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THE “TIMES” PRIZE-WINNING COLUMN
1
ALMAR FARM
In Transylvania
BY CAL CARPENTER
As I wrote a few weeks ago,
It makes no differeuce how or
why oor present “energy
crisis” came shoot If your
gasoline tank and home tad
oil tank are empty, and yon
need to go somewhere or It’s
bitter cold outside and yon
need heat
We can vent our spleen blam
tag the oil companies, the Pres
Went, the Congress, the en
vironmentalists — whomever
we wish. But that won’t put a
drop of gas in the car nor a
gallon of fuel oil in the oil
tank. What will help is doing
as we’ve been advised to do:
turn back the thermostat drive
less, and use less electric pow
er.
That’s for the time being,
or the longer ran, we might
be well advised to put poli
tical biases and wishful think
ing aside and place oor in
fluence and our ballots to
correct the faults that have
brought the situation about
where they lie — in all of
the places mentioned above
and finally on ourselves. For
a dispassionate analysis will
show that our energy short
age is the result of action
and inaction in all these
areas.
The oil companies, for ex*
ample. Theirs is a large share
of the blame. I’m convinced
that our present, short term oil
and gasoline shortage, is large^
ly manipulated. It started out
as a grab for higher profits,
which all businesses have done
or will do when the economic
climate is right; combined with
an effort to get a bunch of
idealistic and short - sighted
“environmentalists” off their
backs. The latest middle east
war and the Arab oil boycott,
played right into the companies’
hands. Then, I think, matters
kind of got out of control.
Sensationalised television
and news media pnblicitv blew
the whole thing out of pro
portion. publicity • seeking
politicians climbed on the
bandwagon; and special in
terest groups from truck
drivers to fanners helped it
along. Normally level-headed
oil company executives were
picked np in the parade and
decided to profiteer for their
stockholders and themselves.
The result is the present
fiasco. There’s plenty of fuel
o9 and gasoline in the country
but it’s being hoarded for
higher and even higher profits.
The consumer and tax paver —
you and I — are, as usual, the
losers.
Then there’s blame for the
President, too. I put little
faith i» the politicallv inspir
ed claim of a “fix” paid for
by heavy oil interest campaign
donations. There were big
donations, no doubt, bnt this
has been done In national
elections for years. By far
the most of the donations
were legal despite frantic op
position party efforts to make
them seem otherwise; and
they should have “bought”
at the most, only the political
consideration of big business
that has been traditional in
the past from both parties.
When yon think of Praacrip
lots, think of VAINER'S, a«v
FIREWOOD ! !
SAVE FUEL
SAVE MONEY
CUT YOUR OWN.
HOMELITE®
VI.9 CHAIN
#
That’s all 1 think they bought.
The President’s major blame
lies in the fact that he did not
intervene with his executive
powers sooner, for Ithe hand
writing of our present situation
was on the wall more than a
year ago.
Next to blame, we have the
Congress. The President, in
stead of invoking executive
powers, presented the prob
lem to the Congress and ask
ed for remedial legislation
over a year ago. He got noth
ing. The Democrat majority
in Congress was wallowing in
Watergate; it had no time to
consider the well being of
the country. It was far more
politically profitable to mug
TV cameras and piously de
plore a very minor political
shenanigan, than to tend to
the country’s business.
It was better politics for le
gal - laureated Senators to
ride a publicity - drawn chariot
to the crucifixion of a few
small, opposite - party plebians;
and to preside at the Roman
Circus trial of a few Patricians
—most of whom have not been
punished at all and likely will
not be — than to concern them
selves with matters which
would shortly smack the "popu
li” in the face.
Then there’s the environ
mentalists. I’m also a be
liever in preserving our en
vironment, hot not in the im
practical, moonshine ex
tremes which have deprived
the country of badly needed
nuclear power and oil in or
der to protect a few fish in
a stream or caribou in Alas
ka. I’d rather see the people
of my country warm in their
homes, and businesses and
industry provided with the
energy to operate so the
people can make a living, than
to keep all the streams cool
enough for trout and preserve
every caribou in Alaska. I
place food and warmth for a
human child before the nre
servation of a nesting bird.
I know that our technology
is to the state where we can
cool the water downstream from
nuclear plants: and nuclear
waste can be safely disposed of.
I’m sure we can build a pipe
line across Alaska so that heat
or oil spills will not ruin the
environment. I’m convinced off
shore oil drilling can be done
without blowouts ruining the
tourist business cm nearby
benches. Precipitators can be in
stalled at plants so that coal
can be burned without pollut
ing the air. Automobile engines
can be built t»«at will give rea
sonable economy and yet not
pollute.
Sure, there might be oc
casional slips in the environ
mental controls, but realistic
technical controls can be leg
islated and minor accidental
pollution repaired. And die
legislation requiring these
things can be on a reason
able time schedule that win
not bankrupt industry. We
need only use reason and com
mon sense and refuse the
pressures from the extreme
Idealists and the self-seekers
who support them.
Finally we must blame our
selves. Not only have we been
criminally wasteful with our
country's natural resources but
we are also the people who have
carelessly voted into office the
selfish and politically motivat
ed politicians who have placed
politics above duty. We have
not brought the avalanche of
public displeasure down on
business profiteers. We have
elected the liberal judges or
elected those who appointed
them, who have allowed the le
gal tricks and delays that have
hamstrung our energy develop
ment. We have not stood up
and been heard,, in support of
policies that would insure fuel
to warm our homes, nearly as
loudly as the ideal environ
mentalist, wintering in the warm
Florida sun.
When 1* all b®U» down, we,
the people, are to blame. For
we are still the final authority
in this country. We could do
•omething about the energy
shortage, and we aren’t doing
tt.
Adult Learning Center
Announces Winter Term
Registration, Program
The Adult Learning Center
announces the Winter Quarter
Registration with a larger than
ever selection of courses.
Choose from live Foreign
Languages, a larger selection
of Business courses including
Power Typing and Personal
Shorthand, brush up on a col
lege course or prepare for the
High School Eqirivelency Ex
amination and much more.
There are over 260 programs to
choose from on a variety of
subjects and levels, says W. D.
James, Director.
The Adult Center is now
open Monday through Thurs
day from 8:00 a. m. to 9:30 p. i
m. and on Friday from 8:00 a. ]
m. to 12 noon.
"You may set up a study time ]
that is convenient for you as i
the Adult Center is a study i
center which offers adults •
new way to learn. There are no
lectures, no scheduled classes,
and no fees. Self • study ira
te rials, teaching machines and
a director on duty help you
learn as you have never learn
ed before-” Mr. James con
tinues.
The Adult Center is sponsor
ed by Blue Ridge Tech in co
operation with Brevard College,
rhe Center is located in the
VfcLarty • Goodson Classroom
Building of the college. This
s the first building on the right
it the main entrance to the
aunpus. Adult students may on
er the first side door on the
ight of ithe main entrance and
troceed to room number 102.
Take advantage of this new
5-Z way to learn, phone 883
SS20 for an appointment or for
hither informaton.
441 COUNTY WINNERS OF 1973 were named
at the Annual 4-H Awards Program. County chan**
pkms present were (front row, left to right) Deb -
bie Kisamore, Diane Eisamore and Beth Walker;
(back row, left to right) Robert Holden, Anthony
Tinsley, John Sununey, Ken Scroggs and Stow
Scrogga. All were declared county winners in their
various projects for 1978.
EVERYDAY IS DOLLAR DAY AT DOLLAR GENERAL STORES
GENERAL STORES
Shop Your
Nearest Dollar
General Store
SATISFACTION
GUARANTEED
t8 easT «r.
:P*€l/ARD>A/.C.
Houses:
+o 6/9.ST.
EVERYDAY IS DOLLAR DAY AT DOLLAR GEN
MEN'S LONG SLEEVE
SWEAT SHIRTS
SHORT SLEEVE
•92% Cotton, 8% Acrylic
J • Fleece Lined
BOUNTY
125 Count
2 ply
MEN'S
OXFORDS AND BOOTS
A very large selection to choose from
’Blacks and
browns
’Values up
to $9.95
Sizes 7 to 12
’5
LADIES' 100% POLYESTER
Double Knit Pants
•First quality *22" flare
•Pull on style
-
Sjbros 8 to 18
>
■
2" elastic
waist
Assortment
of colors
SHEER
KNEE HI'S
•Wear With Pants Suits and Slacks
•First Quality
CHENILLE
BEDSPREADS
'Full and twins
LADIES' 100% NYLON KNIT
TWO PIECE
TOP AND PANT
SETS
•First quality *20" flare
"Stripe lops - solid color pants
* Short sleeve
tops and long
sleeve body
tops
'Assorted
colors
•Sizes 38 to 44 * 10-18
EVERYDAY IS DOLLAR DAY AT DOLLAR GENERAL STORES
IS DOLLAR DAY AT DOLLAR GENERAL STORES
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