FEBRUARY 14, 2020, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
Opinion
Netfl ix’s Bojack gives
new meaning to
animation for adults
The science of carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is a main
component in greenhouse gas, which
traps heat and warms our planet.
Carbon dioxide is a colorless
gas that appears as water when in a
liquid form. Exposure in high con-
centrations has been found to cause
dizziness and restlessness, tingling
or a pins-and-needles
feeling while it can make
breathing diffi cult, result
in extreme tiredness, in-
crease of heart rate, ele-
vate blood pressure. It also
causes coma, asphyxiation
and convolutions. Not
incidentally, research has
found that human activ-
ities emit more than 60 times the
amount of carbon dioxide than nat-
ural events, such as volcanic erup-
tions.
Carbon dioxide has been present
in the atmosphere since the Earth
condensed from a hot ball of gases
following our planet’s initial for-
mation about fi ve billion years ago.
The fi rst signs of life on Earth came
into existence at the planet’s devel-
opment some 2.5 million years ago.
The original plants on Earth con-
sumed CO 2 (as they do to this day)
so that at a mark in time some 20
million years ago, CO 2 levels were
at or near 300 parts per million
(ppm).
Life on Earth has evolved under
these conditions with humans hav-
ing appeared about 200,000 years
ago. The carbon dioxide at 300
parts per million at that time per-
sisted until the Industrial Revolu-
tion brought with it massive emis-
sions from the combustion of fossil
fuels, coal and oil. Meanwhile, CO 2
plays an important role in climate
as it is one of the atmospheric gas-
es which keep the Earth’s surface
at about 33 degrees fahrenheit; it
would otherwise be well below 0
degrees, were carbon dioxide and
its companion gases not present.
By modern measures, CO 2 ppm
have regularly exceeded
400 ppm or 40 percent
higher that the Earth’s
pre-industrial
value
and a level not known
on Earth for several
million years. This is a
fact judged indisput-
able by eminent sci-
entists throughout the
world. Not only are ever greater in-
creases in atmospheric-borne CO 2
a danger to the very survival of our
species but also, as the oceans warm
they are expanding to rise, a phe-
nomenon we see happening every-
where land meets sea.
Oregon’s political leaders have
been proposing what is known as
a cap and trade program which is
proposed to reduce emissions of
pollutants by placing a limit (or cap)
on the total amount of emissions
released by the sources covered by
this program. The overall cap on
emissions is implemented through
a system of allowances using an al-
gebraic formula.
Cap and trade is an alternative
to a carbon tax to reduce emissions
and run through a system where
big polluters are issued permits by
auction or allocation.
Oregonians, based on their in-
dustry, are for or against a cap and
trade regimen. Unfortunate for the
average person in our state, Ore-
gene h.
mcintyre
gon’s legislators too often are helped
most in campaign costs by wealthy
individuals, corporations and others
in our society who wield the fi nan-
cial means and power to give big
money to those who will do their
benefactor-bidding once in offi ce.
These arrangements between the
powerful rich and persons holding
public offi ce means usually that
those who hold elected positions
do not always do what’s best for the
general population; rather, they do
what was promised in a quid pro
quo. It is the rich and powerful
now who determine the fate of cap
and trade and our survival.
Carbon dioxide has become a
threat to our existence. Meanwhile,
there are interventions by which
we humans could bring controls
to bear on the matter and reduce,
if not eliminate, its dangers. How-
ever, since greed and self-aggran-
dizement are often dominant in the
“dark” corners of decision-making,
the costs to control CO 2 emis-
sions—if a law is passed—will be
passed along to the poor and pow-
erless among us. If we could ever
come to a place in our human re-
lations where the rich and power-
ful become dedicated to helping
and caring for others, we could act
decisively on carbon dioxide and
thereby save ourselves.
Publicly-funded elections is one
indirect action that would mitigate
corruptions now rampant, its time
overdue.
(Gene H. McIntyre lives in Keizer.
He shares his opinion frequently in
the Keizertimes.)
Bring cursive
back to schools
To the Editor:
A growing number (at last
count about 17) of state legisla-
tures, including New Jersey, Illi-
nois, Texas and California are plan-
to even sign their name to a legal
document or a check.
This is the perfect time for the
current Oregon legislative session
to correct this same mistake and
bring back the teaching of cursive
to Oregon’s young children. Let’s
ask our legislators to to do so and
if the schools require additional
fi nancial support to once again
teach cursive then let us, as tax-
payers, be willing to fund the
plan. It will be a worthwhile
investment.
Jim Parr
Keizer
Trump and Pelosi:
No handshake
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not sugarcoat the latter as he seeks
to become a better (or at least bear-
able) person. It does not sugarcoat the
downs of any of the characters, be-
cause Bojack Horseman is, when you
come down to it, an ensemble effort
on behalf of one of the most talented
casts in television: a cast that can make
you cry just as easily as it can make
you laugh. And it will make you laugh
(I can safely say without hesitation
that Todd Chavez, voiced by Breaking
Bad’s Aaron Paul, is easily one of the
most absurdly entertaining characters
in the history of TV. Just saying).
Bojack Horseman is also not a show
that is content to stay in what we
would consider normal boundaries.
Creativity abounds in each episode,
from background sight gags to clever
story structures. One of my favorite
episodes takes place underwater and
has almost entirely no dialogue. An-
other consists of Bojack giving a eulo-
gy, and… that’s it. An episode that’s just
an extended monologue. And it works.
Just when you think the show is going
to settle down or that it can’t possibly
retain its freshness for much longer, it
manages to surprise you.
And it does so until the very end.
Season 6 is the perfect way to cap off
a series that is funny, perceptive, and
bravely depressing all at once in a way
that is 100 percent believable, regard-
less of the equine nature of its protag-
onist. Bojack Horseman may not always
be a fun journey, but it is one that is
well worth making nonetheless.
Bojack Horseman seasons 1-6 are
now available on Netfl ix.
cuffed
in Keizer
Harley Davidson
Grant
Arrested Feb. 3 for:
Possession of
methamphetamine
Previous convictions:
Felon in possession of
a fi rearm, unauthorized
departure
letters
ning to bring back cursive reading
and writing to elementary second
and third grade school curricula.
State leaders are realizing that by
not teaching cursive since about
2010, a population of young peo-
ple have grown up who are unable
to read historical documents or
By T.J. REID
For the Keizertimes
I don’t know how the myth that
cartoons are only meant for the view-
ing of younger audiences initially
came about, but it is an unfair miscon-
ception that various creators, animated
television shows and animated movies
have had to fi ght against for genera-
tions.
Although efforts on behalf of Pix-
ar, The Simpsons, anime and many
other companies and productions
have taught us time and time again
that animation can be a medium that
audiences of all ages can enjoy, I still
occasionally come across people that
are shocked when a cartoon exhibits
an intellect above that of your average
fourth grader.
Bojack Horseman, whose last epi-
sodes just dropped on Netfl ix, con-
tinues the proud tradition of pushing
back against the stigma society places
on animated media and may just be
one of the fi nest examples of cartoons
as art to date.
One of the most appealing (and
frustrating) aspects of Bojack Horse-
man is how hilariously and heartbreak-
ingly human its characters are. Yes, the
show has jokes, and yes, they are as
sidesplitting as they are sharp, but the
real appeal comes from the honesty
in which the writers and actors por-
tray the characters. The titular Bojack
Horseman, voiced by Will Arnett, is
far more than a goofy anthropomor-
phic horse: He is a deeply broken and
self-destructive alcoholic who you will
hate as much as you cheer for. He has
his ups and downs, and the show does
To the Editor:
I am writing in response to
your recent editorial (State of the
Union as reality TV entertainment,
Feb. 7, 2020).
I would like to help you out
with some of your confusion.
Perhaps you do not know, but
Donald Trump does not like
Speaker Nancy Pelosi. That
is why he turned his back to
her gesture of civility to shake
hands. Yes, she did tear up his
“reality show” script.
I do agree with you about re-
spect for the offi ce of President.
If only that respect would start
with the holder of said offi ce.
Patrick O. Selander
Keizer
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Kaster Kasio Sana
Evan Lee Webber
Arrested Feb. 4 for:
Possession of
methamphetamine,
assault, theft
Arrested Feb. 8 for:
DUII
Previous convictions:
DUII (twice)
Other pending charges:
Assault, unlawful use
of a weapon, criminal
trespass, criminal
mischief
Michael Wesley
McDaniel
Arrested Feb. 7 for:
Failure to appear in court
Previous convictions:
DUII (twice), driving
while suspended or
revoked
Gary Timothy
Martinez
Arrested Feb. 9 for:
Felon in possession of
body armor, escape
Juan Carlos Navarro-
Flores
Arrested Feb. 8 for:
Reckless endangering
Other pending charges:
Reckless endangering,
conspiracy to commit a
felony, criminal mischief
Previous convictions:
Identity theft, theft,
tampering with a
witness, attempting to
fl ee