www.roanoke.com

Keeping the planet green can save you a little green

Global warming is an established scientific fact. Even if you don't believe it, we can save a lot of money by economizing: fluorescent light bulbs, extra insulation, wind turbines and 90 mpg cars. Combating global warming should cost nothing.

Putting up 300,000 windmills would allow all coal electric plants to be shut down, reducing pollution and lowering electric costs. If later we come up with other cheap, nonpolluting means of making electricity, go for it.

All ground transportation should be electric by 2030. If Detroit will give up its insane love of steel and go to reinforced thermoplastic cars (as they should have 25 years ago), we could have cheap, safe, 90 mpg cars, without going hybrid. The average family would save $1,000 per year at $4 a gallon for gasoline. At $5, it would be $1,250 per year.

Why would anyone not want to save money? Who cares whether you believe in global warming? Everyone should like to save money.

Texas government showed its bias

The government and all religions have rules. A religion is imposing itself on other religions and lying about it. In this case, the government says we all must mature mentally at exactly 18 years old, regardless of what those who have observed the children growing up have to say.

History proves to us that when governments drown their people in the oceans of emotions, civilizations fall from within. The government is trapping its people and refusing to accept the good, bad and the ugly as the package deal it asked for. The government changed the rules in the middle of the game and started to pick and choose what religion it liked and what it does not like.

The Mormons in Texas were hit with the atomic bomb of the U.S. They are the victims of the beliefs of the government congregation that was raised by unelected officials in the media and Hollywood. The Mormons do not need the media to be the prosecution, the judge and the jury. There were no dead bodies for the government to fly on the wings of the news media and then dive into Texas to save children from their parents.

A rootin', tootin', shootin' cure-all

Dave Hicks' May 22 letter ("Gun bans amount to wishful thinking") gave me an idea.

He wrote that a location-specific gun ban "doesn't stop criminals. It points them to their victims," depicted as "soft targets." My idea solves three controversies: gun control, the Mill Mountain community center and the high price of gas.

My three-step plan could meet its objectives in only a few years: that we be allowed unrestricted access to our guns, e.g. pass the proposal that allows guns in bars and restaurants; that we promote specific pro-gun locations as the place to shoot Hicks' soft targets, e.g. the newly constructed Mill Mountain community center; that on a weekly basis we invite Hummer H2 (anything under 20 mpg, really) owners to a special party at Mill Mountain.

This way, people may shoot guns freely in a desirable recreational facility while diminishing the population segment that flaunts its thirst for imported oil. (Dick Cheney shot his friend in the face. Couldn't we all?)

After this bold social initiative ran its course, we could put all of the gun controls back in place. By then, the reduced demand for oil would permit prices to settle down a little and we would still have a nice place to go on Mill Mountain.

A welcome comment on the benefits of pot

Honey, did we move to another planet? I cannot believe that The Roanoke Times printed the article "Make mine marijuana" (May 25 Horizon section). Kudos to those who made the decision to run the article.

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both Virginians, grew vast amounts of hemp and cannabis. Are we finally tired of the government propaganda opposing marijuana? Say no to the war on flowers.

A fitting tribute on Memorial Day

Thanks for the wonderful tribute to our fallen heroes in Monday's paper ("In remembrance," May 26 Extra section). I read every one and remembered with gratitude each sacrifice.

So many people are confused about the purpose of Memorial Day, and you helped to educate and memorialize with your lovely tribute.

A win-win decision for mountain lovers

I am an avid outdoorsman and unabashed nature lover. And I want to keep all of our mountainsides and viewsheds from further development. But let's be clear on Mill Mountain's restaurant proposal.

It is simply to rebuild the old Rockledge Inn. And as far as the pristine nature of the mountaintop, let's remember that we have an 85-foot neon sign at one end and a sizable zoo at the other.

To me, the best way to enjoy the mountaintop is to put a tasteful restaurant (like the one that Valley Forward has proposed) in the old footprint of the original Rockledge Inn, then cover the rest of Mill Mountain with a conservation easement.

This would give us a wonderful vantage point for refreshments or a meal after we have climbed the mountain, yet preserve the character of the mountain we all love so much. And if the tree line is left intact behind the new structure, the mountain's silhouette will be unaffected. It should be almost unnoticeable from below.

Again, let us enjoy the incomparable view with refreshments in a rebuilt Rockledge Inn. It is a win-win for all of us.

Jefferson's victory was no bit of luck

The May 27 commentary piece "Fearmongering is as old as the union" states: "Luckily, reason prevailed and Jefferson won the election [of 1800]."

Luckily? Given the reign of terror France had recently undergone, the attempt by French agents to extract bribes from American diplomats (the XYZ Affair), and Napoleon's coup d'etat, should America have emulated France?

John Adams, besieged on one side by anti-French feeling in his own party and Thomas Jefferson (the vice president) and his pro-French faction on the other, still managed to avoid a French war. The often bungling policies of Jefferson and his protege, Madison, eventually led to war with Britain.

Jefferson's ruthless enforcement of the embargo against our own people trading in foreign lands was economically disastrous for our country and regionally divisive. Although he was a great man in his own way, he was highly flawed. Luck would have been another four years of Adams, with Jefferson busy adding another wing to Monticello.

Cultural festival was wonderful

The Local Colors festival in downtown Roanoke was outstanding this year again. I wanted to share with all of Roanoke what an opportunity it is to see the diversity in Roanoke.

It's a wonderful opportunity to see how diverse Roanoke has become and see different aspects of so many cultures, such as their entertainment style, food, clothing and arts.

I encourage as many people as possible to attend the festival next year. Please do not miss this incredible opportunity to see the world for free. If you enjoy learning about different parts of the world, you will certainly love this festival.

Pearl Fu and her logistics team did an outstanding job again this year to provide us with such an opportunity. Roanoke's population consists of people of all walks of life and cultures, so let's welcome all the diversity and unite all Roanoke's population.

Remember, different does not mean bad. It's the unknown factor that causes people to think the worst. But if we make an effort and educate ourselves with the unknown culture, we will not only have unity but harmony amongst everyone.