[Vision2020] St. John Wenders
Jeff Harkins
jeffh at moscow.com
Mon Dec 4 20:33:03 PST 2006
Gary, Matt and Visionaires,
I worked with Jack Wenders for almost 20 years (both of us colleagues
in the UI College of Business and Economics - Jack was an economics
prof and I am prof in accounting).
Jack was an excellent academic reseacher - his work in the public
utility industry earned very high marks and his work in unraveling
the tyranny of government subsidies was highly regarded in the econ literature.
Jack was one of those engaged academics to take on the real world -
his efforts to explore the sugar beet subsidy in Idaho raised a lot
of eyebrows and drew the ire of many in Southern Idaho. To his
credit, President Richard Gibb defended Jack's research in the face
of significant political pressure to fire Jack for his research.
Oddly enough, Jack and I did not agree on all that many things but I
always enjoyed sparring with Jack. He was a ferocious advocate for
his economic principles and their application in the market
place. Jack always brought his "A" game - if you wanted to debate
with Jack you had better come prepared. He would give you his best
and he would expect the best from you.
Before Jack retired, I recall, quite fondly - a few interesting
"debates" with him on the need for (or not) accountants and the
accounting profession. I am sure you can "sort out the sides" on that one.
He also had a very unusual talent - through his sharp wit and
cutting, almost acrimonious, dialogue Jack could get his critics and
opponents to reveal their intellectual shortcomings, their character
flaws and their shallow depth of understanding - on just about
anything. Once his critic or opponent "lost their grip, lost their
perspective and lost their ability to reason", Jack would look around
the room to search for eye contact with those observing - the twinkle
in his eye said it all.
He truly enjoyed getting people to think about what they would say
before they actually said it - mostly though he wanted people to think.
I heard from Jack on just a few occasions since he retired - he would
send a note to acknowledge or admonish a position I had espoused on
this forum. I know from some of his closer friends that he was able
to spend a lot of time hunting and roaming the backcountry. This was
a passion for him and I am confident it brought him the enjoyment he sought.
Thanks Jack - you were one of a kind. You never minced your words -
you spoke straight and always shot from the hip.
I also think you died with a twinkle in your eye - happy hunting!
At 06:05 AM 12/4/2006, you wrote:
>I'm amazed at Mr.Nielsen and Ms. Hovey's generosity of spirit. That they
>refrain from really letting loose and telling us how they feel is quite an
>amazing example of restraint. The ability to set aside ones personal
>animosities and lament the passing of a fellow member of the community, even
>if only for the sake of the remaining family and friends is a trait that
>most recognize as one of the ones that make us human. To take the
>opportunity of a gentleman's unfortunate demise to bad mouth him,
>considering the fact that rebuttal from beyond is unlikely, is tacky in the
>extreme. I commend Ralph and Sue for their efforts in not coming across as
>those kinds of people.
>
>g
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Matt Decker" <mattd2107 at hotmail.com>
>To: <suehovey at moscow.com>; <nielsen at uidaho.edu>; <Vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 12:00 AM
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] St. John Wenders
>
>
> > Sue,
> >
> > WOW! There are few people I could care less if they still grace this earth
> > or not. John, I would not view as one of those. He did ruffle some
> > feathers,
> > but not worthy of death. If a person is going to upset me, they would have
> > to be a murderer, rapist, crack whore. You know, that type. But, one that
> > uses verbab to get under my skin would not warrant a death penalty. I
> > could
> > give a rats ass.
> >
> > I do feel for you Sue. Time to let the man rest in peace, and find his
> > positive side. Heck even I can do that with people I don't agree with.
> >
> > Matt
> >
> >
> >>From: "Sue Hovey" <suehovey at moscow.com>
> >>To: "Matt Decker" <mattd2107 at hotmail.com>, <nielsen at uidaho.edu>,
> >><Vision2020 at moscow.com>
> >>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] St. John Wenders
> >>Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2006 21:59:07 -0800
> >>
> >>Am I sorry he is dead? No. I would think he did not live his life to his
> >>best potential, for he contributed very little to this community with his
> >>rancor and divisive attitude. I do not know whether one appropriately
> >>views
> >>his behavior as a mistake. I think it derived from his inflated sense of
> >>himself as an authority on tax policy. He told me a few years ago the
> >>education monies expended on my disabled daughter's education were, "a
> >>monumental waste of taxpayer funds." That is his direct quote, and no, I
> >>will never forget his words. I can say with certainty, my daughter,
> >>despite
> >>her disabilites, has made a more positive contribution to this community
> >>and
> >>the people who live here, than Jack Wenders ever did.
> >>
> >>Sue Hovey
> >>----- Original Message -----
> >>From: "Matt Decker" <mattd2107 at hotmail.com>
> >>To: <nielsen at uidaho.edu>; <Vision2020 at moscow.com>
> >>Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 9:23 PM
> >>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] St. John Wenders
> >>
> >>
> >> > Ralph,
> >> >
> >> > Gee Ralph, what you and Sue have said, almost makes me believe you both
> >> > are
> >> > glad he has passed.
> >> > Let's not forget that we all live life to our fullest and to our best
> >> > potential. We all make mistakes but those little mistakes that you
> >> > don't
> >> > agree with shouldn't be a downer on his life right?
> >> >
> >> > Matt
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >>From: Ralph Nielsen <nielsen at uidaho.edu>
> >> >>To: Vision2020 at moscow.com
> >> >>Subject: [Vision2020] St. John Wenders
> >> >>Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2006 19:47:15 -0800
> >> >>
> >> >>Let us not forget what a saintly man John Wenders was. Although he
> >> >>was only on half-time appointment as a professor at the University of
> >> >>Idaho, he made a deal with then President Richard Gibb for full-time
> >> >>retirement benefits. All this from a government school at the
> >> >>taxpayers' expense.
> >> >>
> >> >>Ralph Nielsen
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> > Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 21:42:05 -0700
> >> >> > To: letters at lmtribune.com
> >> >> > From: Ralph Nielsen <nielsen at uidaho.edu>
> >> >> > Subject: Religion of Wenders
> >> >> >
> >> >> > The article in Turnabout (Sunday, Aug. 1) "Majority spends money of
> >> >> > all on immoral pool" by John Wenders, should have appeared on
> >> >> > Saturday's Religion page. Like most other profit-seeking prophets
> >> >> > in the market-place of wishful thinking, the Rev. Dr. Wenders
> >> >> > pretends that he is saving us from sin--the sin of taxation for the
> >> >> > common good of our fellow citizens. Taxing the citizens of Moscow
> >> >> > for a public swimming pool is immoral, he says. Besides, swimming
> >> >> > is not all that good for young people anyway, at least not for his
> >> >> > sonny boy, whose daddy happens to be wealthy enough to send him to
> >> >> > a private academic summer program.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Religion thrives on persecution, real or imaginary. Thus our latter-
> >> >> > day St. John has also been ridiculed for preaching that if we will
> >> >> > only believe in what he says, we will all be saved. Saved from the
> >> >> > hell of taxation for the good of others besides ourselves.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Another hallmark of organized religion is the hypocrisy of many of
> >> >> > its preachers. According to the prophet Wenders, tax subsidies for
> >> >> > public swimming pools are immoral. But churches pay not a penny of
> >> >> > taxes while they enjoy public services paid for by all taxpayers.
> >> >> > Are they not immoral, too? And aren't subsidies and tax write-offs
> >> >> > for large corporations also sinful?
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Let me quote from the gospel according to St. Wenders: "That is
> >> >> > redistribution, pure and simple, something that is antithetical to
> >> >> > every ethical standard." So when will Wenders, our new anointed
> >> >> > one, drive the evil money redistributors from his father's house?
> >> >> > Don't hold your breath, folks. I have a feeling that his
> >> >> > predecessor will show up first.
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >>=======================================================
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> >> >> http://www.fsr.net
> >> >> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> >> >>=======================================================
> >> >
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> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
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