Patriotism
In response to the Sept. 17 Viewpoint by Nidal Ibrahim (“Coming to Our Senses”), I want Nidal to know that his greatest gift to me has always been his friendship, rather than his patriotism. While patriotism is noble and important, some of the most telling qualities that help define a person are their ability to demonstrate compassion, support and friendship, especially during the tough times.
When my mother passed on, one of the first calls of comfort I received was from Nidal. He allowed me to cry when I was trying so hard to be strong. To this day, I recall the peaceful image of Nidal standing tall and quiet in prayer by my mother’s casket during her memorial service. That image still brings me great comfort.
When I’ve needed guidance regarding the pitch or placement of a story, Nidal has always been there to provide me with wise advice, or to let the air out of my overly winded sails!
And, even last week, as Nidal was receiving hate mail from Americans around the nation, he took the time to ask me about the health of a family member who has struggled to recover from a brain tumor.
Nidal, you are an American. Yet even better, you’re a dear friend whom I adore.
Diane Gaynor
Executive Vice President
Roni Hicks & Associates
La Costa
Bikes and Horses
Funny Rick Reiff should mention horse trails in his Sept. 3 editorial on OCTA’s plan to build a system of bicycle paths in order to relieve traffic congestion. I was just in my friend Addison’s neighbors’ yard when I overheard…
“Now, Willburrrr, I know what people are saying, but a horse is far superior to a bike. No pedaling of any kind, and we naturally assist the greenbelts. Rick Reiff is right on. More horse trails.”
“That’s wasn’t his point at all, Ed. More importantly, Ed, you have to realize that paint will probably cost around 40 cents per linear foot of painted stripe applied to an existing road. That first 205 miles is, lemme see…”
“Wilburrr, save yourself, it’s 5,280 feet, 205 times, for 1,082,400 feet. So paint would be, maybe, $432,960. Get to the point, Wilbur, my feet hurt!”
“Well, Ed, you see, people will just naturally flock to the bike lanes. And besides, $30 million for less than a half-million dollars in paint really is a bargain in this day and age. Especially in this town. That’s $29.5 million for those fine union firms who are the only ones allowed to work for the county. They need that money, Ed. It’s crucial to their survival!”
“Wilbur, don’t make me do the math for you…”
“Now, Ed, I am serious about this. I don’t want to hear anymore ‘horse sense.’ Bike lanes are a critical part of our transit future, since the decade-long decline in bike sales is so misleading. Ed, what you have to realize is that all the closures of bike manufacturers, consolidations and mergers can mean only one thing: Bikes are poised for an unlimited rebound!”
At that point I had to pedal off. Have a nice day!
RJ Mallory
Yorba Linda
Rick Reiff’s editorial about the OCTA bikeways plan illustrates some of the common myths about bicycling transportation.
Reiff believes, as do many people, that roadway cycling is too dangerous to consider as a serious transportation option. In fact, it is quite safe for bicycle commuters who follow the rules of the road as defined by California law.
However, this belief leads to calls for the building of off-street bike paths to “keep bikes away from cars”. As Reiff correctly points out, this can be an expensive proposition. Although off-street bike paths can provide excellent opportunities for recreation, only the existing roadway network provides universal access to all commuting destinations.
What is needed is a paradigm shift away from planning that separates bicycles from cars, to planning that integrates bicycles into the planning and design of all roadway capital improvement projects (street resurfacing, re-striping, realignments, etc). This is certainly cheaper and more effective than present inadequate attempts to duplicate the existing roadway network by developing a partial network of bikeways.
Until such a thinking shift occurs, commuting bicyclists lose. In the meantime, the OCTA will likely continue to compete with other counties for state and federal funding for off-street bicycle paths instead of improving the roadways for bicycle transportation.
Brian DeSousa
Vice President
California Association of Bicycling Organizations
Orange
Energy, Cont’d
Members of the Legislature must have a single-minded focus on two issues:
Getting state government out of the electricity buying business, and equitably allocating energy costs.
There is only one way to accomplish the first goal: Pass legislation to return Southern California Edison to investment-grade credit status. Ideally this legislation will serve as a model to expeditiously bring PG & E; to financial health, as well. Only then will the utilities be able to resume the hard job of buying and selling power in the most economically efficient way.
The solvency of investor-owned utilities is critical to the delivery of reliable and affordable energy in California. This is the best strategy to assure direct access for large industrial energy consumers so they can chose their energy supplier or generate it themselves. State government procurement of electric energy on a long-term or permanent basis will have damaging consequences for taxpayers and the economy.
The Legislature must also allocate responsibility for energy costs equitably while sheltering residents of the state that are truly in need.
Attempting at this point to load all under collection costs on business in order to insulate most residential consumers from the realities of the California energy market discourages conservation and jeopardizes the fiscal health of the state. Residential energy consumers have demonstrated their ability to respond to higher energy costs by managing utilization.
Reliable and affordable energy is critical to California’s economic future.
Larry McCarthy
President
California Taxpayers’ Association
Sacramento
