The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Dear Editor:
Many of us believe that a very good president and outstanding human being, Ronald Regan, recently passed away.
It brings to mind the disastrous effects of Alzheimer's, as he was pretty much dysfunctional the last 10 years of his life.
How can modern scientists best discover remedies for such diseases as Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Leukemia, and Parkinson's disease?
Many believe that stem cell research would provide the research necessary to solve these debilitating conditions.
Many also believe that only God has the right to create and take life. Since there are apparently not enough adult stem cell lines (master cells that become tissues) available for adequate research, it would seem that other stem cells would be very useful.
Of course God created the sperm and egg cells necessary for a beginning of life and this has been accomplished in the lab by artificial means.
Unfortunately, this opens a whole new can of worms with possibilities such as cloning.
It would seem that only the Creator has the right to decide whether we have a duplicate brilliant brain surgeon, a beautiful duplicate movie star or an outstanding duplicate athlete.
We are all created in God's own image and he apparently wants the wide diversity which prevails in His world.
However, many umbilical cord stem cells are discarded anyway, and in my opinion, it would seem God would want them to help preserve quality of life.
The recent incidents of torture in our would also remind one of the abortion processes.
What is the difference between a baby, more than halfway born, having his brains sucked out, and a baby, entirely within the womb, having his skull crushed and his body torn apart?
The most ardent death penalty advocates would find this an unacceptable form of capital punishment, even for the most heinous of crimes.
Many people believe that since mothers go through a lot of discomfort and sacrifice in order to have a child, they deserve the right of choice.
Besides God's rights and the rights of the child, how about the rights of the fathers, since they contribute half (23) of the chromosomes in the sperm ( with half of the characteristics of the child) and it is the chromosomes in the sperm which determines the sex of the child.
Don't "they" have the right to prevent murder?
Thank God we have another president, much like Reagan, who has the guts to stand up for principles and values in which he strongly believes.
An example is job creation. If the 248,000 new jobs last month and a million new jobs in the last 3 months are not due to tax cuts stimulating the economy, where did they come from?
With a strong economy evolving, we can now attack the deficits.
Also, as Reagan and George W. have emphasized, a strong defense and a strong faith in God will help good overcome evil in the world.
Weyman George
Macomb
Dear Editor:
I just came across your publication in my research for my ancestors. My gg-grandmother was Olive Jane Carpenter (or Capenter) and she was married to George M Foote in Stronghurst about 1852.
George and his brother, Benjamin Franklin were large landowners in Stronghurst. George was previously married to Achsah Tinkham, but they were divorced.
He might have been divorced from Olive Jane, also. I have found information on George but cannot find anything on Olive Jane.
The story that has been passed down through the family is that Olive Jane ran away some time after 1856 and had no contact with the family.
If anyone could give me any information regarding these families I would be so grateful.
Phyllis Speirs
474 Adams St
Twin Falls, ID 83301
pespeirs@msn.com