Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 25, 2005)
TO THE EDITOR cycler, I see what my next volunteer project can be. Let’s keep our community in the lead as a recycling champion. Put litter in its place. Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! Kriket Hollingsworth Eugene RECLAIM FOR NATURE Wild animals don’t go where they’re not invited. Barred owls are moving into the forests west of the Cascade crest because hu- mans have created for them an inviting envi- ronment that looks just like their home in the Rockies: dry, hot, open canopy forests with light undergrowth. Logging and road build- ing have destroyed most of the lush, moist, cool, closed canopy forests with 500-foot trees hanging with lichen that were the home of the spotted owl. The amphibians are gone, the small forest floor mammals are gone, the mushrooms are gone, the familiar songbirds are disappearing and also the spotted owls are dying off. Why does this surprise anyone? What part of responsible don’t they under- stand? If those clever scientists want to eradicate the species that is responsible for the decline of the spotted owls, the songbirds, the amphib- ians, the small mammals, the lichen and the mushrooms, they have only to look in the mir- ror. If they aren’t willing to use the same strat- egy on the humans that they are using on the barred owls, at least they could choose the next best thing: mass sterilization of human beings. Oh yeah, and confiscate surplus property: Reclaim for nature everything owned by rich people. It’s the only way to save our planet. Ann Tattersall Eugene INFECTED BRAINS On Monday (8/15) the U.S. Department of Agriculture acknowledged more than a thou- sand violations of mad cow disease regula- tions by U.S. meat plants since January 2004. Mad cow disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), is a de- generation of brain tissue leading to erratic behavior and death. It is transmitted through feeding of infected brain and spinal tissues to other cows. Human consumption of infected beef leads to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a deadly dementia frequently con- fused with Alzheimer’s disease that affects millions. Federal safety measures, including the 1997 ban on feeding potentially infected cow body parts to other cows, have lacked ade- quate enforcement. Through its reluctance to institute an adequate testing program for dis- eased cattle, the USDA has failed to assess the true magnitude of the threat. The latest disclosure further undermines consumer confidence in the safety of our na- tion’s meat supply. It provides one more rea- son to replace beef in our diet with a veggie burger or one of the other meat alternatives in the frozen food section of our neighborhood supermarket. Edward Newland Eugene OREGONIZE $ 100 FOR YOUR SCHOOL. ® BEHIND THE SCENES I want to compliment the author (Melissa Bearns) on the article on Brian Michaels. It was a delight to meet her and have the opportu- nity to include my experience and admiration. So often within the stories of our everyday heroes there is an intrigue of support behind the scenes. Then there are some stories that have just a few or just one person who ac- complishes so much with such ease. Too often those who are the buffers when the “rubber meets the road” are overlooked as they create the magic that weaves the founda- tion for success. One of those extraordinary individuals is Brian Michael’s assistant Sephra, who has been behind the scenes as well as on the front line. It is because of her passion and years of devotion that Brian and she combine their en- ergy together to complement and complete this successful duo. I am not the only one that appreciates what Sephra accomplishes each day as she and Brian provide their clients with a voice. Brian has often said, “She (Sephra) is my right arm, and without her this (his practice) wouldn’t be possible.” To Sephra and all the folks that help keep the wind in the capes of our heroes, a heart full of gratitude to you. Dayna Miller Eugene Oregon Community Credit Union wants to help make our local schools strong. So when you open a new Bonus or Premium Checking account with us, we’ll donate up to $100 to your favorite We’ll give: school, plus give you $ opening a 25 for Bonus or Premium a box of free checks. checking account with debit card Come in before $ turning in your 25 for September 30, 2005. old checks $ signing up for And tell your friends. 25 for direct deposit It’s a lesson worth $ signing up for 25 for Online Bill Pay sharing. service Oregonize Your Life. ® 541.687.2347 • 800.365.1111 www.OregonCommunityCU.org Offer expires 9/30/05. $100 maximum donation per person, per account. Offer limited to one personal checking account per person. Donations can be made only to schools or educational institutions and will be sent directly to receiving organization. See Oregon Community Credit Union for terms and restrictions. Membership and credit requirements may apply. AUGUST 25, 2005 7
