Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 114, No. 001, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 18, 2012 Page: 4 of 10
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Page 4 ■ Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Sweetwater Reporter
DEDICATED TO PROUDLY DELIVERING LOCAL NEWS SINCE 1881
1—x Sweetwater 1
Reporter
■ tWIENIBER
| m A 2010
P.O. Box 750/112 W. Third
I
TEXAS PRESS
Sweetwater, Texas 79556
ASSOCIATION
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finsley
REFLECTIONS
Where happened
to winter?
For the past week I have been visiting friends and family
in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Montana. Most Texans avoid
these regions in January. But, when you have grandchildren in
Montana, what can you do?
The weather tricked us. We discovered balmy weather in
the forties and fifties, with no snow. Instead of blizzard condi-
tions with blowing snow, we were greeted with brown grass,
bare ground and blowing dust. My friends in
Minnesota and Wisconsin were not happy.
I They despise a wimpy winter. Maybe thai is
| why the Packers lost last night to the Giants.
Playing at Lambau field, site of the famous
ice-bowl in 1967, the weather must have con-
| fused them. Yesterday we went to church in
Billings, Montana without wearing a parka.
I What is this?
While many are happy for a respite from
shoveling snow and digging out cars, we can't
fill ln'lp but miss the sounds of children giggling
Hill down snow-covered slopes, the slap of hockey
sticks in the park, the sight of snowmen stand-
ing sentry in front yards, not to mention ice-
fishing and snow mobiles. Of course, winter
might still show up. She has Several months left to make her
appearance. When I woke up this morning it was 7 degrees
with several inches of snow that fell overnight. It should get up
to 15 today even though the temps are predicted to return to the
forties by Saturday. Without winter's harsh grip it is difficult
to fully experience spring's miracle: thawing streams, budding
limbs, fields of flowers and fresh green grass.
The seasons somehow enrich us with rhythm purpose and
meaning. They help us recognize our connection with creation
including the migrating geese and the hibernating bear, badger
and bee..
From the dawn of creation, God provided seasons. In
Genesis; "Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of
the heavens to separate die day from the night, and let them
be for signs and for seasons and for days and years," (Genesis
1-H)-
Solomon wrote, "There is a time for everything, and a season
for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a
time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill
and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a
time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time
to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a
time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to
search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw
away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and
a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war
and a time for peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
Life is lived in seasons: birth-childhood and youth; young
adulthood; middle age; old age and death. Every season is
unique. Every season is to be received as a gift from God and
celebrated. Each has its challenges, difficulties, advantages,
sorrows and joys.
When Jeremiah looked at seasons and the miracle of nature,
he was reminded of how disconnected human beings can
become from their creator. "Even the stork in the sky knows
her seasons; and the turtledove and die swift and the thrush
observe die time of their migration; but My people do not know
the ordinance of die Lord." (Jeremiah 8:7).
Maybe diis winter, however it turns, can remind us to cel-
ebrate all die seasons of life, living in a way that remains con-
nected to die Creator and His creation.
Bill Tinsley reflects on life experience and current events
from a faith perspective. For more information visit www.
tinsleycenter.com. Email bill@tinsleycenter.com.
letters to the Ed i ter
I don't know why I waited five years to write this letter but,
when I read letter on Dr. Kassis from a person from Lubbock,
diat I had a few words on Dr. Kassis, when my wife came down
sick July 16, 2005 and was in Rolling Plains Hospital here to
Aug. 4,2005 and from there to rest home here, till Dec. 9,2006.
Dr. Kassis was called in as a consulting Dr. by her Dr. lindsey.
Dr. Kassis in his field of med., knows what he is doing and does
his job with all he knows and he helped my wife Martha of 44
years, two months, and 18 days from Aug. of 05 to Dec. 06. Dr.
Kassis did everydiing he could do for her and he told it like it
was up front and on a long day Dr. Kassis, always had time to
talk to me and family and explain tilings on my wife's needs
and care, yes being tired he always had diat smile, he is always
on the go, be hosp. here or clinic or elsewhere and my wife
was proud he was one of her Dr.'s and Dr. lindsey and always
dianked diem for caring about her and as this Sat. 01-14-12 my
wife has been with her Lord five years to die day she was put in
Abilene hosp. from Dec. 9-06 till her deadi 01-14-07, that's die
year we had die ice storm of 07. Martha was well taking care
of at Hendrick and had the best of Dr.'s but when her kidneys
locked down and her Dr. tried everything said, diere was noth-
ing else he could do for her but to make sure for her time left
she was in no pain but, my wife Martha said diat when she
came down sick she put her trust in her Lord and when it was
time she was going to a much better place to be widi her Lord
and for me to tell family and kin she loved each and everyone
with her heart, also not Oct. 23,1994 at Baylor hosp. in Dallas
she had a heart transplant and got a heart of a 26-year-old male
diat lasted till her deadi for 12 years and two mondis and 3
weeks and one day, and was still going fine on heart but, after
kidneys lock down she new it wasn't long but, she said honey, I
have put my faith in my Lord and I'm ready to go and for me to
take care of my self and our family and most of all, have faith in
die Lord and 01-14-07 at 6:12 p.111. her Lord took her to a better
place of no sickness or hate, heaven.
Donald R. Worsham Sr.
Sweetwater, Texas
C- FORCE
The omen in orange uiee
Chuck
Morris
Q: Chuck, I enjoyed
your article a while ago
about the potential haz-
ards of inorganic arsenic
levels in apple
juice produced
in foreign coun-
tries. Now I hear
the U.S. is hav-
ing troubles with
other contami-
nants in orange
juice. — "Craving
Citrus" in Cape
Coral, Fla.
A: Just this
past week, CNN
reported that
according to a
letter dated Jan.
9, the Food and Drug
Administration learned
that "an unspecified juice
company had found low
levels of fungicide in its
own products, as well as
orange juice and concen-
trate made by competi-
tors."
The orange juice con-
tamination stems from a
2011 crop in Brazil, the
world's largest orange
producer. The fungicide
found in trace elements
in the orange juice is
called carbendazim,
which has actually been
used for more than two
decades to fight mold
that grows on orange
trees. It is legal in Brazil
and other countries,
but it is classified as
an "unlawful pesticide
chemical residue" under
U.S. law. Carbendazim's
only approved use as a
fungicide in the U.S. is to
treat nonfood items such
as ornamental trees, tex-
tiles and paints.
The fact is that the
U.S is getting more and
more of its fruits and
vegetables from other
countries, and most of
them neither preclude
nor limit pesticides. Dr.
Oz reported that apple
concentrate comes from
up to seven countries —
QUEST COLUMN
rus
60 percent of it import-
ed from China alone.
CNN reported that the
U.S. imports roughly 25
percent of orang-
es used to make
orange juice,
most of it from
Brazil. The FDA
says U.S. fruit
and vegetable
imports are now
almost half of the
U.S. food supply.
As with elec-
tromagnetic
fields, low lev-
els of pesticides
tested in individ-
ual imported cit-
may be considered
harmless by the FDA;
but we must consider
the cumulative amounts
of trace pesticides being
poured into us from a
host of products lining
our grocery, from cof-
fee and corn to sugars
and syrups. The omen
in orange juice, indeed
the sign in citrus, is that
carbendazim is only one
illegal pesticide being
allowed within our bor-
ders and bodies.
Researchers are say-
ing there are many other
inadvertent negatives of
the onslaught of so many
pesticides, including the
catastrophic declines
in honeybee popula-
tions, termed "colony
collapse disorder." Bee
pollination is a lucrative
business and a critical
constituent to high-
value crops — includ-
ing apples, cherries,
almonds, pumpkins,
cranberries, blueberries
and watermelons — but
what would be the long-
term effects if bee colo-
nies were to be wiped
out by pesticides?
Dr. Jim Frazier, pro-
fessor of entomology at
Penn State University,
told The Sacramento
Bee this past week, "The
threats facing pollinators
should raise concerns,
as sub-lethal impacts
on bees are more seri-
ous than we had initially
thought."
The Bee also noted,
"(Beekeepers) raise spe-
cial concerns with neo-
nicotinoids, a class of
systemic pesticides that
is taken up a plant and
expressed through the
plants through which
bees then forage and
pollinate. ... Threats to
pollinators, especially
commercial honey bees,
concern the entire food
system."
I'm grateful that U.S.
health regulators are
beginning to test all
incoming shipments of
oranges, but that isn't
enough. Despite this
fungicide contamination
news, Brazilian com-
panies are determined
to continue to export
their carbendazim-
laced oranges. Christian
Lohbauer — spokesman
for CitrusBR, which rep-
resents B razil's four main
orange juice producers
— told Reuters, "Any
shipment (of orange
juice) will test positive
(for carbendazim). I
don't know what is the
level that (the U.S.) will
decide is the maximum
level. Our interest now is
that juice keeps entering
the United States."
Because the orange
juice infection of fungi-
cide is still under inves-
tigation and the U.S.
hasn't banned Brazilian
oranges from import
or recalled contami-
nated orange juice from
grocery shelves, buyer
beware! Just because
the FDA isn't alarmed by
low-level toxicities from
pesticides within our
borders doesn't mean
that we should be duped
into putting them in our
bodies.
If you purchase orang-
es or orange juice, first
read the labels and
investigate from where
the citrus originated.
According to Reuters,
brands such asTropicana
and Minute Maid may
use a mix of juices origi-
nating from Brazil and
the U.S. So for the time
being, at least until we
hear the fungicide fiasco
is cleared, we definitely
should bow out from
buying Brazilian oranges
and orange-based juic-
es.
This is yet another
perfect example of why
my wife, Gena, and I and
other health enthusiasts
encourage everyone to
buy local and organic,
always, and, where it's
possible, to grow pro-
duce and juice it.
For a more holistic
medical approach, Gena
and I recommend Sierra
Integrative Medical
Center (http://www.
Sierralntegrative.com),
in Reno, Nev. The peo-
ple there are pioneers
in integrative medicine.
They blend the best of
conventional medicine
with the best alternative
therapies.
Write to Chuck Norris
(info@creators.com)
with your questions
about health and fitness.
Follow Chuck Norris
through his official
social media sites, on
Twitter @chucknorris
and Facebook's "Official
Chuck Norris Page." He
blogs at http://chuc-
knorrisnews.blogspot.
com. To find out more
about Chuck Norris and
read features by other-
Creators Syndicate writ-
ers and cartoonists, visit
the Creators Syndicate
Web page at www.cre-
ators.com.
Don t abandon capitalism
It's bad enough when
Democrats start playing
class warfare, but when
Republican presidential
contenders begin using
phrases like "vul-
ture capitalism,"
it's time to be
really worried.
It's easy to
dismiss as sour
grapes Newt
Gingrich and Rick
Perry's attacks
on Mitt Romney
and Bain Capital,
which Romney
co-founded. It's
no coincidence
that the attacks
are getting nas-
tier in South
Carolina, site of the next
presidential primary and
perhaps the last chance
one of the challengers has
of stalling Romney's path
to the nomination. But
Romney's critics should be
ashamed of themselves for
promoting anti-business
stereotypes.
The left has always
treated wealth as suspect.
If one person becomes
rich, the assumption
is that it is at another's
expense, which is why the
left believes government
has the obligation to redis-
tribute wealth.
But it isn't just the left
that has a poor under-
standing of wealth cre-
ation or how free-market
capitalism works. A grow-
ing number of populist
conservatives are deeply
suspicious of corporate
America, too. You can hear
it in their rhetoric about
everything from the bank
bailouts to immigration.
Corporations seem to be
the new villains for every-
Unda
Chavez
did ate in recent memory
quite invokes the corpo-
rate image as much as Mitt
Romney. He is the son of a
car company executive. He
looks like he just
stepped off the
pages of Fortune
magazine. And
it turns out that
he made his own
fortune head-
ing up a private
equity firm that
specialized in
corporate take-
overs.
Bain Capital's
model was to
identify under-
performing com-
panies; tighten
or replace management;
and make them profitable
as quickly as possible —
which often meant cut-
ting jobs, at least initially.
And since Romney and
Bain are so closely iden-
tified, the implication is
that Romney got rich by
destroying jobs.
Bain also invested in
younger and riskier enter-
prises than some other
private equity companies,
which meant a fair num-
ber — about one in five
— ended up failing despite
Bain's involvement.
Nonetheless, Bain also
helped create more than an
estimated 100,000 addi-
tional jobs by providing
the equity for companies
such as Sports Authority.
Yet some people seem to
think it's immoral for Bain
— and Romney — to make
money if any jobs were
lost.
But is it really fair to
blame Bain Capital or
Mitt Romney? Not every
takeover will be success-
ful ones entail pain in the
beginning. Private equity
companies that special-
ize in turnarounds don't
usually get involved unless
the company is already
struggling. And like all
companies, the purpose of
private equity firms is to
earn a profit for investors
who have risked their own
money.
The alternative would
be to treat companies as
if their primary purpose
is to provide employment
rather than turn a profit.
That system might work
for a while — a very short
while. But it would destroy
innovation, reduce pro-
ductivity and ultimately
make everyone, including
workers, poorer.
If a company isn't prof-
itable, it won't stay in
business, even if the own-
ers are pure altruists.
Companies fail for lots of
reasons: Their products or
services are inferior, they
lose market share to com-
petitors or they become
bloated and inefficient.
Turnaround firms like
Bain Capital specialize in
solving the last problem.
But in order to get a
company back on its feet,
someone has to make
tough decisions by elimi-
nating positions that are
extraneous, cutting jobs
that aren't vital to the
bottom line and trying to
produce more or better
products and services with
fewer people.
The country could do a
lot worse than electing a
president who knows how
to do exactly that. After all,
one of the biggest prob-
lems facing the new presi-
dent will be dealing with
the debt we've accumu-
lated running a Leviathan
federal government. Who
better than someone who
has cut costs for years in
the private sector to bring
those same skills to the job
of president?
Linda Chavez is the author
of'An Unlikely Consei votive:
The Transformation of an
Ex-Liberal." To find out
more about Linda Chavez,
visit the Creators Syndicate
Web page at www.creators.
com.
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Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 114, No. 001, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 18, 2012, newspaper, January 18, 2012; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth229665/m1/4/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library.