Really, it just means ‘a lot of rain’
Reading the recent story about the big rainstorm, I saw the dreaded term “atmospheric river.” Whatever happened to the term “Pineapple Express”?
Everybody understood that meant a whole heap of rain, and it did not sound as ominous and alarming as the “atmospheric river.”
Why don’t we follow the trend of naming storms? Probably that will be the next step in helping to inflame tensions for people who are susceptible to stress relating to dramatic reporting of weather events.
Pete Talavs
Central Saanich
Mayor should be allied with people of Victoria
I wish Lisa Helps well in her retirement. Incoming mayor Marianne Alto says she hopes people don’t expect another Mayor Helps.
I hear the sound of one hand clapping.
The Helps regime brought us much poorly planned, overpriced development, puzzling reconfiguration of city streets and the literal de-greening of Victoria.
Does the city keep track of how many trees we have lost and the effect on climate mitigation? I’ll bet they don’t and I’ll bet double it’s in the thousands.
A building lot in my old neighbourhood was clearcut, a dozen mature trees slashed to the ground, the yard paved over. This is often standard practice.
Then there are all the trees on city property sacrificed to bike lanes (cycle of irony) and other civic works.
But the key to the recent article on Helps’s retirement was the lament from the developers’ lobby about losing an ally.
The mayor should not be allied with the major industry the city oversees, whose interests are often at odds with those of residents and communities.
The mayor should be allied with the people of Victoria, reflecting their needs and aspirations.
And while Helps empowered developers, the city stripped community associations of their powers of oversight of major building projects.
Yes, Helps was a hard-working mayor. I hope the new mayor will work less and listen more.
Sid Tafler
Saanichton
Want good health and a healthy planet? Go vegan
Re: “Small-town doctor’s stew has a little bit of everything,” Oct. 30.
Based on long-standing science, it is time to stop promoting meat consumption, including articles with recipes that are animal-sourced, such as the feature by Eric Akis, and particularly recipes from doctors.
I have spent more than 45 years as a health professional and academic clinician scientist. Over that time, the evidence has become unequivocal and acknowledged by world authorities that animal-sourced foods including meat, poultry, eggs and dairy are not only unnatural for humans, but deleterious.
They are major contributors to heart disease, several cancers, stroke, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Whole food plant-based diets are healthy and disease protective.
Most animals consumed are raised on factory farms. Factory farming hurts our planet. Its byproducts are major contributors to water and air pollution.
Raising animals for food requires massive amounts of resources. It takes 30 times more water to produce a pound of meat than wheat. Raising and slaughtering animals for consumption is simply poor economics. It is time to remove the ‘middle’ animal.
Animals raised on factory farms are drugged, endure crowding stress, have little access to outdoors, and live in the stench of their own excrement.
Subjecting animals to these horrific conditions and such suffering is hardly the act of a humane society. Our society has been accused of “species-ism,” as we would not allow our cats and dogs to be treated this way.
That as a society we have acquired a taste for animal flesh does not justify the continuation of this practice.
Elizabeth Dean, professor emeritus
Faculty of Medicine
University of British Columbia
Bright headlights bother? Then adjust your mirror
Re: “Bright headlights can hurt drivers in front,” letter, Oct. 29.
Being the driver of a full-size pickup truck, I am fully aware that my headlights ride higher than some of these peanut cars on the highway. Taking that into consideration, I try to ensure that I maintain a safe distance while following, especially at night when the headlights may be intrusive.
But how sanctimonious of the letter-writer to assume this was the “guaranteed case” for the driver who got punched.
If people driving the peanut car and having issues with headlights burning their retinas would learn how to adjust their mirrors, it wouldn’t be an issue, and I guess less people would be punched on the road.
Steve Ostler
Campbell River
Those parked cars help to calm traffic
I’m one of the folks who live on St. Charles Street. We’ve put up with traffic for 35 years.
It’s worse since the road closures. The only reprieve has been increased parking as density increases. The inconvenience to us is minor compared with the traffic-calming effect of parked cars. The few stretches with parking on both sides forces drivers to slow down or yield.
Along with other residents, we’re lobbying to allow more parking on the east side for more calming. To the writer of a recent letter, we’re hoping to coax you to stop using our street as a shortcut through the neighbourhood.
Ken Milbrath
Victoria
That was not what Hamlet really believed
Re: “New Zealand controversy shows why Shakespeare is still relevant to today’s kids,” Oct. 30.
Geoff Johnson’s piece was entertaining in his blending of Shakespearean quotes into his text.
What is unfortunate is that he chose to include Hamlet’s “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” as if this were Hamlet’s true opinion, but it is uttered by Hamlet during his pretence of being raving mad.
Affirmation of that sentiment would be to endorse relativism on steroids, certainly not Shakespeare’s view, Hamlet’s nor, I trust, Mr. Johnson’s.
Garnet A. Parr
Duncan
Tough to get it right with Halloween costumes
I decided to get in the spirit, so to speak, and dress up for Halloween this year. Times have changed, and I worried about choosing a costume that would offend or be considered cultural appropriation.
After much agonizing, I thought going out as a pirate would be a pretty safe bet. I’d incorporate all the clichés: the ragged clothes, a black eye patch, a wooden leg and matching crutch, a dagger clenched between the teeth, and the obligatory parrot on the shoulder. I would be the envy of every kid on the block.
But then I would have to apologize to the visually impaired and amputees for implying that they were all badly dressed cutthroats and villains, explain to the SPCA that the parrot was not an endangered species or had been in any way mistreated, and worry about getting stopped by the police for brandishing an offensive weapon, even if it wasn’t a flintlock pistol stuck in my belt.
The dagger was a bad idea anyway, as it is hard to say “trick or treat” through clenched teeth. “Chick or cheat!” are not the words you expect to hear from a Halloween trickster at your front door, or a pirate for that matter.
So I stayed at home for Halloween, and did not comment on any of the culturally insensitive costumes worn by the kids that came to the door.
John Emes
Saanich
If you don’t like the prices, don’t buy the items
How to stop inflation:
Stop purchasing at inflated prices. Don’t pay retail. Buy it on sale.
If a company can sell a bag of potato chips for $4 when it used to be $2.50, why wouldn’t they? It’s profit. Why would a company reduce prices if the consumer is willing to pay?
As long as the consumer is willing to pay, then prices will increase and product sizes will decrease.
Don’t use supply chain as an excuse.
The products are available.
Don’t call it inflation. It’s greed.
D.J. Garner
Saanich
A rock-solid idea for describing this
I’m confused. I recently saw a street sign advising of “loose gravel.”
Is there any other kind?
Dave Kirk
Nanaimo
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