In response to, "What to do about outdoor cats?," 4/5
This is a tough one. I am a bird feeder and have had an occasional cat climb the fence in my yard and stalk birds. It's not frequent enough to trap him. But he hasn't made a habit of this yet. I did run him off with some kind words about how he can't eat my birds and to run along. It is the responsibility of the cat owner to control his or her pet, and that includes climbing fences and creating problems in the neighbor's backyard. But how to enforce it with diplomacy is tough. These are our neighbors, not our enemies. It leaves those people in support of compliance with laws already in place in a difficult and awkward spot. It's pretty unfair.
—Julianne Safir Tiegs, via Facebook
"I use a big, plush live trap to capture cats on my place. Then I hose down said cat with the garden hose, shout at it while rocking the trap, then turn it loose. That works for a little while, but, cats being cats, about two weeks will go by and they're back at my place killing wildlife. That's what outdoor cats do. They can't help themselves."
So this guy tortures cats knowing that it won't make much of a difference? I get the frustration and understand that roaming cats are a huge problem to wildlife, but this is just wrong. Personally, I wouldn't care how soft my cage is—being yelled, trapped, shooken, and sprayed with water has a very Guantanamoean feel to it.
—Ryan Palo, via Facebook
My cat is indoor/outdoor and an avid mouser. He is far too well fed and lazy to hunt birds but he does enjoy the hunt and keeps the mouse population on our property to a minimum. Question: would he be subject to your water chamber torture or is it only the cats that hunt birds? I only ask because if we are going to call ourselves naturalists perhaps we should not pick and choose the species we deem to be worthy of protecting versus those deserving of control and punishment.
—Molly Mauk, via Bendsource.com
In response to, "Urban Renewal for Central Bend?," 4/5
Tax Increment Financing is a way for business to use taxes only for itself - part of taxes paid are used only in the TIF district. This has the effect of short changing everyone else in that infrastructure costs that result from development but extend outside the TIF district are not funded from these taxes.
A more equitable solution is to collect taxes into the general fund where they can be allocated for everyone's benefit, and all can have a say.
—Geoff Reynolds, via Bendsource.com
One of the things that really needs to be addressed in all of these areas is the dominance of 'parking lots' across the board. Just go to Google maps and notice that most of the land in these areas goes to parking...check out the ill conceived Old Mill parking situation. NOT ONE parking garage. Someone argued that it's more expensive to go to multi level parking...at which point I looked it up and indeed they were wrong. I consider multi level parking to be a major component in this puzzle. Density would imply density for parking, but apparently in Bend it does not. All and all this is an exciting position to be in as a city...the question remains will we throw our creativity together and find unique solutions or remain status quo and throw a building in among acres of parking spots.
—Doug Cristafir, via Bendsource.com
In response to, "Confronting the Death Cult," 3/28
As a visitor to Bend I only read this paper sporadically and Im not sure how much dissenting opinions are allowed... Re: B Soderberg's article Confronting the Death Cult. The hypocrisy in this article took my breath away. America has developed a culture of death over the last 50+ years in which infanticide has been practiced, encouraged & glorified by the media, Hollywood elites, and progressives to the tune of some 60 million lives obliterated since Roe v Wade. Those that have died have no voice, and the aforementioned groups could CARE LESS. They are using these High School students to push a political agenda, period. They are more concerned about animal rights than human rights. Listen to young people? If you people have your way there won't BE any young people left to listen to.
—Nan Tybroski, via Bendsource.com
In response to, "In the runup to the next election, don't let "moderates" off the hook," 4/5
I find this appeal to "moderates" almost laughable in light of recent events and coverage in the Source Weekly. Just last week one opinion led with the shrill and alarmist heading "Confronting the Death Cult." It's clearly disingenuous to call out the extremist right while giving the extremist left kid glove treatment. Those of us in the middle are sick of the BS from both party extremes but it's the Democratic side that's doing the most to alienate moderates right now.
—Nik Johansson, via Bendsource.com
Nik, I'd beg to differ about who's doing more to alienate whom (a president sympathetic to white supremacists/fostering xenophobia/accused of sexual predation, much?), but you go on with yer bad, moderate self. You get the gift card to Palate.
— Nicole Vulcan, Editor
