price and selection” and says it will “go the extra mile to give customers knowledgeable advice about merchandise and to help them use those products to their maximum benefit.”

I think it’s safe to say Home Depot is not living up to that vision statement by referring you to FedEx and your bank in your search for your missing Christmas tree. But what’s the solution? The fix Home Depot had in mind -- asking FedEx and then going to war with Wells Fargo -puts the burden entirely on you to come up with a solution.

Instead, Home Depot should take ownership for this problem. You didn’t get your Christmas tree, so the first order of business is getting you a Christmas tree. If you have to buy another tree, then Home Depot should refund

Travel Troubleshooter

by Christopher Elliott

When an Airbnb host doesn’t recognize Mehar Satsangi’s reservation in London, it sets her off on a misadventure that leaves her $1,780 poorer and banned from the platform. Is there a way out?

Q: I’ve had the most harrowing experience with Airbnb. I recently had reservations at an apartment hotel in London. When I arrived, my host told me I didn’t have a reservation. (This was despite paying months before and receiving a booking confirmation from Airbnb.) I had no place to stay.

I contacted Airbnb, and it issued a coupon to stay at another apartment. But the pictures were a complete misrepresentation of the apartment. The host even admitted that some of the images were wrong and apologized. Since it was getting late, I spent one night in the apartment and checked out the next day.

I ended up booking a hotel out of my own funds, where in I spent $1,875. I spoke with an Airbnb senior ambassador, who agreed to refund only $500 of the hotel and issue the rest as an Airbnb coupon.

There were pretentious apologies with no real solution for the entire duration of my remaining trip. I was short of funds to spend for the rest of my vacation because of this new hotel I booked with my own money.

Forced to use the coupon code for my next stay despite the horrible experience we had, I tried logging into my account to utilize the coupon only to find that they had blocked my account. Can you help me?

-- Mehar Satsangi, Mumbai

A: Wow, talk about a bad stay. Just about everything that could go wrong with this Airbnb experience went wrong.

First, Airbnb should have conveyed your reservation to your host in London. It’s not clear what went wrong. Did the host have the reservation and then turn you down when you arrived? Or was this a glitch with Airbnb’s reservation system? Either way, Airbnb

should have taken full responsibility for it.

Airbnb’s rebooking guarantee promises to assist you with finding “comparable or better” accommodations. But that didn’t happen -- instead, you ended up in another apartment, the pictures of which were not representative of the property

Two strikes, Airbnb.

But Airbnb wasn’t done with you. After promising you a credit for future use, the company disabled your account. That’s three strikes.

So are you out of luck? Maybe not. I reviewed your correspondence with Airbnb, and you were clearly upset. That may be why Airbnb banned you, although I can’t be sure. Your chats and phone interaction with the company may have crossed a line.

What would have worked? First, you want to invoke Airbnb’s rebooking guarantee in your correspondence. Airbnb promises to take care of you when a host cancels your reservation. I might have also reached out to one of the customer service managers at Airbnb. I publish the names, numbers and email addresses of the Airbnb executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. I also have a free guide to booking your next vacation rental so that this never happens to you again.

I contacted Airbnb on your behalf. The company restored your account and issued a refund for the full $1,875 as a coupon code. You also report having a productive conversation with an Airbnb manager about everything that went wrong with your apartment. Hopefully, Airbnb will use that information to ensure this will never happen to anyone else.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https://elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/

© 2023 Christopher Elliott.

Historically Speaking

by Tom Morrow

An Audience To Remember

There are times in one’s life when unexpected pleasures come flooding in. I’ve had several of those occasions, one of them occurring back in 1979, while a cast member of the venerable stage play, The Philadelphia Story at the Patio Playhouse in Escondido.

I was cast as Uncle Willie, one of the supporting characters. The movie version was a favorite of mine. The 1940 Oscar-winning film featured Cary Grant, Katharyn Hepburn, James Stewart, and Ruth Hussey.

I don’t recall who, but one of my friends told me Miss Hussey lived in Carlsbad and had the popular actress’ phone number. Hussey had played the photographer Elizabeth Inbrig character, for which she was nominated an Oscar. It occurred to me it would be something of a coup having the movie star at one of our Escondido stage performances. I called her and without hesitation she graciously accepted. Miss Hussey asked if she could bring two or three of her Hollywood friends? I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough.

Ruth Hussey, born Oct. 30, 1911, in Providence, R.I., worked as a model before landing a number of stage roles with touring companies. MGM signed her to a players’ contract. She made her film debut in 1937. She quickly became a leading lady in MGM’s “B” film unit, usually playing sophisticated, worldly roles. In 1941, exhibitors voted her the third-most popular “new star” in Hollywood. But it was her Oscar-nominated role as photographer Elizabeth Imbrie in “The Philadelphia Story” she is most remembered.

In 1942, she married talent agent and radio producer C. Robert

“Bob” Longenecker at Mission San Antonio de Pala here in San Diego’s North County. They raised three children: George Robert Longenecker, John William Longenecker, and Mary Elizabeth Hendrix.

Following the birth of her children, Hussey focused much of her attention on family activities and in 1967 she was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.

In 1977, she and her husband moved from their Brentwood family home to here in Rancho Carlsbad. Her husband died in 2002 shortly after celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

Their son, John Longenecker was a cinematographer and film director. He won an Academy Award for producing a live-action short film. “The Resurrection of Broncho Billy/” (1970). At age 23, he was the youngest producer in Hollywood to ever have won an Oscar.

During Miss Hussey’s long career, she made more than 60 films and numerous radio and television appearances.

Besides “Philadelphia,” other notable films Hussey starred in included working with Robert Taylor in Flight Command (1940), Robert Young in Northwest Passage (1940), Van Heflin in Tennessee Johnson (1942), Ray Milland in The Uninvited (1944), Alan Ladd in The Great Gatsby (1949), and Clifton Webb in “Stars & Stripes Forever (1952). In 1960, she co-starred in The Facts of Life with Bob Hope. Miss Hussey also was active in early television dramas such as “Marcus Welby, M.D,” “The Jimmy Stewart Theater,” “Jane Wyman Presents,” “Studio One,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “The New Perry Mason” show, and many others TV shows and commercials.

She also was active in Catholic charities, was noted for painting in watercolors, and was a lifelong Democrat although she did vote for Republican Thomas Dewey in 1944,, and for Hollywood friend and former co-star Ronald Reagan in the 1980 and 1984 presidential elections.

On the night she and her entourage arrived, I introduced the 18-yearold young lady playing the pho-

lost my reservation and then banned me

The Best and Worst Airlines of the Year for Customer Service

These are the best airlines for customer service

Customers say they like perennial favorites, including JetBlue, Southwest, Delta and Alaska. And in 2022, these carriers came through for passengers again.

What are the best airlines of the year for customer service? Ask passengers, and they’ll mention favorites like JetBlue and Southwest, despite that airline’s recent holiday meltdown. And they’ll criticize legacy carriers like American and United, and lowfare airlines that love to charge fees.

Travelers have been doing a lot of talking lately. They complained about airline service in record numbers this year. This summer, consumer complaints against airlines were nearly 270 percent above pre-pandemic levels. We’ll have to wait until early 2023 for this year’s total, but it’s not looking good.

So which airlines performed the best for their customers? Which ones didn’t? And what, if anything, is the government doing about the state of airline customer service?

Alex Beene, a community coordinator in Nashville, flew to Dallas on Southwest Airlines recently. Weather and staffing issues led to delay after delay. He was afraid he would miss his appointment in Dallas and approached a gate agent about his concerns.

“From that point forward, they did everything possible to expedite my journey,” he says. “They gave me early boarding so I could get a seat in the front of the plane. A flight attendant drew a makeshift map showing me how to get to ground transportation quickly. To my shock, Southwest even gave me a $200 voucher for a future flight.”

Beene says he’s a customer for life.

Inez Stanway says her vote for the best airline goes to Delta. A recent trip from Atlanta to Detroit is a standout.

“The flight was smooth and on time,” says Stanway, who runs an

art website in Atlanta. “The staff was attentive and polite, and I had no problems at all. It was a very pleasant experience.”

Research backs up these experiences. Fordham University’s American Innovation Index ranked JetBlue as the top airline, followed by Southwest, Alaska and Delta. Lerzan Aksoy, the interim dean of Fordham’s business school, says these airlines go “above and beyond” when it comes to customer service.

“Customers appreciate when airlines go above and beyond to help customers through superior service and flexibility,” she added.

My favorite airlines of 2022

I haven’t flown in the United States this year, but I’ve had plenty of opportunities to try foreign airlines.

Qatar Airways is one of my favorite flying experiences of the year. I flew the Gulf carrier from Frankfurt to Doha and from Doha to Cape Town in economy class. Qatar’s cabin service was excellent and it gave me plenty of legroom on both flights. Also, it didn’t charge extra for my luggage -- just like in the good old days.

Turkish Airlines also gets high

marks. I flew the national carrier from Cape Town to Istanbul in business class and then around Turkey in economy class. I particularly liked the in-flight food, from incredible Turkish coffee to freshbaked simit (bagels). Turkish hospitality is legendary.

SAS shuttled me from London to Oslo and from Bergen to Split, Croatia this fall. Even though the airline was struggling financially, that didn’t stop it from providing first-rate service. When people complain about the demise of European carriers, they are clearly not talking about SAS.

Photo illustration by Aren Elliott

These are the worst airlines for customer service

The worst airlines are also familiar. Passengers mention negative Airlines continued on page 10

Photo illustration by Christopher Elliott

The Pastor Says . . .

Living With Confidence In 2023

Can we face the new year with confidence? I try to listen to the expert analysts and get differing opinions. Some say we are heading into a recession and tough times. Others tell us that with climate change we can expect more violent weather plus the loss of habitat for animal species such as the polar bear. The real pessimists focus on inflation and the cost of food produce and the lack of other necessary items such

as toilet paper.There are prophets of doomsday telling us that our money will be worthless with digital currency being controlled by big government. Much of this can create some fear. Many teenagers have expressed dismay and insecurity due to world conditions and feel life isn’t worth living so they commit suicide. But really, are things that bad? Is there no hope in the future? Is it all gloom and doom? True, some people have it bad. Wars, drought, disease, pover-

A Word from San Marcos – Mayor Rebecca Jones

will serve alongside current Councilmembers Sharon Jenkins and Ed Musgrove.

Mayor Rebecca Jones continues her 16-year service on the San Marcos City Council and second term as Mayor. Councilmember María Nuñez was re-elected to represent District 1 for her second term. Councilmember Mike Sannella joins the San Marcos City Council following his service on the Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors.

ty, and death have brought misery to millions of people.There doesn’t seem to be any panacea or simple solution to many of life’s problems. But is there?

Can we trust our fellow man, have confidence in him/her? Not all people are nice. But many are. I saw a kid help an old man cross the street the other day. I see dozens of people packing lunches and serving dinners to the homeless daily. Doctors Without Borders cross international boundries to help the afflicted. And whether we agree with the war between Russia and

Airlines from page 9

Ukraine or not there has been an outpouring of aid and assistance for millions of people. Yes, I believe in my fellow man. And if I might add a personal note of a call we made on a friend confined in an assisted living facility who seldom has a visitor commented how our call enriched his life even at ninety five. You can be a fellow confidence builder.

How about trusting the economy? We love it when the stock market goes up, gas prices are low, our home value keeps climbing, but when the bubble bursts it is the end of the world. But who can remember when only a fraction of all we have, can purchase, or live in the comfort of so much has been our life? While not all is perfect there are many good and great things in our lives to give us confidence for the future.

And I add one last thought. We have engraved on our money, “ In God We Trust.” When you think all is lost, life is only gloom and doom, try trusting God.

Pastor Huls

Remember to call 760 746 6611 for encouragement, guidance, and hope for confidence.

Egan, a hospitality designer construction manager from Denver.

As we enter the new year, let’s recognize the new councilmembers sworn-in at the Dec. 13 San Marcos City Council meeting. City officials led the swearing-in of Mayor Rebecca Jones and Councilmembers Maria Nunez for District 1 and Mike Sannella for District 2. The three elected officials

The San Marcos City Council focuses on solving local issues and providing exceptional programs and services to our community. The City Council is honored to serve the residents of San Marcos.

To learn more information about the San Marcos City Council, please visit www.san-marcos.net.

Pet Parade

Tulip

Tulip is pet of the week at your Rancho Coastal Humane Society. She’s a 2-year-old, 10pound, female, Domestic Short Hair cat with a Blue and White coat.

Tulip was transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society from a rescue partner in Riverside County through FOCAS (Friends of County Animal Shelters.) She was adopted, then returned when the pets already living in the home didn’t want her.

The $100 adoption fee for Tulip includes medical exam, spay, up to date vaccinations, and registered microchip.

For more information or to sponsor a pet visit Rancho

Coastal Humane Society at 389 Requeza Street in Encinitas, call 760-753-6413, or log on to www.SDpets.org.

Open 11 to 4, Friday through Monday, and by appointment Wednesday and Thursday.

experiences with some legacy carriers and low-fare airlines known for their fees.

Dennis Shirshikov recalls a recent American Airlines flight from Mexico City to New York with his wife and three young children. As they boarded, a crew member ordered him to gate-check their stroller. Shirshikov, who runs a real estate investment firm in New York, says he balked because the stroller was regulation-size and he needed it to transport his kids. “They were very confrontational,” he says.

When he arrived at JFK, the stroller was gone. He finally found it in the lost and found. It was bent and scuffed but still worked. His relationship with American Airlines was damaged beyond repair. He says he’ll avoid American from now on.

But even airlines like United weren’t as bad as they have been in the past, at least when it comes to customer service. The American Innovation index found United was the most improved airline over the last five years, with its scores rising by 15 points on a 100-point scale. Customers like United because it is easy to work with and has a good loyalty program.

It’s not perfect. “United has significant delays in processing refunds and cancellations,” says Molly

Department of Transportation (DOT) complaint data backs up this list of the least favorite carriers. In the first half of 2022, American Airlines had the most complaints (3,186), followed by United Airlines (2,391), Spirit Airlines (1,909) and Frontier Airlines (1,750).

Government: Airline service may have hit a low in 2022

Ask the U.S. government, and you might come away thinking airlines offered the worst service ever.

The Department of Transportation last month issued a record $7.25 million fine against six airlines for failing to refund tickets for flights that had canceled or significantly changed during the pandemic. The government also issue four other aviation protection orders — fines against airlines for violating department regulations or engaging in unfair and deceptive practices.

Earlier this year, airline regulators proposed a new rule that would make it easier to get a refund when a flight gets canceled or is significantly delayed. It would also allow passengers to get flight credits that don’t expire when they cancel their flights for pandemic-related reasons, like a government travel ban.

San Marcos congratulates newly sworn-in councilmembers

Pastor Huls

The Computer Factory

845 W. San Marcos Blvd. 760-744-4315

thecomputerfactory.net

What PC is best for you?

During the past few weeks we’ve discussed the evolution of the PC industry since its beginning over fifty years ago. We’ve watched PCs evolve from stand alone workstations to network terminals today. Intermediate and large scale business, school and government operations of the 1980s were early adopters of PC technology. By adapting PCs as “smart” terminals” to replace existing “dumb terminals” on their LANs (local area networks) they significantly increased the functionality and versatility of their workstations. This use of PCs in LANs was known as “distributive processing” and in many respects mirrored how

home and small businesses would employ the Internet in the coming decades.

As the 1990s came to an end, ever more small business and home users were beginning to use the Internet. As Internet usage expanded during the next decade internet services became faster, cheaper and more reliable. Applications that were once purchased only in CD format or as downloads for off-line (stand –alone) use were being offered for use “on-line”. Data and file storage “on line” also became cheap, risk free and convenient.

All commonly used applications are available on line these days and even high task applications like gaming, solids modeling, crypto currency mining and audio/video editing can be accomplished with modestly configured PCs using the high speed Internet based “super computers” to do the number crunching. As a result, the need for high powered PCs for home and small business users has virtually disappeared. Add to this the fact that once a PC is upgraded by installing a SSD (solid state drive), It will have no internal moving parts except a couple of $5 fans. A ten year old PC becomes “immortal.”

The big three PC brands with over 70% of the USA market are Dell, HP and Lenovo. Dell and HP are no longer involved in manufacturing PCs. They buy fully configured notebook, desktop, tower and All-in-One PCs complete with

their corporate logos, from foreign computers manufacturers, mostly in China. Each year a part of their advertising campaigns include boasting of the increased speeds of the latest versions. The increased speeds are a by-product of cost reduction efforts to decrease the size of components and reduce the amount of valuable materials (gold silver) required in manufacture. The speed increase over the past ten years has been of no practical benefit to the overwhelming majority of PC users.

So from a performance standpoint it make no difference whether your PC was manufactured in 2010 or 2023 as long as it has a SSD, 8GB of RAM, and a Windows10 or 11 OS (operating system.) IT does

make a difference whether your PC was built to “commercial” or “retail” standards. “Retail” PC (notebooks, desktops, towers and ALL-in-Ones are manufactured to “price compete” for relatively unsophisticated retail shoppers. “Commercial” PCs are made to quality compete in environments where corporate professional ITs and managers understand quality performance and reliability and are willing to pay top dollar to get it. That is why the “refurbished” commercial grade Dell, HP and Lenovo PCs are a much better value than their brand new “retail” models.

Next week we’ll discuss what style home PC workstation best fits your particular needs.

John Van Zante’s Critter Corner

sure you’re both eating meals that are appropriate for your age. Take a doggone walk. It doesn’t have to be far, but it should be regular. Start with a short walk then build up. Find someplace with a change of scenery for you and new scents for your dog.

skin. Same with brushing your pet’s teeth. It only takes a couple minutes and it’s cheaper than a vet visit.

Problem from page 6

the one that never arrived. And it should be on the business -- not on you -- to get this resolved.

My buddy brags that his New Year’s resolution is not to make any New Year’s resolutions. He never keeps resolutions, and that just makes him feel bad.

Maybe this is the year to make resolutions to make life better for you and your pet.

Remember the commercial that said, “Nobody can eat just one”? Don’t open the chips and start eating. Plan your portions. And make

Find some place along the way where you can throw a ball or play with a toy. Your walks will be more fun, and you’ll get home with a wiped-out woofer.

We should all do this. Schedule annual medical exams for ourselves and our pets. Health problems are usually easier to treat if you catch them early. And spend the money to get the blood work so your vet has a baseline for your pet’s health.

Be hands-on with your pet. Brushing is good for your pet’s coat and

Shoot some memes of you and your pet together. It will be fun. And if you need a picture for a “lost pet” sign, you’ll want something recent.

Mom always said, “Don’t leave home without ID.” Check your pet’s tag to make sure you can still read it and the information is correct. If you’ve moved or changed phone numbers, update the microchip registry.

If it’s not the right time to get a pet, resolve to volunteer, foster, or donate your old towels and blankets. Make some resolutions that you can keep and that will make you feel good.

A brief, polite email to one of the Home Depot executive contacts listed on Elliott.org, my consumer advocacy site, might have gotten things moving in the right direction. But by the time you contacted me, Christmas was almost here and you wanted some good news.

I contacted Home Depot on your behalf. The company apologized for you not receiving your Christmas tree and refunded your $390.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https:// elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at https:// elliottadvocacy.org/help/

© 2023 Christopher Elliott.

Only the Bold, the Best and the Brightest read The Paper

First, I discovered America. Then, I discovered The Paper!

Ever since I can remember I’ve had the burning desire to discover new places, new adventures. Because of this, I set out to discover a new country . . . and I was successful. I even ventured inland a great many miles where I discovered a place I called Minnesota. “This,” I thought, “would be a great place for Scandinavians.” So I headed back to Norway to recruit settlers. While I was gone, some clown named Columbus claimed he discovered America. Life ain’t fair. Except life also give us The Paper. I read it whenever and wherever I go exploring and only buy from those who advertise in The Paper. It’s a Viking thing.

Your friend, Eric the Red

Audience

from page 7

tographer’s role (unfortunately the years have robbed me of her name) to Miss Hussey after the show. While the youngster had never seen the Academy Award-winning movie, nor had any idea who the Oscar-nominated star was, Miss Hussey praised the young girl for her Patio performance.

Among the friends Miss Hussey brought that evening was her film producer-husband Bob Longnecker, Dick Simmons (Sgt Preston of the Yukon), and three other oh-so familiar looking character actors, whose names today unfortunately I don’t recall… if I ever knew them. That particular trio of feature actors was easily recognizable, (a.k.a. “what’s their names”) after having seen all of them numerous times down through the years in supporting character roles of various films and TV shows. At that time they all lived in the Rancho Carlsbad community just off El Camino Real.

Hussey died April 19, 2005 at the age of 93, from complications from an appendectomy and was interred in Westlake Village, California.

During those Escondido years I had a number other encounters with Miss Hussey, but I always was hung-up on her performance in “The Philadelphia Story.” The dumbest question I ever asked her during one of those star-struck moments: “Did you ever work with any other ‘big name’ actors?” That question still bounces around in my memory of dumb queries to ask a celebrity. There were nearly 20 other earlier films, including “Madam X, in a career that began in 1937 and lasted until 1973. Her last big film was the 1952 classic “Stars & Stripes Forever” with Clifton Webb.

Oodles

from page 3

Larry Himmel Neighborhood Foundation Says Thank You

As we head into 2023, The Larry Himmel Neighborhood Foundation wanted to share an update on the people they were able to help this holiday season. Their focus this December was on senior citizens. Larry had a special place for seniors in his heart.

They received dozens of stories from seniors on fixed incomes that needed help. The needs of many were due to skyrocketing rents, exorbitant electricity prices and not being able to afford groceries. Thanks to their incredible donors, they were able to step up and help many seniors!

The Foundation helped many seniors pay their rent, electricity bills and even helped a few seniors travel to see their kids.

Gwen reached out to the Foundation with a tragic story. Last year, she lost her husband of 37 years to cancer. Five months later, her 35year-old son passed away. Gwendolyn also suffers from Crohn’s disease and gets treatment once a month. Her one wish was to see her daughter for Christmas!

Vern Torres is a Korean War Veteran, who lives in East County. Vern’s daughter reached out and told the Foundation that he was suffering from isolation. Thanks to wonderful donors they were able to get Vern Meals on Wheels for the entire year!

They were also able to partner with the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation to provide a holiday party for seniors in Rancho Bernardo!

If you’ve had a successful year or just want to help make San Diego a better place, consider donating to the Larry Himmel Neighborhood Foundation. They are a 501C3 that is 100% volunteer-run. They use all the money we receive to help people in San Diego.

Airlines from page 10

The Department of Transportation set up a new customer service dashboard that publishes information about how each airline handles delays or cancellations. For example, you can find out if your airline offers hotels, meal vouchers or ground transportation to the hotel when you have to spend the night at the airport.

Next year could be a year of reckoning for airlines as some of these rules are adopted by regulators. But that’s not all. Congress will consider the next FAA Reauthorization Bill, which funds the FAA. Traditionally, it’s an opportunity for lawmakers to weigh in on the industry’s performance with new legislation.

Given this summer’s wave of delays and cancellations -- and skyhigh airfares -- it’s unlikely the industry will continue to get away with this behavior.

The Paper is For Sale

After 23 joyous years, due to health issues, it is time.

I would prefer to sell to someone local but she, my baby, is on the market. We are profitable, and we are willing to finance. With our finance plan you should be easily able to handle debt service out of monthly profits and still have enough left over for a hearty bowl of ice cream!

We have over 40,000 readers every week from great communities like Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Carlsbad and Oceanside.

With the right sales team The Paper could be a real Cash Cow!

For price, terms and other information, contact lyle e davis at: thepaper@cox.net • 760-747-7119

LEGALS

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2022-9027734

The name of the business: International Academy Of Traditional Medicine, Center For East Asian Medicine, located at 603 Seagaze Drive, #735, Oceanside, CA 92054

Registrant Information: Georgette Young 603 Seagaze Drive, #735, Oceanside, CA 92054 This business is operated by an individual.

First day of business: 12/22/2022 /s/ Georgette Young Filed with Ernest J. Dronenburg, Jr., County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 12/22/2022 12/29, 1/5, 1/12, 1/19/2023