Enough with the Trump cat jokes
Dear Editor:
The internet memes/jokes depicting cats getting or about to get eaten by very hungry migrants are not at all funny for us cat fans.
At the same time, there鈥檚 a potential solution for the pet-cat worried: The average lifespan of an indoor feline is about three times that of outdoor felines, not to mention the notable absence of outdoor-related injury. Ergo, always keep your pet cat on a chest-harness [鈥榣eash鈥橾 during walks, or (preferably) indoors at all times. If you won鈥檛 do it for the vulnerable wildlife potentially killed by your roaming cat, then please do it for your also-very-vulnerable cat鈥檚 sake.
I grew up around cats, including feral/stray felines, and developed a life-long appreciation and affection for cats in general. As a young boy, finding them slaughtered the first thing in the morning was quite traumatizing. They were lost to larger predators 鈥 perhaps even a cat-hating human. I knew about a few guys willing to procure sick satisfaction from torturing to death those naively-trusting thus likely sweet-natured cats whose owners had allowed to wander the neighborhood, even at night.
Domesticated, cats offer reciprocally healthy relationships 鈥 many cat lovers describe them as somewhat symbiotic 鈥 particularly for those suffering physical and/or mental illness. Yet, human apathy, the throwaway mentality/culture and even a bit of public hostility toward cats typically result in population explosions thus their inevitable neglect and suffering, including severe illness and starvation.
With the mindset of feline disposability, it might be: 鈥極h, there鈥檚 a lot more whence they came鈥.
Frank Sterle Jr.,聽White Rock
Safety should come first
Dear Editor:
I鈥檓 enjoying the advance crosswalk lights at Penticton鈥檚 intersections, getting almost across the street before the vehicles start moving is nice, although I am wondering if the vehicles that like to run red lights, knowing there is such a long delay before the cross traffic light goes green, might take out an unaware pedestrian. What about visitors who are unaware?
Cameras at intersections, most above traffic lights, some on curved brackets, some mounted on walk lights, are they for tracking inhabitants鈥 movements without their permission? Or is the City bringing in traffic cameras without the people鈥檚 permission?
What about new 24/7/365 school zones that have no signage indicating it鈥檚 new rules that do not reflect transportation rules most know?
Emolument violations? Getting paid by one party, the people of Penticton and doing as directed by others: the province, feds.
Vehicles are expected to yield to bicycles passing on the right. When they鈥檙e in bike lanes with barriers that cause dangerous vision issues? Bicycles are supposed to follow the rules of the road, which means you don鈥檛 pass on the right, for safety reasons.
Remember bicycles will always lose over vehicles, so virtue signaling by changing the rules here in Penticton, is confusing and dangerous.
Bikes, skateboards, etc. also move much faster than pedestrians, so giving them right of way in every situation confuses everyone, and contravenes transportation rules, in place for everyone鈥檚 safety.
Vehicles pay for liability insurance, so always pay if there鈥檚 an incident. Bikes and other wheeled conveyances should then too, have to pay insurance, perhaps yearly licence plates could remedy this, temporary ones for visitors.
So all are equally liable.
Bikes, scooters and skateboards on sidewalks are an issue too. Who pays for damage when one of them flattens a pedestrian... the City? This has nearly happened to me a few times, just a block away from the designated, overbuilt bike lane. I see a couple strange road signs above sidewalks downtown (recently removed), indicating with pictures; 鈥渘o bikes, skateboards鈥, etc.
First, do people notice signs, are they placed where people can see them?
They鈥檙e posted fairly high, often, and where are they not to be, sidewalk, crosswalks, roads. How about enforcing get off the bike, etc. and walk across the crosswalk? Safer for everyone. If they want to stay on their conveyance they should be on the road, following traffic laws, and not segregated behind barriers, where many drivers won鈥檛 notice them, until perhaps too late.
Keep the bikes on road rules instead of continuing with the virtue signaling, the inhabitants of Penticton did not ask for bike lanes, a big change in council last election should tell you that, continuing to apply for our money from the province is not working for the people in Penticton, where a majority are saying , 鈥渘o鈥.
Teri J. McKnight,聽Penticton
Best candidate: Tracy St. Claire
Dear Editor:
I am a Conservative, and I have always voted for the candidate I viewed as the best person to represent me and our citizens here in Penticton, Naramata, Summerland.
In October, I will be voting for Tracy St. Claire as the best-of-the-best candidate.
I have known Tracy St. Claire for many years, whether she was facilitating indigenous land issues; working for our children鈥檚 education as a trustee on the school board; or most recently calling out the David Eby鈥檚 NDP government, on health-care and affordable housing issues for area citizens, Tracy has shown she can fight for what is right for the people of Penticton, Naramata, Summerland.
Come October, I will be voting for the best candidate 鈥 Tracy St. Claire.
Yasmin John-Thorpe, Penticton
鈥楢stounded鈥 by the great debate
Dear Editor:
This is my take away from watching the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debate. In a word: astounded.
Given Trump鈥檚 deeply flawed character, it is incomprehensible how such a man could have become the President of the United States in the first place.
I am baffled by questions such as the following and have written head-scratching possible answers. Who supports Donald Trump? Wealthy individuals and influential corporations. Also gullible folks who blindly believe internet misinformation and are unwilling to fact-check.
What do the wealthy see in Trump? An opportunity to have restrictive government regulations and tax laws changed. What do frustrated and angry people see in Trump?聽 A far-fetched belief he will relieve their anxiety which has been brought on by the rapidly changing world.
This race for the American presidency is a contest between good and evil; altruism and selfishness; truth and lies; duty and egotism; hopefulness and negativity; decency and indecency; cheerfulness and bitterness; realistic gun rules and token ones; progressiveness and small-mindedness; women鈥檚 rights and 鈥榟olier-than-thou鈥 suppression; democracy and tyranny.聽 Go Kamala, go!
Lloyd Atkins,聽Vernon
Concerned with Conservatives
Dear Editor:
Re: 鈥淲ho are the elites?,鈥 (Sept. 10)
I support David Bond鈥檚 most recent column. I have some understanding of the economics, but I was not aware of Pierre Poilievre鈥檚 positions reflected in Jeffry Simpson鈥檚 comments: 鈥淪o determined is Poilievre to see himself as the defender to the 鈥榩eople鈥 against 鈥榚lites鈥 (including) cutting expertise鈥.
Both the Canadian and BC Conservatives are a threat to our country鈥檚 economic future if they are elected.
Further the Conservative 鈥渁xe the tax鈥 position is a threat to the future of our children and grandchildren. Also, their continued efforts to split our political parties into the strong right relative to the middle ground and left reflects the political concerns in the U,S. We need to continue to stop dividing our democracy. We need to try to unite our country or our democracy itself will fail.
William Stollery, Penticton
Let鈥檚 eliminate airplane doors
Dear Editor:
I am absolutely behind Premier David Eby鈥檚 revision of our state-of-the-art building code. The chances of fire in all new vertical office towers including residential condos and apartment buildings with six floors is statistically zero.
For all new buildings above six floors will need of course two exits. This change to our thoughtful and lifesaving building code will further bring our code into the present.
Our premier would have no concerns about living with his family in one of these new building code conforming structures.
I do believe this significant change should be passed on to the aircraft company in Seattle, enabling them to build commercial planes with one exit.
John Evans,聽Brentwood Bay