On floods of greed, dangers of satire, and Russia in Iran

Development greed is flooding Corvallis

I defended my steps from a flooding river recently. As I watched the raging current it occurred to me that greed is more dangerous than floodwaters. Both are unrelenting, but greed has guile.

Corvallis development projects designed for maximum profit have created "development floods" that carry new problems into the surrounding neighborhoods.

The damage includes traffic problems, parking shortages, incompatible structures and loss of neighborhood identity.

The citizens of Corvallis rely on city land development rules to act as "levees" and protect them from these floods.

But greed and floodwaters are powerful, unrelenting forces. Floodwaters rush downhill and greed pursues profit.

The danger to my steps was clear. Floodwater does not mislead; it is an honest and honorable foe. But greed will lie, cheat, misdirect and redirect forces in any manner necessary to maximize profits.

Developers can increase profits by breaching the city's protection levees. Flooding new problems into surrounding neighborhoods is much cheaper than solving the problems on your own property.

The city is in charge of designing, operating, inspecting and improving these levees.

But recently, many of our levees were damaged because the city allowed developers to write a loophole (Ordinance 2004-41) into our land development code.

It is time for citizens to demand accountability for "development flood" damage caused by this loophole.

It should be removed, and all protection levees should be inspected and repaired.

The safety and livability of our city is at stake.

Corvallis must be protected from the floods of greed.

Sam Hoskinson

Corvallis

Lots of good, sober drivers are out late

This letter is in response to Jim Ballard's Dec. 27 letter ("Anyone but drunks driving late at night?").

I wanted to point out to Mr. Ballard that this is the kind of attitude that got former Corvallis police officer Dave Cox into so much trouble.

Both seem to have forgotten that good people make a living at all hours of the day.

As a closing bartender, it was not uncommon to be pulled over for a ridiculous reason when my only error in judgment was leaving a bar late a night, even though I worked there.

And what about the 24-hour convenience store clerks, all-night grocery store employees, emergency medical workers or any other late-night worker that has the audacity to work between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.?

I think if you listen closely, you can hear our collective sigh of relief now that Officer Cox is no longer with us.

Jessica Cuciti

Corvallis

Here's hoping letter was tongue in cheek

Quite often when I read a letter I hope it is done as tongue-in-cheek. Such is the case with the letter by Jim Ballard ("Anyone but drunks driving late at night?" Dec. 27).

To suggest only drunks and criminals are out late at night is ridiculous. Lots of people work off shifts and go out to eat or go home.

I was stopped one night coming home from Albany only because it was late.

The excuse was that I had crossed the fog line (I didn't).

Stopping drunken drivers is great, but the "collateral damage" done to innocent people is not.

Mr. Ballard might feel differently if it were him.

Any time a cop abuses his authority we have a problem. As for FOX taking over the paper, I can't imagine anything worse.

I want fair news reports, not far right. I am one of those liberals and proud of it.

Sandra Schomberg

Corvallis

Maybe Russia can prevent Iran attack

The perception of U.S. hegemony should be waning now.

As Corvallis' sturdy demonstration groups convene for passersby outside the Benton County Courthouse, Russian warships have entered Syrian ports-of-call. Mooring alongside their Iranian comrades, the message is clear: An attack on Iran is an attack on Russia.

Analysts in Jerusalem suggest the military buildup is a two-fold signal.

First, that Russia isn't going to sit on its hands as the West, including Israel, threaten military action against its multi-billion dollar investment in Iran's energy infrastructure.

Second, that Russia is serious about motivating the Arab-Israeli peace process, particularly in light of the current Israel-imposed stranglehold on the Gaza Strip.

This signal was pre-empted weeks ago during the Annapolis conference when the Russian foreign minister announced to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak (now defense minister) that Russia will be supplying the nuclear fuel to the Bushehr electrical generating plant in Iran, as previously arranged.

Thus, in the week following, Russia moved several warships and nearly 50 fighter jets into range between Israel and Iran.

A million people demonstrating in the streets around the world could not keep the U.S. from invading Iraq. Many pray now that warships, tactical missiles, and fighter jets will keep it from invading sovereign Iran.

Thomas R. Estes

Corvallis