Eric Flowers

The letdown after Christmas is a natural time to think about some questionable American customs and thought processes, and perhaps to see the fallacies therein. The following comparison list might be helpful in sorting things out.
Myth: Santa Claus lives at the North Pole and has flying reindeer. Reality: Santa is a fantasy so he owns no flying reindeer.
Myth: Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Reality: Christmas is a most stressful season and often a very disappointing time of year.

I thank Ken Czepelka (Jan. 29 issue) for responding to my Jan. 22 letter, "The Solution." I don't personally argue with Ken on what he presented, but it's in conflict with Robert Bryce's 2008 book, "Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of Energy Independence." Bryce deals extensively with the "solar" issue. In Chapter 16, "Solar, the 1 percent solution," he provides an analysis by Raymond James and Associates that solar power in residential applications costs $0.37 per Kilowatt-hour, nearly four times conventional sources! Simmons and Company International estimated that even a growth rate of 25 percent a year of solar power capacity would only provide about 1 percent of global electricity demand by year 2020 at a cost of $0.22-$0.84 per Kilowatt-hour. By 2030, the Energy Information Administration estimates that solar power will provide about five billion Kilowatt-hours of electricity to American consumers per year, a mere fraction (0.0015) of the 3,351 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity the agency expects from coal. It's true that the Sun is an unlimited source of power, but cloud cover is also unlimited and is a "killer drawback" according to Bryce, along with a lack of "high-density electrical storage." "Solar power can never be relied upon to provide large quantities of base load power."

I have in my possession a document that ensured this Pittsburgh Steelers' victory in Super Bowl XLIII as of Christmas Day 2008. (As you are aware this was before the play-offs).
The story is: As a Christmas tradition, our family always put little anonymous gifts in each others' stockings, these we call ''gifts from Santa.''
This year (like most people) we had very little money, and my wife commented to me that our sons were upset that they had nothing to put in my (I'm the dad) stocking. So as not to disappoint them, Christmas morning when we all emptied out our stockings, in Dad's stocking was a document from none other than Santa Claus himself! This document stated that ''Dad's Christmas wish will come true. The Pittsburgh Steelers will be Super Champs for the 2008/2009 season!''

This week's letter comes from Minny Purinton who helped to organize the Obama inaugural bash at Boondock's last week, raising more than $8,000 for our local homeless shelter. Unfortunately some of the party goers made off with her commemorative posters that Purinton was planning to auction for the benefit of local schools. Can the folks who, we hope, unwittingly absconded with the posters return them to their rightful owner? Yes they can. Read on to find out how. In the meantime, Minny can collect her winner's prize, a pound of Strictly Organic Coffee, at our offices, 704 NW Georgia. - The editor.

 
I want to thank all those who participated in Bend's Inaugural Ball. From the feedback we received, many folks seemed to have had a truly whomping good time. We made enough to donate $8,500 to the Bethlehem Inn, thanks to your support. Well done, Bend!

In March of 2009 Deschutes County citizens will be voting on a local rule that was adopted by the Deschutes County Commissioners.
This local rule only applies to residents of South Deschutes County who have septic systems (which are not hooked up to some type of sewer system). The reason this rule was adopted was Deschutes County participated in a study with other agencies and determined there were nitrates in some wells that maybe could exceed DEQ limits in 50 to 100 years. The DEQ has never issued a health hazard on this matter.
This rule is unfair to South County residents; we are being penalized by this rule. Now the Deschutes County Commissioners are asking all of the County residents to vote on an issue that does not affect them, presently. But don't get complacent; all it takes is for the Commissioners, by a stroke of the pen, to make it law for All of Deschutes County who are not on some type of municipal sewer system.

Dear Source,
We, 100%, support your stand regarding the ''Jersey Wall'' needed for Hwy 97!!!
But we dare say you do not go far enough (literally). The jersey wall needs to separate the entirety of Hwy 97 (or as it is better known, ''Blood Alley'') from Redmond, through La Pine, on to Klamath Falls.

In response to Bob Bates' letter, "The Solution," I need take issue on a few points. With regard to the sustainability of current solar cell technology, I assume the consumption being referred to is the energy cost of manufacturing vs. the output energy of the cells and is not referring to a cell's efficiency (which is mostly irrelevant since the sun is an unlimited source of power). Solar cells do not decay with use or time so their total output power is determined only by how long they are in service whereas the energy cost is a fixed amount. In other words, they can be sustainable if they are used for a long enough time.

Hey, why is it that when you ask a cop here in Bend a question he answers in a way such as, 'Well I think that it is because of this!' What is up with that?
Don't they have access to a computer in their squad cars? When I ask a question about something I want to hear, 'Well sir, this is the city ordinance,' or, 'This is this because this is the law in Oregon.'

I have had numerous experiences with the police here in Bend, and quite frankly they suck. Why do they suck? Well I never see them on Skyliners road west of Mt. Washington Drive monitoring those idiots in their pickups blazing along at 80 mph. Is there a speed limit out there? I have asked questions about the bicycle lanes and whether or not it is illegal to park in that lane. Some police say yes and some say no. Well what is it? The City Hall says it is illegal to park in the bicycle lane unless it is a city vehicle or emergency vehicle.