We've got issues.
COUNTING Kevin Sullivan made a stab at class analysis in “And Inequality For All,” (Aug. 7), saying “It is near impossible, however, to draw a bead on the wealthiest Eugeneans.” That’s not the “end of story,” however. Colorful income maps for all of Oregon show wealth distribution patterns by sections of neighborhood, city and county. Pie charts break it down for cities. Continue reading
CURSED FONT Your choice of Helvetica Bold typeface on the cover of last week’s issue [7/31] was both alarming and disappointing. I had hoped that EW was more enlightened. But your use of that font shows that further awareness is needed. Helvetica is a curse on society. Aesthetically it is a scar on the landscape. It is drab and modern and completely uninspiring. It is less of a choice than a default. But the gravest danger posed by Helvetica is homogenization. Continue reading
NOT SO LUCKY Sixteen years ago, I retired from the U.S. Navy. I had great comprehensive health care. Now I have high quality VA care and affordable retired military medical and dental health insurance. Continue reading
WHAT KIND OF FORCE? I know it’s tilting at windmills, but I want to express a quibble I have long had with a phrase that policymakers and journalists alike seem to love to employ: “use(s) of force.” The brief article about Eugene Police Department’s “‛sustained’ rate of misconduct,” [7-24] utilizes this phrase eight times. What does the speaker saying “use of force” intend to mean? The common assumption is violent force, i.e., coercive by employing pain and threat. Continue reading
VAMPIRE PLANNING Regarding the proposed Seavey Loop industrial zone land grab: I can’t believe the four Tea Party commissioners and the Springfield City Council are trying to ram this atrocious proposal past the citizens of Lane County, but I guess the success of the Parvin Butte murder has convinced them that they can do anything they want, including destroying our most popular county park, a community of several thousand people and hundreds of acres of farmland. Continue reading
VIOLATION OF POLICY Continue reading
A TRAVESTY AND A WASTE The direction our public officials are taking is the worst mistake made since the 1970s Urban Renewal Renovation of downtown Eugene. The unfortunate direction on the table will outweigh the 40-year scars of urban renewal. • Wasting the existing City Hall building, discarding at least $40 million of equity, spending $11 million to replace it with a smaller version. Total: $51 million. • Leasing space at $1.2 million a year for 10 years ($12 million) to support developers. Total: $63 million. Continue reading
4J’S DOUBLE STANDARD The recent news about 4J’s superintendent leaving his post early and the ongoing negotiations between teachers and the district have brought in focus issues that have undermined the morale of Eugene teachers in recent years. Continue reading
AGGRESSIVE MALES The main reason for humans' existence on this planet is just like any other organism: procreate, raise the kids, die. Men and women are supposed to have as much sex as possible from about age 15 to 40 so that we fulfill our life cycle. Some males will get very aggressive during these sex-soaked years, especially if they are in a high-competition area like sports. Then throw some alcohol into the mix and now you have aggression coupled with inhibition. Continue reading
PRIVILEGE & RESPONSIBILITY Jim Stauffer [“Biological Disaster” letter, 6/5] offers a valuable male viewpoint on the issue of sexual miscommunication and victimization. I agree with his call for education of young people with a goal of helping them form respectful sexual relationships. But his criticism of me comes across as self-defensive. Continue reading