Letters for March 9, 2006

Bus safety
I have three children in Washoe County Schools. With the weather as it has been, I find myself worried for their safety as they travel to and from their schools on buses.

Why have we passed seat belt laws and laws regarding child safety seats in personal vehicles? I am hoping the answer is to ensure the safety of our children, not just to put money in the pockets of manufacturers of these devices. Now, assuming the former, somebody please tell why I am not hearing any other parents ranting about the lack of seat belts on school buses. I have volunteered on many school field trips. They still do the old ‘getting out of the bus safely drill’ before every one of them. That is lovely; however, they have a much more realistic chance of getting out after an accident if they have not been bounced brutally around in a big metal box. How hard can it be to retrofit buses with seat belts? And don’t even start with the argument that it will further deplete an already over-stretched budget; that won’t matter if your kids don’t get to school safely.

Perhaps we can even find a way to make whichever automobile manufacturer has the government contract to provide buses pay to retrofit them. We can find that money somewhere. I don’t have any answers or alternatives yet, but I will.

If there is already a movement to bring this issue to the attention of the public, please put me in contact with them, so I can help. If there is not, I can start one. My e-mail is <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> </script>

Lolly Wood
Reno

Kinda pathetic, really
“Singing with the bluebird of happiness,” (Right Hook, March 2):

Mike Lafferty’s assertion that Republicans are “happier” than Democrats brings to mind the old adage: Ignorance is bliss.

Furthermore, this Democrat is exuberantly, gleefully aware of the fact that the latest poll shows Bush with a hilarious 34 percent job-approval rating.

Chris Rosamond
Reno

I got your bluebird
“Singing with the bluebird of happiness,” (Right Hook, March 2):

I’ve always known certain people were happier than others. For example, I grew up with a retarded cousin. I can’t remember an instance where my cousin was ever unhappy. I have also observed, throughout the rest of my life, that some people, those who may not be the brightest bulbs in the box, have also seemed happier than those moody intellectual types.

So regarding the survey in Mike Lafferty’s column: Happiness may have more to do with intelligence than Democrat or Republican affiliation. I am sure, however, it will be the Democrats who will have to fix the national debt, Iraq/Middle East/terrorism fiasco, Louisiana and Mississippi, ethics, our nations ports, healthcare and the countless other problems that the Bush Administration and the Republican Party have created.

And the Democrats will fix these problems like they always do … but of course, they will fix them unhappily!

Steve Higgins
Reno

Police reprisal? Really?

I would like to use this forum to express my, well, not quite outrage, but discontent with something I witnessed on the evening of Wednesday, March 1, at about 5:30, in the parking lot of the Reno Costco. When I went into the store, there was a RPD cruiser parked in front, empty, with the engine idling. When I left the store, after my usual 45-minute shopping excursion, the same vehicle was still there, idling away. I don’t know whether to be more pissed off at the waste of taxpayer-purchased fuel or the disregard for the environment. I made a call to the RPD, but I have a distinct feeling that my complaint was not taken very seriously. There, it’s off my chest.

Name withheld for fear of police reprisal
via e-mail

Metaphor or simile?
“Strap on the future” (Right Hook, Feb. 16):

“Every dollar in my pocket is like one of my children.” What?! Right Hook said this twice, and nobody has called him on it?! How many kids do you have? I’m sure I can pull that much money out of my wallet and rescue those poor babies from a man with such misplaced priorities—just tell me where I can pick them up.

OK, I’m sure he didn’t actually intend to commit to a one-to-one correspondence. But let me share a thought here: Money is pretty low on my list of priorities, and if he thinks about it, he might realize it’s lower down on his list, too. Let’s appreciate love, friendship, freedom, health, fresh air, clean water, elbow room, faith and joy before we fret about little pieces of greenish paper. After all, money only symbolizes consumerism and the opportunity to mess up love, friendship, etc.

Cheryl Anderson
via e-mail