Covering affairs, or not?

I don’t really give a hoot about the personal life of politicians but had to notice the media coverage of former presidential candidate John Edwards’ extramarital affair. And, why is there no similar moral indignation and Republican outcry about Sen. John McCain’s many illicit affairs back in the 1970s? So much for the so-called “liberal” media!

Mitch Scheele, Albany

Democrats have scandals, too

Isn’t it interesting how whenever a Republican politician gets into trouble, his first name automatically becomes Republican, as in Republican Larry Craig, Republican Tom DeLay, Republican Trent Lott, but nowhere will you find the association of Democrat with John Edwards, Eliot Spitzer, Barney Frank, William Jefferson or any other scandal-ridden Democrat.

Democrats will say the scandals involving Republicans and the ones involving Democrats are not comparable. They could be right. How can you compare wide-stance Larry Craig’s bathroom capers to Barney Frank, who hired a male prostitute to run a prostitution ring in Frank’s home?

The Republicans are held to a higher standard, and those who don’t adhere to those standards are removed from office.

Democrat constituents apparently don’t care what their elected officials do, as long as the goals of big government are served. After all, they keep voting Kennedy in, Barney Frank is still in office and “Cold Cash Jefferson” was re-elected even after they found $90,000 of bribe money in his refrigerator.

There is not enough space or time to cover all Democratic infractions, but there are several websites you can go to. I just typed in “top scandals involving Democrats.” There is no need to look up “top scandals for the Republicans.” The news media will do that for you.

Jeani West, Sweet Home

Many missed a great event

Wow, what a night! My children and I were among a small number of people who were privileged to share in a wonderful night of worship this evening.

The group that led the worship was wonderful! It was very obvious that they love the Lord and had spent many hours preparing for this evening.

The event was held at the Venetian Theater here in Albany and was meant to be a time for the people, mainly the youth of our city, to come together in a time of unity and worship our Savior.

I am so sorry that there was not a greater turnout. The youth of our city really missed out on a beautiful experience. Being free to worship is one of the great freedoms of this country, and anytime that we have an opportunity to join together in voice as the body of Christ is a time that I would never want to take for granted.

Again, it was a wonderful, spirit- filled evening of praise and worship to our Lord, and I hope that the people of this community will have another opportunity like this one in the future. And if they do, I would encourage all youth pastors from every church in the area to make it a priority.

I also want to thank the people in charge of the worship night for all of their hard work and dedication in making this night a beautiful offering of praise to our Savior Jesus Christ!

Debbi Grenz, Albany

Hydrogen’s advantages

In a recent letter to the editor, the author of the letter said, “Also, don’t believe everything you hear about hydrogen as a fuel.”

The oil industry would like the American public to fear hydrogen and think it is an inferior fuel.

Some of the advantages of hydrogen are: There is no exploration for hydrogen, like there is for oil. There is no drilling for hydrogen, like there is for oil. There is no shipping hydrogen in from the Middle East, like there is for oil. Hydrogen has to be generated, but oil has to be refined into gasoline. Gasoline has to be transported from the refinery to your local gas station. Maybe 50 years from now your local gas station could be producing hydrogen.

If a person could invent and sell hydrogen generators that could produce 40 gallons a week on the open market to the average American, this invention could possibly knock the oil industry out of business concerning fuel for automobiles. I think that an in-home generator could be the invention of the century.

Edgar Hahn Jr., Albany

Play ball to help family

The tragic car accident that took the lives of Chris, Garrett and Kegan Lukesic has taken a heavy toll on a number of different parts of the community.

The people that participate in softball through the city league program have lost a longtime participant. Chris played for a lot of years with the team sponsored by Western Farm and played coed with a number of different teams.

The tragedy has hit home with the company that I work for in that Garrett and Kegan’s mother is also employed with the company, as Chris had been with our jewelry department.

The community has banded together in the past after a tragic accident, and that is what I am hoping can happen again. That comes to the reason behind this letter.

I will be involved in hosting a slowpitch softball tournament the weekend of Sept. 20 and 21 at Albany’s Bryant Park and Timber-Linn softball complexes. The format will be a 12-team men’s and 12-team coed and a four-game guarantee. The cost will be $250 per team, with all proceeds being donated to the Selco Credit Union fund set up for the families to help defray some of the financial concerns.

If any teams are interested in playing in the tournament, they should contact the Albany Parks and Recreation sports director, Bruce Edwards, and he will give them the contact information.

In closing, I am asking the community to come together as a whole again to help the families as they begin to work through the hurt of the tragedy.

Fred Nesbit, Albany

Invitation to two thieves

To the two young men who broke into our vehicles in Scio at about 10:30 p.m. Aug. 12:

The items you stole from our car, the hands-free Bluetooth unit, the car adapter for our cell phone, and the warranty book and other paperwork stored with it, have created a dilemma for us. You left the charger cord for the Bluetooth by mistake. Now we don’t have our cord for the cell phone and you don’t have the cord for the Bluetooth. We also do not have the book work with all our maintenance records on the car or the owner’s manual. These are of no use to you and we would hope that you would return them.

The main reason we are writing this is to let you know we would like to meet you. Yes, to talk with you about the direction you may be taking with your life. Quite often these actions can lead to bigger and more serious crimes with greater consequences.

You and you alone are responsible for the choices you make. Please give it some thought and come by, no strings attached. You know where we live.

Mike Owens, Scio