Show JT Mini Friday April A4 The Herald Journal '- Our view 302004 - $ Who what where “Yes lam” “Then why don’t you cover the issues?” Click D Hunter the resource officer at South Cache school has a noteworthy message on the rear license plate holder of his sheriff’s department vehicle It says “Relax I could be behind you” U’s funny — the natives of a town or region often know less about its geography and major points of interest than visitors and newcomers Two local examples came to our attention this week A Logan native did not know until recently where Blacksmith Fork Canyon is located He also revealed that he’d only been up Logan Canyon twice in his life — and one of those times was en route to Bear Lake Another twentysomething Logan native says she’s never had occasion to visit Mendon Wellsville Paradise Lewiston Clarkston Hyrum Reservoir or any number of other points on the Cache Valley map However she has been to the LaTienda store in Franklin a time or two Doing news stories about the upcoming Cache school bond has been interesting for Herald Journal education reporter Holli Weiss Like most news reporters she's accustomed to getting that claim her angry is biased but anonyreporting mous phone calls to her home are a new twist She’s received two this week A call that came around 9 pm Tuesday went like ils this: “Are you the Herald Journal education reporter?” National view Fanny Freddie need a leash w hat’s Fannie Mae Got to Hide? How can one of the largest financiers of home mortgages release its quarterly earnings but not its bal- ance sheet? That’s what the ponsored enterprise known as Fannie Mae did last week contrary to standard business practice A Fannie official claimed that the omission was for “streamlining” even though shareholders need the data In its delay Fannie Mae only causes investors - and taxpayers - to wonder what it might be hiding Fannie Mae can’t afford to totter She and her cousin Freddie Mac ' have a combined debt of $15 trillion These giants of the housing industry could put the US financial system at great risk if they fail Freddie Mac gave the markets the jitters last summer when it reported it had understated earnings by some That $45 billion for 2000-200-2 Brought to you by Halliburton Y How defensive is Hallibur- cun tell when a corpora- lion hus Hcen caught doing bad things just by watching television Not the news the commercials The stinkier the corporation the more !' DU ' commercials you'll see extolling the pure sweetuess of the company The latest to saturate the itirwaves with ails is Hal- -' Iihurton — ami docs it V ton? So defensive that it felt compelled to make an ad trying to separate itself from its cozy ties to Cheney “We're serving the troops" says this hilarious pitch “because : of what we know not who we know” ever need A iheiii' Dick Cheney Void outfit has a to totter She and her cousin Freddie Mac have a combined debt of $15 trillion These v giants of the housing industry could put the US financial system at great risk if they fail brought down two top executives and prompted a federal probe And last fall Fannie Mae claused a rattle when it said it had made a $11 billion accounting mistakeSuch show a clear need for tighter regulation and more transparency Fan and Fred already have too much of an advantage over other ' lenders through a symbolic line of credit with the Treasury Department inci-den- ts Bush-Chcn- ey A ‘thinking citizen’ biy who supports bond : - L ' : ' non-log- Val-ley- ’s - ! best-sellin- - : accom-pljshi- A'A' 'WCRtRiCROtMJ-- HMd Journal ' jdercbtnfPtHPiT h pn tPoz&aK? a ' The Opinionpage is intended to acquaint readers with a vanity of viewpoints on matters of puHc importance and provide members ol ' the community with a lonim for thetr views Personal cdumns cartoons and letters from- readers neftoct the opinions of their writers and creators Editorials under the hearing "XJur VieW represent the views of the Herald Journal editorial board Members of the editorial board i-- 'A ‘ DARRELL EHRUCKdty edtof ' ' : CIM)YYORTHrtealures editor BRUCE SMITTUpubisher CHARLES McCOUUMlmanaging edttor " : of the lowest per pupil funding rates in the US— our standardized test scores in Cache are among Utah’s highest Not everyone has the time means or background to avail themselves of options such as home " schooling I dare say that even if we did we cotild seldom do the kind of " stellar job that the outstanding teach- ers and administrators in this district are already doing This does not ' V mean I have ceded my influence to public schools On the contrary my wife and I volunteer extensively in our children’s schools and have great relationships with their teachers As my taxes support your home and charter schools I expect you as my A neighbor to support public education Mr Allen closes by characterizing those who agree with his positions as citizens” Mr Allen lam also a thinking citizen and 1 am voting “Yes-- on the proposed bond issue for the Cache District ' ng Non Sequitur WA'UBtRlWiTBNX T--s TUt- icJETPVli es Your view Mr Allen completely ignores fhe general goodness of people around heap oi' stinkand us erroneously implies that the ‘oiiit starting with of public “bad? exceptional products some it vtlielactthat “magically'' got To the editor: schools have only public schools to S'J billion wordi of “no bid” con-- -' ' Dell Allan’s letter published April ' blarne ''A Pentatraels in nil the 28 seqks to thwart support for the I Allen Mr do ' not or in begrudge gon id providcsuch services proposed bond through a series of else the right to teach their anyone iiccupied Iraq as selling gasoline failclaims unsubstantiated about the children at home or to send them to a riin'm Mg the mess halls and getting ures of public education Mr Allen charter school In fact I’m perfectly hath iowcls‘ to the Gls And Halliburtbelieves' that public schools teach on- has hiicnripping us offon all happy that my tax dollars help supstudents nothing about “moral val- till v stull' these alternative means of edu- : port ues” or “agency and accountability” — including paying ihe 'i lie company is now under assort- cation He additionally asserts that public ed criminal investigations for gross- mortgage on the new facilities that v: schools are ‘a it helping students K overcharging its on the gasoline were recently built for Cache learn to developlheir natural gifts : food in mess the newest charter school Howevspoiled sciAing and talentsnor to share them for lialis and supplying towels bearing these altemati ves do not solve er ' 1 the benefit of the community” feel and even create their charging S3 each for ' every probjeni that Mr such a Allen harbors badly o towels are own problems “Alternative” is not jhcm lii‘i his friends and of discouraging-vieVmiV h cheaper Halliburton has gotten always Synonymous with “better" A neighbors: The truth is that a vast 'sii stjiiky lhaiifs Ivcomca political vast majority of us Mr Allen A 7 majority of Cache Valley residents ismic in the presidential campaign that public education is the believe with are decent an uncommon g Jim Hightower is the people author jind even George W hits had to criti-ct- c best choice for us although it may -: talents that seem of per-of Thieves In High Places: TheyVe array they its priifiteeriiig Mr Allen and others for not be share to withtheir you Stolen Our Country And It’s Time To ? ' fectly willing "' Sn'nqw wc're suddenly subjected Take If Back” His column 's distributed Moreover they are may be surprised to know that — " neighbors ' while the Cache District ' iiiijtlvshowing Halliburton "by Minuteman Media a Connecticut operates products of the public 7 miracles in Iraq ads (hat use!' with an acknowledged liberal school system For us fo condemn the lowestfundinglev-- with some of syndicate iiiir snldicrs and the Iraqi people as: " bent public schools for the reasons offered es within a slat? that already has one props to justify its bilking of US taxpayers How defensive is Hal- - ' liburton? So defensive that it felt compelled to make an ad trying to separate itself from its cozy ties to Cheney: “We’re serving the troops” says this hilarious pitch “because of what we know not who we know” But the company has also gone on the offensive - in both senses of that word Its CEO in a statement that is both cynical and whiny attacked all who dare criticize Halliburton say- -' ing that they are guilty of “political ' profiteering” What a greedhead Halliburton profiteers on this war uses some of those war profits to whitewash its actions and then tries labeling its taxpayingcritics as profiteers and other perks Fan and Fred also - they work work at to satisfy their shareholder’s desire for profit even as they’re mandated to try to make home ownership more affordable in addition they devote too many resources to lobbying Congress and influencing the media Since Congress has faltered in further regulating Fan and Fred the Bush administration is moving on its own Ether way Fan and Fred would do much better not to resist Meanwhile it’s hbped Fannie is making sure its figures are right Its current regulator the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) already has indicated that a restatement of some of Fannie’s financials could be possible Fannie Mae also is not making public the salaries of its top 20 executives even though OFHEO lias asked for them and the public deserves to know Preemptive regulation on these secretive financial giants is needed sooner not later cross-purpos- Fannie Mae can’t afford government-s- u Jim Hightower Minuteman Media By u Christian Science Monitor concfusioni art more tokgaAmd oui ifa multitude cf toryues than tfmmgfi any ndof autfimtdt jufaLwnaltfmd Chris Corcoran Smitbfield HK The Herald Journal welcomes letters to the editor Potentially ibekxis of offensive letters wi not be published however and the edrior ' reserves the right to edit frii letters lo conform to the lengthandsfyte requirements tf the newspaper Letters should be: - Typewritten and doubieepaced w No more than 450 words in length A Addressed and include daytime pljone number for purposes of verification Signed by the author Indwiduals are Kmitedto one published let- ter withm any Address letters to hjietterOhjnewscom Guest com- ‘ mentaries are also welcome and are run at ' (he editor's discretian 7 Sbiiatojmtl872-lSto- ) ' ‘ A ' |