LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Alms round generously received

The Eugene Buddhist Priory is grateful to the community for the warm, kind and generous reception of our first alms round on April 4. We hope to do the round again from time to time.

Two notes: The establishment of the alms round in this country was initiated nearly 10 years ago by Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in Northern California. The monks there have been instrumental in helping other temples establish their respective traditional rounds.

The food offerings are collected in a large bowl carried in a sling of knit yellowish-brown string or yarn. The alms bowl represents the practicer's head or mind: whatever is put in must be eaten and digested completely, after which one cleans the bowl thoroughly.

REV. OSWIN HOLLENBECK

Prior, Eugene Buddhist Priory

Eugene

Vogt has courtroom experience

As the detective for the Springfield Police Department, I have had the opportunity to get to know Debra Vogt, senior prosecutor with the Lane County District Attorney's Office. I was pleased to learn that she is a candidate for Lane County Circuit Court judge, because I know that Vogt has the experience, fairness and passion for our community to do an excellent job.

Vogt's experience prosecuting the community's most serious offenders, focusing on violent felonies and child sexual abuse cases, has prepared her to be a circuit court judge. More importantly, Vogt has been highly successful over the past 10 years that she has been a senior prosecutor - she has a near-perfect conviction record. That's something that can be appreciated by anyone who is concerned about safety and the community's well-being.

Outside of her role in the district attorney's office, Vogt contributes a lot of time to various service organizations in the area, many of which support children. In fact, Vogt received the Oregon State Bar President's Public Service Award in 2004 in recognition of the volunteer work she has done in the community.

Vogt's experience and success in the courtroom combined with her desire to help the community make her the ideal person to serve as a Lane County Circuit Court judge.

RUSS BORING

Springfield

Bush catapults the propaganda

President Bush's press secretary Scott McClellan has again hidden behind the fiction that all Bush's false claims about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction were due to faulty intelligence. At issue was Bush's claim on May 29, 2003, that "We have found the weapons of mass destruction," referring to mobile biological laboratories captured a month earlier.

It was recently disclosed, however, that on May 27, 2003, experts sent by the Pentagon to examine the labs reported unequivocally that the trailers were not biological weapons labs. This report was classified and buried until September 2004. McClellan wouldn't say when Bush learned of the report.

Recall Bush's 2003 State of the Union statement: "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." CIA Director George Tenet warned the administration in October 2002 that this report was dubious.

Bush declassified an October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate so Scooter Libby could leak parts to reporter Judith Miller in July 2003. Libby told Miller that an NIE key judgment was that Iraq was vigorously trying to procure uranium in Africa. Actually, this was not a key judgment. The NIE stated that Iraq's attempts to buy uranium couldn't be confirmed.

Occasionally, we get the truth. On May 24, 2005, Bush said, "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."

DAVID HOWE 

Eugene

Pet breeders need oversight

I am always heartened to learn of friends who adopted a cat or dog from an animal shelter instead of buying from a pet store. Unless the pet store can provide breed registry papers or the interstate health certificate for the puppy, it was probably obtained from a puppy mill.

Problems in puppy mills and other mass-breeding establishments include overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of socialization with humans, overcrowded cages and the killing of used-up unwanted animals. Some of these practices often result in serious genetically derived health problems.

Thousands of these breeding operations exist in the United States, many despite repeated violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has only 96 inspectors nationwide who must also oversee zoos, circuses, laboratories and animals transported via commercial airlines. Please ask your U.S. senators and representatives to support the Pet Animal Welfare Statute (PAWS) S.1139 and H.R. 2669, which provide better care and oversight for our canine and feline friends.

VERA C. TONRY

Walterville

Car break-ins a serious problem

The sarcasm in the editorial "Fight back against crime" (Register-Guard, April 14) is badly misplaced.

Thefts from parked cars are a serious problem in Eugene. The article about thefts at Spencer Butte trailhead (Register-Guard, April 12) does not begin to give an indication of how serious the problem is. As a volunteer for the Eugene Police Department, I enter data from the incident reports on all car break-ins, and since March 2005, the number is much closer to 1,200 than 32 (about 100 a month). The thefts are from cars parked all over the city, not just at trailheads, including in people's own driveways.

Moreover, putting personal items out of sight doesn't help. Thieves know where to look. The only way people can protect themselves is by not leaving personal items unattended in their cars, any time, any place.

FRANCES POWELL

Eugene

Trade policy affects immigration 

Recently, there has been much talk about immigration policies and what the government should do with all the immigrants, with a focus especially on immigration from Mexico.

I think the problem does not lie necessarily in what we do about our social problems, but rather in what we do to help Mexico get a more stable economy so people will not have to come here to secure their families' future. The problem lies in our international trade policies, not in our domestic policies.

JEFF CARMAN 

Eugene

Soda machine changes allowed

Regarding the April 11 editorial "Junk-food-free zones": Ending soda pop sales in schools does not "imply breaking the contracts" with Coke and Pepsi. The district's proposed wellness policy calls for healthier products to be stocked in vending machines, which is not outside the scope of the contracts. If the vendors don't agree to supply non-soda options, the district may then want to consider terminating the contracts.

As far as financial penalties for doing so, the district would have to pay $110,000 to get out of the contracts early - a total of $18 per student in each of the high schools covered by the contracts. This amount is far less than what students and parents would spend during the remaining three years to meet the contracts' required minimum sales volume. Replacing soda with healthier beverages does not mean that the school board will go back on its word to vendors.

NICOLA PINSON

Community Health Partnership

Portland

Drug plan deadline is May 15

Time is running out for seniors to enroll in a prescription drug program. May 15, 2006, is the deadline.

Many seniors are still overwhelmed with the information and are misinformed regarding the benefits of the program. Many are not enrolling because they take only a few medications and do not see the short-term benefit.

Even if seniors see no immediate benefits, they need to remember the penalty for late enrollment, the limited once-a-year enrollment period and the nature of insurance. For late enrollment there is a 1 percent penalty per month on the premium. The premium will go up each year with inflation, so costs continue to increase.

The average person will have one shot at enrollment per year; if they enroll late, they must wait until Jan. 1 for coverage to begin. Restrictions are the norm in the insurance industry; no coverage is universal regardless of the type of insurance.

I carry car insurance to manage risk because I do not know what the future holds. I do not hold it so I can get in a car wreck. If I never had a car wreck, I would still consider the insurance dollars well spent.

Medicare and many groups in Lane County help seniors narrow the choices and find the right plan. Seniors who need assistance with enrollment should call 1-866-329-0514.

CAROLEE SMITH

Eugene

Mind children in restaurants

For 10 years now I have worked in retail and restaurants to support myself while in school. I am now 25 and enjoy my job as a cook here in town. I love my job and I love my customers, but there are certain things I see in my work that make me want to forsake humanity forever.

As a child, I was taught to treat strangers with respect and to behave myself in public. If I threw a fit in a restaurant, I was removed. My parents understood that other people working and eating might not want to hear my tantrum. Trying to work or enjoy a meal while a child screams is not a positive experience.

I was also expected to stay seated, but I have received more than my share of dirty looks after politely asking parents to keep their children at their table. On a busy night, a wayward child could easily be injured from a swinging kitchen door or a tray of hot food.

Being kind to those providing a service is a vital way to teach your children respect. The people serving you have no choice - we are paid to be polite no matter what you do.

But you, the customer, have an opportunity every time you step up to the counter to change the world by showing kindness and humility. Please, take that opportunity and show your child that all people deserve respect - even those behind the counter.

LINDSEY BROWN

Eugene

Get behind Miller and Kidsports

Congratulations to the board of Kidsports for getting Chris Miller as the new executive director. Miller is a leader with the tools and talent to grow the organization. Now let's give him our support as well.

Kidsports is a vital, necessary part of our community and our quality of life. I think it's time to rededicate ourselves to this idea. I think we can do more to build financial support from area businesses and leaders to ensure Kidsports' success for years to come. Our kids deserve it.

As the parent of a Kidsports soccer player, I will be right behind Miller when he calls the next play.

MIKE CLARK

Eugene

LETTERS LOG

Letters received in past week: 235

Letters published: 63

What's on readers' minds: Leave it to an election to push letter volume to its second-highest total so far this year. Two topics received more comment than any others: controversy over an e-mail message inadvertently sent by Eugene's Assistant City Manager Jim Carlson to Councilor Bonny Bettman, and the debate over illegal immigration. The May 16 primary election also continued to draw letters in support of candidates and school levies.