Letters to the Editor
WINTER GARDEN AGLOWVisit this stunning display
Anyone who has not visited the beautifully lighted Idaho Botanical Garden this holiday season should gather up the family and go. It’s like visiting fairyland, with a much expanded area as a result of the new Lewis and Clark Native Plant Garden.Many thanks to the volunteers who must devote thousands of hours to creating this stunning display. The result is a wonderful gift to Valley residents.ALICE HENNESSEY, BoiseOILFind out what media aren’t telling about oil supply
Gas price increases and reports of economic hard times on the way are alarming.More alarming, however, is that the local and national media are reporting the symptoms, while staying conspicuously mute about the root disease. We all know that there is a problem with oil supply. The world’s petroleum geologists have been saying it is a problem they call “Peak Oil” and that it will get increasingly worse. Google “Peak Oil” and follow the links. You will find U.S. senators, ex-presidents, bankers, oil executives, scientists, mayors, governors, and literally hundreds of thousands of highly placed experts around the world who consider “Peak Oil” the most imminent threat to our global civilizations.Blow away the smoke and shatter the mirror of popular America media fantasy, and you will find that the consumer culture, the personal automobile, the interstate highway system, obesity, the electrical grid, and many other “normal” things will be only a distant memory in 5 to 10 years.If you do nothing else today, google “Peak Oil” and find out what they (the fascist government-corporate-media entity) are not telling you.BOB BLURTON, BoiseNATIONAL POLITICSU.S. on verge of bankruptcy, Bush is lying again
American citizens are being led down the path to bankruptcy by a bunch of war-mongers, paranoids and perverts. Our sinking U.S. dollar will soon be worth about 25 cents Canadian. Instead of doing his job in Congress, our leading Idaho conservative, “Sen. Larry Craig,” has been moonlighting as a plumbing inspector in Minneapolis restrooms. It’s easy to see why our real estate industry is now in shambles, along with some big banks. Instead of repairing our broken Social Security system, Bush has plundered our Social Security trust fund to the tone of $2.4 trillion. After being assured by the United Nations that Iraq has been completely disarmed, Bush gave that tiny landlocked, half starved country a taste of Christianity by attacking and slaughtering them by the thousands. Any Iraqi hero who dared to oppose us was immediately labeled a terrorists or insurgent and tortured accordingly. Iraq was once our friend and ally in their chemical warfare against Iran. We are no longer trusted, for very good reasons. With our country on the verge of bankruptcy, Bush is back to lying again to start a new war with Iran. ROBERT G. SCHULTZE, RigginsDEVELOPMENTWhat is ecological impact of cutting down trees?
Boise is being deforested by developers. A lot on Alanta Street, that once had over 15 mature trees, is being denuded for four new skinny houses. This hole in the woods regimen has taken hundreds of trees on the Bench. Our neighborhoods slowly are looking like those of the west valley, with their look alike houses set on arid lots. Four houses replace one, trees are cut down. What is the ecological impact? What is the aesthetic result? What is Boise?CARL ROWE, BoiseTRANSPORTATIONTrucks cause most damage, trains make more sense
In the Dec. 14 issue of the Statesman an article in the Reader’s View section titled “trucking vs. railroads” caught my eye. First off, I have no dog in this fight but it struck me after reading this article I lean toward the railroad point of view.Mr. Noud and Ms. Fowers denigrate an unsupported claim “… about trucks causing astronomical damage to roads …” All you have to do is follow a semi down I-84 and see how the trailer’s tires fit into the “grooves” in the road and then look at how automobile tires do not even come close to tracking in the grooves to know, without being a “scientist” that the trucks are making the grooves. Trucks should pay more to help pay for the damaged roads. Oh, and throw in the studded snow tire drivers to pay their fair share of road damage.I, for one, am tired of subsidizing commercial heavy trucks use and destruction of public roads.And one more thing, Mr. Noud and Ms. Fowers, if the railroads made small spurs and unloading points in most cities they could unload their trailers and deliver them to anyone with a loading dock.JAMES LUCKER, MeridianTHE STATESMANStatesman should edit foolish Web comments
When reading articles on this web site, must I read the opinions of what any fool with a computer was thinking when they read it? The idea of stimulating debate on events covered is commendable, but when any moron with an agenda gets to place their comments right on the same page as the actual article, it’s not good. I’m usually either annoyed or offended by comments that have no bearing on the article in question. My guess is that this will eventually cause a problem. Imagine a scenario where an article about a poor kid getting hit by a car has comments by “Blufan69″ indicating that it’s a good thing because he resents bicycles on the road … and the kid’s mom reads this and complains to anyone who’ll listen. Is she gonna say “Blufan69″ is an insensitive jerk, or that the Statesman is? I’m pretty sure your Web gurus can hide the comments with a click … or make it an “opt in” situation. On the other hand, the chances of me avoiding this Web site go up with the chances of me ever buying a newspaper from the Idaho Statesman … so I suppose it could be some mad genius’s strategy for increasing circulation … but I doubt it.JOSEPH PEAVEY, BoiseJapanese paper offers better coverage than here
I recently returned from spending three weeks in Japan. Imagine my surprise when I picked up a copy of the Japan Times and found better sports coverage than our “beloved” Statesman. In fact, the Japan Times had a oversize half page of NHL coverage every day. Kind of puts the Statesman’s pathetic sports page in perspective. Sure would be nice if our sports editor could get with the program and put out a daily sports page that had more than just Broncos’ coverage.TIM KUTKUHN, BoiseReligion wasn’t relevant in local business article
I have just finished reading Ken Dey’s Dec. 18 article “State files suit against Boise business owner,” and find it appalling that he found it necessary to include the accused’s religion in his article. There is absolutely nothing in the piece that would remotely suggest there is any reason to include the accused’s religion. It seems that the media for some unearthly reason as a whole have to take a shot at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You rarely, if at any time, mention that the accused is a Baptist, or a Methodist, or a Catholic.Enough is enough. If there is no direct connection with the piece, just leave it out.Perhaps if Mr. Dey wants to be connected with a newspaper, he just stick with just removing and replacing it in the bottom of a birdcage.ROBERT W. MCCAMMON, BoiseBANK ROBBERIESHow do criminals get away with it time after time?
I just don’t understand how time after time after time, that these low-life thugs, that rob these local banks and convenience stores in Boise, continually are getting away with it. What in the world are these cops doing in this town? There has to be something done about this matter. They are either short-staffed, or just not doing their job. It is pretty obvious that you can get away with these crimes, and that is why there are so many robberies. There has to be a drastic change, or our safety in Boise will be so bad that you won’t even be able to go out after dark!TONY ECHEVARRIA, Boise
