Deceptive letter requires closer look
Re: Josef Horowitz's letter of Jan. 9: I won't dignify it by repeating the (lying) title. (North County Times should peruse the letters articles and not just take the final "punch" line for a title.)
Obama's Executive Order 13524 reversed a few innocuous items that would not need to be kept secret. In fact, he signed it only a few weeks ago and it is already on the Internet — secret? (First sentence — deceptive lying, the worst kind in my estimation).
Mr. Horowitz should be shamed to have fallen hook, line and sinker for that Washington Examiner article. A few minutes with Google and he would have realized how utterly deceptive it was. Obama's E.O. deals with none of the items Mr. Horowitz/Examiner say it authorizes "spying, investigations, free of our laws, etc."
Another lying by deception: "Terrorists have more rights than we do." If terrorists figure in this at all, it would have to be Reagan's fault, since he signed the E.O. 12425 designating Interpol a "Public International Organization Entitled To Enjoy Certain Privileges, Exemptions, and Immunities" to which the underlying law (Public Law 79-291) deals.
Corbet Harrison
Escondido
We need Merriam Mountains project
We need this beautiful Stonegate/Merriam Mountains development, we need the wider, safer roads at Deer Springs, and we need everything this development plan has to offer.
This area is not rural space anymore. We are on the outskirts of Escondido. This area was rural maybe back in 1960. Julian is rural. But we are now sitting on the outskirts of Escondido. It has taken four decades to get an OK to widen Highway 76, which I am sure was rural in 1960-70.
I don't want to dismiss the threat of fire dangers, but in truth, a fire can happen anywhere and it has in Del Mar, Poway, Encinitas, Rancho Santa Fe, Vista, San Marcos, Oceanside, Escondido and so forth and so on. And it can even happen at Welk Golf Resort and Champagne Village, where people smoke and throw away their butts into the dry leaves. It could even originate at the Golden Door!
The water issue is an ongoing issue for all of California. So if less is better and we are really serious about cutting water use, cut the golf courses, The Wave, Sea World and swimming pools.
Sylvia Clark
Escondido
Global warming myths continue
A number of writers have pointed out that atmospheric carbon dioxide is produced in large quantities by natural processes and by comparison, the human contribution is small. Therefore, the line of reasoning is that the human contribution is irrelevant. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Atmospheric carbon dioxide is regulated by the earth's carbon cycle. As carbon dioxide is added to the system, carbon dioxide is removed from the system. It is all about balance.
The overall quantities of carbon dioxide have risen and fallen over the eons, but they are, overall, generally in balance with the carbon cycle of the era. It is possible to overwhelm the system by adding a lot of carbon dioxide over a short time frame. When this happens, carbon dioxide levels rise. Because carbon dioxide is a powerful greenhouse gas, the excess quantity does not have to be a large on a planetary scale to have a significant impact.
The human contribution is very small compared with that released in the natural system, but it is more than enough to make a difference. And the amount of carbon dioxide released by human activities is growing every year.
Fred Roberts
Oceanside
New hearing makes no sense at all
Re: "Supervisor seeks new hearing for Merriam Mountains," Jan. 9: The recurring nightmare of the Merriam Mountains project (aka Bill Horn's Folly) keeps getting "curiouser and curiouser." Just like the jumbled logic in "Alice In Wonderland," it makes no sense to hold a new hearing when the developer behind the project failed to ask for a postponement of the hearing last month.
A quorum of the Board of Supervisors failed to approve the project, and kudos are due to Dianne Jacob and Pam Slater-Price for doing the right thing and voting "no" on this terrible idea.
Now Ron Roberts has caved in to the Stonegate lobbyists and asked for a "do-over."
This is something voters need to keep in mind on Election Day.
Elliot Becker
Escondido
Repent and recycle
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof," as Carl Sagan used to say. So far, the only solid, incontrovertible proof we have regarding warming alarmism is proof of fraud. Transparency, duplicability, falsifiability and independent review are the very basis of science, but alarmist scientists practice absolutely none of those things, as the Climategate e-mails and computer programs clearly show.
We have 30 years of alarmist predictions to judge from. How have those worked out? Has even the smallest island disappeared under the waves? Has the global sea ice extent reduced beyond normal variations? Did the globe warm in line with their predictions? Why aren't the alarmist scientists held accountable for their failed predictions?
If the earth became a solid iceball, it wouldn't be enough to shake the faith of these eco-worshipers. Repent and recycle! Humans have sinned against the Earth Mother; buy carbon indulgences from Rev. Al!
David Corcoran
Oceanside
Bowing out
I do not wish to continue my literary sparring with Ron Payne (Letters, Jan. 10) in the North County Times. I find the continuous jabbing at each other that some writers engage in to be rather pointless and boring and don't wish to begin another series. I am sure whatever I say about conservatives is not going to change Ron Payne's or Donald Ream's or Junious Montgomery's mind, as nothing they say makes me embrace their views either.
I will bow out, and if Mr. Payne wants to continue ragging on me, feel free. That's why I put my twenty in to give him that right.
Before I close, I do wish to say that if Mr. Payne's dog drools at the sight of food, he may want to call the Dog Whisperer. He truly is a miracle worker. Good luck with that.
Don Peck
San Marcos
Time Warner Cable punishes little guy
Time Warner Cable is reverting back to original TV stations, e.g. 6, 8, 10, that cost nothing.
Now they are removing channels for their convenience. To collect more money! Soon we will not be able to watch any television, thanks to them! Pity the poor people on state help like me.
Had to cut out many of their channels due to their control of stations that cost money.
They're a big, big guy and they have enough money. Do not punish us because they want to recoup the problems Adelphia had when they acquired the network. Give us a break, please.
Norma Sloane
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Why the secrecy, Mr. Feller?
It is risky business to give up the protection of our state constitution to adopt local laws. It is the ultimate risk when those laws are dictated by Councilman Jack Feller, who has made his desire for power a priority. His secretly composed charter would bring him added council powers and local control of our government. The June election will cost Oceanside taxpayers $60,000 and possibly more.
To get a final KFC vote, Feller rushed it through without the document being vetted or studied for costs, loopholes, legal consequences, deficiencies or whatever, unheard-of for a legal document of this importance. There wasn't even time for a spell check. In section 301, statutes are referred to as "statues."
Only Feller, out of Oceanside's approximately 180,000 residents, had a say in what our new charter government would be. In unexplained secrecy, Feller created this charter to his liking with an attorney he at first refused to name. He later admitted it was a person connected to Associated Builders, a group "who believe like me," explained Feller ("Charter city plan looms as next big battle in city," Dec. 20).
There is something very wrong when one person presumes to tell 179,999 others what their government will be, denying us input.
Harriett Bledsoe
Oceanside
Why is city cutting back on police?
Many, many individuals, cities, counties and states have felt the pain of the economic downturn. Literally no one is not impacted due, in part, to hard choices made by local governments affecting law enforcement.
Why the city of Escondido wants to force more cutbacks to the police is beyond me. A city that saw its crime rate increase? Wow.
You want more revenue from sales tax, you think the city would want the streets safe, thus promoting an environment safe for all. I want to shop in Escondido, but have begun to wonder about it's safety. Cutting back even more? Makes you think twice.
Marian Walters
Valley Center
The good, the bad and the ugly
Recently I've seen some scathing letters in response to Jim Trageser's critique of Melba Bishop and her role in Oceanside politics ("Time for Bishop to leave the scene," Jan. 30). These same individuals seem to believe that proper reporting emanates only when it coincides with their opinion. Talk about hypocrisy!
In spite of the limited good deeds cited in the past by Ms. Bishop's supporters, she has demonstrated herself to be nothing more than a controlling, self-serving political fearmonger.
Every election cycle, Ms. Bishop reaches into her bag of fear and deceit, dredging up "rent control" or the privatization of ambulance services. She does this not to inform, but to scare us — especially those who reside in mobile home parks — into supporting her position or candidates. She tries to manipulate the citizens on these issues, even though the City Council hasn't brought up rent control since she left office nearly two decades ago, and has never voted to privatize ambulance services.
Let me be part of the silent majority who supports Mr. Trageser's view of Melba's contributions to the city of Oceanside's politics. To Mr. Trageser and the North County Times: Keep reporting — the good, the bad and the ugly.
Fred Kohler
Oceanside
Filibuster rule is anti-democracy
In a democracy, the person or idea with the most votes should win. The U.S. Senate can easily remove its anti-democracy filibuster rule, which currently allows minority rule.
It should do so now and further democracy in America.
Kim Griest
Encinitas
Odds are Roberts will approve Merriam Mountains
So now it looks as if Ron Roberts may be riding to the rescue of the Merriam Mountains project after all ("Supervisor seeks new hearing for Merriam Mountains," Jan. 9). It comes as no surprise. As a San Diego City Councilman, Roberts never met a piece of concrete he didn't like. Trading favors for developers for campaign support was his definition of public service.
And now, with the other two developer shills in tow, he seems ready to betray his constituents yet again, this time on a massive scale. But it was the Judases on the Planning Commission who cast aside the hard work of local planning and sponsor groups to recommend approval for this monstrosity. Their calculus was simple: Merriam Mountains is bad for air quality, bad for fire safety, bad for traffic circulation and bad for resource management. So, for heaven's sake, what are we waiting for? Let's recommend approval.
Of course, Roberts could be calling to rehear the project only to fool us by voting against it. But those are long odds. If he follows the Planning Commission's recommendation, as seems likely, he will have demonstrated once more what a biddable mediocrity he really is.
Doug Bell
Rancho Penasquitos
Let's start fixing things now
Why does the largest economy in the — oops, just overtaken by China. We have enjoyed an economic growth of between 18-30 percent per decade since World War II, recessions included. We don't make stuff anymore.
In the Aughts (00's), we have grown our economy at 0 percent. Our water mains are breaking. Our "grid" is precarious at best. Let's fix health care, then let's focus on "shovel ready" infrastructural improvements. Water is the new oil and if we are not careful, then we will be lucky to drink and shower at our own peril. Many of our water mains are 80-100 years old. Water/grid seems the logical first steps. Pay attention, people. Real jobs are what we are talking.
Happy New Year, and all my best to the people in charge. The North County Times rocks!
Nathan Wesley
Solana Beach
