LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.Byline: The Register-Guard Two stinker measures on ballot Two particularly bad initiatives are galloping toward the November ballot. Measure 48, the so-called Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, would limit state spending to a fixed "population plus inflation" formula. The other would amend the Oregon tax code to substitute federal tax deductions for state tax exemptions. Like the campground air in "Blazing Saddles," these bad boys really stink. Let's spill the beans. The Taxpayer's Bill of Rights is fashioned after a similar law passed in Colorado in 1992. It did not account for the real costs of sustaining state services and forced deep cuts in education, health care and infrastructure. The results were so bad that Coloradans voted to suspend the law last year. It didn't work in Colorado, so why would we want it here? Under Measure 41, Oregon would face hundreds of millions in cuts to state services, including a retroactive cut to the 2005-07 budget. While promising accountability, this tax measure simply cuts funding for schools and other public services Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly (through the public sector) or by financing private provision of services. . If we want more accountability, why not change our leadership instead? Follow the money! These measures are being funded by special-interest groups fronted by Grover "Drown government in the bathtub" Norquist, Bill Sizemore Bill Sizemore (born June 2, 1951 in Aberdeen, Washington) is a political activist in Clackamas, Oregon, United States. Sizemore has never held elected office, but has nonetheless been a major political figure in Oregon since the 1990s. and his Nevada multi-millionaire friend, Loren Parks. Do these folks really have Oregon's best interests in mind? Let's sprinkle some Beano Beano™ Gastroentrology A deflatulent with simethicone added to beans deemed hyperflatulogenic; Beano's enzymes digests raffinose and stachyose, carbohydrates for which humans have no enzymes. See Beans, Flatulence. on this hot air. Join the posse and cut 'em off before they pass. Vote "yes" to Oregon and "no" to these chicos malos in November! BENTON ELLIOTT Eugene Nuclear weapons provide peace Michael Carrigan's and Bruce Bowers' "Show Support for an End to Nukes" (guest viewpoint, Aug. 4) shows both their lack of knowledge about nuclear weapons (the U.S. did not drop a "hydrogen bomb hydrogen bomb or H-bomb, weapon deriving a large portion of its energy from the nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes. In an atomic bomb, uranium or plutonium is split into lighter elements that together weigh less than the original atoms, the " on Nagasaki) and their naivete na·ive·té or na·ïve·té n. 1. The state or quality of being inexperienced or unsophisticated, especially in being artless, credulous, or uncritical. 2. An artless, credulous, or uncritical statement or act. regarding the real world. The only reason they are enjoying life as we know it Life As We Know It is an American television drama on the ABC network during the 2004-2005 season. It was created by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah. The series was based on the novel Doing It by British writer Melvin Burgess. today is because of America's nuclear arsenal. That arsenal is the only reason Nikita Khrushchev Noun 1. Nikita Khrushchev - Soviet statesman and premier who denounced Stalin (1894-1971) Khrushchev, Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev backed down in Cuba. It is the only reason the Soviet Union never struck first during the Cold War. It is the only reason Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il or Kim Chong Il (born Feb. 16, 1941, Siberia, Russia, U.S.S.R.) Son of Kim Il-sung. He was designated his father's successor in 1980 and became North Korea's de facto leader on his father's death in 1994. has not already used one of his nukes. The authors even acknowledge this latter point, but clearly fail to grasp its significance. Mankind as a whole has almost never lived in peace and likely never will. Greed, aggression, hatred and even, at times, unspeakable evil have always been part of our psyche and always will be. Those who think they can convince the wolves to lie down with the lambs are obviously ignorant of world history. It is solely due to the diligence, dedication, courage and preparedness of the shepherds and sheep dogs that the lambs survive. JERRY RITTER rit·ter n. pl. ritter A knight. [German, from Middle High German riter, from Middle Dutch ridder, from r Springfield Don't punish tipped workers As someone who spent many years in the restaurant business, I am disheartened dis·heart·en tr.v. dis·heart·ened, dis·heart·en·ing, dis·heart·ens To shake or destroy the courage or resolution of; dispirit. See Synonyms at discourage. to hear that once again, Congress is debating a federal minimum wage to lower the hourly rate for servers and others in the service industry. I understand that the current wage is a hardship for business owners, but they responded immediately and raised the prices on the menus and services across the board when the minimum wage in our state increased several years ago. I find the continual threat to these hard-working individuals in the service industry reprehensible rep·re·hen·si·ble adj. Deserving rebuke or censure; blameworthy. See Synonyms at blameworthy. [Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin repreh . On some shifts, workers can make in excess of the minimum wage with tips. Other shifts are not as lucrative and they are reliant on their current hourly rate to make the minimum wage. We all know that living on our state minimum wage of $7.50 an hour is a challenge. What's more, the reality is most minimum wage jobs in the industry do not come with any medical benefits. If there is a group plan, it's typically cost-prohibitive for employees as they are required to pay for the plan themselves without employer contribution. It makes no sense to lower the hourly rate for our workers in the service industry. They are there for us, trying to make ends meet like any other person in the work force. I am hopeful that Oregon voters will continue to support our service industry employees and provide them with the state minimum wage that they most definitely earn. MINDY HORNE Eugene Film links science and religion Dean Livelybrooks' interpretation of the docu-drama "What the *Bleep* Do We Know?" (letters, Aug. 1) was as entertaining to read as the movie, but it showed less insight. Having seen the film myself, I received an entirely different message about the existence and meaning of life. Livelybrooks would simplistically frame the film's message into the view that we are "prisoners of our internal biochemical factories - an endless roller-coaster ride of emotions and cosmic blather while the world goes on around us." However, if he had opened his mind and heart to the other 80 percent of the film, he may have received a more complex message with real relevance for our times. What is striking about the views of the talking heads
Talking Heads were an American rock band that formed in the early 1970s and was based out of New York City. The group consisted of David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison. in the film is that we are much more than our physical selves; that what science and spirituality have been fighting about for centuries is in fact two sides of the same coin. We are all connected at the quantum level Quantum levels are fixed levels with a logarithmic, descending quantum pattern in the visible spectrum of light that can be observed through a spectrometer while looking at intense flows of electricity through the various halides on the periodic table in a vacuum tube. , just as the world's religions have been telling us we are at the level of spirit. More importantly, we make this world a reality every day, by our dreams, beliefs and actions. I hope that this film is reminiscent of Eugene, because it frames a far more responsible and empowering picture about who we are than most films these days. I only wish Livelybrooks and his family could have gotten the message. As he was sitting there laughing, he was creating the very world that was passing him by. MARK GENEST 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). French deserve U.S. respect In his Aug. 4 column, 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. claims that people who oppose his viewpoint are those "intellectuals - all too willing to take the word of totalitarians and even more eager to believe that the champions of democracy are in the wrong. Some social scientists call these people `French'." Goldberg is indulging himself in the current popular racial slander, propagated by his ilk, of French-bashing. If he had any knowledge of history he would know that his very freedom to vent his opinions, however ignorant, is due to the French, who played a critical part in the American victory at Yorktown that won our independence from England. Also, during the occupation of France in World War ll, it was the left-wing intellectuals, communists and socialists who made up the resistance while the "conservatives," those closer to Goldberg's viewpoint, were busy collaborating with the fascist Petain government. France has one of world's great cultures and deserves to be treated as such. Just because France's representative tweaked former Secretary of State Colin Powell Noun 1. Colin Powell - United States general who was the first African American to serve as chief of staff; later served as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush (born 1937) Colin luther Powell, Powell at the United Nations Security Council when Powell tried to sell the world the falsehood that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction Weapons that are capable of a high order of destruction and/or of being used in such a manner as to destroy large numbers of people. Weapons of mass destruction can be high explosives or nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons, but exclude the means of transporting or and should be invaded, is no reason for this campaign of hate on the part of those who devised the lies. After all, France was correct and the current administration, for whom Goldberg is flacking, was lying. HUGH O'HAIRE Eugene It wasn't a hydrogen bomb In their op-ed piece in The Register-Guard on Aug. 4, Michael Carrigan and Bruce Bowers state "On Aug. 6, 1945, the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. dropped an atomic bomb atomic bomb or A-bomb, weapon deriving its explosive force from the release of atomic energy through the fission (splitting) of heavy nuclei (see nuclear energy). The first atomic bomb was produced at the Los Alamos, N.Mex. on Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, it dropped a hydrogen bomb on Nagasaki." If we want to change the world, we should have our facts right. The bomb dropped on Nagasaki was not a hydrogen bomb. The hydrogen bomb is more powerful than the kind of nuclear bombs used in World War II. It was developed in the early years of the Cold War by the United States and the Soviet Union. The hydrogen bomb is based on nuclear fusion, joining two small nuclei. Nuclear bombs of the earlier type are based on nuclear fission fission, in physics: see nuclear energy and nucleus; see also atomic bomb. , splitting a big nucleus into smaller parts. Although they are less powerful, they are of greater concern with respect to proliferation because they are comparatively easy to make once one has a supply of highly enriched uranium (or plutonium). DAVISON SOPER Eugene U.S. spends much more for war Israel and Hezbollah have been trading potshots across Lebanon's blue line for many years. For the past decade, Hezbollah has for all intents and purposes Adv. 1. for all intents and purposes - in every practical sense; "to all intents and purposes the case is closed"; "the rest are for all practical purposes useless" for all practical purposes, to all intents and purposes governed southern Lebanon. Why? Because the Lebanese government, which is by all accounts a moderate and democratic force, didn't have the wherewithal even to compete with Hezbollah. Why? Because the international community, including the United States, took no steps to assist the Lebanese government, even though the present conflict was entirely predictable. A similar situation exists in Palestine - people with an inclination to moderation have never been supported by the outside world and hence have little influence within their communities. Now we are about to abandon Iraq, as we long ago abandoned Iran, to the same fate. In our view, it seems, being a good neighbor is never enough. We support only those who are enemies of our enemies, just as we supported Saddam Hussein when he was assailing Soviet-friendly Iran in the 1980s. Back in those days we didn't care what he did to his own people, to Iraqi Shiites and Kurds, so long as he slaughtered Iranians by the tens of thousands, which he obligingly o·blig·ing adj. Ready to do favors for others; accommodating. o·blig  ing·ly adv. did.
Today we have spent half a trillion dollars, and uncountable uncountable - countable thousands of lives, trying to establish American hegemony in the Middle East by means of war. Five hundred billion dollars for war? No problem. A few billion for peace? Forget about it. WALLY PARKER Eugene |
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