Letters to the Editor

I would like to respond to the Name Withheld letter titled "Turn in Your Badge." While I have never been a police officer, I have compassion for anyone who wants to be, or who may have chosen that profession.

I would like to comment on your article entitled "Selling the Market Short" in which the writer attempted to warn the public of the result of selling their home via the Short Sale option. While I appreciate the media attempting to keep the public well informed, in this case it was your article that fell "short."
While your article is correct in stating that home owners can be, and most times are, sent a 1099 form in the amount of the "forgiven amount", it is also important to provide information about the Foreclosure Tax Relief Act of 2007 (H.R., 3507) that was passed in December, 2007, and was designed to allow forgiveness of the Federal income taxes that are due as a result of selling your house "short."
 
While I am in no way offering legal advice, and recommend that anyone who is considering a short sale consult with an attorney and tax accountant, I can say that the Act provides Federal tax relief for those who, during tax years 2007, 2008 and 2009, choose to short sale their primary residence and who receive a 1099 form for the difference in what they owe and what the bank accepted as payment. As of this date, there is no similar relief for investment properties or second homes, and is not applicable on a State tax level.

Letter of the Week 
Jim Anderson (tSW 5/22) has a long list of reasons to be alarmed about the killing of indigenous animals by non-indigenous cats, but he ignores one very critical fact. Countless indigenous populations have been decimated not by cats, but by non-indigenous humans who have irreparably altered or destroyed their natural habitats, or just plain killed them off.

Letter of the Week

I know just how Mr. Orr feels about dogs in Sawyer Park because I feel the same way about kids. Children demand so many things these days: swing sets and slides; basketball and tennis courts; baseball and soccer fields; running tracks and pools; even skate parks. When I was growing up that problem didn't exist. For toys we had a box of dirt and some lead painted blocks of wood. Going outside to play meant just that - running around vacant lots in the dirt amongst rusty nails and broken bottles. If we wanted to get wet we would have to wait for it to rain and play in the puddles. So what if we came back bleeding occasionally or broke out in some ugly rash. I tell you we were happy!

Cognitive dissonance can be defined as an irresolvable conflict between what we hold (or wish) to be true and what we know to be true.
There is an old saying that one should never discuss religion or politics. Perhaps this is because these subjects conjure up large amounts of cognitive dissonance.
People hold that their particular brand of religion is true, even knowing it is based on faith. Americans hold that our political system is judicious, while knowing that it is full of corruption.
We hold that our politicians (typically lawyers) are telling us the truth or actually care about us, knowing that most of them don't have an honest bone in their bodies, or give a rat's patuti about the common people.
Some hold that patriotism is never questioning your government's authority, when reality dictates that responsible government requires constant vigilance and demand for accountability by a country's citizens.

Letter of the Week 
It was sad to see in The Source last week that a group of Ultimate Frisbee enthusiasts might lose their traditional playing field in Sawyer Park to dogs.
At one time, the issue of off-leash dog parks did not exist.

Another police-caused death in Bend, Oregon. Our law enforcement officers can make mistakes.

I concur with the 5/8 Boot opposing cuts to the BAT and Dial A Ride.
I am a daily commuter on BAT, and what you can call a "choice" rider.

Letter of the Week  
I am disappointed with the new Bend Broadband billing method that penalizes customers for their Internet use. One reason I moved to Bend was because they had high speed Internet service. I use the high speed Internet to its fullest. I download media content through my wireless TIVO interface for viewing on my TV, I stream Internet music through our stereo, and I use Skype to web cam my friends and family. Isn't this exactly the type of usage that Bend Broadband fostered with their TV and print ads?
According to you, most Bend Broadband customers (91%) use less than the 10 GB per month. However, isn't the trend towards greater usage? Aren't the people who are simply surfing the web and reading their e-mails likely to start using newer media services? I believe that while I might be "pioneering" uses for the Internet, I am not that far ahead of the majority of customers. Isn't this a step back in technology? Will customers be discouraged from trying new non-Bend Broadband services for fear that they will overuse their service?

2008 recession! Why do companies lay people off and then hire them back two months later? Why would anyone give loyalty to a company when they know at any given moment that they can be cut loose? If a company wants loyalty from their employees then they should inform all personnel that a down time in business is not very far off and hours may have to be reduced. Simple communication is all that need apply here, and then there will not be any further resentment towards that company.
I was recently laid off and had no warning - just pull me into an office and announce, "Sorry dude, we gotta let you go due to lack of work for you." Now that company may say two months later, "We need you since it is now busy," but why would anyone go back knowing how unstable the management is?