Letters in the Editor's Mailbag.Byline: The Register-Guard Isolation hasn't worked Ex-President Carter's recent trip to Cuba has - once again - put the focus on our failed 43-year policy toward that island nation. Ten American presidents of both political parties have attempted to topple Castro by isolating Cuba. And guess what? It hasn't worked. Castro is still there, the world's longest running dictator in modern history. Someday, some American president will muster the courage to ignore the powerful Cuban exile The term "Cuban exile" refers to the many Cubans who have sought alternative political or economic conditions outside the island, dating back to the Ten Years' War and the struggle for Cuban independence during the 19th century. community in Florida and engage Cuba in diplomacy, tourism, trade and commerce - just as we have successfully done in China, Vietnam and the former Soviet states. That will be the start of an enlightened American foreign policy toward Cuba - and the beginning of the end for Fidel! TONY MASSENGILL Eugene Hynix strategy troubling Citizens of Eugene deserve an accurate and timely explanation regarding the Hynix tax refund Tax refund Money back from the government when too much tax has been paid or withheld from a salary. scandal. After the Eugene City Council voted to give Hynix yet another large tax break, we learn that Hynix had already appealed its property taxes to obtain a multi-hundred-thousand-dollar property tax refund. For Hynix to appeal its tax payments at the same time it negotiates other tax breaks with Eugene without revealing this two-part pay-the-least-strategy is troubling. This kind of behavior is typical of Hynix, formerly Hyundai, and illustrates once again why this corporation does not benefit Eugene. More disturbing is the fact that certain city staff were aware of the tax appeal at the same time the City Council was debating the Hynix tax relief request, yet did not inform the council, the mayor or the city manager about the appeal. Behind-closed-doors agreements are not in the best interests of our community. Did city-contracted lawyers know about the Hynix tax appeal? This is another compelling example of why Eugene deserves in-house legal representation. Citizens for Public Accountability urges a thorough investigation of this entire misadventure misadventure n. a death due to unintentional accident without any violation of law or criminal negligence. Thus, there is no crime. (See: homicide) MISADVENTURE, crim. law, torts. An accident by which an injury occurs to another. . This lack of supervision by the city manager does not speak well of his skills as a public servant. JAN SPENCER, member Steering Committee steer·ing committee n. A committee that sets agendas and schedules of business, as for a legislative body or other assemblage. steering committee Noun Citizens for Public Accountability Eugene Killing peace process The Oslo peace process is dead. Neither an Israeli military incursion in·cur·sion n. 1. An aggressive entrance into foreign territory; a raid or invasion. 2. The act of entering another's territory or domain. 3. nor a suicide bomber Noun 1. suicide bomber - a terrorist who blows himself up in order to kill or injure other people act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act - the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political killed it. Instead, the end of the process came about because of the respective proclamations by the American Congress and the Israeli Likud Party's Central Committee. The declaration from the Likud Party that there shall never be a Palestinian state The Palestinian state (Arabic (دولة فلسطين) is a proposed country. The proposed location includes the Gaza Strip and the autonomously controlled areas of the West Bank, currently controlled by the Palestinian National is an ominous marker for those who believe a separate Palestinian state is required for peace in the region. This means that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who once had a clear mandate from the Israeli people to bring peace and security, now has to fight domestic political battles that undermine his ability to find solutions for the conflict. Bush, too, faces this problem of domestic pressures that dissuade TO DISSUADE, crim. law. To induce a person not to do an act. 2. To dissuade a witness from giving evidence against a person indicted, is an indictable offence at common law. Hawk. B. 1, c. 2 1, s. 1 5. him from creating pragmatic solutions. Congress's assertion of "unqualified support for Israel" prevents Bush, and 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 to a greater extent, from admitting the need for a Palestinian state and ignores the necessity for serious talks on the right of return. As long as the hyper-conservative elements within the Likud coalition and the constant lobbying by the America Israel Public Affairs Those public information, command information, and community relations activities directed toward both the external and internal publics with interest in the Department of Defense. Also called PA. See also command information; community relations; public information. Committee continue, the two men with the most control over the situation will have their hands tied by political opponents who have little regard for the lives being wagered in the streets. DREW THOMPSON Eugene Site needs good design The new federal courthouse will, it appears, be Eugene's crown jewel Crown jewel A particularly profitable or otherwise particularly valuable corporate unit or asset of a firm. Often used in risk arbitrage. The most desirable entities within a diversified corporation as measured by asset value, earning power, and business prospects; in takeover . This is unfortunate, when one considers what place courts and law buildings should occupy in a civilized democracy - where buildings of worship, learning and the arts should represent our highest aspirations and courts and other government buildings are necessities meant to house 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. and the public's servants. However, the federal courthouse design benefits from a generous budget and a good architect, and no one can really complain if the building outshines the new library, the Hult Center or any other building in Eugene. A crown jewel without a crown, however, is only a pretty rock. This crown is an exceptionally challenging site - one that demands the same care and imagination as is being devoted to the building. I suggest that the building's architect, Morphosis morphosis /mor·pho·sis/ (mor-fo´sis) the process of formation of a part or organ.morphot´ic mor·pho·sis n. pl. , be retained by the city to work with the staff to produce a design for the whole area. We need much more than just a functional, traffic-engineer, public-works, tree-selector solution. Here is a situation for a cutting-edge, outside-the-box, world-class (sorry, couldn't resist) solution. GRANT SEDER Eugene LETTERS LOG Letters received in past week: 142 Letters published: 62 What's on What's On (Traditional Chinese: 熒幕八爪娛) is a weekly half-hour TV series that airs on Fairchild Television. Format Originally started in 1996, the show is currently the longest-running program in Fairchild Television history. readers' minds: We received 12 letters remarking on reports that the federal government had received warnings before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Ten letter-writers offered comments on the design of the new federal courthouse in Eugene. Eight letters arrived supporting candidates in Tuesday's primary election; these were received too late to be considered for publication. Seven letters dealt with various aspects of the crisis in the Middle East, and six responded to a letter criticizing a column by Karen McCowan about a woman suffering from anorexia nervosa. - The Register-Guard |
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