RE: Big Screen Kenergy. Screen, 3/14
Regarding Jared Rasic's "Big Screen Kenergy" (3/14), he mentioned director Jonathan Glazer's Oscar acceptance speech as the "best speech." Rasic called it a "gut punch." It certainly was. It was a gut punch to the memory of six million Jews who perished during the Holocaust and to the Jews, including babies who were burned alive and women who were raped, mutilated and tortured on 10/7 in Israel. Hamas documented this evil using their own GoPros. Even the Nazis had the shame to hide their barbarism. There is no moral equivalence between a terrorist group intent on genocide, as is Hamas, and a nation defending itself. Israel has given in to countless ceasefires and has never been met with anything but more attacks. There was a ceasefire on 10/6.
The disputed territories are not an occupation. Israel has ancestral and legal rights to its land. Is America on occupied land? The Palestinians have been offered countless opportunities for a state of their own. They have rejected them all. They are clear about their intent to wipe out Israel. Jihadism is fanaticism—it will not be contained to Israel in the future. Hamas has used its women and children as human shields and placed its weapons in hospitals and schools. The IDF tries to lessen casualties but is up against an enemy who doesn't care about its population. Sadly, war has casualties. Still, the double standard applied to only Israel is the height of hypocrisy, propaganda and pure antisemitism.
—Rich Cooper
RE: With Affordable Housing, Why are Deschutes County and the City of Bend Ignoring the Low-Hanging Fruit? Opinion, 2/22
While I agree with the sentiment behind this plan, I have significant reservations about allowing RV rentals and tiny homes to proliferate in rural private property areas of Deschutes County.
For success, we need to have solid infrastructure in place. There needs to be a robust set of codes, inspection processes and enforcement personnel. For example, rentals should be placed 100 feet off property lines, within 25 feet of the main residence and on lots greater than 1 acre to prevent extreme property depreciation of neighboring properties. Rentals should not be allowed on local access roads with no road maintenance. In addition, there needs to be ample animal control personnel or dog restrictions. In rural settings, people commonly allow dogs to roam, and the likelihood of impact on wildlife and wildlife migration patterns is significant. Wildlife already have their struggles and state/county habitat neglect.
In addition, there's the enforcement issue. Code enforcement, Sheriff's deputies and game wardens will not have the resources to enforce laws. People *will* break the rules. Law enforcement won't have the bandwidth to address these issues, adding additional burden to the system.
I have lived in rural areas without proper infrastructure. It has been a disaster. Garbage, human waste dumped, loose/aggressive dogs and wildlife killed indiscriminately is problematic.
Implementing this well-intentioned plan could be disastrous. Without significant infrastructure enhancements, it will be a free-for-all. We can't afford that. Think long view! Or we will have a separate set of problems later.
— Alan Shaw
Pro-peace is not pro-Putin
I would like to offer a different perspective from the pro-military-aid-to-Ukraine one that the Source presented this week in both its editorial page cartoon and its leadoff letter. Eastern Ukraine is, and for a long time has been, more pro-Russian than pro-Western. Without getting bogged down in the details, which are too extensive to mention here and apparently too inconvenient to appear in the pages of our popular press, I would like to point readers to a presentation by University of Chicago political science professor John Mearsheimer, titled "The Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine Crisis." Mearsheimer's conclusion, backed by data, is that the causes of the Ukraine crisis lie mostly, if not entirely, in the hands of the United States foreign policy establishment. Importantly, the talk was presented in 2015, which is to say that the U.S. was precipitating the crisis long before Putin invaded, and anyone paying attention could see it coming from a long way off. If you are curious enough to question the pro-military approaches promulgated by establishment media (and increasingly by Democrats), then Mearscheimer's talk is well worth the time required to listen to it and digest its implications for what has turned into yet another sinkhole for U.S. taxpayer dollars. The talk is here: https://tinyurl.com/mu3upxs8
—Matt Orr
Public Safety Alert
There is an important safety issue that people should be made aware of concerning the upcoming eclipse on April 8, 2024. People should NOT use old eclipse glasses, especially ones that they used during a prior eclipse such as the one in 2017. The protective coatings on some eclipse glasses deteriorate over time and will not protect a person properly. It is entirely safe to use new glasses, and those who experience the period of totality do not need any glasses during those few minutes. But used glasses should not be reused, and should be discarded after this upcoming eclipse.
Astronomy Magazine (April 2024, p. 15) elaborates on this danger in the following way:
"No one can deny the beauty of a solar eclipse, but seeing one is not worth endangering your eyesight. Even a momentary look at the Sun with your naked eye during the partial phases risks long-lasting vision problems. A view through binoculars or a telescope can cause permanent blindness in a second or less. And the damage occurs painlessly, so you might not be aware of problems until hours later. Eclipse glasses are the easiest and cheapest way to protect your eyes.
"One note of caution, however: If you saved your eclipse glasses from seven years ago, toss them. The protective coating deteriorates over time and typically doesn't last more than three years."
I have encountered a number of people that were planning on using their glasses from 2017, so I would like to suggest some public announcements on this danger.
Thank you.
—Michael John Caba
Letter of the Week:
Michael: Little did I know that so many eclipse-chasers are in our midst! For readers who are confused, do know that the nearest location to Bend I can reckon (that's in full totality) for the April 8 eclipse is somewhere in Missouri. Believe it or not, I'll be visiting Michigan that week, and get to see it! The rest of you, big road trip ahead. Just buy some new glasses on the way. Come on in for your gift card to Palate, Michael!
—Nicole Vulcan
