OPINION
4A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015
Loving Lucy, the Christmas pup
Founded in 1873
STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher
SOUTHERN
EXPOSURE
LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor
BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager
CARL EARL, Systems Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
B Y
R.J.
M ARX
HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager
Here’s to our
newcomers
A
New blood brings imagination,
networNs and ¿nanFial resoXrFes
storia’s rebirth has been so widely reported that leaders and
residents of other Oregon cities wonder how it happened.
One can tell them about the pivotal role of civic leadership, willing
funders and unconventional lenders such as Craft 3. But at bottom,
the essential ingredient of Astoria’s comeback has been new blood.
Monday’s edition began a
two-week series titled Our New
Neighbors. It is a simple concept
in which our reporters describe
people who have moved into our
region over the past year. We ask
these people what brought them
here, as well as what they do in
their new hometown.
In the ¿rst year we did this se-
ries, some 25 years ago, our report-
ers scratched to ¿nd people for their
cameos. Now, of course, there are
many more newcomers. Among
those you will see in this series are
a couple from India who settled in
Warrenton and opened a store and
Providence Seaside Hospital’s new
chief operating of¿cer.
In any organization, newcomers
are essential, because they arrive
without the burden of convention-
al wisdom. They don’t necessarily
accept time-honored barriers to
change. Of younger entrepreneurs
it is often said that they were too
young to know you couldn’t do
what they accomplished. In other
words, it is all about imagination.
New blood is also important
because it brings experience and
real-life lessons from other plac-
es. These people often have con-
nections with the funding world
of philanthropy and grantmaking.
That is essential because public
and nonpro¿t proMects these days
inevitably are partnerships involv-
ing players in several locations.
Building relationships with those
partners is all about networking.
Networks are what a newcomer
frequently brings us.
Talent and imagination are
essential to running private sec-
tor businesses in a time of such
dramatic economic and cultural
change. That is no less true for the
aggregate of enterprises and fami-
lies that we call community. In the
words of Richard Florida, it is the
creative class that makes cities vi-
brant. Here’s to our new neighbors
in 2015 and 2016.
W
e haven’t had a lot of dogs
over the years. Never more
than two at a time.
Our last Christmas dog was
Rinaldo.
R.J. Marx photo/Seaside Signal
It is our wont to go Christmas week Lucy found a new home and we found a new friend.
to the shelter to give our donation.
But there’s no such thing as “Must a last spring, they rode shotgun across
We got down to the Àoor and began
trip” to the shelter. Every visit can be I-90, Rinaldo in his wool doggy sweat- to play. Of course the strongest were
heart-wrenching.
shirts and Basil, his long coat of hair busy wrestling with their brothers and
We weren’t prepared at the time to keeping him warm on a perch on a pile sisters.
A larger 4-month old min pin was
take in Rinaldo. We knew we couldn’t of duffel bags on the back seat.
get a big dog that would intimidate our
Since coming to the North Coast, herding the group and playing, greet-
old, crippled Lhasa Apso, Basil, who we’ve fallen in love with the Clatsop ing guests and visitors. But the littlest
was most likely overbred and as a re- County Animal Shelter. Volunteers one was holding back, sitting to the
sult has a curved front
from throughout the side. The runt of the litter. Sweet, sad
leg that makes veter-
county spend count- eyes, with wrinkly rufÀed skin. So tiny
inarians take snap- ‘A Chihuahua less hours supporting you could hold her in your hand, prac-
shots for their ¿les.
the care and feeding tically a bird.
You guessed it. We brought her
We knew we couldn’t on steroids.’ of these pets, includ-
get a dog that would
ing Clatsop Animal home and she is now a proud resi-
scare off our two cats. But we hadn’t Assistance, Susie’s Senior Dogs and dent of Gearhart. We spent 24 hours
expected this sad-eyed old man.
the thrift shop, bene¿ciary of the Sea- Must thinking of a name: Greta, Gretl,
Gerte, Athena, Aphrodite, Lola, Lila
The shelter had placed him in the side Rotary Club’s largesse this fall.
cat area because he was so small, an
We’ve scanned their ads and vowed … Lucy.
Today Lucy hops around our up-
older Chihuahua, shivering even in we would take in another older dog.
his light blue wrap in the cold of New After all they do make the best pets: stairs with energy and gusto, scram-
York winter. He looked up hopefully they are well-trained and loving, smart bling to great heights onto a pillow and
with dark eyes, knowing that his sec- and oh so appreciative of all that we sometimes missing. She pokes around
ond chances were perhaps coming can give them. Our plan was to nurture cabinets and into closets. Right now
to an end. We heard his story: he had Basil and Rinaldo in their senior years, she is nibbling at my feet.
Basil is kind but shy with her.
been rescued from a “kill” shelter in and then to pay a visit to the shelter. At
As for Rinaldo, it’s an amazing
Brooklyn, N.Y., the meanest of the adoption day in Cannon Beach earlier
mean streets. Who turns in a 6-pound this year we fell in love La-La, an adult transition. This little feisty, toothless
Chihuahua to be euthanized? He was Chihuahua who had both the right street-dog still snarls a bit when Lucy
almost toothless, about 8, though some amount of sympathy and spunk to ¿t pokes and nibbles at him. He shrugs
vets thought he was already a bit older. into our house. Three dogs, though? her off when she skips at his heels.
But for an old dog so blind he stands
We asked to see him out of the How could we?
crate. We walked around the shelter
So there we were out for a Sunday in front of the wrong door to get in the
property, the sound of other dogs bark- drive, back from a stroll in Cannon house, he has got a lot of spunk. He is
ing and pleading. He quickly peed on Beach and an Americano at Sleepy paternal with her. He shows her where
the ground and then looked up at us Monk, pulling out of Seven Dees try- to go for the food. And the water. She
hopefully.
ing to ¿nd the perfect holiday tree. As wants to eat out of Rinaldo’s bowl
He curled up in our arms as we we drove north on Highway 101 back and he is willing to share. At night he
held him that cold post-Christmas day. to Gearhart, we saw the tiny small wraps his legs around her in the bed.
There was no way we were going to hand-lettered sign along the road side: They sleep side by side, spooning. He
walk out of there without him.
Min pin puppies. We drove past and tells her when to worry, and when ev-
In the weeks and months to come Eve gulped. “A Chihuahua on ste- erything is all right. He shows her the
we speculated how he could have roids,” is how one miniature pinscher wee-wee pads and how to use them.
ended up with this fate. Like any Chi- owner had once described his dog to us. She is a brilliant student. She follows
huahua, he was fearful and didn’t like
As former New Yorkers, that ¿t our him everywhere. The old dog and the
new.
to be poked or disturbed. He growled personalities to a “T.”
An old dog will teach you what you
while wagging his tail and licking your
We passed the entrance and then
hand.
doubled back around. “Let’s stop. need to know. A puppy will keep you
young forever.
Rinaldo and Basil settled in togeth- Let’s Must take a look.”
R.J. Marx is The Daily Astorian’s
er, two “Odd Couple” rescues, neither
The pups were frolicking in an out-
quite the romping dog on the beach or building behind the main house. They SoXth CoXnty reSorter and editor oI
the puppy you envision in the pet food were handsome, healthy dogs. The the Seaside Signal and Cannon BeaFh
commercials. But when we came West owner has been breeding for decades. Gazette.
Rebuilding teacher
corps starts with raises
C
Food fads: Make mine gluten-full
aught between stagnant sala-
ries, rising housing costs and
blame for low test scores, the teach-
ing profession is showing signs of
strain in the Paci¿c Northwest.
An issue that’s receiving much
attention in Washington state, a
mismatch between the need for
teachers and ready applicants, is
becoming a nationwide problem.
The teaching profession was
hammered in the Great Recession
as federal and state agencies axed
support for education. Teaching
positions were cut, burdens in-
creased for teachers whose Mobs
survived, and salaries were frozen
— in some cases for years. All this
was mirrored in the private sector.
But society rightly attaches enor-
mous importance to making sure
children are well-educated, and
this goal is in the hands of teach-
ers. Retaining good ones and at-
tracting new ones is a prime part
of national success.
A survey in Washington recent-
ly found “46 percent of principals
from rural schools said they still
had vacant classroom teaching
positions. Only 40 percent, 45
percent and 53 percent of prin-
cipals in elementary, middle and
high schools successfully ¿lled all
teaching positions, respectively,”
according to the Yakima Herald.
Locally, the Chinook Observer
reported this week that a promis-
ing program to help students reach
their grade level in reading and
math is being hobbled by the in-
ability to ¿ll teaching Mobs.
“When the economy improves
and Mob prospects multiply, college
students turn their attention else-
where, to professions that promise
more money, more independence,
more respect,” a New York Times
columnist noted in August.
To some extent, the teacher
shortage is a normal aspect of the
labor market, in which new col-
lege graduates are tending to take
Mobs in higher-paying technology
¿elds. As the economy and gov-
ernment revenue continue to im-
prove, teacher compensation also
will rise and again attract more
interest from Mob seekers.
But in other ways, we are seeing
a bigger and harder-to-¿x problem.
Burdened with debt from college
loans and faced with historically
expensive and scarce housing in
the Paci¿c Northwest, many who
might otherwise be attracted to
teaching simply can’t afford to Moin
or stay in the profession.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee
is proposing signi¿cant raises for
teachers. This certainly is a support-
able idea. Beyond this, it’s time to
take a close look at providing pub-
lic support for partial tuition waiv-
ers, more scholarships and other
measures to level the playing ¿eld
for graduates who want to teach.
School districts and cities may need
to take a page from the distant past
by helping teachers with housing.
Teaching can be a good-paying
career in comparison to other rural
options. Jealousy among other cit-
izens sometimes constrains school
board options. But we need to put
such small-mindedness behind us
if we want our children to have the
best preparation for intellectual-
ly demanding Mobs that pay good
wages today.
temperature? In 1992,
er. For 2 million years it
made sure Homo erectus,
three researchers bothered
neanderthalensis, sapiens,
to measure — and found
what have you, got his
that the conventional wis-
daily dose without having
ASHINGTON — When dom (based on an 1878
to visit a GNC store.
German
study
was
wrong.
the federal government’s
Sure enough, that
Normal is 98.2.
1980 “Dietary Guidelines for
fashion came and went.
After that — 114 years
Americans” warned about the of error — one is inclined
But there are always new
windmills to be tilted at.
baleful effects of saturated fats, to embrace Woody Allen’s
The latest is gluten.
“Sleeper”
theory
that
in
Charles
public interest activists Moined
Now, if you suffer from
200 years we’ll discover
Krauthammer
the ¿ght and managed to per- that smoking is good for
celiac disease, you need a
suade maMor food companies to you, fruits are not. I still love peach- gluten-free diet. How many of us is
switch to the shiny new alterna- es, but I eat them for the taste — and that? Less than 1 percent. And yet
the memories — not because they supermarket shelves are groaning
tive: trans fats.
might add a month to my life (in the with products proclaiming their glu-
Thirty-¿ve years later, the Food IC8 when I’m 90.
ten-freedom. Sales are going through
and Drug Administration ¿nally de-
I don’t mean to be cynical, Must the roof.
Another crock. Turns out, accord-
termined that trans fats are not Must realistic. Take ¿sh oil. For at least
ing
to a massive Australian study of
10
years
the
National
Institutes
of
useless but unsafe, and ordered them
3,200
products, gluten-free is use-
Health
has
strongly
recommended
removed from all foods. Oops.
omega-3 fatty acids and ¿sh oil for less. “The foods can be signi¿cantly
So much for settled science. To the prevention of cardiovascular dis- more expensive and are very trendy
tell the truth, I never paid much at- ease.
to eat,” says Jason Wu, the principal
tention to the fat ¿ghts in the ¿rst
I held out, trusting both my gas- investigator. “But we discovered a
place. From my days as a medical tronomic preMudices (more turf than negligible difference when looking
student (and prodigious consumer surf and my faith that time ultimate- at their overall nutrition.”
of Munk food, I’ve seen
Told you so.
ly undoes all of
so many solemnly pro-
Why then am I not agitating to
life’s verites. I wait-
If a
claimed “¿ndings” come
ed. My orneriness have this Munk taken off the shelves?
and go that I decided long
has not been fully Because of my other obsession: pla-
placebo
ago to ignore — and out-
vindicated — NIH cebos. For which I have an undying
live — them all.
still recommends respect, acquired during my early
can
So far, I’m ahead. Nev-
dietary ¿sh oil — years as a general-hospital psychi-
alleviate but it does ¿nd atrist. If you believe in the curative
er had an egg substitute
in my life. I ¿gured trans
supple- powers of something — often en-
your pain, omega-3
fats were Must another fad
ments to be useless. couraged by the authority of your
waiting to be revoked and
Exhibit A for physician — a sugar pill or a glass of
that’s
renounced. Moreover, if
medical
skepti- plain water can produce remarkable
I was wrong, the green better than cism, however, re- symptom relief. I’ve seen it. I’ve
eggs and ham would take
mains vitamin C. done it.
opioids.
So I’d never mess with it. If a pla-
so long to kill me anyway
When Linus Paul-
that I was more likely to
ing, Nobel laureate cebo can alleviate your pain, that’s
be hit by a bus ¿rst. Either way, win- in chemistry (not nutrition, began better than opioids. If going glu-
win.
the vitamin-C megadose fad to fend ten-free gives a spring to your step,
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t ad- off all manner of disease, the whole why not? But please, let the civility
vocate this kind of Maunty fatalism thing struck me as bizarre. Yes, you go both ways. Let the virtuous Fit-
for everyone. This is a private affair. need some C to prevent scurvy if bit foodie, all omega-3’d and glu-
I do, however, preach skepticism. you’re seven months at sea with ten-free, drop the self-congratulatory
Remember that most venerable piece Capt. Cook and citrus is nowhere to smugness. And I promise not to say
of received medical wisdom — 98.6 be found. Otherwise, the megadose it’s all in his head.
Live and let eat.
degrees as the average adult human is a crock. Evolution is pretty clev-
By CHARLES
KRAUTHAMMER
:ashington 3ost :riters GroXS
W