LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.Byline: The Register-Guard Cyclists should get big SUVs Bicyclists hold the moral high ground? Ha! Don't they realize that the more they clog up the roads, the more I have to sit in my SUV waiting for them to get out of my way? Idling burns a lot of gas, especially when I rev the engine to encourage the cyclists to hustle. If the cyclists truly cared about the environment, they would yield the bike lane bike lane n → carril m de bicicleta; carril m bici bike lane bike n → piste f cyclable bike lane to cars wanting to use it as a right-turn lane. Pedestrians are just as bad. How dare they cross the street while there are cars wanting to turn? This often holds up an entire line of idling cars. I've actually had cyclists berate me for parking in the bike lane when I want to check out a yard sale. Do they really want me to burn the extra gas needed to find a parking space around the corner? And if cyclists are really worried about their safety on the road, they should buy the biggest SUV they can find. I'm busy enough with my cell phone and electric razor; I can't also be expected to watch out for cyclists. Doug Hintz Eugene Events point out hospital issues The small earthquake by Canby a few weeks ago and the bridge disaster in Minnesota last week bring to mind at least two more reasons not to build a hospital on the golf course between the two rivers Two Rivers, city (1990 pop. 13,030), Manitowoc co., E Wis., on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Twin River; inc. 1878. Two Rivers is closely associated with its twin city, Manitowoc, both of which are highly industrialized. . For as long as I can remember, geologists have been telling us that someday we will experience a major earthquake disaster, because we are at the edge of a continental plate subduction zone subduction zone, large-scaled narrow region in the earth's crust where, according to plate tectonics, masses of the spreading oceanic lithosphere bend downward into the earth along the leading edges of converging lithospheric plates where it slowly melts at about 400 and near an active volcanic range - the Cascades. I can't even imagine how traffic on the major access roads to the proposed hospital would be affected if just one overpass or bridge would collapse. Anyone who drives Belt Line Road or Delta Highway The Delta Highway is a short limited-access freeway in Eugene, Oregon, United States, linking downtown Eugene with the Beltline Highway, northern Eugene and the Riverridge golf course to the north. knows what even a fender-bender will do to traffic on those roads. Recent news reports tell us that a state mental hospital has been approved for the area just south of Junction City Junction City, city (1990 pop. 20,604), seat of Geary co., NE Kans., at the confluence of the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers; inc. 1859. The rail, trade, and processing center of an agricultural and dairy area, it grew as the supply point for nearby Fort Riley, , and of the business and housing growth that project will bring to the Veneta, Elmira, Cheshire, Junction City, Monroe and Harrisburg areas. These areas already are seeing substantial housing growth. I am also sure the anti-field burning people would be happy to see grass seed fields turned into a hospital parking lot. How can the visionaries not see that the northwest Eugene area is by far the better site for a hospital than between the two rivers? I didn't even mention the possibility of a 100-year flood! You should have seen the one the winter of 1947-48. Dean Huston Junction City Cyclists need more humility Another day, another letter from someone convinced that bicyclists are blameless blame·less adj. Free of blame or guilt; innocent. blame  less·ly adv.blame , holy creatures who'll be taken up to heaven while the rest of us drown in an ocean of blood and oil. On Aug. 1 it was Todd Murray, who says that bicyclists aren't "contributing to global warming global warming, the gradual increase of the temperature of the earth's lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution. and dependence on foreign oil." Oh, really? Let's break the typical bike down. Just off the top of my head from quick recollection, or as an approximation; without research or calculation; - a phrase used when giving quick and approximate answers to questions, to indicate that a response is not necessarily accurate. See also: Head , there are the oil-based plastics that go into the seat, handlebar and pedals. These and other parts are shipped via gas-guzzling trucks to a central location, where they're put together, wrapped in ecologically unsound unsound said of an animal, usually a horse, which has been examined for soundness and found to be unsatisfactory. plastic and cardboard and loaded onto another truck to be shipped to the retailer. Oh, sure, this is nothing compared with what a typical car consumes in its lifetime, but a bicycle doesn't just magically appear when you click your heels and say "Natas Si Yenehc" three times. I don't drive (I either walk or take the bus), and I certainly want to see bikes and cars coexist. However, there are way too many people writing in who need to get off their high horses. Bicyclists "have the moral high ground"? Good heavens Good Heavens was a comedy anthology produced by Columbia Pictures Television that aired between February 29 to June 26, 1976. It ranked #17 in the Nielsen Ratings during the 1975-76 television season. The main character was Mr. , these people act as if they're curing AIDS or feeding starving children. Perhaps more motorists would be more sympathetic to their cause if they took a deep breath and got over themselves. Kris Bluth Eugene Don't focus on the superficial I can't help but wonder why people, when arguing for or against candidates, always turn to making fun of them instead of making intelligent comments that would have a bearing on whether one or the other would be good for the office for which they are running. What does Hillary Clinton's taste in clothing have to do with anything, or what does the fact that John Edwards  This article or section contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoing election.Content may change as the election approaches. pays $400 for a haircut have to do with his capabilities? Shouldn't we be considering whether the candidate is capable enough to do the job? What I want to know is their strength of character and capabilities, and not their clothing or hairstyle choices. Barbara Anlauf Cottage Grove Cottage Grove, village (1990 pop. 22,935), Washington co., SE Minn., near the St. Croix River; inc. 1965. There is farming (cattle, sheep, corn, and soybeans) and manufacturing (chemicals and machinery). Vote by mail protects elections In the past 24 hours, I was struck by the convergence of three news stories: Prominent Republican attorneys in California are promoting a ballot measure to split California's electoral votes by congressional district Noun 1. congressional district - a territorial division of a state; entitled to elect one member to the United States House of Representatives district, territorial dominion, territory, dominion - a region marked off for administrative or other purposes ; conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg Jonah Jacob Goldberg (born March 21, 1969), is an American conservative commentator. Goldberg is known for his contributions on politics and culture to National Review Online, where he is the editor-at-large. is suggesting a requirement to make it "harder" to vote by creating poll tests; and Senate Democrats are delaying a proposal that required a paper trail until 2010, allowing electronic voting Electronic voting (also known as e-voting) is a term encompassing several different types of voting, embracing both electronic means of casting a vote and electronic means of counting votes. machines without paper trails to remain operative during the 2008 presidential elections. My gut reaction gut reaction n → reacción f instintiva gut reaction n → réaction instinctive gut reaction gut n → ? Cynicism. I want to believe in and trust the results of national elections, especially considering all that has transpired since the dubious 2000 presidential election. A national system that ensures trustworthy, verifiable results while providing a level of security that can assuage as·suage tr.v. as·suaged, as·suag·ing, as·suag·es 1. To make (something burdensome or painful) less intense or severe: assuage her grief. See Synonyms at relieve. 2. fears of voter fraud would go far to restore trust in our system of government. Where would we find such a system? Right here in Oregon. Oregon's vote-by-mail system makes me proud: It provides a verifiable paper trail, it includes a signature check on every ballot to eliminate fraud, and it's convenient and easy. Contact your senators and representatives, and encourage your friends and families in other states to contact theirs and demand vote by mail. The Oregon model could restore integrity to our electoral process. Since yesterday has passed, now would be good. Gerry Morgan Gerry Morgan (born June 8 1953) is a Canadian entrepreneur and educator specializing in ICT and creating working private-public partnerships. He has worked within the Canadian schooling system for almost 20 years. Eugene Coos Bay's plans affect Eugene In his Aug. 2 Register-Guard article, reporter Matt Cooper discusses the Coos Bay port's desire to send 6,000 huge shipping containers daily through Eugene. Most of the containers are not inspected by any U.S. government agency, with who knows what sealed inside, traveling on how many different trains, each coming through Eugene's backyard 24/7 on a rail line that regardless of improvement will be subject to severe Oregon Coast winter weather conditions and will continue to be unreliable. But it's the hundreds of rail cars weekly with byproducts of the other planned Port of Coos Bay The Port of Coos Bay is a port of the Pacific coast of the United States, located in Coos Bay near the city of Coos Bay, Oregon. It is the largest deep-draft coastal harbor between San Francisco Bay and Puget Sound, and is Oregon's second busiest maritime commerce center after the enterprise, the liquefied natural gas liquefied natural gas: see under natural gas. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) A product of natural gas which consists primarily of methane. Its properties are those of liquid methane, slightly modified by minor constituents. depot, that should have every resident of Eugene screaming. Remember that the railroad goes one direction only u north and west through Eugene's backyards. Fred Kirby Coos Bay Films might help Eugene police After reading letters in the Mailbag about how to solve the country's health care problems by watching a leftist left·ism also Left·ism n. 1. The ideology of the political left. 2. Belief in or support of the tenets of the political left. left Hollywood movie, I'm led to think that all the Eugene Police Department needs to do to solve its problems is to review a few Keystone Cops episodes. Problem solved! Jack Williams Eugene Can former oil CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. be impartial? Question: Who does The Washington Post describe as "the highest-profile corporate skeptic about global warming"? Hint: He's from the only major oil giant calling alternative energy an "uneconomic" investment. And which company is it where the former CEO (Lee Raymond) just was chosen by the Bush administration to lead a major study on America's energy future? Answer: ExxonMobil. Why is this oil company's former CEO leading a major study that is supposed to examine the viability of alternative energy such as wind, solar and biomass? I am concerned about the impact of such a decision. Brittney Andrews Eugene Protect Rogue River tributaries I enjoyed reading the article on the Rogue River and the history of the boats that have jetted upriver to deliver mail to inholdings, lodges and miners' cabins for quite some time (Register-Guard, July 29). What a rich history in this treasured, wild river canyon. Interestingly, there is an ongoing effort led by local businesses and river users to safeguard the towering forests and cool tributary creeks just above Blossom Bar, the turnaround point for jet boaters. The proposal, which is gaining steam on Capitol Hill, would forever protect nearly 60,000 acres of forests as designated wilderness and add an additional 97 miles of Wild and Scenic tributary miles to the famed Rogue River. River-dependent businesses such as fishing guides, rafting outfitters and lodge owners all have recognized the need to ensure protection for the river's surrounding forests. Simultaneously, the Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management is attempting to advance a massive timber sale that would log the heart out of this de facto [Latin, In fact.] In fact, in deed, actually. This phrase is used to characterize an officer, a government, a past action, or a state of affairs that must be accepted for all practical purposes, but is illegal or illegitimate. wilderness, an area many refer to as the Zane Grey roadless area, named after the famed author. More information on the exciting effort can be found at www .savethewildrogue.org. Daniel Kruse Eugene To contribute a letter Mail letters to: Mailbag, P.O. Box 10188, Eugene, OR 97440-2188 Fax: 338-2828 E-mail: rgletters@guardnet.com |
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