Letters to the Editor for Wednesday, October 22, 2008
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Published: October 21, 2008
Recycling on City Council’s agenda
City Council approved the current recycling program in the early 1990s and revised the program in 2004. Recycling is back on the council’s agenda for a meeting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 28. Curbside recycling will be considered at that time. What are the chances of its approval?
Click to sendIn the past three years, total recycling tonnages have gone from 2,459 to 2,780 (113 percent). Revenues from recycling have gone from $23,774 to $77,860 (328 percent). However, the annual cost for recycling in 2004 was $217,837. At that time, recycling saved the city $187,325 annually in landfill space. Therefore recycling could be justified. Recycling was only a little more expensive than putting all of Lynchburg’s trash into the landfill.
Do we still want to recycle? And if we do, what is the best method? Our current residential recycling rate is about 22 percent, and businesses recycle at about a 40 percent rate. If we had compulsory curbside recycling for businesses and residences, our rates would at least double. But Lynchburg no longer owns a landfill. Our landfill is owned by the Region 2000 Services Authority. The city does not save land through recycling, and we cannot generate enough income to pay for recycling.
Dave Owen, public works director, has been involved in a number of recycling meetings over the past few months. One private individual is interested in starting a business recycling mixed paper. Another individual is recycling electronics — computers, monitors and the like. Other companies are interested in mixed paper and cardboard. One company will not take plastic or glass but will accept aluminum and steel cans, newspapers, mixed paper and cardboard. But the question is, how is this to be collected?
To make compulsory recycling profitable, Lynchburg needs a sorting facility. Bedford County has one of these, but it is not economical to deliver all our recyclables out there. Bedford City has curbside recycling and composting, but again driving long distances increases costs. How much are the citizens of Lynchburg willing to pay for recycling? A recent survey of residents indicates only 48 percent are willing to pay for recycling.
What are we going to do? Come to council’s work session to hear members address this issue. Although you will not be able to participate unless called upon, your presence may influence the outcome of the discussion.
KEN SMITH
Executive Coordinator, Citizens for a Clean Lynchburg Inc.
Blazing pistols
An armed campus? Of onward Christian soldiers? No-brainer!
A Bible in the hand and a six-shooter on the hip — it’s what made America the Christian nation it is. LU would just be following in Jesus’ footsteps. After all, didn’t Jesus raise a posse of 12 well-armed apostles to go after reprobates and defend him from attack? And when most of that posse abandoned him when the bad guys showed up in force, wasn’t his watchful and wise deputy (Peter?) by his side, guns blazing? (Luke 22) The bad guys had them out-gunned, but Peter still managed to plug one of the evildoers before they roped Jesus in order to string him up. When Jesus saw the blood from the guy Peter plugged, he gave a shout out to Peter, “Bless you. Only you understand everything I’ve been fighting for.”
Get a gun. It’s Christian. (It also seems to be popular with Jews and Muslims.)
LAWRENCE BOWDEN
Lynchburg
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( Cosmo Wafflefoot ) on November 04, 2008 at 11:37 am
My goodness (tbhannon)! You know, the really shocking thing isn’t the childishly silly names you call me… or even the implication that I am a swine. The really shocking thing is your assumption that non-religious people actually think as you describe them!
I will pull this, if I may, from your catalogue of insults. ...“ Big problem for materialists who believe they can get through life without believing in belief.“...
First, I am anything but a “materialist”. The best things in life are indeed free and immaterial. Second, of course I believe in belief. It clearly exists and serves a long list of functions. It, from all I can learn, see and understand, evolved as a survival tool that, at least neurologically, enabled us to “move on to the next problem” when faced with important questions that have no answers. We make them up and chemically reward ourselves for success. The more people who “believe” the same things the bigger and better the reward. From there it REALLY starts to get interesting, neurologically. The parallels with hypnotism, especially group hypnosis, are fascinating. It’s a left brain/right brain thing.
But then again ...“you have no interest in actually participating in a dialogue. You’ve made up your mind, you’ll ignore any inconvenient points”...
[You ask] ...“How about might makes right?“...
It only works if you really have a strong need/desire to be told “OK, you are right.“ by people who don’t really believe it. In the long run it almost always proves to be counterproductive to human happiness all round.
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Posted by ( tbhannon ) on November 04, 2008 at 10:44 am
My Dear Wifflecoot:
In view of your noted inability to spell simple words, and unable to make any sense of being called a fugitive slave in the context of your ranting, I naturally assumed that you had made yet another spelling error when you exclaimed “What a Maroon!“ Sorry. Then again, the first time you used the word, you capitalized it, but in your second, you don’t. What am I to make of that? Am I now a reddish brown color? Perhaps a maroon Maroon? So confusing!
And what, my dear man, is YOUR argument, exactly? Nothing exists save that which you BELIEVE you “know” via your senses? Ever been to Vladivostok? How do you know it’s there? Seen pictures, have you? A map? Using nothing but your senses (No believing now!) how do you know they represent a real city? Pick up the phone and call Vladivostok City Hall? You hear a voice, how do you know where it’s coming from? That’s the Logical Positivist trap you have there, Bifflepot. Big problem for materialists who believe they can get through life without believing in belief. Grasp this and go from there.
How about might makes right? How do you avoid an amoral world? Hint: You can’t. But isn’t it nice having neighbors who behave themselves? Up to you… Reason alone won’t do it, my friend. It’s been tried.
But to set the record straight, I most certainly can answer your questions, but choose not to because you have no interest in actually participating in a dialogue. You’ve made up your mind, you’ll ignore any inconvenient points, and you’ll call me silly when you can’t answer my questions. Case closed.
Furthermore, in view of the fact that your posts are so predictably boring and unenlightening, what benefit could possibly accrue to me by attempting to educate you? I’d have to be paid (handsomely) to do that, but, what the heck, I will give you this one to ponder, for free:
“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.“
Aloha,
T.
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Posted by ( Cosmo Wafflefoot ) on November 04, 2008 at 4:17 am
You should be ashamed (tbhannon). In the end your name-calling is your only argument. Do you not know the difference between a maroon and a moron. Or were you just playing your strong suit.
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Posted by ( tbhannon ) on November 03, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Wifllepark:
You bet. I may be a “maroon”— but at least I know how to spell moron…
TBH
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Posted by ( Cosmo Wafflefoot ) on November 03, 2008 at 1:38 pm
All this time and the best (tbhannon) can do is bugger-off with more childish name calling and the old “If I wasn’t wearing my good suit, I would sure show you!“
You are stuck like a fly in ointment. I asked you the question you can’t answer.
...“Are all religions just as good?“...
Well of course yours is better because yours is the only true one, right Ted?
What a Maroon!
Thousands of religions, but (tbhannon) just happen to stumble on the only one that is true. How can you not just laugh like hell?
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Posted by ( tbhannon ) on November 03, 2008 at 9:56 am
Wifflepoof:
In the Answering Questions Department, it is in fact you who owe me—my unanswered questions predate yours. If you sincerely want my answers, you must go back to the start and answer mine first. There is a method here, you see; questions and answers must be taken in order to do any good at all. Why? Ask Socrates…
Be that as it may, and as I have said before, you are manifestly not a serious person, Wafflepunt. If I could detect a genuine interest in an open, honest, well-informed exchange of views, I would be only too happy to continue our dialogue, but I do not.
And yes, anything IS better than being a murdering, civilization-destroying beast… or don’t you agree?
Your Pal Ted
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Posted by ( Cosmo Wafflefoot ) on October 30, 2008 at 8:54 am
It appears that (tbhannon) isn’t willing to enlighten us on the subject of which religions are “good” religions and which are bad. What a shock. How disappointing. I was SO interested in the relative moralities of them all.
Given the free opportunity to instruct us in why “his” religion is superior to the thousands of others… he cops a walk. Anything, I must assume, is better than being a murdering, civilization destroying Atheist. Believing any wild concoction of farcical balderdash is preferable to admitting the truth.
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Posted by ( Cosmo Wafflefoot ) on October 27, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Golly (tbhannon) isn’t there instructions in the Bible with respect to how you good people should deal with witches? I know there is!
[you post]...“ Almost without exception, witch burnings occurred during times of acute social distress, such as famine, plague, and war (sometimes all three at the same time).“... No, that’s when they persecuted the Jews! Silly! You should investigate your own religion before you go instructing others with respect to atrocities. What about the Inquisition and Salem Mass?
Why don’t you just answer the few questions I have asked you? Is it all that hard? I realize it’s easier to call people names (Randolph can help you out with that) than actually “admit” to a position, but, if you want to be taken seriously… you really have to.
How about just two?
Are all religions just as good?
If Mr. Newton decided he didn’t want to be Christian, what would have happened to him?
If you feel you can handle two you can, someday, perhaps go on to answer others.
Feel free to throw in all the, “YOU just hate Christians” and Chairman Mao stuff you like. Call me what ever you like. I really don’t mind. I am quite used to religious types doing just as you do. You have no rational defence, so, you rapidly get very offencive. It’s OK. Completely understandable in fact.
But if you do ever feel up to it perhaps you could pick the 10 best religions out of the thousands available. List them for us all from best to not-so-best. I, you see, find them all equally silly. Some, of course, being far more dangerous than others. But, I would never single Christianity out. As a matter of fact, I took some of my grand children to a magic show just yesterday. They got to see a celibate person turn soda crackers and wine into meat and blood! He said “magic” words. They were not impressed.
Do you really think the Tibetans are right with that reincarnation malarkey? AND, since there is still a Hawaii there may just be something to that sacrificing business. Do you believe it, or is their religion bad? You are such an expert, I didn’t think it would hurt to ask.
You know, for a guy who claims his God is “Loving”.... you sure got a lot of anger in ya.
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Posted by ( Randolph Knipp ) on October 27, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Well said, Mr. Hannon, but I begin to wonder about your intelligence when I see you continuing to banter with someone who is precisely as you describe! It ain’t worth the time! He has no reasoning capacity, no rational approach, no comprehensible argument! Fuggedabodit!
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Posted by ( tbhannon ) on October 27, 2008 at 12:09 pm
CW:
“and witch burning…“
There, in three words, you have proven that I’ve not engaged in name calling, but described you accurately as you really are.
Hateful: Remembering that this entire exchange started with my reference to the mass murders perpetrated by atheists, to suggest that Sir Isaac Newton and, by inference, all Christians are somehow responsible for or condone witch burning is so ridiculous on its face that the only possible explanation for such a comment is your visceral hatred of Christianity.
Ignorant: Almost without exception, witch burnings occurred during times of acute social distress, such as famine, plague, and war (sometimes all three at the same time). Such acts reflected the ignorance of the times, to be sure, but they were not generated by the demands of Christian doctrine, but by the demand for scapegoats. Not pretty, but not unusual in human societies (Hawaiians threw human sacrifices into volcanos to stop eruptions), and certainly nowhere near as reprehensible as Chairman Mao’s atrocities against the Tibetans (refer to the passages I quoted earlier). What was The Great Leader’s excuse? The demands of Communist/atheist doctrine and a desire to dominate and destroy all pockets of resistance.
Intellectually dishonest: As I said, the only possible justification for this comment is your hatred for Christians. It does nothing to advance your argument, nor does it shed any light of truth or understanding on anything. Pointless.
Good-bye.
TBH
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