letters
TO THE EDITOR
practices. Smart metering is a portion
of that effort, and I would expect it to be
initially restricted to the main meter and,
perhaps, smart water heaters to address
peak load constraints and the intermittent
nature of renewable resources. It is just a
test and will be reviewed in fi ve years.
Demand management can involve
both feedback about use and pricing sig-
nals. Both are required to change any
consumptive behavior, not just energy
use. I would urge Dr. Lee, and others who
share his concerns, to turn from worrying
about their extraordinary claims to a more
pressing concern: The absence of pricing
signals for behaviors that increase green-
house gas production. Global warming
does have evidence to warrant concern.
Shawn Boles
Eugene
COME ON DOWN
Our downtown, it’s coming back! Now
it is time for us as a community to come
back as well. The holes are fi lled in; now
let’s fi ll the streets.
I am quite excited and even getting my
hopes up that my downtown is on the verge
of making a recovery. I know it is early and
that the economy is seriously struggling.
But, I wish to remain optimistic. Those
holes have been eyesores for as long as I
can remember (which I know as I get older
is not all that long), still!
The big issue, in my opinion is will the
people come back? Everyone talks a good
game and speaks fondly of times past,
when downtowns fl ourished. There was a
Kresge’s drugstore, a movie theater, a local
hardware store, a department store and not
a big box store in sight. Ah, those were the
days, eh ?
So I am challenging all those who say
they desire a thriving downtown to come
on down. Support those diehard local
businesses who have stuck it out through the
tough times. We already have restaurants,
bars, galleries, rug stores, furniture stores,
etc. As the movie says, “Build it, and they
will come.” Well they are building it; will
you come? For those who feel scared to
come down, come with a group of friends;
together we can create the foot traffi c
necessary to make all feel comfortable and
welcome. Developers can build on every
square inch of our downtown, but it won’t
make a comeback until we come back.
What do you say Eugene, do you want a
thriving downtown?
Tim Boyden
Eugene
INDEFENSIBLE RAISES
UO administrators recently granted
themselves raises that far exceed the rate of
infl ation and are an order of magnitude that
is indefensible. The argument that “without
raises, executive talent will be lost” is
specious at best. The university recruits all
the time; and with unemployment at record
levels, qualifi ed talent is readily available.
Why does a provost making one third
of a million dollars need a raise? Even
the registrar, making $100,000 or more
per year, would receive at least $17,000
increase. That’s outrageous!
No employee is indispensable, including
President Lariviere. This decision will
EUGENE
WALDORF SCHOOL
antagonize a staff already suffering from
low moral and fed up with subsidizing
administrators. I trust the Legislature will
remember this situation the next time the
university pleads poverty. There needs to
be accountability.
Pat Reilly
Eugene
NO HEALTH PROBLEM?
Open House
Saturday, October 8 •10:00 am-12:00 pm
Windows on Waldorf
Wednesday, October 12 • 8:30 am -12:30 pm
683-6951 • 1350 McLean Blvd. • www.eugenewaldorf.org
Ignite a love of learning.
© Northwest Exposures Photography
Seneca’s biomass plant fails fi rst
pollution tests, and Lane Regional Air
Protection Agency Director Merlyn
Hough doesn’t believe it poses a health
problem. The American Lung Association,
the American Heart Association, many
medical societies across the country
and our Lane County Health Advisory
Committee disagree! They are all against
the high rate of pollution from burning
biomass (wood).
What kind of protection are the many
asthma sufferers in our community getting
from Hough and his agency? I believe tax-
payers should all be angry when they realize
they paid millions to be polluted. In addition,
many expect forests to be cut and rivers to
be polluted to produce power with this very
ineffi cient method of giving a few houses
electricity. I can think of a cheaper and less
polluting method such as an effort at conser-
vation like wearing a sweater, insulating the
attic or turning out the lights.
Ruth Duemler
Eugene
PERMIT TO POISON
I read about Seneca’s biomass plant
failing its fi rst pollution test. Despite all
the rhetoric, what it boils down to is that
people are risking our health to make
money. It doesn’t make sense to have
a biomass burner in this valley. Even
our home wood stoves create too much
pollution. What good does it do for us to
have Seneca pay a fi ne to LRAPA? I would
like to know how much energy it takes to
gather, load and drive 30 semi truckloads
of biomass from the forest to the biomass
burner a day compared to the whole 13,000
homes it lights.
It would be better for the forest and our
health to let it lie and enrich the devastated
land. It seems to me that LRAPA is
supposed to be for the people of Lane
County; instead, it permits as much poison
in the air as it legally can.
Jean M. Denis
Eugene
THINK BEFORE INK
When I was in college, I was privileged
to hear famous “’60s radical” Abbie
Hoffman. One highlight of his speech was a
caution that “fashion” and “fascist” are next
to each other in the dictionary. Our “brave
new world” has perfected social control
through entertainment and distraction.
I thought of this warning when I read
EW’s Fashion issue (8/11), especially the
article promoting tattoos. Perhaps it is a
consequence of EW taking ads from tattoo
parlors but not from dermatologists — it
is not in EW’s fi nancial interest to suggest
there might be medical problems from this
practice.
The Food and Drug Administration
report “Think Before You Ink: Are Tattoos
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
Ashland Springs Hotel
E XPERIENCE THE E SSENCE OF A SHLAND
AT OUR
N ATURE I NSPIRED H OTEL , R ESTAURANT , S PA & S ALON
YtÄÄ fÑxv|tÄá4
Ashland Springs Hotel is offering October discounts on all our
room types, as well as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival package.
Guest room rates start at $139 and the theatre package at $229!
Not planning to see a show this season?
Join us in Ashland for an unforgettable fall getaway.
Enjoy dinner at hotel's Larks Restaurant or
rejuvenate at Waterstone Spa. Other packages include:
Wine Tasting, Golfing, Romance, and Couples Retreat.
Endless possibilities!
!
For more details or to book your stay visit
A SHLAND S PRINGS H OTEL . COM
or call 5 4 1 - 4 8 8 - 1 7 0 0
Built in 1925 & recently renovated landmark located in downtown Ashland
offers 70 guest rooms with all modern amenities. Overnight guests enjoy
complimentary breakfast, late night snack, free wireless internet & parking.
EUGENE WEEKLY OCTOBER 6, 2011
5