Don’t polarizeenergy issue

While reading the Jan. 25 edition of The Bulletin and the article regarding the massive protests by environmentalists over the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, I wondered how many of the protesters were living without oil, gas, hydro or coal energy sources? The lights they read by, the computer they use, that car they drove to the protest, the heat from the thermostat during the arctic blasts and just the daily basics of cooking, laundry and personal hygiene. Are they using power generated solely by solar and wind? I think not.

Thus the paradox of their efforts — solar and wind cannot support the power grid during extreme temperature demands. Multiple sources of energy are needed to provide the demand on our power grid. Yes, wind and solar can help reduce the needs of these other fuels, but eliminating them is not an option. Efficiency and balance by using all available sources will guarantee a full grid today and into the future.

Quit trying to polarize the energy issue and work with all forms of energy that nature has given us. If you can’t bring yourself to do this, put a solar panel on your lava tube and call me when dinner is ready.

Al Dertinger

Terrebonne

Let water boardfinish the job

As a concerned customer of the Terrebonne Water District that has been working with the district’s board for the past year, I feel the need to speak out against the recall.

Looking at current board members’ actions from a narrow view of the one-time event stemming from high August 2013 billings is unfair and is an incomplete picture of the water board.

If you take summer average billing over a three-year period, the cost for most water district customers is consistent. To help ease the burden of the high August billing, the board has given all customers a 20 percent reduction to the August 2013 billing and has not charged late fees. Additionally, the board has approved more billing adjustments for about 56 customers who received water bills that were determined to be extremely out of line. This action was a recommendation of a citizen volunteer focus group and the district’s lead employee.

Your board is moving forward. New employees bring much-needed energy to the district operations. The board has approved the purchase to upgrade the district’s system for reading meters, with reduced chances for errors. This system will reduce accounting costs and includes customer-friendly features, such as online bill pay.

During the elected board members’ tenure, the water district has never failed to deliver clean, safe water — and there hasn’t been a rate increase.

Let them finish the job you elected them to do.

Lawrence Wood

Terrebonne

Disparaging liberals

Kim Campbell, in an effort to disparage liberals while attacking gun control, makes what I think is a nonsensical comment in the March 1 In My View column.

“Nonsensical” in the sense that it makes no sense. Campbell states, “Liberals demand gun controls, knowing they cannot work on any number of levels.”

Huh? That would be akin to me saying, “Conservatives oppose gun controls, knowing that they can work on any number of levels.”

Obviously, that statement about conservatives makes no more sense than Campbell’s comment about liberals. Many conservatives do believe that gun control won’t work, just as many liberals believe that gun control will work.

Overly clever wording aimed at disparaging liberal Americans? Or just a nonsensical sentence? Probably a little of both.

Michael Funke

Bend

Threatening Putin

It’s hard to believe that Vladimir Putin hasn’t turned tail and run for the hills now that the U.N. (useless nations) is in emergency session and Barack Obama has threatened to draw another red line (well, maybe just a line) in the ever-shifting sands.

One can only imagine the fear and trepidation Putin is experiencing knowing these two are about to decree punishment for his movement into the Ukraine.

If Obama is unable to stop Putin on his own, perhaps he could enlist the services from either Joe Biden, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid. Each appears equally adept at criticism, although each is somewhat lacking in offering solutions to any given situation. Since our leader apparently considers the world to be in great political shape, thus necessitating the drawdown of our troops and weaponry, perhaps threatening to hit Putin with a 9-iron and then entering him into Obamacare for treatment might be an alternative solution to get him to leave.

Mike Fitzsimons

Redmond

NOTE: A correction was made on March 10, 2014.