Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 126, Number 49, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 4 December 2003 — Page 4

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Advance News * Thursday, December 4, 2003

Letters to Ihe editor Lombardi was wrong Dear Editor, Contrary to Vince Lombardi’s famous immortal words, “Winning is not everything, it is the only thing”, winning is not everything. There is nothing like the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat. On the one hand we have victory. Victory provides such exhilaration, such a rush of pleasure there are very few experiences like it in life. There is nothing like winning. Everybody craves it and the world adores it. Yet, there is nothing like losing. Loss is, by definition is going without, the absence of all the aforementioned exhilarations and pleasures. Sport, by its very nature, provides the potential to experience the very different extremes of emotion: the highs of winning and lows of losing. So with these virtual emotions one has to bear the responsibility of the inevitable outcomes. These responsibilities apply to both the conqueror and the conquered. To the victor comes the responsibility of knowing he has won. He must know he may have conquered but yet he also must know the horrifying reality of the brevity of this pleasure. Ah, what a microcosm of life. So sweet is this victory we extend this short lived pleasure by creating the appropriate metals, banners, rings, patches and like. All of which is good and appropriate. Yet, with victory comes the responsibility of all ironies, that of humbleness. Despite this momentary thrill everyone understands life goes on. Nobody likes a braggadocio winner- thus, the challenge of winning. To the loser comes the responsibility which no one wants; but everyone has faced. Knowing you have lost. Knowing with losing you must shake the hands of your conqueror, smiling and saying “good game”. All the while trying to comprehend and absorb the emotion which comes with the disappointment of loss. Knowing no matter how well prepared and intentioned it was not enough. Yet, the one thing (at least in the world of sport) the victor fears becomes the friend of the vanquished. The loss is only temporary. The loss, just like the victory should be memorialized as a reminder of life. The sun rises tomorrow and we live to compete another day. Congratulations to the Northwood Panthers Football Team! You played your hearts out and did the whole community proud. -Greg Taylor A few remarks regarding the Tribune’s recent review of “The Wizard of Oz” Dear Editor: Where does it say that the Round Bam Theatre’s primary function is to recreate to the nth degree M.G.M.’s 1939 production of the Frank Baum’s children’s classic? One of the hallmarks of theatre is to encourage the audience into using its imagination. The assembled theatregoers we sat with on Friday, Nov. 14 covered a diversity of ages from 34 to, (with pardon to a few ladies,) the mid-80’s. Not one was heard to complain over the limited space of the venue. They knew that Judy Garland was not performing that evening, but they were pleased with Ms. Mierlak and quite compassionate as she took on coping with three unusual companions (doesn’t matter one needed a bit more padding) plus a frisky pet. M.G.M.’s Toto had moments of overt friskiness, "too. The geometric cutouts, did indeed suggest a youngster’s suggested design for Munchkinland. So be it! On the said production we saw, seated three seats to our left was a young gentleman of 4or 5 possibly his first trip to the theatre. He was a captive audience wide eyed as he was willing to suspend reality and follow Dorothy’s adventure. He was caught up in his wondrous imagination giggling at/with the maneuvering of the ponderous Munchkins. His reactions: ‘this is cool!’ ‘They’re so funny.’ ‘Oooh, what’s going to happen next?’ And the couple to our immediate left a very handsome, elegant pair in their BQisi ‘Oh, this is so lovely. We always look forward to the productions here,’ TmsSvas from two seasoned theatre aficionados. The review urged the actors to ‘camp it up.’ Mr. Baum would object. Camp is a far cry from magic a quality Round Bam is providing in its limited resources. Even if Mr. Pletcher were to spend millions of $$ on a new theatre and state-of-the-art technical facilities, the story line relies on the child-like magic. Very few communities in our state offer its people the gift of theatre as generously as does Amish Acres’ Round Bam Theatre. Introducing the young audience is a marvelous gift and you in northern Indiana should recognize these efforts on the part of Mr. Pletcher, his family, and his company. There will always be flaws in the endeavors of mankind. Be thankful for the gems you have at the Round Bam. You are celebrating Christmas 365 days a year. Thanks to Mr. Pletcher and his team; we had a grand time. Sincerely, Bob Williams

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Why do we have property taxes?

The property tax is the most difficult tax to comprehend. There has been a lot of talk in the media lately about the property tax situation in Indiana. Some of the issues regarding property taxes can be confusing, and I would like to help clarify some of your frequently-asked questions. Property taxes fund the majority of local government operations. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, local government relies upon property taxes for almost 90 percent of its tax revenue. These taxes pay for a variety of services, including teachers’ salaries, school buildings, parks, police and fire protection, libraries, poor relief and other municipal and school functions. In Indiana, state government receives less than one tenth of a percent of all property taxes collected. Some citizens believe that the property tax is outdated, and unfair to those who have to pay it. Historically, property taxes have funded local governments in the United States since the mid1800s. Back then, ownership of property was a better indicator of a person’s wealth. More property meant more wealth. It was fair to tax a person’s land because it was more representative of how much mone^tjie^MmetL Today, fairness is rief^ocrear 'Ownership of property is not always 'ilii''lndication of how

Steps to having fast food at home

’ After a hectic day the ideal meal would be one thats nutritious and appealing as well as easy and quick to prepare. Many cookbooks include quick-to-fix recipes but quick often involves more than 30 minutes of total preparation time. Also, many quick recipes are not consistent with dietary guidelines. For instance, many may use convenience foods that are high in calories, fat, sugars, and/or sodium. So, to begin preparing tasty meals in 30minutes or less, you need some time management tips. In a recent survey of food shoppers across the country, about one fourth said speed and easy preparation were the most important considerations in making food purchases. Over one third said they rarely had more than 30 minutes to prepare meals. The approach you take to saving time depends on what kind of time you want to save active or total. Active time includes preparation steps that

Years Ago 120 YEARS AGO; DEC. 6,1883 •Nappanee Market prices: butter...2o cents per lb. 1ard...8 cents per lb. eggs.. .22 cents per dozen ham... 12 cents per lb. com.. .65 cents per bushel beans.. .$2.50 per bushel potatoes.. .30 cents per bushel live chickens.. .6 cents per lb. green apples.. .65 cents per bushel 100 YEARS AGO; DEC. 2, 1903 •The new deep well pump at the waterworks is now in operation. The ponderous machine works splendidly, throwing 10 gallons to the stroke and making the mains fairly throb. In some instances small water pipes were bursted. Now the town is again fortified against fire and everybody is supremely happy. 75 YEARS AGO; NOV. 28, 1928 • Thursday Club will meet with Mrs. Lillian Ruckman on Dec. 6. The study, “My Musical Life” will be given by Mrs. Mary Haney and Mary

The Years Ago segments have been researched and posted by Margaret England-Neff and by Kylie Carter. They appear just as they did in archived issues, typos and all.

Opinion Page Policy The Opinion page of the Advance News is intended to serve as a public forum to address issues of concern to Nappanee and Wakarus* residents from various viewpoints. Readers are welcome to express their views by submitting letters or guest commentaries regarding community topics. To be considered for publication, letters to the editor must be signed and

Opinion

much wealth a person has and certainly not indicative of the person’s income and ability to pay taxes. This most recent reassessment evaluated land based upon market value. The Supreme Court ruled that the previous method of reassessment was unfair to homeowners because homes with similar values were assessed differently. Some citizens have recommended moving

toward a system based more on a citizen’s ability to pay, such as a higher income and sales tax. No tax is popular, and especially not the income tax, which has not been well-received by the public in the past

when it was proposed. Increasing the sales tax also may create more problems because it is not based on one’s ability to pay and hurts low income people the most. And right now, an increase of two or three pennies on the sales tax is not enough to make up the billions needed in order to eliminate the property tax. One of the reasons that the move toward elimination of the property tax is difficult for governments is tfilnt if a Very stable form of

require your full or partial attention; the time you are actively involved in food preparation. The total time refers to how long it takes to get a meal ready from start to finish. Here is an example of

what 1 am trying to write. Preparing a roast for dinner takes very little active time. The roast is not a good choice if youre short on total time because it takes a long time to cook. So lets get organized,

it is one of the first steps in learning to manage our time for planning meals and preparing the food. Start with kitchen arrangement. Make sure food, utensils, and equipment are arranged conveniently for fast-paced work. Second, you need to have an adequate food supply. Keep your food cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer stocked with quick-to-fix ingredients. These ingredients should

t revenue. In times of recession, such as the last ) several years when citizens’ income levels were lower, sales and income tax collections I decreased and the state has had trouble funding t essential government programs and services, t Legislators want to help those with high 1 property tax bills. In the 2002 special session, the legislature raised the sales tax a penny and dedi- » cated all of the money to property tax relief for

Letter to the edttor Kent Adams Stale Senator

Extension Education Mary Lienhart-Cross Elkhart County

Richart with special music furnished for the meeting. 50 YEARS AGO; DEC. 2, 1953 •A full afternoon of Christmas Music is offered next Sunday Dec. 13th when the high school choral group gives a Christmas “Vespers” at the ; Methodist Church at 4:30 p.m. Director Mrs. R.L. Bolyard says “The favorite • Christmas scenes, well-loved carols and songs bring all closer to the true • meaning of Christmas”. Mrs. Jack Arman trout directs the chancel choir and ! instumental groups, Mrs. Roy Burt the cherub choir, Mrs. John Coppes and ; Mrs. Ellsworth Rood arrange the tableau and Robert Coppes, the decorations. * « 20 YEARS AGO; NOV. 30,1983 •Visitors are welcomed to Fred’s Flowers for the 21st annual Christmas Show. This year’s holiday festivities followed the theme “A Very Beary Christmas,” and guests were welcomed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and treated to music, refreshments, door prizes, and Christmas decorating ideas. 10 YEARS AGO; DEC. 1,1993 •Senior Ryan Hartman became Northwood High School’s third recipient of the coveted Phil N. Eskew Award for Mental Attitude Friday night, following the class 3A football contest, played in the Indianapolis Hoosier Dome.

include a phone number in order to verify the author. The Advance News reserves the right to edit all letters and commentaries for brevity, clarity and grammar. The views expressed on the Opinion page do not necessarily reflect those of the Advance News.

ing in the next few weeks to solve those problems that can be fixed immediately. We’ll continue to explore ways to reduce the reliance on property tax and work toward solutions that reflect the concerns of all citizens across Indiana. However, there are no easy answers. Adams represents Senate District 9, which includes portions- of Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph counties. *

be able to be prepared in a variety of ways. The third step, one that a lot of you dont do, is meal planning or meal ideas. Try to plan at least some meals in advance. This can be as simple as

making a mental note of what youll have for dinner tomorrow or defrosting a meat so it will be ready to prepare. The shopping list is the forth step to organization. Keep a shopping list posted on the refrig-

erator for jotting down items as you need them. Use it as the basis for a complete shopping list. The game plan is number five. If you are using a new recipe, read it ahead of time to be sure you have all the ingredients on hand. The same with the recipe as well as the meal, think of a game plan. Have a logical order for tasks in preparing the meal.

homeowners. Currently, one third of the state budget goes toward property tax relief, dedicating over $3.6 billion a year. What else can be done? We will be work-