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RECYCLING AND PROFITS Alan Pittman's piece "Trashed Recycling" (11/24) questions the wisdom of co-mingling recyclable materials with trash. Pittman cites data from the Portland area, suggesting that a good percentage of plastic material currently being co-mingled with paper and other trash is not being recycled at all. As a recently retired manufacturing industry employee who has spent some time building paper recycling plants I can assure your readers that Mr. Pittman's figures are not exaggerated. They may, in fact, be quite conservative. Decades of environmental pressure placed on forest-based industries forced paper makers to increase use of the recyclable wood fiber in waste paper. Virtually all the corrugated box manufacturing plants on the West Coast now use some recycled fiber in their papermaking processes. Some mills use 100 percent "recycled," and no "virgin" wood fiber at all. This development has had several consequences. While it has reduced the amount of wood fiber (paper) going to our landfills and has taken some focus off the tree-cutting aspect of paper-making (the industry would claim not nearly enough), it has put upward pressure on the dollar value of waste paper. Used corrugated boxes now constitute a significant commodity raw material for which paper manufacturers compete in a worldwide market. One of the realities of recycling is that a ton of used corrugated boxes will not yield a ton of wood fiber for the paper mill that buys it. Indeed, it will contain anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of "contaminants" which must be removed before the wood fiber can be reused. Materials like plastic, duct tape, hot-melt glue, staples, wire, twine and other "impurities" make the recycling process very expensive. While current automated processes will remove most of these contaminants, most of the removed materials must be sent to landfill because they cannot be effectively segregated by type for reuse. The only process I know of today that can completely remove and segregate these contaminants from the wood fibers is manual sorting. Manual sorting is time-consuming, labor intensive, and requires lots of real estate. It should not surprise anyone that when responsibility for sorting recyclables is passed on to a for-profit enterprise, the quality of the sort takes a back seat to economics. There is a point at which the cost of cleaning a waste stream exceeds the value of the extracted product(s). In the case of household trash, the stream is best cleaned before it reaches the curb. Stephen M. Roberts, Eugene
A LIBERATED LIFE? I'm imagining that more people are now a little closer to shedding their denial orientation. With Bush's re-election isn't it harder to maintain a diet of endless compromise with this rotten order? Fixated by hatred of Bush, many ignored how far degraded — even by American standards — their hopes and principles can become. But now, is it not clear what is lost by abandoning any sense of what a healthy, liberated life could be? To keep behaving as if nothing could be qualitatively better, freer, more authentic than the ugliness that obtains is a blindness that is pathological. It can only lead to even worse days. Time to think and act autonomously, in defiance of the "acceptable," for the redemption of self, society and nature. Leave the racket behind, wake up to the critique of how awful things are and how immeasurably different they could be. John Zerzan, , Eugene
THE RACE CARD The race card was played when a deputy and city police officer stopped Cortez Jordan, and it is still being played, but not by Mr. Jordan and not by the NAACP. The race card is a card held by white people and played by white people — most notably, white politicians. It's a way to get white peoples' votes: Scare them with a black face, and they'll almost wet themselves in their urgency to vote for you. It worked for George H.W. Bush in 1988, who used "Willie Horton" and "quota, quota, quota" to terrorize white people. It got him elected. It worked for Doofus, the one who used the old "pay a scholarship student to take your exam for you" ploy to get the C-minuses that got him through Yale. Nothing new there, and nothing new in his "terrorist, terrorist, eek-eek-a-terrorist" ploy, either. Just another way of playing the race card. For that deputy to accuse the victim of racism of playing the race card, which the victim doesn't hold and therefore cannot play, is what I have come to expect from those, such as Bushes, who hold the power. Expected, usual, and sick. Ann Tattersall, Eugene
WORTHY PROJECT? It is hard to believe that "saving" Madison Meadow is worth half a million dollars of scarce charitable donations. Is a project that cuts off a chance for more families to give up their cars and walk or bicycle to work downtown and at the UO really worth donating to? Lorri Goodman's pitch (11/24 Viewpoint) that a donation to buy Madison Meadow is somehow related to preserving the pristine Alaskan wilderness or helping children without health care is scary. There are a number of parks near 22nd and Madison. Of course having a private park right over the fence is nice, but pitching this as good for the environment or a substitute for health care is false. And no matter how she spins it, limiting an option to build housing in central Eugene does encourage sprawl. If you do donate to Madison Meadow, please don't use charitable dollars that might have gone to saving the world's wild places or to a medical charity. Perhaps buying this land makes sense for the neighbors who border it; supposedly the park will increase their property values. Maybe it makes sense as an investment, but not as a charitable donation. $500,000 could purchase hundreds of acres of critical habitat to save an endangered species or immunize a hundred thousand children. Is an acre or two within walking distance of Washington Park, Westmoreland Park, Wayne Morse Ranch, Friendly Park, and Amazon Park really more important than saving truly wild places or getting health care for those who don't have it? Please make charitable donations this holiday season, but make sure that your dollars do the most good they possibly can. Nancy Nichols, Deadwood
CRUSADER BOB On Dec. 1, many Whiteaker households were subjected to a written diatribe from "God's faithful and true servant‚" Bob Berg [possibly an assumed name]. We received, taped to our doors, copies of a typewritten letter containing the greatest hits of homophobic Bible verses, and such pious, fanatical wisdom as: "It's impossible to be a Christian homosexual. But obviously it's possible to be a homosexual liar trying to deceive people. So what are these people doing in our schools teaching our children their ungodliness?" and: "If you reject the truth, God will give you up to a base mind, and you will find yourself committing shameless acts with a person of the same sex." This crusader must think himself very brave, venturing into the modern Mecca of sin that is the Whiteaker neighborhood. Attention Mr. Berg and other "true and faithful servants of God": First off, if you think queer people are against God's greater plan, you're in great company — the Nazis agreed with you. Second, check out what the Bible says about letting God be the judge and keeping your mouth shut so the man upstairs can work. If you are such a devout believer, you'll notice that God gives more warnings to slanderers than he does to homosexuals. And finally, hate-filled rhetoric and stubborn bigotry like yours passed Measure 36 just a short month ago. You got what you wanted, so please stop rubbing our noses in it. Olivia Pepper, Eugene
DOUBLE STANDARD OK, so if a person wants to pay money to get his/her rocks off from a sex-line or escort service as advertised in the back of Eugene Weekly, that's smutty and exploitative. But if a person wants to pay money for a Morning Glory Calendar (news story, 11/18) and get her/his rocks off by looking at Miss June, "a woman standing with her wrists bound above her head and two of those spoon-like tea holders clamped to her nipples" — that raises money for Eugene Peace Works. The broad acceptance of double standards in our beloved city will never cease to amaze me. Merry Christmas everybody. David J. Gibbs, Eugene
MARINE DIVERSITY I have read EW for news and entertainment for a while. I don't always agree with the obvious political slant, but I don't complain. I have to write a rebuttal to a Mr. William Porter in the 11/24 issue on his letter headed "Christian Marines." Who is he to say that service members will be "vanquished for eternity" according to their religious preference? Yes, a majority of Marines tend to be more conservative than Mr. Porter but not necessarily Christian. We are of very diverse faiths. I am a Marine and have served for 12 years. I see the military and the Marine Corps in particular as an outstanding opportunity for men and women to help make themselves successful. It is no coincidence that 35 percent of the Fortune 500 companies are run or owned by former Marines (founders of FedEx, Domino's Pizza, etc.). The Marines instill discipline, self-direction, leadership skills, and confidence as well as many other traits that you just can't get by taking a class at the UO. All Marine recruits from Oregon have to have a high school diploma before they ship to boot camp. I have been to 11 countries and have seen a world that few Americans living in their bubble will — and I gross $53k a year while doing it. So I don't see how we are poor and uneducated and "a survival strategy for poor and destitute families." Yes, murder is murder. However, nobody wishes for peace more than the soldier fighting for it. Mr. Porter, what are you a veteran of that makes you so against our military? Go live in a country where we do not have the freedom to write letters like this for publication or speak out against our government. Just remember when you do that it is not the poet, singer, or campus organizer, but the soldier who gave us this right. So go burn a flag if you want to Mr. Porter; I hope you feel better about yourself. Ask yourself what good it will actually do besides making a smell and a profit for Bic. Mark Vanslooten, Albany
DEMS MISSING It is becoming very obvious that massive voter fraud in several key states has created another stolen election. Where are the Democrats? Where is the fight they promised us if the Republicans tried this again? They appear to have capitulated to the Talibushies, like the Vichy French did to Hitler. Are they, like the Vichies, hoping that your masters will perhaps treat you more kindly than the rest of us? Perhaps you'll be allowed to escape the camps? What if the recounts show that Kerry actually won the election? Do you think that the Talibushies will actually give up power? Do you think they would have given up power if Kerry had won the election outright (despite their treasonous cheating)? I don't think so. I think that since they own the judiciary, Congress, the Justice Department, the armed forces, and now the ballot boxes, we've had our choices reduced to two: Either surrender and be oppressed by a perpetual feudal theocracy, or take back our democracy by force. Whether that can be done by a peaceful action (millions of people in the streets and shutting down the country), or by the actions of the many hundreds of Timothy McVeighs or General Cinques (of the Symbionese Liberation Army) that we are creating in Iraq remains to be seen. I would prefer either of those choices to living in a perpetual Republican dictatorship! Wayne Ford, Eugene
TRICKLE DOWN George W. Bush was reelected and will have to lie in the piss-stained bed that he left. Unfortunately we are still stuck in the trickle-down chamber pot beneath, and our children will have to somehow clean up the mess. Michael T. Hinojosa, Drain
PULL OUT & SCOOP My Christmas wish list: After the election, I started to get mad, and I'm going to stay mad for the next four years! So my Christmas wishes for this year are: Bring ALL the soldiers that are in Iraq back to their countries. Have less trees cut down. Less pollution: non-polluting power plants, use bicycles more often, use less oil. Give the homeless money if you can afford to. Make less stuff in other countries. Lower health prices. Use solar power. (I wish my family could afford an electric car.) In other words, a new president! Something for my model railroad would be nice too. Oh, and another thing, I'm tired of stepping in dog poop! PLEASE pick it up! Kaelan J. Fille', Third grade , Edgewood Elementary
BRA-SEER Ninety-eight dollars for a BRA? I nearly choked on my mocha when I came across the item (11/24) in your holiday Gift Guide (Freudian Slip). What kind of accessories does it come with? Jane Dods , Springfield
INDIRECT DEMOCRACY Ben Franklin remarked that our government was a republic, not a democracy. Direct democracy was viewed as mob rule; three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. The U.S. was wisely designed as a constitutionally limited democratic republic. It contains checks and balances to protect the rights of individuals and states from the changing whims of popular opinion. It seeks to balance the tension between majority rule and majority tyranny, between the "will of the people" and the "rights" of the individual. The Electoral College is a part of this well-crafted federalism. It protects the voice of smaller states. It gives a clear winner in close races. Candidates must run on more moderate national centrist issues instead of more extreme divisive sectional issues. Notice Bush and Kerry tried to move more to the middle? A direct election would invite recounts in every close race in each state. Candidates would focus on and pander to the large urban centers and win. Why waste time to consider rural/agricultural areas and issues? Why build a broad based centrist platform? Offer what is popular, promise the moon, and do what you want. So what if the small states are ignored and not represented? The majority has spoken. Talk about disenfranchisement! The Electoral College is poorly understood today. Yet it has served well to balance, blend and integrate our large diverse country. Rather than reviled as an outdated relic, it should be celebrated as an important part of our republic. Warren Walsh, Eugene
ELECTION SILENCE Wonders never cease. Fraud has been alleged in the Ukranian presidential election and here comes the U.S. press galloping in on white horses with 24/7 coverage. I have some questions for the media. Why the deathly silence concerning our own presidential election? Are 10-hour lines in our so-called democracy a news story, given that these occurred in the crucial swing states of Ohio and Florida, possibly disenfranchising tens if not hundreds of thousands of voters in populace Democratic leaning counties? Is it a news story when corrupt election supervisors willfully keep perfectly good machines in warehouses while voters have to make do with only a couple of machines in several Ohio and Florida counties? Is it a news story when several Volusia County, Fla., county workers are seen throwing signed memory cards and poll tapes representing 100 precincts into garbage bags and the copies don't match originals? Republican leaders not only disregarded these vital concerns but also fiercely resisted them by, among other things, not allowing legislative remedies out of committee for debate. Why would legislators proactively resist a verifiable paper trail? Why isn't this a news story? Senator Lugar has been railing about the illegitimacy of the Ukranian election based on exit polling variance. Using Lugar's logic, I would suggest that the world body of democracies, not to mention the U.S. citizenry deem the presidency of George Bush illegitimate until recounts are held in Ohio and Florida and proprietary software of Diebold machines are investigated by government agencies. Gerry Rempel, Eugene
WALTON WONDER A few weeks ago I had the good fortune to discover a new way to enjoy being political. I had the wonderful luck to stop at a little cafe in Walton (on 126 halfway to/from Florence). It's called The Green House and it's an oasis of mostly organic, often local, always fresh, delicious food. It's so fresh they don't even have a standard menu. It often depends on what they can buy that day from nearby organic farmers. In the summer they grow lots of their own veggies and all their fruit and vegetables are organically grown. It's owned and run by a couple. He does most of the cooking and she is the main baker (she still moonlights at Sweet Life). So here's where the "personal is political" comes in. If you eat at the Green House you are not only supporting that local business, but you are supporting several organic farms in the area as well. Wintergreen, Still Point and Morning Glory farms are all organic and partially supply the cafe. And you're supporting the idea of sustainability and honoring our earth. So go ahead, get political and enjoy a great meal too. Amy Beller, Eugene
FALSE DIVISIONS I have been trying to figure out how this country can be so divided 50/50 on issues, as the media keeps telling us or as the election appears to indicate once again. One recurring thought is to consider the source of our information, which surely varies. We all have a natural tendency to seek out those sources that validate our own views because it is comforting. I believe in my heart that if we had open, honest discussions about the issues of the day we would find that we actually have much more in common that we are told! As long as we are spoken to by the media and the two political parties in simplistic sound bites, half-truths taken out of context, incomplete pictures, and twisted facts and figures, it should come as no surprise that we are split. The problems we face together are not black and white, good or evil, right or left, or conservative or liberal, they cross all boundaries. These labels over-simplify and lead us to dead ends. In my opinion, until we open our minds and actually listen to views from all directions and have honest, complete discussions, we will appear falsely split. I personally refuse to accept this simplistic analysis and honestly believe all Americans have many things in common and hope for many of the same things. Tim Boyden, Eugene
EVERY RELIGION? "Buddhist Slays Doctor in the Name of Loving Kindness." Sound odd? Something that sounded almost as odd to me was the Rev. Gregory Flint's statement that there is a rise "all over the world" in religious extremism "in Christianity and every other religion" (11/18). I can think of at least five religions and 20 countries where this is not the case. The reverend should check himself before making these kinds of sweeping generalizations. If he feels surrounded by extremism it's probably because he's part of an extreme institution. Maya Moore, Eugene
ELECTION'S NOT OVER Yo! Dear disheartened Democrats: Yes, this election sucked. But I find myself even more disheartened by the defeated comments of friends and family. Look, we have not had free elections in this country for a long, long time. In fact, we have the most expensive elections in the world. We won't have true democracy until we see massive campaign finance reform. Until then, let's face it, we vote with our dollars. Please don't believe this myth that if you just vote in the election, then you're a good citizen. The election is not over. You have an opportunity to vote every time you pass that Visa into the cashier's hand. Every tank of gas is a vote for Bush. This country is run on money and fear. Don't be afraid! Turn off your TV (computer, cell phone, CD player). Ride your bike, eat real food, talk to real people. The biggest terrorist on the planet is the voracious American consumer blindly believing that his vote in a sham election actually counted and continuing to stuff his bottomless belly with plastic toys, lattes and laptops.
Katie Johnson, Cottage Grove
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