Letters for January 12, 2006

Message control
In 2001 when the Enloe helicopter ambulance crashed in Butte Meadows, killing the pilot and injuring the two nurses aboard, the hospital hired a public relations firm to spin the crisis communication to the public.

Looks like the Enloe Century Project expansion plan might also be crashing since the hospital has hired the same firm, ACS Quantum Strategies in Sacramento (www.acsquantum.com), to spin the issue to the public and City Council. The Web site says “…coordinating research for message testing, attending City Council hearings and developing collaterals such as flyers, PowerPoint presentations, fact sheets, etc.” They forgot to mention the Kool-Aid.

In the “Who to Watch” article, [Cover story, Jan. 5] Enloe CEO Dan Neumeister stated that, for budgetary reasons, he decided against hiring a communications strategist. Did he get ACS Quantum Strategies for free? Or, are the PR hacks not getting false public statements to vet before release to the press?

Ed McLaughlin
Friends of Enloe

For heaven’s sake
Anyone catch Barbara Walters’ special about heaven? If not, it basically promised to shed some light on the diverse visions of heaven held by some of the world’s major religions. Zen Buddhism was represented by Dali Lama and Richard Gere, who were interviewed about reincarnation and nirvana.

Speaking on behalf of Judaism were Rabbi Neil Gilman and Jackie Mason, who apparently is also a rabbi and also only apparently a comedian. As for Islam, a New York Imam spoke on his religion’s view of the afterlife; but there was no Muslim celebrity spokesperson (sorry, Cat Stevens). Instead Walters led us into an Israeli prison where she interviewed a Palestinian man serving a sentence for an attempted suicide bombing. He talked about the virgins and said something along the lines of “death to the Jews.” No word on why the producers were given a pass into the prison, because it’s doubtful that televising an Arab man espousing hatred for the Jews fits anyone’s agenda (sarcasm).

Anyway, it’s sad that they plucked a suicide bomber to inform Americans about Islam. Think of how insulting it would have been had Irv Rubin (former head of the Jewish Defense league charged with acquiring explosive materials and plotting to blow up Arab-American Rep. Darrell Issa’s office as well as a mosque in Culver City) been selected to talk about his version of Judaism. Well, maybe that’s not a great point, given that shortly after being arrested Irv committed suicide.

S.B.
Chico

Recall Arnie
We’ve all heard that a leopard can’t change his spots. Can a mean-mouthed, tight-fisted, arrogant governor pull his head out of his ass? Not unless you keep a hot iron to his scrote sack.

Gov. Schwarzenegger claims that heavy losses in his recent special election have caused a change of heart regarding minimum wage, education budgeting and Democratic lesbians.

But how many of you are aware that a recall effort was launched last September and petitions hit the streets Jan. 6? I heard about Recall 2006 on PBS “NOW,” but stories have appeared nationally, as far away as New York City. Our Democratic Chairman Art Torres was quoted in the New York Times as saying “the Democratic leadership is very excited about it.”

Rumor has it that Maria is shitting pink Twinkies.

This recall will make the June elections if there are enough signatures gathered.

You say, wait for the Democrats to pull us out in the November election? Are you kidding? Der Swarz is going to mop the floor with Angelides, and nobody’s even heard of the other guy. Get ready for another four years of The Terminator, terminating programs you depend on.

Or you go to “savecalnow.com” and see what Dr. Ken Matsumura wants to do about it.

Juanita Sumner
Chico

Cloud support
On behalf of the board of directors of the newly formed Bidwell Junior High School Foundation, I would like to publicly thank several organizations who supported our “Christmas in the Clouds” movie series fund-raiser.

We netted almost $3,000 to provide additional resources to teachers and students at Bidwell Junior High School with the support of NorCal Waste Systems, Mooretown Rancheria, InterWest Insurance, Regent Broadcasting, News & Review, Synthesis, Upstate Business Journal, Pageant Theatre and Cal Java. In addition, we are grateful to the countless other businesses providing raffle items to us.

We were also pleased to organize an advance screening for mentors and youth of Big Brothers Big Sisters. We appreciate the community’s support and look forward to more individuals getting involved with the Bidwell Junior High School Foundation.

Dan Nguyen-Tan
Chico

What, no Herger?
In his “news letter” and recent letter to the editor, Congressman Wally Herger tells us that his votes on the budget and tax cuts have been good for the economy, the country and his constituents here in Butte County. That is not correct. He says that there are no cuts in Medicaid, food stamps, student loans and other programs that benefit the working poor, and in the same breath says he voted to cut $40 billion to help balance the budget. Both can’t be true. He also voted to further cut taxes for the very wealthiest of us. This tax cut is much greater that the $40 billion cut from the budget. So he really voted to further increase our huge national debt. Weren’t the Republicans railing against the (much smaller) deficits and calling for a balanced budge a few years ago when Democrats were in power? Hadn’t we achieved a budget surplus before G.W. Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress?

Herger was one of a tiny minority who voted against the John McCain anti-torture bill. At that point, President Bush had threatened to veto the bill and Dick Cheney had been lobbying Congress to kill the McCain amendment. Unfortunately for Herger and the president, almost all Democrats and Republicans in Congress voted for the bill. It became veto proof and Mr. Bush was forced to capitulate and “agree” with Sen. McCain. Herger also made a big effort to push through the president’s wrong-headed attempt to privatize Social Security. His main claim to fame seems to be his silly attempt to take FDR off the dime and replace him with Ronald Reagan. Was that really the most important problem facing our country?

I hope we can elect a more thoughtful, independent thinker to represent us this fall.

John Watson
Chico