Letters for March 6, 2008

Know your writes
Re “Young vs. Old” (Letters to the Editor, Feb. 28):

Recent correspondents have suggested that “young conservative” Amanda Williams is at an unfair disadvantage against that liberal “old flatulent hag” Cory Farley because, though she has more brains than him, she is lacking in writing experience.

Well, excuse me, but since when is brain activity disassociated from writing? Where is the brain while the fingers type? Are we to conclude that Williams is not using her brain when she writes? Now that I think about it, that may be so, for her ramblings are neither concise nor coherent—in other words, a younger reincarnation of her predecessor. However, the real unfairness here is not that Cory Farley can make mincemeat out of her intellectually, but that RN&R has yet to find a conservative voice that presents its argument with superior rhetoric and reasoning and presentation of facts.

Renate Fong
via email

Bike laws
I thought it was illegal to ride bikes on the sidewalk. Somebody tell the RPD. Like a pack of wolves, they ride, two to three abreast all up and down the sidewalks downtown, knocking things out of their way and yelling at people. It’s harassment if you ask me. My girlfriend and I were walking downtown trying to enjoy the nice spring weather when about three yellow-shirted (maybe they should be wearing brown shirts?) law-thugs whipped toward us, riding on the sidewalk, going the wrong way and yelled at us to get out of the way. This does not make me want to go downtown. We will do our shopping elsewhere, and the merchants better get together and have a meeting with these Stormtroopers before they pedal the rest of the walking tourists back to Vegas or elsewhere.

Robb Hathaway
Reno

Bus unfares
Re “More fare, less ride” (Upfront, Feb. 28):

Five questions regarding increasing fares for Citifare:

1) If sales tax revenues are proportional to the population, then is the RTC sacrificing mass transit for the automobile?

2) If (1) is true, then will the outcome be more gridlock and more air pollution?

3) Does the RTC or Citifare have any idea as to the cost of living increase given to people on fixed incomes?

4) Is the quality of life in Reno aided by encouraging seniors/disabled to be out and about?

5) Is it not true that the proposed changes starting in May 2008 be followed be more changes (negative?) starting in October 2008?

John D. Daniels
Reno

U-who?
Re “Even better than the real thing” (Film, Feb. 28):

At task of reading the latest printed edition of the Reno News & Review, I was pleasantly surprised to come across a film review of the new U2 3-D movie. Great job! Your review enticed me enough to get through the first two paragraphs as you self-proclaim your validity as a “U2 spaz.”

Well, Mr. Grimm, I hate to bring this to your attention, but as a genuine U2 spaz, you suck. Mid-review I dropped my cereal spoon into my bowl when you wrote, “Drummer Adam Clayton pounds on a …’ I stopped reading but thought there must be some grim mistake. Unfortunately, you continue with, “Speaking of Clayton, it’s an amazing thing to see him working his kit in the 3-D medium.”

I must be out of the U2 loop! Since when did bassist, Adam Clayton replace drummer, Larry Mullen Jr.? Good thing you caught your mistake and made the change for your online review, however, I have it in full print. Please, please, please never call yourself a U2 spaz again. You, my friend, are no U2 spaz.

Ursula Riina
Truckee, CA

Battle born
Re “A tale of two towns” (Feature story, Jan. 31):

I read your story about the growth of Battle Mountain and Fernley in your paper. It’s a shame that you didn’t get a chance to talk to more people in Battle Mountain. Maybe some people like to go to Elko and Winnemucca “as an outing,” but a lot of people go out of necessity to shop and try to stretch their money. Both gas and groceries are less expensive in both of those towns compared to Battle Mountain. A lot of people would like to see this town grow and offer more for our children and working families than just getting them out of school and out of town. Battle Mountain is a great town and has a lot of potential, but some don’t want to see that happen. We need something here to encourage our graduates to stay here and grow. Job opportunities other than mining. We need growth, not less people.

Diane Ferro
Battle Mountain

Clarification
Re “Global catastrophes ahead” (Letters to the Editor, Feb. 21):

Due to an editor’s error, a sentence in a letter to the editor was edited in such a way as to lose its intended meaning. The original letter said, “Although I do agree it is plausible that global warming could be caused by something other than humans, but I feel that anything is possible.” In our Feb. 21 edition, we printed, “Although I don’t agree it is plausible that global warming could be caused by something other than humans, I feel that anything is possible.” The letter writer does believe global warming is caused by human beings. We apologize for any confusion.