Why help thieves?

I appreciate the D-H’s coverage of local news.

I appreciate the D-H’s front-page layout, keeping entire articles on page one whenever possible.

I appreciate Saturday’s article, which explained how UPS would be using new ideas including PODS to improve its already highly effective delivery performance over the Christmas season.

I appreciate the photo that ran along with the article that showed the lock setup on these PODS.

I appreciate the fact that now would-be thieves know the exact location of all five of these large Christmas goodie boxes.

I appreciate the fact that UPS would probably have preferred that these addresses not be printed since their omission would not have detracted from the article.

Ted Salmons, Lebanon

Don’t ape Corvallis

So, the update in D-H on Saturday, Dec. 6, says the current mayor and council will check with Corvallis to see if they hike their water rates before definitely deciding whether to hike Albany’s rates in 2009. You mean to tell me, even if you don’t need to raise rates to meet Albany’s financial needs, that you will if Corvallis does, as you think you can get away with it, too? In other words, stomp on the little guy again, adding to Bush’s admitted recession/depression beating us into the ground.

Mary Brock, Albany

Socialists are saving us

Gary Siewell (Mailbag, Nov. 24) is worried about socialism sucking our life blood. Actually socialism (Chinese version) is saving our bacon economically.

Fareed Zakaria reports (Newsweek, 12/1/08) that China is our largest creditor and is keeping us afloat financially. He calls them “America’s banker.” And he adds that “China is the key to America getting through the worsening economic crisis.” They are the only country with sufficient cash to do this. Their growth rate last year was 12 percent.

Yes, I know that China is a brutal police state. I’ve been there, and I wouldn’t want to live there.

If you are worried about blood-sucking parasites, look to our own insurance, banking and car companies lining up seeking transfusions. Our unregulated capitalism has simply gone off the cliff. It’s still falling. No bottom in sight! We were on a speeding bus, with no one steering.

FDR said in his second inaugural: “We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we now know that it is bad economics.” Too bad Greenspan didn’t know that! And the legion that followed him.

Gary wants us to learn from ancient Rome. What we can learn from an ox-cart society is Greek to me. Maybe we should look instead to the Scandinavian countries. They have a lot of healthy, happy people with good education. Isn’t that what’s important?

John Goodwin, Lebanon

About the smoking ban

Maybe a new governor and some new congressmen would make more sense. I quit smoking 35 years ago, but we are supposed to be living in a free country where you can choose what to do.

Most bingo halls have smoking and non-smoking areas. The smoker employees can work the smoking side, and what’s wrong with enforcing good ventilation? At least try it before making up new laws that will only hurt the state with the loss of revenues and some business closures.

They monitor restaurants for cleanliness, so they could monitor others for clean air.

We get very little revenues from the Native American casinos which would be the big winner with a no-smoking policy within the private sector. Think about it.

Ed Slinger, Sweet Home

Let oil help autos

Taxpayers should be outraged at the proposal that they foot the bill for the major automakers’ hand-out. The fiscal responsibilities should be shared by those who would benefit the most in keeping this industry alive, profitable and competitive.

First, all we have been hearing about is the record profits made by the big petroleum companies. These record profits were paid by Mr./Ms.Taxpayer. Gas guzzlers, (purchased by Mr./Ms.Taxpayer), manufactured by the Big Three had a hand in their bottom line, I’m sure.

Second, unions, conceptually, were created as to protect workers from exploitation from the powers that be, and to guarantee job security at a fair wage, commensurate with skill level.

Most jobs at auto manufacturing plants are not what would be classified as skilled labor, yet they receive wages and benefits that eclipse many skilled positions. Unions also retard the ability for these manufacturing entities to achieve a fundamental goal of any business endeavor: keep job positions filled by those who are the most enthusiastic and productive, take pride in their company and ownership in the work they do. At a fair wage. Without greed.

Therefore, I say let the bulk of the bailout be paid by Big Oil, and the rest through union concessions. Taxpayers have already done more than their part.

Robert Wattenbarger, Albany

Casinos and smoke

In a little over a month the new no-smoking law will go into affect in Oregon. This long overdue law will make smoking illegal in virtually all public places. This law will protect service industry workers, and nonsmokers in all restaurants and bar environments.

We have known for over a half century that there is a correlation between smoking and lung and heart disease and cancer. And we have known for over 25 years that there is a correlation between

second-hand smoke and nonsmokers contracting smoker diseases. The facts are the facts.

The sad facts, however, are the Native American casinos will not have to abide by this new law. You see, as a sovereign not only can these establishments allow gambling that is illegal in private businesses and banned by the state constitution, they can sell fireworks that are illegal as soon as you step off tribal land, and now they can skate the new no-smoking law that will be in place for all other public places.

To most of us the law is the law, and it should be abided by everyone in the same manner. This is a slap in the face to their casino customers and employees, and about as irresponsible a decision that any business can make.

We all understand all the atrocities the Native Americans were subjected to. But how long do the rest of us have to pay the price for what our ancestors’ ancestors’ ancestors did?

James Maass, Beaverton