Editor.
Squandering money for a walkway on the EBMUD right of way, is possibly the most ridiculous idea, to ever come out of the city of bad ideas. Who is going to want to walk between the freeway and the back side of buildings? This bad idea of a walkway has to cross two four lane streets.
This ridiculous waste of money called a walkway, will parallel the sidewalks on Mount Diablo Boulevard.
It's obvious the recently re-elected City Council wants to give back to consultants who supported their campaigns. Why don't the politicians just have a bonfire to burn taxpayer's money?
Bruce R. Peterson
Lafayette
Editor:
I can not believe what I read on page A3. In the top article Cal Trans, a department of a state that is 28 billion dollars in debt, gives a well to do community, Lafayette, money to study the feasibility of a pathway. The following article banner reads "Fire Chief Warns of Possible Fire Station Closures". Are our priorities in order? Is a pathway or a mountainous debt the best thing to leave to our children and grandchildren? Another question, is the population at large going to benefit more from a pathway or a nearby staffed fire station? This is not the right economical time for pathways, Cal Trans, if it has money, should be spending it on repairing highway 24 through Lafayette, not pathways. I have lived in Lafayette and Moraga for 68 years and never had trouble traversing Mt. Diablo Blvd. even before there were sidewalks, traffic signals and bike lanes.
Keith Lescure
Moraga
Editor:
When ObamaCare was passed, we were told that it would help the uninsured without hurting those who currently have health insurance.
I have health insurance and now I am being told that I can no longer see my eye doctor or my retina specialist. John Muir Medical Group apparently actually read the bill and concluded that ObamaCare really will require hurting existing insured patients. They concluded that they need to have fewer doctors serving the same number of patients; they say ObamaCare will require these changes.
Fewer doctors serving the same patients sure sounds like rationing to me. Maybe those who wish to revise the bill or start over are right.
Pete Williams
Moraga
Dear Mr. President,
Back in '08 my wife and I journeyed to Colorado to work on your campaign. Neither of us had been politically active before but like many Americans, we were fed up with the policies of the Bush /Cheney Administration and we believed in your message of hope and change. We are still hoping for that change while you largely continue the flawed financial policies of Bush and Cheney.
Banks that were "too big to fail" are now even bigger. Geitner and Summers, who presided over the worst recession in American history, are still in charge of monetary policy. And while millions of Americans continue to lose their homes, their jobs and their savings, corporate and financial executives continue to rake in vulgar salaries and bonuses.
It appears that our government is serving as a conduit for the transfer of wealth from the beleaguered and dwindling middle class to the very prosperous and wealthy. If we continue on this path we will return to the "good old" robber-baron days. The wealthy will live in gated communities with private security guards to protect them from the disgruntled and impoverished masses whose forefathers failed to amass a fortune before the last bubble broke.
In spite of being in a minority position in Congress, the Republicans have been very successful in executing their agenda. Democrats, with a majority in Congress and a Democratic president, have failed miserably in providing the "loyal opposition "so necessary in a functioning democracy.
Instead of watching the parade go by you need to use the "bully pulpit" that the voters gave you in '08, Get out in front and lead .
Barack, Be Bold,
Forrest j. Cioppa, MD,CM
Moraga
Editor:
The Lafayette Community Center Foundation was very moved by the generosity of our local businesses and individuals to whom the Foundation fondly refers to as our "local celebrities". Forty-six wonderful theme baskets were donated and sold at this year's Santa's Bag Boutique and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the much loved Lafayette Community Center buildings and programs.
Lafayette Community Center Foundation Board Members and Parks, Trails & Recreation Commissioners sold the baskets at the 20th Annual Santa's Bag Boutique and raised $1,504.84.
Those who bought baskets enjoyed the different themes such as "Lamorinda Bounty", "Spic & Span the Green Way", "Living Room Picnic", and "Truffle-icious".
The Foundation wants to especially recognize the following local businesses and individuals whose basket donations made the fundraiser such a success: Trader Joe's, Round Table Pizza, Mad Science, Powell's Candy Shop, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Hamlin Cleaners, Diablo Foods, Starbucks, Adrienne Yang, The Nut Factory, Yankee Pier, Carol Federighi, Betty Vodzak DDS, Don Tatzin, Ellen Reintjes, Lynda Rexroat, John Sharpe, Maryann Hoisington, Friends of the Lafayette Library, Kindergym @ Lafayette Staff, Parkman Vineyards, Tot Drop, Karen Giorganni, The Bahl Family, the Hagel Family, Julie and Shaun Bishop, Nancy Goldner and Zoreh Khaligh.
Yours in gratitude,
Anne Wondolowski, Chairperson
And the Lafayette Community
Center Foundation Members
Editor:
In the Dec.8th almost-Christmas edition of the Lamorinda Weekly, David K. Lindemuth declares himself to be a member of the "walking dead." Perhaps he has his holidays confused. In the spirit of Easter, let us all hope that he's given reading privileges when he rises from his grave. If so, I'd recommend a report titled "Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter," published by the E.P.A. and available online at this link: http://www.epa.gov/ttnnaaqs/
standards/pm/s_pm_2007_isa.html . This comprehensive study, to which leading scientists from all over the country contributed, examined with great care the effect of airborne Particulate Matter (P.M.) on all of us. P.M. consists of microscopic particles we can't see. It circulates much more freely and is much more invasive than dust and dirt. The report concludes that short and long term exposure to P.M. poses a genuine health threat to those with compromised cardio-vascular systems and to those with respiratory problems. In the latter group, pregnant women and their fetuses were most at risk for developing asthma and related respiratory illnesses from exposure to P.M. The data collected also revealed that exposure to P.M. resulted in a greater likelihood of myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart injury, and congestive heart failure, particularly for those with pre-existing cardiac conditions. I would refer Mr. Lindemuth to Chs. 6, 7, and 8 in the study for a specific catalogue of findings.
Are leaf blowers the only contributor to P.M pollution? Of course not. Are they a significant contributor? Of course they are. Anyone who has watched a blower apply a 200 mph blast of air to dry dirt and debris and followed the blower operator as he moves in a swirl of such debris knows this. The cumulative effect of multiple blowers, operating throughout the day six days of the week, 12 months of the year, raises significant concern about increased P.M. exposure in our community.
Some, of course, may question the health threat caused by leaf blowers. Reasonable people may disagree in a reasonable manner. But even if we were to dismiss the air pollution concerns regarding these machines, the noise pollution they generate is reason enough to give us pause about their use. Finally, this matter is about civility and respect for our neighbors. When, as we heard at the Nov. Council meeting, an elderly gardener cannot work peacefully in his backyard garden; when schoolchildren cannot use their backyards on Saturdays because of the cacophony of leaf blowers on their cul-de-sac; when senior citizens complain that they cannot walk peacefully through the neighborhoods they have enjoyed for years without encountering the grinding roar of leafblowers; can't we as a community acknowledge this problem and agree that we can do better?
Jeffrey Segall
Orinda
Squandering money for a walkway on the EBMUD right of way, is possibly the most ridiculous idea, to ever come out of the city of bad ideas. Who is going to want to walk between the freeway and the back side of buildings? This bad idea of a walkway has to cross two four lane streets.
This ridiculous waste of money called a walkway, will parallel the sidewalks on Mount Diablo Boulevard.
It's obvious the recently re-elected City Council wants to give back to consultants who supported their campaigns. Why don't the politicians just have a bonfire to burn taxpayer's money?
Bruce R. Peterson
Lafayette
Editor:
I can not believe what I read on page A3. In the top article Cal Trans, a department of a state that is 28 billion dollars in debt, gives a well to do community, Lafayette, money to study the feasibility of a pathway. The following article banner reads "Fire Chief Warns of Possible Fire Station Closures". Are our priorities in order? Is a pathway or a mountainous debt the best thing to leave to our children and grandchildren? Another question, is the population at large going to benefit more from a pathway or a nearby staffed fire station? This is not the right economical time for pathways, Cal Trans, if it has money, should be spending it on repairing highway 24 through Lafayette, not pathways. I have lived in Lafayette and Moraga for 68 years and never had trouble traversing Mt. Diablo Blvd. even before there were sidewalks, traffic signals and bike lanes.
Keith Lescure
Moraga
Editor:
When ObamaCare was passed, we were told that it would help the uninsured without hurting those who currently have health insurance.
I have health insurance and now I am being told that I can no longer see my eye doctor or my retina specialist. John Muir Medical Group apparently actually read the bill and concluded that ObamaCare really will require hurting existing insured patients. They concluded that they need to have fewer doctors serving the same number of patients; they say ObamaCare will require these changes.
Fewer doctors serving the same patients sure sounds like rationing to me. Maybe those who wish to revise the bill or start over are right.
Pete Williams
Moraga
Dear Mr. President,
Back in '08 my wife and I journeyed to Colorado to work on your campaign. Neither of us had been politically active before but like many Americans, we were fed up with the policies of the Bush /Cheney Administration and we believed in your message of hope and change. We are still hoping for that change while you largely continue the flawed financial policies of Bush and Cheney.
Banks that were "too big to fail" are now even bigger. Geitner and Summers, who presided over the worst recession in American history, are still in charge of monetary policy. And while millions of Americans continue to lose their homes, their jobs and their savings, corporate and financial executives continue to rake in vulgar salaries and bonuses.
It appears that our government is serving as a conduit for the transfer of wealth from the beleaguered and dwindling middle class to the very prosperous and wealthy. If we continue on this path we will return to the "good old" robber-baron days. The wealthy will live in gated communities with private security guards to protect them from the disgruntled and impoverished masses whose forefathers failed to amass a fortune before the last bubble broke.
In spite of being in a minority position in Congress, the Republicans have been very successful in executing their agenda. Democrats, with a majority in Congress and a Democratic president, have failed miserably in providing the "loyal opposition "so necessary in a functioning democracy.
Instead of watching the parade go by you need to use the "bully pulpit" that the voters gave you in '08, Get out in front and lead .
Barack, Be Bold,
Forrest j. Cioppa, MD,CM
Moraga
Editor:
The Lafayette Community Center Foundation was very moved by the generosity of our local businesses and individuals to whom the Foundation fondly refers to as our "local celebrities". Forty-six wonderful theme baskets were donated and sold at this year's Santa's Bag Boutique and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the much loved Lafayette Community Center buildings and programs.
Lafayette Community Center Foundation Board Members and Parks, Trails & Recreation Commissioners sold the baskets at the 20th Annual Santa's Bag Boutique and raised $1,504.84.
Those who bought baskets enjoyed the different themes such as "Lamorinda Bounty", "Spic & Span the Green Way", "Living Room Picnic", and "Truffle-icious".
The Foundation wants to especially recognize the following local businesses and individuals whose basket donations made the fundraiser such a success: Trader Joe's, Round Table Pizza, Mad Science, Powell's Candy Shop, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Hamlin Cleaners, Diablo Foods, Starbucks, Adrienne Yang, The Nut Factory, Yankee Pier, Carol Federighi, Betty Vodzak DDS, Don Tatzin, Ellen Reintjes, Lynda Rexroat, John Sharpe, Maryann Hoisington, Friends of the Lafayette Library, Kindergym @ Lafayette Staff, Parkman Vineyards, Tot Drop, Karen Giorganni, The Bahl Family, the Hagel Family, Julie and Shaun Bishop, Nancy Goldner and Zoreh Khaligh.
Yours in gratitude,
Anne Wondolowski, Chairperson
And the Lafayette Community
Center Foundation Members
Editor:
In the Dec.8th almost-Christmas edition of the Lamorinda Weekly, David K. Lindemuth declares himself to be a member of the "walking dead." Perhaps he has his holidays confused. In the spirit of Easter, let us all hope that he's given reading privileges when he rises from his grave. If so, I'd recommend a report titled "Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter," published by the E.P.A. and available online at this link: http://www.epa.gov/ttnnaaqs/
standards/pm/s_pm_2007_isa.html . This comprehensive study, to which leading scientists from all over the country contributed, examined with great care the effect of airborne Particulate Matter (P.M.) on all of us. P.M. consists of microscopic particles we can't see. It circulates much more freely and is much more invasive than dust and dirt. The report concludes that short and long term exposure to P.M. poses a genuine health threat to those with compromised cardio-vascular systems and to those with respiratory problems. In the latter group, pregnant women and their fetuses were most at risk for developing asthma and related respiratory illnesses from exposure to P.M. The data collected also revealed that exposure to P.M. resulted in a greater likelihood of myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart injury, and congestive heart failure, particularly for those with pre-existing cardiac conditions. I would refer Mr. Lindemuth to Chs. 6, 7, and 8 in the study for a specific catalogue of findings.
Are leaf blowers the only contributor to P.M pollution? Of course not. Are they a significant contributor? Of course they are. Anyone who has watched a blower apply a 200 mph blast of air to dry dirt and debris and followed the blower operator as he moves in a swirl of such debris knows this. The cumulative effect of multiple blowers, operating throughout the day six days of the week, 12 months of the year, raises significant concern about increased P.M. exposure in our community.
Some, of course, may question the health threat caused by leaf blowers. Reasonable people may disagree in a reasonable manner. But even if we were to dismiss the air pollution concerns regarding these machines, the noise pollution they generate is reason enough to give us pause about their use. Finally, this matter is about civility and respect for our neighbors. When, as we heard at the Nov. Council meeting, an elderly gardener cannot work peacefully in his backyard garden; when schoolchildren cannot use their backyards on Saturdays because of the cacophony of leaf blowers on their cul-de-sac; when senior citizens complain that they cannot walk peacefully through the neighborhoods they have enjoyed for years without encountering the grinding roar of leafblowers; can't we as a community acknowledge this problem and agree that we can do better?
Jeffrey Segall
Orinda
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA