Newspapers must include climate change in water coverage
We have been experiencing extreme tidal fluctuations in the Carquinez Straits. The heavy rains expected to persist throughout the week should show some serious water level increases. It should be interesting to watch.
Dan Horan,
Benicia
Rebuttal to the rebuttal
It was interesting to read the response from Karen Love to my recent piece on “words to lose.” I am not going to respond in the same level of detail, but do need to address some comments as well as misinterpretations on the part of Ms. Love. Specifically:
Diversity: Ms. Love confuses “tired of hearing about it” with “opposition to it.” The overemphasis on “diversity” is costly and time-consuming in many regards. It is also getting old.
Free: Regarding “education,” the comment was intended to apply to college tuition, not all forms of education. Bernie Sanders campaigned with this as one of his platforms.
Faithless Electors : Ms. Love may be surprised to know that I favor proportional distribution of electoral votes, as do Maine and Nebraska. If one were to run the math on this, Trump would still have won but not by such a large electoral vote margin. I will also admit to a large schadenfreude factor regarding the reaction of the Hillary sycophants.
Hope and Change: So Ms. Love reveals her true feelings by implying my opposition to the worst president in the history of our nation is because he is black? Got it.
Thank you for your comments, Ms. Love.
Dennis Lund
Don’t dismantle ACA
I urge readers to take up the debate going on in Conngress right now over the decision to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). It is an extremely important issue set to affect millions of lives and their health care. It is a nonpartisan issue and should be viewed as such. Study the ways and means that will affect your own lives if this decision comes to pass. Write, call or text your state representative and let them know your feelings about this looming terrible decision to dismantle this extremely important law.
Roque Guiterrez,
Benicia
Did anything change?
So we had an election, it brings to mind the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over, expecting something different. I follow a Facebook page for skywatchers, and some ask if Trump will stop the chemical assault going on over our heads each day:
Sunrise over the East Bay hills a couple weeks ago.
The answer, of course, is no, since the president doesn’t really control our government, especially not the “deep” government, which seems to have an agenda of its own.
Closer to home, I’m still waiting to see if there’s going to be the same level of indolence, inefficiency and intransigence at our City Hall. One example: There’s a “no right turn” signal at the corner of East 2nd and Military– it’s in front of the Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors. When you want to play Traffic Roulette, hit the pedestrian light switch, and while the signal says “No Right Turn,” try to cross, betting that drivers won’t run you over.
The police station is close enough that you can get to people at their front door. Have you seen anyone pulled over for violating that signal?
Neither have I.
My big gripe though is the First Street crosswalk going from the Vet’s Hall to Solano Square. Nothing seems to get drivers’ attention as they come blasting out to make the left turn onto Military. I’ve been to City Hall numerous times to see about changing the traffic light so that when a pedestrian hits the crosswalk light switch, the traffic light stays red. Cannot be done.
We have a Pedestrian/Traffic Safety committee that supposedly hears these complaints, but it doesn’t have any teeth. There’s an engineer on the panel, but since he can’t even design a sidewalk without a consultant, don’t ask him for help. So far though, nobody has argued that this isn’t a safety problem. I’ve been telling the city this for over three years, you’d think by now they’d have one reason to disagree with me. Cannot be done.
The last time I mentioned my complaint to Councilmember Mark Hughes, he assured me the matter would be looked into. That was before the election, though, so I guess all promises are off. Mr Hughes made this comment about my idea for the traffic light: “It might disrupt traffic.” D’oh! Isn’t that why we have these safety meetings?
I had an idea the other night: I’d wave a bright flashlight straight at the oncoming driver and see if it would get his attention. Didn’t faze him, but at least he didn’t run me over.
I need to see when the next meeting is planned for this so-called Safety Committee. I’m going to ask a writer from the Herald to come with me.
Jeff Matthews,
Benicia
Happy New Year (Minus the Yuck)
Karen Love’s guest column (“A rebuttal to those twelve words and phrases,” Jan. 1) was not a Happy New Year article. It was a personal attack on a very fine person: Dennis Lund. His article was tongue in cheek and maybe even a little satirical. I loved his article and got a great big jolly laugh out of it.
She claims this has been a divisive year for the USA. She claims his article was mean-spirited. Well, I guess if you are not a President-elect Trump fan, that may be the way you see it. I thought 2016 was a great year of change for the good of the USA. I will take exception to a few of her comments on some of the 12 words and phrases to lose.
Diversity: Yes, California is a very diverse state, but take a look around the areas we live in. Do a little history check on California. Diversity does exist in California but is loaded with bigotry and political divide. Conservatives in California are looked upon as bad folks. She appears to turn a blind eye to that.
Income Inequality: She says “The income wealth disparity currently in place in the USA leads nations down a very bad path” but doesn’t elaborate. What nations and what paths?
Bullying: This is a good one. She appears to be bullying Dennis Lund in her article.
Hope and Change: This is a very personal attack on Dennis Lund. She says his insults are in the camp of Buffalo school board member Carl Paladino. Whoa! You are way over the top on that and very out of line.
I am not one for censorship and believe everyone is entitled to their opinions and their comments and should express them. That is why I write many letters in the Benicia Herald. I do expect negative comments. Do I think Dennis Lund’s article was appalling as one letter writer wrote? No, in fact I loved it. Happy New Year to all. “The Owl” is still around and will write as I usually do. All comments are accepted without prejudice.
Bob “The Owl” Livesay,
Benicia
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