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An eclipse memory and a warning

The total eclipse of the sun this year is a cost-to-coast phenomenon not experienced in our country for a hundred years. I was in Minneapolis in the late spring of 1954 when the Twin Cities experienced a total eclipse for about 1 1/2 minutes. That was about 63 years ago.

I had built an astronomical telescope to record the event with a 6-inch mirror and a 4-foot focal length, also a film holder to match it. I also wrote to the Kodak company for information, which they supplied with a two-page mimeographed letter about the eclipse. As I recall they assured me that I could use a daylight setting on my camera. They also alerted me to a phenomenon to be seen on the ground around me: I would see light and dark bands on the ground, perhaps 5 feet from crest to crest that would shift back and forth before me, apparently due to atmospheric variations.

As one views the eclipse in its partial stages before and after totality, one should use a proper filter, perhaps a smoked piece of glass, so that one’s eyes might be undamaged. —John N. Olson, Kalispell

Don’t blame doctors; blame the government

In his July 30 letter, Steve Eckels bemoans dehumanization of health care illustrated by practitioners “all day staring at screens, or at computer printouts.” Fact: electronic medical records and massive paperwork arose from government mandates. Discussing “arrogant” physicians who “rigged the system in their favor in the 20th century,” he further displays ignorance about the enormous role of government in health care since 1965.

Mr. Eckels says doctors view their work as a business. Fact: few physicians can afford their own business; they have been pushed into working for hospitals, governments and other large organizations due to poor reimbursement, hyper-taxation, and over-regulation. The doctor no longer works directly for the patient (the private practice model), but works for the government or the CEO of a large corporation. FYI: Educated, intelligent people do not have a monopoly on arrogance. Arrogance is an equal opportunity character flaw caused by inadequate gratitude to God for His gifts.

In my 30 years around physicians, a more accurate generalization would be this: Physicians are among the most intelligent, altruistic, empathic, self-sacrificing, dedicated people. Mostly straight-A students through college, they spend a minimum of 11 years after high school studying how to provide patient care. It is a humbling profession.

Patient outrage at the current health-care system is warranted. However, it is a diversion to blame medical-care providers. Furthermore, health-insurance companies couldn’t increase rates and decrease coverage without their incestuous relationship with Congress including subsidies paid by our taxes. The blame for this mess lies primarily with government involvement and people with entitlement mentality who ignore reality and the historical precedent of government’s dismal failure when it meddles in what should be private enterprise. Only the foolish and ineffectual point fingers while promoting government as a solution to problems. —Annie Bukacek, Kalispell physician

Far right has its share of wrong-minded people, too

Although Managing Editor Frank Miele and his incessantly bleating cohorts on the Opinion page clearly delight in slamming all things liberal, some readers still try to keep an open mind about the state of the world.

Miele’s Aug. 13 column deriding liberals who are obsessed with political correctness struck me as typically small-minded and disingenuous. Those far-left folks comprise just a small sliver of society, and one could similarly use the same type of cherry picking to paint the right with an overly broad brush. Shall we assume, for instance, that most conservatives support the two ignorant pastors who recently said that their God would advocate the bombing of North Korea?

And ask yourself which set of outliers is more reprehensible — young campus liberals complaining about cultural appropriation, or supposedly mature and pious Trumpers calling for cultural annihilation? —Steve Barrett, Kalispell

Foy’s to Blacktail officially open; thanks for help!

Herron Park would not be what it is today without the community that loves it. After years of fundraising, trail building, and memories on the trails of Herron, it’s time for Foy’s to Blacktail Trails to say “thank you” to our friends. Thank you for donating to support your local trails. Thank you for volunteering your time to build and maintain trails with us on public volunteer days. Thank you for joining us at horse shows, running races, mountain bike rides and other events. Thank you for sharing the trails with a smile. Thank you for bringing your young ones to Herron Park on foot, in backpacks and on Strider bikes. Because of you, Herron Park will remain a cherished open space for generations to come.

Foy’s to Blacktail Trails has come a long way since we were founded 15 years ago — we’ve built and maintained miles of trails at Herron Park and now, we are happy to announce that the trail connecting Herron to Blacktail Mountain is in place. It’s built, and it’s yours to enjoy.

The trail crews are done building, but there is still work to be done. We will still need help on trail volunteer days, and yes, we will still need donations. With the generous support of our community, we will continue to build trails, fix drainage ditches, pull weeds and we will do our best to provide your family with access to the most beautiful corners of the Flathead.

We are so grateful for your support. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy the trails and lend a hand. Donations can be sent to Foy’s to Blacktail Trails, PO Box 81, Kalispell, MT 59903. —Grete Gansauer, Kalispell, board member, Foy’s to Blacktail Trails Inc.

Hug a tree, but don’t get burnt!

Hug a tree. Not the ones burning due to sustained environmentalist lawsuit protectionism, or the others burning due to now close to 20 years of protracted forest mismanagement. Over a hundred thousand acres of trees burned in Montana so far, this year, and it’s only early August. All but one of roughly 20 mills closed, close to 10,000 workers displaced, former logging communities barely surviving at a lower employment rate than Kentucky coal mine country, and the forests burn. Can’t breathe, smoke bothering you, tourism dollars down, can’t find a high-paying local job? Not to worry, hug a tree — just not those on fire, they’re protected. —Sheldon Wickersham, Creston