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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Flying high (33,000 feet, alcohol not included) at ap-
proximately 500 mph, I found myself complaining about
the Alaska Airlines two-hour plus flight from Portland to
San Diego. Then the thought struck: “You idiot. If you
were driving, it’d take you 18 hours or so, and you’d be
exhausted! What are you complaining about?!”
Besides that, I wouldn’t have been able to sip cups of
decaf, and then use an excitingly tiny rest room (loads of
fun when you’re in there and the plane hits turbulence)
without stopping. And the “stopping” refers to driving, not
using the rest room.
Anyway, there we were winging our way to not-quite
sunny SoCal for a short visit with family. On the approach
to Lindbergh Field/San Diego International my mind was
stirred, so to speak. Which reminds me of biology classes
with live frogs, but later for that.
Being a native San Diegan, who covered San Diego
“Evening Tribune” bureaus in Escondido, Oceanside,
Chula Vista and El Cajon, I’m rather familiar with the
county. Which, by the way, is as big as the state of Con-
necticut and now has 3 million residents. No wonder it
feels so crowded.
But about those memories flying by as we flew past.
The former El Cortez Hotel, where my high school held
proms, is now something else; a religious organization has
it, I believe. The structure used to be one of the tallest
buildings in Downtown San Diego, but no more. The
downtown skyline is way different from when I rode city
buses. Actually, I remember as a child riding trolley cars
from the foot of Broadway, where Lane Field was located,
to Balboa Park.
Qualcomm/Jack Murphy Stadium, which holds 53,000
spectators, was built in 1967 and named after a San Diego
“Union” sports writer, who led the charge (pun intended)
for a stadium to house the Chargers and Padres. Wow -
53,000 folks in one spot: That’s more people than show up
here for free wine-tasting.
Then there’s the Santa Fe depot, from which I rode
trains pulled by steam engines. The snack kiosk is still
there in all its wood-and-glass glory, as well as the classic
depot benches. The room still echoes too. And the marble
rest room remains, but it’s a bit worn. However, the depot
exterior, with its mission-style architecture, still shines,
mostly. Dang pigeons.
Oh, and there’s the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge, a
shining span I still resent. That’s because I thoroughly en-
joyed riding the ferries, even at 5 a.m., when I was the only
vehicle aboard. But I had a pastry (hauling buns) and hot
food (move those beans) route at North Island Naval Air
Station. The vending machines had to be serviced by 7
a.m. or else. Or else the Sailors, Marines and Civil Service
workers would likely starve to death.
Memories of my late mom were stirred by the depot
and downtown, while as we flew over the South Bay I
spotted the former Paradise Valley Hospital, which re-
minded me of my late dad. He was a patient there during
World War II because of a busted knee cap. It wasn’t from
a war wound though. He was in military aircraft construc-
tion during those years, and after work one night went ice
skating with buddies. Unfortunately, he wasn’t too good at
it and fell. Strangely, he ended up in the same facility just a
few years ago, although it’s now a rehab location.
One more memory was tabbed as we landed and
roared past Ryan Aeronautical. Jan’s late dad retired from
there years ago, and I used to chat with him when I had a
wholesale milk route that included the Ryan cafeteria.
Also, Charles Lindbergh worked on the “Spirit of St.
Louis” at Ryan. Bit o’history there.
That’s enough memories for this week. My next col-
umn will be about something. I’m still trying to decipher
the notes I took during the trip. Adios.
Travel is only glamorous in retrospect.
- Paul Theroux -
Illinois Valley News
(Editor’s Note: Views and
commentary, including state-
ments made as fact, are strictly
those of the letter-writers.)
* * *
Typed, double-spaced let-
ters written solely to this news-
paper are considered for publi-
cation. Hand-written letters that
are double-spaced and legible
also can be considered.
Cards of thanks are not
accepted as letters.
* * *
I.V. Lions ‘excellent’
From Will Melcher
Cave Junction
The Illinois Valley Li-
ons Club allowed my dad
the use of a power chair for
the past three months until
he received his own.
He and I really appreci-
ate the club for its help.
I.V. Lions Club does excel-
lent work in the valley for
everyone in need.
‘The Real World’
From William Schneider
Cave Junction
All this touting of moral
values. What? Want a gold
star for acting like a decent
human being?
Not to diminish true
heroes, but it seems that
daily acts of decency get
elevated to hero status.
What’s with the fantasy
land?
Where are all these
moral values for all the ex-
pounding of their existence?
It appears to me that peo-
ple’s moral values change
with their comfort zones and
tolerance.
What is the moral value
in throwing dead cats and
used oil cans into the com-
munity drinking well? Who
would do such a thing? I
say, who in the world would
pump millions of tons of
pollutants, many of which
are deadly, into the commu-
nity air and water supply
each year?
What is the moral value
of dumping trash in the for-
est or trashing a forest?
What is the moral value of
allowing one’s barking dog
to disrupt the peace of an
entire neighborhood?
What is the moral value
of standing against terrorism
in the United States or Mid-
dle East, when daily people
are being hacked, shot and
raped to death by the thou-
sands in Darfur, Sudan, right
down the road from Iraq,
right after the horror in
Rwanda? Not valuable
enough economically to rate
any moral value or not
enough to intervene?
What is the moral value
of women going to abort the
children of other mothers on
the battlefield? But, oh so
moral at the pro-life rallies.
What is the moral value
in destroying our planet and
its people in an insane
frenzy to produce and con-
sume at the expense of all
things living? What is the
moral value of dealing with
countries that have abysmal
human rights records, like
China or Saudi Arabia?
What is the moral value
of being a Christian or a
Muslim, while ignoring the
teachings of the prophets of
the peace and love that is the
force called God or Allah?
How do I know they are
being ignored? All I have to
do is open my eyes and see
the world today.
While there are many
decent people with consci-
entious moral values, much
of U.S. government and
population have a long way
to go before this moral val-
ues bubble floats any dis-
tance in the real world.
I guess what makes me
so angry is not that we,
(through ignorance, not to
be mistaken for stupidity) do
wrong, but it is the compla-
cency and failure to address
and amend these wrongs
once they are seen as such.
Now, that is stupid, see-
ing as how it is our species
that will also pay the inevi-
table price for our lack of
moral values.
edy for timber profits.
Sen. Wyden must stand
up for Oregonians and de-
feat Smith’s exploitive law-
less logging rider.
Americans are standing to-
gether to support victims of
such a horrible catastrophe,
all Smith can think of doing
is to exploit this awful trag-
Awesome Father Class
The Most Important
Role of Your Life
Meet with other fathers to discuss:
Parenting challenges
Decision making
Handling stress
Child behavior
Discipline
10 weekly classes beginning
Monday, Jan. 31
7 to 8 p.m.
215 Caves Avenue,
Cave Junction
Phone Scott - 592-6444
Sponsored by:
Siskiyou Community Health Center
and
Commission for Children and Families
Biscuit rider disgust
From Justin Rohde
Cave Junction
No words can describe
my disgust at Sen. Smith’s
attempt to exploit the lives
of the tsunami victims by
attaching a Biscuit rider to
the relief bill.
This bill, instead of
helping needy survivors,
mandates logging thousands
of acres of old-growth re-
serves and roadless areas in
the on the most botanically
rich national forests in the
United States: the Siskiyou
National Forest.
His lawless Biscuit rider
would take away legal rights
that public citizens have,
and would mandate tearing
into the Siskiyou Wild Riv-
ers areas, costing taxpayers
in excess of $35 million.
Smith has disgraced this
country to the point of ab-
surdity. At a time when all
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