Keep the tradition of Christmas trees
Regarding “Don’t buy the trees” (Letters, Dec. 19): So it has finally come to this. The letter writer informs us we are not to purchase a Christmas tree. The tradition of the Christmas tree began in medieval Germany. By 1600, many German families decorated their homes with evergreens for Christmas. By the mid-1800s, the custom of trimming Christmas trees had spread throughout the world. We have been driving down to Half Moon Bay for decades to cut down our tree from one of the many lots that grow the trees just for this purpose.
We do not feel that $29.99 is all that expensive for an 8-foot tree. The smell of the freshly cut tree permeates the living room. Then it is time to string the lights through the tree and adorn it with our ornaments. The warmth, pleasure, and enjoyment it brings to our household is priceless. Lastly, a star is placed a top the tree. This star represents the star which led the Magi to the town of Bethlehem where Jesus was born. Besides, without a proper tree, where would Santa put all our presents?
Kenneth Jones, San Francisco
Harvested trees
Regarding “Don’t buy the trees” (Letters, Dec. 19): I believe the letter writer’s response to “Real Christmas trees, real green: Shortage leads to price increase” (Dec. 18) is misguided. Today’s trees do not come from marauders raiding our forests, but rather from farms, mostly in the Pacific Northwest.
Nearly a thousand growers in Washington and Oregon produced an estimated 6.7 million trees in 2016. These sustainable farms, many of them family operated, either plant their trees in rows on neat farms in the valley flatlands and rolling hills, or in random fashion where the terrain is rugged. For every tree harvested, three seedlings are planted. I encourage the letter writer — and any other nonbeliever — to take a trip through Washington and Oregon and see the spectacular farms in the Northwest, where Douglas and Noble firs are grown much like cotton, wheat, soybeans or grass seed.
John Miller, Walnut Creek
Wrong function
In “Shutdown must be averted” (Editorial, Dec. 20), this newspaper states that funding for “A functioning government is the least we should hope for.” But even if Democratic leaders get some concessions on health care subsidies or help for Dreamers to remain in our country, their agreement to provide money to avert a shutdown is not for a “functioning government.” Washington, D.C., is now under a ruthless Republican reign where no public hearings are held on vital matters like health care and tax reform, financial and environmental protections are being shredded and the president is attacking journalists on a daily basis. Americans deserve so much better than this scenario, and should express their resolve to change things by voting in droves during the 2018 midterm elections.
Sasha Englander, San Francisco
Untold costs
Regarding “Boss bolts at beleaguered Central Subway” (Dec. 18): So John Funghi, who has overseen the Central Subway project to the tune of tens of millions in cost overruns and currently over a year delayed, is being “recruited” by Caltrans to spearhead electrification? Is the Caltrans hope that electrification could achieve even greater untold cost overruns and endless delays? A promotion to manage high-speed rail can’t be too far off in the future.
Chris Keane, Redwood City
Valued generation
Regarding “Stabilize population” (Letters, Dec. 20): Let’s do better than stabilizing population. The letter writer is on the mark, talking about attention needed on our outsized population numbers. With climate change taking center stage due to wildfires and hurricane seasons, population talk needs to be in the mix, too.
Valuing our next generation needs to be of highest priority on this. Handing them a livable planet with fewer of us on it is the smart future they deserve. Let’s keep this narrative going, fellow citizens!
Priscilla Rich, Danville
Bring back Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin, please come back! As a liberal, I was appalled by the folksy Alaskan politician with a dysfunctional family with a twang and the innocent smile of the girl next door. Reading of the latest Palin family troubles (her son assaulting his father and drawing the police out again), I thought to myself: I got it all wrong. She committed no treason with Russia! No men have accused her of assaults and Palin has never bragged about sex crimes. Not even any secret deals with Ukrainians involving millions in illegal payments and no money laundering.
Palin, compared to this present lot of White House criminals and getrich-quick con artists, your antics and your dysfunctional family look positively wholesome and even endearing. At least your foibles are self-contained and don’t pollute the entire country and indeed the planet. So please make another run and restore good oldfashioned harmless nonsense to the White House.
Don Stadtner, Walnut Creek
Legislative lexicon
The Chronicle (and other news outlets) perform a disservice by characterizing the recent tax bill in terms of wins and losses. Legislating is not (or should not be) a sporting event or game that counts wins and losses. Instead it should be a process, informed solely by doing what is right for the country and its people.
Constantly using phrases like “win,” “big win,” etc., to report on legislative developments simply reinforces a gladiator-like mind-set for politicians, the last thing we need with a president like Donald Trump and his gaggle of sycophants. Language matters. It is time to help define and not diminish the conversation.
David Wiseblood, San Francisco