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May 21, 2009 Opinions |
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—Editorial—
Watch For Kids!
School is almost out and kids will be skateboarding, bicycling and playing, and flooding the streets, parks and sidewalks for the better part of the next three months. Drivers who aren’t used to seeing children out and about during the day now need to be extra cautious at intersections, side streets and basically everywhere. Let's face it most parents and teachers do the best they can at teaching children to obey traffic lights and crosswalk signals, and where to safely cross streets, but kids will be kids and they will occasionally dart out in traffic to retrieve a wayward soccer ball.
Drivers need to put down their cell phones, put lipstick on and comb their hair before they leave the house, wait until they arrive at their destination to eat that hamburger or drink that coke, give their honey kisses some other time, and slow down to watch for kids.
Parents have a responsibility to make sure their children wear the proper safety equipment and helmets while skateboarding, rollerblading and biking and that their children understand the importance of obeying traffic control devices.
Parents also need to make sure younger children are properly supervised and that older children obey local curfew laws. In Baker City the curfew for children under 18 is 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., during which time they cannot “wander, stroll or play” without adult supervision.
Even though skateboarding, rollerblading and bicycling on sidewalks is illegal in downtown portions of Baker City, pedestrians need to be on the lookout for adults and kids who do not adhere to these laws. Having someone on a skateboard run you over as you come out of a store could cause some serious pain.
Bikes, skateboards and rollerblades ridden on the street are considered the same as a vehicle and those who use them on the streets need to obey the traffic laws.
Sgt. Kirk McCormick with the Baker City Police Department says it best, “Slow down does not equal stop” for any mode of transportation.
People of all ages have a responsibility to be on the lookout for moving automobiles and motorcycles and realize that drivers may become distracted and won't always see them.
An accident could be devastating to a child and their family and it could emotionally scar a driver for life. At that point it doesn't really matter who's fault it is, prevention is the key. (DS)
—Letters To The Editor—
Appeasement Jeopardizes National Security
To The Record-Courier:
President Obama is making mistakes impacting our foreign policy.
The Administration tried appeasement when it declared Chavez’s president-for-life referendum was “for the most part …. a process that was fully consistent with a democratic process.”
The Administration looked the other way when Russia pressured Kyrgyestan to shut down a valuable U.S. air base.
In Turkey Obama said “The United States is not, and never will be, at war with Islam,” which is true, but he should have stated the U.S. will pursue Islamic terrorists.
The President warned North Korea it would suffer “consequences” if it went ahead with the launch of a long range missile, but North Korea snubbed the U.S. and launched the missile on a 2000 mile run. Also, North Korea recently restarted its nuclear weapons development program.
Obama is making reconciliation overtures to Cuba, but Cuba is negotiating to allow Russian warships and aircraft to refuel at Cuban bases; and Russia might be allowed to reopen an electronic intelligence gathering operation in Lourdes.
Appeasing and apologizing (for nothing) to these totalitarian countries is interpreted as groveling weakness by the Administration, and it is jeopardizing our national security.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH
Greenhouse Windows Needed
To The Record-Courier:
Well wouldn’t you know it, I wasn’t too far off with the weather misnomers. Since then my place at one point looked like a jungle growing in my house and now they are outside with a mini greenhouse covered with windows and growing to say the least including my potatoes, which I have a little mesh greenhouse covering them to keep the predators away, so much for predators these days.
If the weather is in full swing at the writing of this letter this past weekend, all will take off for the holiday. The bases are all covered at that, and yes the onions are in full swing now — too amazing what windows can do for a greenhouse. I do need some larger windows for my other section so if anyone is wishing to donate a few to see someone else make use of them please email me at Brendajames@q.com.
This year is even unusual for the lilac bushes not to be blooming on time this year. Many people like to use them for the Memorial Day weekend Cemetery, and all the events to add to their display for remembering their loved ones.
While in one of the stores once again, another comment was made to me about keeping the letters coming. I will have to see what I can make out of that and stretch it a mile or two.
Yes so many issues and events, keep coming at us every day it seems like.
You know, I could have mentioned in my last letter about what the Biblical character David and Goliath did to knock the big giant down. It doesn’t take much on what we can do to remedy situations, but given the laws of our country it kinda makes one think twice.
You know back in the early days there were no laws to govern so to speak as to what it took in protecting one’s turf, what one could do and or not do. This kind of reminds me of even the early days of the Bible at how people were put into the rings for the fans to watch the lions go for human flesh. So will we be in the lions den so to speak, let alone wolves to be trampled on at their leisure without defending ourselves? So much for the big bad wolf as one would put it.
Coffee Anyone?
Brenda Dickison
Baker City, Ore.
Local Show, One Of The Best
To The Record-Courier:
“Swingtime Canteen” is one of the best, most entertaining productions that we have had for many years! You still have a chance to see and to hear the wonderful World War II songs next Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the former Natatorium, now renamed the Baker Heritage Museum.
Can you believe we once voted to tear this magnificent building down? As I watched the show in the ballroom, I thought how grateful we should be to Alice Warnock, Carolyn Sherrieb and others who had the vision to restore the old “Nat” and save many artifacts from Eastern Oregon.
Fran Burgess
Baker City
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