Letters to the Editor
human power
Published Letters: 121 Editor's Choice: 28
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S + L and subprime fiascos similarity starts at the top
[Read the article: The best subprime headline ever]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Reagan lived in a fantasy world; Bush lives in a fantasy world.
Reagan created astronomical unemployment; Bush was the first President since Herbert Hoover to finish a term with fewer Americans employed than when the term started.
Reagan should have been impeached (Iran-Contra was only a small part of his criminal administration); Bush should be impeached (whatever happened to the First Amendment?).
Reagan gave us tax cuts for the wealthy, increased military expenditures and deficits for our children; Bush gave us more tax cuts for the wealthy, unheard of military/contractor expenditures and deficits for our grandchildren.
Finally, Reagan's penchant for deregulation gave us the S + L fiasco; Bush's policies helped create the subprime crises and the accompanying economic meltdown.
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Don't do it
[Read the article: Ask Pablo]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In spite of what Pablo says, every additional American is another nail in the coffin for the continuation of life on this planet. Your so-called environmental household is still unsustainable. Vegetable oil fueled cars still directly contribute to global warming (see last week's Science) and have a HUGE indirect effect by terrorizing cyclists and pedestrians back into their cars, which leads to even more idling autos. Raise one child, raise him or her to the best of your ability, and be happy.
Please consider foster children and/or adoption. Both of these will provide companionship for your current child with the added advantage of helping him/her learn to form tight bonds and empathize with someone who may be substantially different in terms of genetic heritage and early life experiences.
By the way Pablo, if we do not begin to have mandatory reproduction limits soon, we will surely have INVOLUNTARY human extinction. Unless, of course, we can find and reach those additional planets we will need to sustain them all.
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What about the 60 cent dollar?
[Read the article: So long, John -- gas is $4 a gallon]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]When the Euro debuted, it was $.87 per Euro. Now it is $1.52 per Euro. With global oil priced in dollars, the Europeans are functionally paying $60 per barrel, not $105. If the price of gasoline influences this election, it will likely be only as an indicator of the effects of offshoring our manufacturing base to create a trade deficit and borrowing trillions of dollars to finance an illegal invasion/occupation of Iraq and tax cuts for the wealthy.
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Attention disorder
[Read the article: Who cares if Eliot Spitzer hires prostitutes?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Which is more deserving of attention, a President who has likely been involved in stealing elections, starting illegal wars based on lies that cost hundreds of thousands of lives and guts the Bill of Rights down to the Bill of Right, or a Governor's sexual escapades? Oh, hands down, give me the sex.
Seriously, how many people die each year from prostitution? How many die from people speeding and running stop signs/red lights in their cars (quick answer: 46000)? Why do we not get excited unless we can talk about someone else's sex lives?
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Sexist, not male dominated
[Read the article: That woman is a total space cadet (in a good way)]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]“…but it will be an empowering symbol nonetheless in a country that has traditionally been male dominated.”
I’ve got to agree. My wife and I once took a graduate student from S. Korea along on a bike tour. Before we started we explained to him that the terrain of the lost coast of CA is quite demanding and it was not unusual for cyclists to crash going uphill do to a loss of traction on the steep dirt roads. He ignored our warnings; he later admitted he couldn’t believe he would have any difficulty since he knew my wife, a mere woman, had successfully ridden the route.
As it became apparent that he was having a great deal of trouble, we began removing gear from his bike. I could have put it on my bike, but we put it all on the bikes of the two women on the tour. By the time the trip ended, he was considerably less sexist than he was on day one.
It seems to me that real experiences can effectively defeat prejudices; at least they did in this case. Hopefully Yi So-yeon can inspire a more sexism-free outlook for her country.
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Earl's just talk-talk
[Read the article: Life and death and bicycling]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As usual, we get a resolution with no teeth. How about cutting off federal highway funds to states that do not improve the safety of their roads for cyclists and pedestrians? Or, better yet, mandate a national gasoline quota. We did this during WWII to fight a menace that was trivial compared to climate change. Hell, it was trivial compared to the menaces of cancer, heart disease and diabetes caused by reliance on fossil-fool powered wheelchairs.
Here’s a little fun history: roadways were initially paved in the U.S. for the use of bicycles, not two-ton wheelchairs. Let’s return the pavement to its original purpose.
I think my pessimism may be due to a sense that most of America is just too hostile to real physical effort to ever allow for a safe cycling environment. I read a NY Times report from over a century ago wherein cyclists were advised to only venture out in groups because of the high probability of being attacked by gangs of thugs. Sadly, this still hasn’t changed. Except that now the thugs are behind the wheel.