Letters for June 10, 2004

I hope that dog owner and dog park fan Tim Prentiss decides to have children someday. Then he can funnel his enthusiasm for parks into watching his son or daughter cavort at a park playground, instead of into a clueless, lower-species pack animal. Watching dogs romp pales in comparison to watching one’s own child having fun at a park, sporting event, swimming pool or other outdoor activity.

Pampering mere dogs at off-leash dog parks, dog day care, dog spas, dog summer camp, dog vacations, dog bakeries—the list goes on and on—is one of the most ludicrous fads to come down the pike in a long time.

Kyle Owens
Reno

Schreck and Santurri pay heed

Re “Shafted Reviewer” and “Grimm is consistent” (RN&R Letters, June 3):

First of all, Mr. Santurri, your character assassination of Brad Bynum is so ludicrous that it almost requires no response. However, I must pick a bone with a few of your sentiments.

You seem to imply that because you have always had good experiences at Deli Towne, that there are only good experiences to be had there. Anyone who doesn’t allow for some discrepancy in service quality is either a “whiny, self-righteous prick” (as you so eloquently spout in your letter) or a shill for Deli Towne. Whichever the case may be, your attack on a critic doing an honest write-up about his experience hardly holds water. By the way, at the risk of sounding infected with “California-itis,” sure, smoking is legal. So is picking your nose, but some people may not want to see food preparers doing that, even if it’s after the food in question has been prepared.

Mr. Schreck’s assault on Bob Grimm somehow manages to be even more ridiculous than Mr. Santurri’s letter. While the offer to replace Bob Grimm as the staff film critic is generous, I feel an explanation is in order here. Critics aren’t employed according to their ability to have an opinion. No, critics hold their jobs by being good writers, which Grimm is and which you clearly are not. One other thing: If you think Grimm’s opinions are somehow wrong, I assure you, the films Kill Bill: Vol. 2 and Traffic are, by any but the most moronic low-brow standards, four-star movies. I encourage you to get a second opinion. There are plenty out there.

Mark Dunagan
Reno

Be true to your students
Parents who have students at McQueen High School should be outraged. In an era where accountability and higher academic standards are supposed to be a given, McQueen has decided not to replace one of its departing English teachers, instead using her position to hire an Athletic Director.

Perhaps the move was prompted by McQueen’s arch rival, Reno High School, winning state championships in football and baseball. Whatever it is, the school has done a disservice to its students and sent a clear message as to its priorities. Voters would be wise to remember that a high school in Washoe County chose athletics over academics the next time a school bond comes around.

Shelly Cuthbert
Reno

Yeah, but people see you on it
Re “You can only blame yourself” (RN&R Letters, June 3):

With all the hoopla over gas prices, let me share an alternative with you.

A little more than two years ago, I declared my energy semi-independence from the auto/oil industry and bought a new moped. Out the door at slightly more than $2,000, it has a clean, quiet four-stroke motor that gets about 90 miles per gallon. You read it right, 90 mpg.

As a recent article reported, many SUV owners are parking them and buying cars with better gas mileage. Why not a moped for around town? Mine goes around 35 mph, and I can beat most cars across town—at least keep up with them. Additionally, there is adequate storage to do small shopping chores.

Let’s do some math here. My cost for the ‘ped, including a good coat, gloves and insulated pants was about $2,200. It costs 3 cents per mile in gas to drive the thing. To drive 14,000 miles will cost about $420. Throw in a couple of oil changes and miscellaneous expenses and call it $500.

Now compare the cost of driving a car at 56 cents per mile. That will set you back $7,840.

So the total cost of 14,000 miles on a moped, including the original vehicle cost, is only $2,700.

That is a realizable savings of $5,140. That’s money in the bank.

Craig Bergland
Reno