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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 2011)
letters TO THE EDITOR bastards on a power trip and would love nothing more than to shock you with their Taser. In 2009 DPS made 89 drug law arrests and 192 liquor law arrests and zero weapons arrests. Aggravated assault arrests? Also zero! Sen. Prozanski, I’m assuming you haven’t read the statistics because there is nothing that suggests the campus needs armed police. I regret voting for you, but I will certainly rest easy knowing that when DPS gets guns all those noisy drinkers will promptly be shot. Eric Howell Eugene BODY AS TEMPLATE In your Oct. 6 issue, a letter from Mark Robinowitz citing Abbie Hoffman criticized tattoos as a trend which lends to the entertainment industry’s distraction of would-be concerned citizens, as well as a source of untold (and undocumented) skin-borne maladies. Since turning 18, now 23, I’ve accumulated 26 hours “under the gun.” In my experience, few credible tattoo artists operate without strict sanitary procedures — or state licenses. Tattooing is invariably a fl esh wound, an occasionally substantial one. However, despite stories we hear of infection or vain tattoo ideas some people must live with, the majority of tattooed people are not young wasted degenerates preoccupied with pissing off their parents with a pin and ink from a ballpoint pen. High quality ink is generally a form of self-affi rmation or reverence to important things in one’s life — not a fashion statement. If Robinowitz has a problem with our “brave new world,” he ought to pick a fi ght with the advertising industry rather than a subculture based on personal expression. My sense of a future does not suffer from my love of the human body as a template for creativity, but my sense of the present is marred by adults in my community making assumptions about me. Also, basal cell carcinoma is not typically caused by tattoos. Robinowitz might have a more crystallized opinion on the subject if he spent less time in the sun and more time at a tattoo shop. You know, asking questions and all that trendy s**t. Max Miller Eugene SMART VS. DUMB When automation leads to unemploy- ment, technology has built in obsolescence (new meters last a quarter to an eighth the time of old meters) and charging ratepay- ers more for what benefi ts? Lane Electric installed smart meters six years ago and said, “these meters have paid for themselves many times over.” But when pressed to explain how, it became clear the only real benefi t was more quickly identifying specifi c outages. The payback is associated with quicker reconnection to the meter to keep the charges fl owing. How many years of real time outage loss does it take to pay for a $500 meter when the meter lasts fi ve to 10 years? What debt has EWEB already saddled its ratepayers with regarding the new headquarters? How much can ratepayers absorb? Personally, I think the health effects of smart meters are overblown when heath concerns are compromised by an increasing number of sources, cell phones, computers to electric heat all deliver electromagnetic fi elds. More relevant is how many sources must we pile on before a critical mass of negative impacts become common place? What are the trends and tipping points? How does a public-owned utility justify/ explain why their power contract with Seneca biomass is confi dential? A lack of transparency typically breeds contempt and distrust. Why would EWEB risk its historically good reputation for these highly questionable contracts? Craig Patterson McKenzie Bridge TRAPPING CATS On Oct. 9 at night my cat Mietzie was caught in an animal trap in the vicinity of West 8th Avenue and Polk and Taylor streets within the city limits of Eugene. His hind leg was useless, severely broken, fractured and splintered, including puncture wounds. When the merciless trapper fi nally “released” Mietzie, he had the incredible spirit to drag himself home. Can we ever feel the horrendous pain, agony and fright that he suffered? An Oregon Fish and Wildlife biologist says animal traps that kill, amputate, break bones are against the law in Eugene! One can have a “cage trap” into which the animal walks but is unharmed. When will we graduate from this Dark Ages mentality from the past that we can kill anyone we want? Animals are not “things.” They have a soul. Millions of buffalo, wolves, birds, seals have been killed in this country with sheer fun and violence. Enough! All animals, trees, rocks and humans have the same molecules, same atoms and divine light. No difference. We were all created by the same great creator. That’s why the Native Americans and indigenous peoples say, “We are all one.” Mietzie sends his unconditional love to the trapper. “The trap needs to go. No more violence!” He has quietly suffered mighty pain. The surgery bill amounted to $4,720 and the veterinarian bill $344. How will this be paid? I have no idea. All life must be re- spected. It’s precious. It’s God’s gift to us. Jutta Akulina Benner Eugene Your Natural Resource in Real Estate Kristena Cox & Justin Schmick ZZZFR[VFKPLFNFRP ZZZWZLWWHUFRP*UHHQ(XJHQH <RXU &RPPHUFLDO5HVLGHQWLDO 5HDO (VWDWH 7HDP RESIDENTIAL BROKER COMMERCIAL BROKER *UHHQZLWKHQY\ +RZZLOO\RX JHWDURXQG WRZQIRUWKH UHVWRI\RXU OLIH" 3HRSOHWDONDORWDERXW*UHHQ 6ROXWLRQVWKHVHGD\V:K\QRW VWRSWDONLQJDQGVWDUWULGLQJ" %LNH)ULGD\VRIIHUVROXWLRQVWR REVWDFOHVWKDWPLJKWEHKROGLQJ \RXEDFN7KHEHVWSDUW"7KH\ DUH+DQGPDGHLQ(XJHQHDQG WKH\·UHMXVWIXQWRULGH 6WDUWFKDQJLQJ\RXUZRUOG 7RGD\ ORDER YOUR TURKEY NOW! Call 541-345-1014 and ask for our Meat Department to place your order for a fresh, vegetarian-fed, range- grown Diestel Thanksgiving Turkey. THANKSGIVING DELI SIDE DISHES We are offering ready-to-heat holiday side dishes again this year, including: BIKE FRIDAY (DUQWRZDUGDFFHVVRULHV DQGIUHHSDLQWXSJUDGH XQWLO1RYHPEHU &RPHLQIRUDWHVWULGH RU)DFWRU\7RXU :WK$YHQXH 0)DPWRSP 6DWXUGD\VDPWRSP %LNH)ULGD\FRP Stuffed Delicata Squash, Mashed Potatoes, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans & Chanterelles, Cornbread & Chestnut Stuffing, Sourdough & Sausage Stuffing, Cranberry Chutney, Mushroom Gravy, and Poultry Gravy. Order f orms are available a t the Deli. . TASTE SAMPLES OF THESE SIDE DISHES DURING OUR HOLIDAY TASTING FAIR SATURDAY NOV. 12 (12 - 3 PM) 2 489 Willamette • Eugene • 541-345-1014 Open Daily 8am-10pm • www.capellamarket.com DIRTY LOOKS I’m so glad I saw your “Pit Bull Rental Prejudice” story (10/20). I moved here from Tennessee in August but spent the six months before trying to fi nd a place. Pet- friendly housing is hard enough to fi nd, but pit bull housing is nearly impossible. I mean seriously, is rescuing a dog a popularity contest or is it saving a life? Why is it that rescuing almost any dog gets you a pat on the back, but rescuing a pit bull signs you up for years of dirty looks and slum lords? Would it be possible for you to do a piece on rental companies that are pet friendly, and specifi cally those that allow pit bulls and similarly restricted breeds? Alex Jenkins Eugene WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENE WEEKLY NOVEMBER 3, 2011 7
