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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, July 7, 2010
When people first began talking about cell phones, I
thought that they were referring to communication de-
vices used in jails. Then I discovered that they meant
“cellular telephones,” referring to the portable phones
that have sprouted from the ears of many people, and
which seem to thrive inside malls and cars.
Not to be left out, we have decided to enter the 21st
century. So we acquired dueling cell phones, one for
her and one for me, with different numbers. This en-
ables me at last to locate her when we are inside a
large store in which I cannot find her.
As well, there is an advantage of sorts because I
can be anywhere, except maybe in the bathroom while
showering, and be able to be in contact with whomever.
When we went to sign up for our new phones, the
clerk wanted to know if we wanted to include SMS (or
text) messages, email, Internet access, gaming, Blue-
tooth, infrared, camera, MMS messaging, MP3 player,
radio and GPS.
I said, “What?”
The clerk was patient, realizing that she was dealing
with a guy still pining for manual typewriters, and who
has developed a huge inventory of cuss words because
of having to work with personal computers.
The clerk explained the features of our new devices,
adding that they also can be programmed to make
toast, do laundry, and provide views of the moon or the
Dalai Lama speaking to the faithful in India. The part
about making toast and hearing the Dalai Lama inter-
ested me, but I think that she was joking. Maybe.
The first hand-held phone was demonstrated by Mo-
torola in 1973, using a handset that weighed approxi-
mately 4.4 pounds. In 1990, 12.4 million people world-
wide had cellular subscriptions. At the end of 2009, the
number of mobile cellular subscriptions worldwide
reached approximately 4.6 billion, 300 times the 1990
number. And now I’ve added to the mess.
I found it interesting that today’s cell phones weigh
considerably less than 4.4 pounds, and that has to do
with technology. Actually, as cell phones continue to
decrease in size, and people use those weird devices
that make it look as though they’re talking to them-
selves, we likely will have new types of emergency
calls.
“Help, come quick! I’ve swallowed my BlueTooth
while eating spaghetti and meatballs.” Or, “Send assis-
tance, this guy has Twittered himself into insensibility!”
And perhaps, “Need an ambulance! This gal has been
texting for 38 hours and has become semiconscious
and dehydrated.”
As for me, I’m waiting
for my cell phone toast,
perhaps with a spot of gin-
ger marmalade. That
would show me some real
technology.
Cave Junction
Wednesday, July 7
Sunny
High--65 Low--53
Thursday, July 8
Abundant sun
High--66 Low--53
Friday, July 9
Sunshine
High--67 Low--54
Saturday, July 10
Sunny
High--65 Low--51
Sunday, July 11
Spectacular sun
High--63 Low--56
Monday, July 12
Gettin’ hotter
High--90 Low--55
Tuesday, July 13
Sizzlin’ sunshine
High--100 Low--50
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures, and rainfall
recorded at The End of the Road
in O’Brien by Cheryl & Harry
Johnson:
*Fri., June 25 89 55 .00
*Sat., June 26 93 51 .00
*Sun., June 27 97 52 .00
*Mon., June 28 92 55 .00
*Tue., June 29 85 53 .00
*Wed., June 30 82 51 .00
*Thu., July 1
73 45 .00
Following are the high-and-
low temperatures and rainfall
recorded by Illinois River Farm
in Cave Junction:
*Fri., June 25 88 52 .00
*Sat., June 26 90 48 .00
*Sun., June 27 91 49 .00
*Mon., June 28 92 51 .00
*Tue., June 29 82 45 .00
*Wed., June 30 81 51 .00
*Thu., July 1
71 43 .00
Illinois Valley News
www.illinois-valley-news.com
An Independent Weekly Newspaper
Co-publishers: Bob & Jan Rodriguez
Editor-in-Chief: Michelle Binker
Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post Office as Official Newspaper for
Josephine County and Josephine County Three Rivers School District, published at
321 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523
Periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction OR 97523
P.O. Box 1370 USPS 258-820
Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330
Email: newsroom1@frontiernet.net or newsdesk@illinois-valley-news.com
Volume 73, No. 17
Staff: Zina Booth, Brenda Encinas, Scott Jorgensen and Millie Watkins
Website design and maintenance by Ashgrove Visual Arts
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
(Editor’s Note: Views
and commentary, including
statements made as fact, are
strictly those of the letter-
writers.)
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Typed, double-spaced
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Insurance questions
From Ellis Couron
Cave Junction
I have three insurance
companies that pay medical
costs when needed. When we
received a bill from a recent
visit to our eye doctor there
was an “out-of-pocket” ex-
pense for what is called
“refraction” that neither insur-
ance company would pay.
When I phoned the insur-
ance company I was told that
“refraction” is a test for dis-
tance that isn’t necessary for
eyeglasses. When I contacted
the provider I was told that
“refraction” was done with
the instrument used to meas-
ure one’s eyes for the pre-
scription.
I have no idea why this
discrepancy exists, but I be-
lieve that the insurance com-
panies probably know what
they are talking about since
they have to pay the bills. In
any case it is a problem that
should be settled by the pro-
viders; not by the patient.
In the meantime, provid-
ers are charging fees ranging
from $25 and up for
“refraction.” My Medicare
booklet describes refraction
as, “An exam that measures
how well you see at specific
distances.”
Medicare states that this
test is not necessary for pro-
viding a prescription for
glasses, so why is this being
done and why are patients
being required to pay this out
of pocket?
Swan song sung?
From Linda McCleary
Selma
Spring is in the air and
the scent of wild flowers en-
tice a day of fishing or a walk
around the lake. Wonderful
time of the year to hang out
and watch all the baby gos-
lings or ducklings, but where
are the family of swans?
We look forward to a
new arrival of baby swans
that can usually be seen --
with what our family has
nick-named “Ma and Pa”
swan -- by this time of the
year. The last time we saw
the parents and babies they
where nesting were
McMullin creek enters Lake
Selmac. Just wondering if
anyone has seen them this
year?
Swans form monoga-
mous pair bonds that last for
many years, and in some
cases these can last for life. I
have lived just up the road
from the lake for about six
years and have enjoyed the
Senior Nutrition Menu
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Say you saw it in the
Illinois Valley News
Meals are served in the
Cave Junction County Bldg.
541-592-2126, 541-955-8839
FRIDAY, JULY 9
HAM WITH MUSTARD
SAUCE
Scalloped potatoes, Italian
blend vegetables, potato
wheat bread, lemon pudding
MONDAY, JULY 12
CHICKEN TETRAZZINI
Oriental blend vegetables, four
bean salad, seven grain roll,
golden fruit cup
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14
BRAISED BEEF TIPS
OVER WHIPPED POTATOES
Mixed vegetables, whole
wheat bread, fresh
watermelon
very friendly and photogenic
couple every year I have been
here. I hope a predator has
not claimed the life of our
beautiful feathered friends.
Does anyone know how long
the swans have lived in the
lake? How they got there?
Just wondering.
Traffic light not wanted
From Harry E. Abrams
Cave Junction
My response to Lloyd
Franklin’s request for another
traffic signal in Cave Junc-
tion: I do not want to see an-
other one anywhere in Cave
Junction. One is not needed.
I would rather see any
money spent on getting the
Cave Junction Swimming
Pool fixed for the kids who
want to use it. If it is so diffi-
cult to get across the street in
front of Taylor’s then go
where there is a light
As far as I am con-
cerned, the one on Watkins
Street can go. That is my re-
quest, rather than Franklin’s.
Swerving off path
to prosperity
From Ed Feulner
The Heritage Foundation
When future historians
characterize this era, chances
are they won’t label it as
America’s “golden age.” In-
deed, they may well mark
2010 as the year the United
States became the home of
the “mostly free.”
That’s the finding of the
latest “Index of Economic
Freedom,” an annual com-
pendium published by The
Heritage Foundation and The
Wall Street Journal.
The United States earned
an overall score of 78 out of a
possible 100 points in the
Index. That was good enough
for eighth place globally. But
that score was down 2.7
points from last year. It’s the
biggest drop recorded among
the world’s 20 largest econo-
mies. The decline was com-
parable to Venezuela’s (down
2.8) and Yemen’s (down 2.5),
two poster children for bad
economic behavior.
Our economy moved
from the rarified air of the
“free” to the more crowded
(and less economically suc-
cessful) realm of the “mostly
free.” That could haunt
Americans for years to come.
That’s because, as the
Index editors note, less eco-
nomic freedom means less
economic prosperity, which
hurts everyone’s bottom line.
The reason for the drop
is obvious: In the face of a
global recession, American
policymakers intervened re-
peatedly in the economy.
Uncle Sam bailed out banks,
insurance companies, Fannie
Mae and Freddie Mac. The
government bought two ma-
jor automakers, then an-
nounced a program (Cash for
Clunkers) that aimed
(unsuccessfully) to create
demand for new cars.
Our government pumped
out hundreds of billions in
new federal spending, but
failed to prop up the econ-
omy. “The early evidence is
that such spending did not
work,” the Index editors
write. Our nation’s 10 percent
unemployment rate backs
them up.
Throughout its 16 edi-
tions, the Index has repeat-
edly shown that economic
freedom isn’t a dogmatic
ideology. It actually repre-
sents the rejection of dogma
and the embrace of diverse
and even competing strate-
gies for economic advance-
ment.
Yet the USA is leading a
trend, as we so often do. This
time, though, the trend line is
down. “The average eco-
nomic freedom score for the
2010 Index is 59.4, down 0.1
point from 2009,” the editors
write. “This is only the sec-
ond time in the history of the
Index that average scores for
countries measured in succes-
sive years have declined.”
That could be a problem.
After all, none of the other
systems tried throughout hu-
man history have come close
to economic freedom in terms
of providing broad-based
prosperity. Experience
teaches that even the best
efforts of central planners and
bureaucrats do not lead to
sustainable growth. As the
20th anniversary of the fall of
the Berlin Wall reminds all of
us, countries taking that ap-
proach fail economically as
well as politically.
The surer path to pros-
perity and a healthy society is
the path of freedom: letting
individuals decide for them-
selves how best to achieve
their dreams and aspirations.
By spreading economic
power and decision-making
throughout an economy, eco-
nomic freedom gives ordi-
nary people greater opportu-
nity and more choices.
People in economically
free societies live longer and
healthier lives. They enjoy
greater political freedom and
can better defend their human
rights. Economic freedom
reduces poverty, opening the
gates of prosperity to even
more people worldwide.
It’s not too late to reverse
course. It looks as though
ObamaCare -- a trillion-
dollar, centrally planned gov-
ernment intervention in the
economy -- will fail this year.
That’s a start on the road
back to economic freedom.
Policymakers should
take other steps to advance
freedom. Our goal must be to
get the USA back into the
Index’s category of truly free
economics, so that we can
once again enjoy the growth
that position brings.