Tipu, the tree that was
Nothing like a poor, defenseless tree named Tipu to bring out "traditional" bloggers (as opposed to cyber bloggers) and vent on the issues of property rights versus individual rights versus the common good and, of course, the right of a "law-abiding" tree to live out its natural life in peace.ˇˇ
I'd like to jump into the fray with a complaint of my own about a man-made view killer. Recently, the local communications provider, AT&T, decided that it wasn't enough to have just one, 2-inch diameter cable strung on poles along the 5400 block of Carlsbad Boulevard. Ignoring anyone who might object, including the city of Carlsbad and the local residents, AT&T strung another hideous cable (presumably fiber optic) at the 18-foot level just 3 feet above the original cable. Why? Because they could! AT&T answers to no one except the California Public Utilities Commission, which is four to one pro-business, as shown by the East County Powerlink vote.
Whatever happened to the program of 10 years ago that had utilities volunteering to underground 5 to 10 percent of their urban lines per year? I guess it's just another case of a "thing" becoming Teflon-coated while we weren't looking.
G. Lance Johannsen
Carlsbad
Repetitive verbal tics irritating
I'm certain most "you know" residents of "you know" New York State are "you know" greatly relieved that "you know" Caroline Kennedy-Schlossberg "you know" abandoned her "you know" attempt to "you know" succeed Hillary Clinton for a "you know" position in the "you know" Senate.
I could only tolerate a few minutes of Kennedy-Schlossberg's interview on CNN last month before changing channels. I'm not the only person who noticed, as an Associated Press article in the North County Times on Dec. 31 ("Kennedy's 'you knows' become political fodder") revealed 30 "you knows" in 147 seconds during an interview.
Think that's bad? Try listening to many professional athletes during interviews. "You know" is a repetitive verbal tic standard. Also, the repetitive "ahhs" by President Obama's press secretary, Robert Gibbs, during White House briefings, is an irritating habit he should control.
On the brighter verbal side, I heard a lengthy speech by England's prime minister, Gordon Brown, last year on CNN. Not one "you know," "I mean" or "like." How refreshing!
Leon Smith
Oceanside
Why does GOP continue to oppose Obama?
It's hard to believe what a bunch of turnips we have running this country, the majority of them Republicans! Look at what has happened to this country since President Bush, a "Republican," took office.
First, he took us to a useless and needless war. … Those are our tax dollars. It's not over yet. The worst part about it, the Republicans did not oppose the war. They followed the president's lead. That is a great part of this country's economic crisis. We spend billions of dollars in foreign aid and provide medical care, but we don't have enough for our own! I would go into debt helping out my own neighbor (rather than other countries).
The Congress (Republican) claims that President Obama's stimulus plan would create a debt for our children that they would never pay off. Why didn't they think of that before the war in Iraq? #…
My question is, why do the Republicans oppose President Obama's stimulus plan? Why can't they come together and develop a plan that would benefit all American people? I'm sure that all legislators are not having a financial crisis, like many Americans. They (public servants) get their paycheck and other benefits. Keep in mind, we hired them and we can fire them.
Robert Martinez
Vista
Sheriff's Dept. doesn't have a clue
With regard to the two-year investigation into Tasering a person 13 times while he was handcuffed ("Probe into death after Taser strike still not done," Feb. 11), you just have to love Sheriff's Lt. Dennis Brugos's comments: 1. No specific reason for the delay. 2. "I don't have an answer for you." 3. "I'm not going to act like the system is broken."
It's painfully obvious that Lt. Brugos couldn't find his way out of a squad car with two hands and a flashlight. The single statement that he should have made is, "I don't have a clue as to what's going on in my department so I'll resign immediately."
Ed Larsen
Fallbrook
Accountability needed at foot bridge site
Re: "Work continues on pedestrian bridge," Feb. 12: Typical! Why are we paying a bridge company who can't even make it level? What else is wrong with it? Is it sited above the flood plane? Are all bureaucrats just screwed up?
Let's have some oversight and accountability! I bet a more local steel fabricator could have done it right the first time!
John Sable
Vista
People who pay nothing should get nothing
I want to know why there is only outrage and scorn for this woman who had a litter of kids. People are so upset that taxpayers are left holding the bag for her kids health care costs. I wish I heard some of these comments years ago about the illegal aliens doing the same thing.
Every day, people have kids here in the U.S.A. and pay nothing and rest of us pay. Wake up, taxpayers. It's your money; you should have a say in where it is spent. The $800 billion bailout is more of the same. Free, free, free for the people who paid nothing. It must stop!
Craig Griffith
Oceanside
Use of bail-out funds was unconscionable
I am outraged that my tax dollars recently helped fund last-minute bonus payments to Merrill-Lynch employees. Out of our $10 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program payment to Merrill-Lynch, just before Bank of America absorbed the ailing financial institution, $3.6 billion went to bonuses! This is beyond belief, totally unacceptable and immoral.
Consider another fact: Merrill's fourth quarter loss for 2008 was $15 billion! When we taxpayers bail out our financial institutions because we need them to be solid for the good of our economy, it is unconscionable for that bailout money to go to a few who are already wealthy instead of to those in need â"â" the American taxpayer! This practice must stop!
Moral oversight and accountability must accompany any financial bailout! To promote the common good is a U.S. constitutional value â"â" not to promote the greed of a few at the expense of the common people.
Geraldine Afshari
Encinitas
Writer has Mideast facts confused
Lorraine Sprung (Letters, Jan. 23) says she is no historian and proves it. Arab armies entered Palestine in 1948 in order to keep the Zionists from taking all of Palestine and not trying to destroy the Jewish state. Israel was not attacked in 1967 but instead started the war and used it to take all of Palestine under the guise of defending itself. Do the research instead of spouting more myths and fables.
On Feb. 26, 1991, Iraqis began their withdrawal from Kuwait. White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater promised that the U.S. and its coalition partners would not attack Iraqi forces leaving Kuwait. But that is exactly what we did. This violates the Geneva Conventions of 1949 Common Article III, U.S Field Manual of 1956 and the 1907 Hague Convention governing land warfare. But the U.S. is a rogue state and makes its own rules.
We were told the Iraqis were being driven out in pitched battles with coalition forces but that was another lie. The Iraqis were in full retreat and left Kuwait City 36 hours before the coalition forces got there. I will continue this story of the atrocities committed by the U.S. military against the departing Iraqis next time.
Chris Pulse
Vista
Obama running for king of the world?
Feb. 9, the president went to Elkhart, Ind., the RV capital of the world. This visit, along with a town hall meeting, was the kickoff of Obama's plan to cram his stimulus package down taxpayers#' throats.
Obama spoke to a campaign-style (hand-picked) crowd. As Obama was getting ready to speak, a chant started: "O-BA-MA, O-BA-MA." Did the man go to Elkhart to run for office? Is this a kickoff to a seven-year campaign to run for king of the world?
Obama represents the citizens of the U.S.A.; it is not just about him.
If these hand-picked citizens of Elkhart wanted to chant, shouldn't they be chanting: "U-S-A, U-S-A"? Or, more to the point: "U-S-A, U-S-A, BAIL-US-OUT, BAIL-US-OUT"?
It seems the people of Elkhart think the president is their caring friend.
Maybe he is if you measure "care" as the few extra dollars they might get in unemployment compensation. Has anyone thought about asking him why the U.S. is not seeking to find and drill for more oil and then refine more gas? Maybe the unemployed of Elkhart are content to wait a few more years and then they can build and sell campers with really long extension cords plugged into windmills.
Henry Rose
Oceanside
Turn sprinklers off when it is raining
We are all about to go on water rationing here in Escondido and, lo and behold, last Friday, it was raining cats and dogs and when I drove by Washington Park, would you believe the sprinklers were on at full blast?
How hard is it for a city worker to go by and shut off the timer? Every weather person in San Diego told us to turn off our water systems. Let's practice what we preach.
Janice Wagener
Escondido
Group home fears can work both ways
Well, well. Looks like the Smails clan from "Caddyshack" is alive and well â"â" and living in South Carlsbad. Frankly, the very arguments used by the proposed new neighbors of the TERI Inc. project can be used by any other … to oppose group housing anywhere in San Diego County.
And believe me on this â"â" they have, and they always will. It's gotten to the point here in Vista that many group homes are not within the city limits, but on the frontier with San Marcos. Why is this? Because folks who know no better still believe the old prejudices against the mentally ill and the mentally challenged and act accordingly. I suffer from Schizoaffective Disorder myself, and I thank God there were group homes available when I needed them!
I live on my own now, but I still think about my time in group living and smile knowingly. It is high time to put away the fear and the bigotry it breeds â"â" permanently! Your typical resident has very little to fear from the likes of us. We should not have to be in fear of the likes of you!
Robert Johnston
Escondido
Issues with new high school are unwarranted
In response to Mr. and Mrs. Sprehn's community forum ("Consider all impacts of stadium," Feb. 11): I have lived one block east of Carlsbad High School for more than 20 years and take many issues with concerns regarding the new Carlsbad high school and athletic stadium.
The big issue, which is probably traffic, can be legitimized â"â" 20 minutes twice a day for the days that school is in session. Not really a problem.
Stadium lights â"â" they come on at dark, go out around 10 p.m. maybe (I am being generous), 10 evenings a year â"â" not a problem.
Noise? (Remember, this is not the Chargers). Only during huge games, the students are too busy visiting to cheer â"â" but you may hear the excitement a few times an evening, again five or six times a year.
A smaller parking lot to encourage car-pooling? Are you kidding, be real!
Pollution and air quality issues? Come on! The benefits of having a high school in close proximity to homes improves property values and does not impact quality of life.
I know â"â" I have lived it.
Terri Hueners
Carlsbad
Thanks for story on shop's new site
Thanks for your recent write-up ("Trader Joe's arrives â"â" at last! â"â" in Carlsbad," Feb. 12) on the Feb. 16 opening of Trader Joe's new Carlsbad store. I have been an avid shopper of this brand since the early '70s when I shopped at the South Pasadena location on my way home from Los Angeles and later at the La Jolla and Encinitas stores as the family moved farther south.
Today's new stores are a little larger and their inventories have expanded. What has not changed and will never change is the team spirit that permeates through the stores. There is no "I" in the word team and it works very well here at Trader Joe's.
The "engineers" of the current financial bailout should come by the Carlsbad store to see firsthand how things are supposed to work. I should know; I am proud to call myself a Trader Joe's crew member who could not be happier working anywhere else at the tender age of 66.
Bill Jacoby
San Marcos
Recall effort a waste of time
Resident Jim Sullivan, who has lived in Oceanside going on a whopping five years, now wants to recall Councilman Kern because, according to Mr. Sullivan, Councilman Kern is "putting developers' interests above those of residents, insulting people at public meetings, and allowing his aide to do political work on city time, among other things." ("Recall effort targets councilman," Jan. 15).
Oh, please, get a life, Mr. Sullivan. Don't you have anything better to do with your time? Seriously, every time a person or group doesn't like what they hear or doesn't like a decision, they want to "throw the bums out." Quit wasting the city's time and energy and try doing something positive with your expertise.
If you feel that strongly about the city, then run for council yourself! Perhaps you too then can anger some folks with your ideas and vision of the city's future. Recalling anyone at mid-term is a complete waste of time and effort not to mention the cost. When are we going to find the things that bond us as a community and quit spending wasted time on those things that divide us?
Michael Clark
Oceanside
Where were reps during Bush years?
Where were all these Republican congressmen (and Rush Limbaugh) who are fighting Obama now and hoping he fails, where were they all these years getting us into this mess? I'll tell you where they were, they were helping Bush spend billions in Iraq. They cheered him on while we lost precious American lives. These same billions that we're trying to find now, that would get us out of this catastrophe that we are in now.
By the way, did you notice Mr. Cheney at the Inauguration in a wheel chair? I think he shot himself in the foot.
Stuart Goodman
Oceanside
