DARTS AND LETTERS
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Costly Toll Roads I fully agree that toll roads ("Terrible Toll Roads" by Pamela Wilson, July 1997) have no place in California. Not only are they criminally wasteful and more poisonous to the environment than freeways, they are also anathema and aberration, even abomination to the "way" of California. What’s next? A surfer tax? The writer addressed the question of why politicians would consider such a thing. I think I have at least a partial answer: MONEY! Toll road driving requires repeated slowing and accelerating back to traveling speed to pay tolls. This is not only an inconvenience, it also increases air pollution. Repeated acceleration pumps a lot more pollution into the air than maintaining a steady pace would. Repeated slowing and acceleration uses more gasoline than driving at a steady speed. Buying more gasoline means more money in the oil companies' coffers, and, of course, if there is only a toll road to get to work on, the commuter has little choice. Politicians need money to campaign for re-election. Where does this money come from? The oil companies are, or can be, generous contributors to political action committees. Politicians will push for this proven failure, toll roads, because they are in the oil companies' pockets. Oil companies, I wager, would love to see all the freeways turned into toll roads. Raymond Payne Bank Article Praised Congratulations to Denise Carabet for a well-written article on why small businesses change banks. While the article itself struck a delicate balance between large and small banks, the photo of Ron Kendrick was way too big. Fred C. Baranowski Self-Serving, Says Writer Seldom have I seen a more self-serving commentary than the one appearing in your June 1997 issue by Linda Baughman, president and CEO of University and State Employees Credit Union. There are no bankers I know of, first of all, who would disagree that credit unions have a valuable place in serving their legitimate members. The controversy, however, which Baughman neatly sidesteps, is one of taxation. Credit unions are allowed to compete for the same clients that banks do. However, credit unions pay no income tax and banks do. So you see, it is simply a matter of fairness. Come on now, Ms. Baughman, "Freedom of choice," "enormous salaries for bank executives," "more regulation," "bank growth,"...these are simply red herrings to mislead the public. The real issue is that credit union membership should be limited to persons having a common bond. That is the original purpose for which credit unions were established. Otherwise, they should be required to pay taxes like everyone else. That is the only issue. The trouble is, you want your cake and to be able to eat it, too. Greg Farnsworth Impressive Coverage Thank you for the check representing 10 percent of your anticipated TWIN-related advertising revenue in the June edition of San Diego Metropolitan Magazine. The Metropolitan gave the TWIN lunch a huge lift. Yes, we were all duly impressed. "The YWCA At 90" article by Linda Barkman and "The 1997 Tribute To Women And Industry" were great and we still continue to receive many wonderful comments. The YWCA staff and I were thrilled with the photography and graphics. I was very pleased with the outcome of my photo on the front cover as well. I have even received numerous requests for my autograph! Thanks again for a wonderful job. I look forward to working with you in the future. You have been fabulous. Janie Davis A Fortunate Find I would like a subscription to your magazine that I found on the ground in a parking lot in Mira Mesa. Great magazine. Roxanna Rapozo Lunch Nostalgia What a great bit of writing in Terryl Gavre's recollecting her elementary school lunches! It brought a tear to my eye. I can only hope that my 20-something (soon to be a mother herself) daughter will some day reminisce about her peanut butter, mayo and alfalfa sprout sandwiches, or perhaps those killer oatmeal cookies with prunes. Catherine Chester Positive Coverage I just want to take a minute to thank you for the fabulous article about the Leibowitz/Follingstad Duo tour of Latin America in the June issue of San Diego Metropolitan Magazine. The article is really powerful, and we have received positive feedback from no less than the La Jolla Chamber Music Society (which wants to send us to Tijuana and Mexicali to do outreach). I will soon be sending copies to Washington and the embassy posts we visited. Dr. Marian Liebowitz New subscriber Your magazine is the best. I just moved back to San Diego after being away for nine years (and discovered) San Diego Metropolitan provides great insights as to the business climate of San Diego. I tried to buy your magazine at Barnes & Noble and they don’t carry it. So I’m sending in my subscription. Carol Givens Understands Names Now I really enjoyed the article by Patrick Osio, "It pays to know what’s in a name," in your July issue. In my company, I have a lot of Mexican employees and I never had a good explanation for why there were so many names when I read their hiring papers. I knew about father and mother names but not how it worked. Now, I know and I like the tradition behind it. When I first got married, I carried both my maiden and married name: Marie-France Bouffaron Gaucher. After a while, I dropped my maiden name because my first name is long and I already have a hard time making people understand that France is not my middle name but part of my first name. So, having two last names made it even more complicated. But having both last names seems right: it tells who you were then and who you are now, without losing any of your past and gaining your future. Thanks for the explanation. Marie-France Gaucher Midway Museum OK While Rolla Rich may have a point regarding the reputation of the crew members of the Midway in its 40-plus years of service (July, Letters to the Editor), the carrier itself is not at fault. Indeed, the Midway, coming into service towards the end of World War II, is far more suited to host a museum of the aircraft carrier's role in naval history than any other, more modern, carrier. I did not serve on the Midway: I served on one of her escorts in the mid-'80s while we were forward-deployed out of Yokosuka, Japan, but I do know someone who was, and he is more than pleased to see his former ship come back to San Diego as a museum. As am I. Scott D. Ash On Volunteering I am writing in response to Brage Golding's article "Volunteering Often Isn’t Voluntary" in the July 1997 issue. As a consultant to not-for-profit organizations, I agree that volunteering should benefit both the organization and the volunteer. For some volunteers that means a good feeling from helping those in need; for others it is a chance to network for social or business reasons. With respect to nonprofit boards and fund-raising, it is a board's job to approve the budget and make certain the funds are there, whatever the source, to meet it. Trustees are also able to make "peer to peer" contact with donors, opening doors that paid staffers cannot. The reason to give is obvious — if trustees don’t believe in the organizations they represent, why should anyone else? As to "forced" volunteering, you’re correct in that there is much work that is thankless, tedious or overly time-consuming, and that many nonprofits are understaffed and tend to leave the "grunt work" to volunteers. Many volunteer positions also require hours of training plus a six-month to two-year commitment. There is one organization in San Diego that makes it easy for busy people to volunteer in a meaningful way, through hands-on team projects led by knowledgeable volunteers. It’s called San Diego Cares, with over 1,200 volunteers and everything from AIDS to Animals. That's the type of "no guilt volunteering" I am involved with. Perhaps you could pass this information along to your readers. Dee Hesse Correspondence may be sent to |
