Up Out of the Ice East Hampton February 23, 2015 To the Editor: Thanks to Steve Lynch and Kevin Ahearn and the team of plowers that worked for the Highway Department this winter. The amazing thing was, my mailbox survived the three-foot storm, only to disappear in the three-inch blanket last week. It was tough telling the post office to hold the mail, deliver the mail, wait, no mailbox, then suddenly, a new mailbox, sprung up out of the ice. Thank you again. BRUCE and FRAN NALEPINSKI Clearing the Sidewalks Springs February 25, 2015 Dear David, Just wanted to express my thanks to those responsible for clearing the sidewalks on Springs-Fireplace Road. Makes a huge difference for all. ADRIENNE KITAEFF It Takes a Village East Hampton March 2, 2015 To the Editor, I attended an antibias program on Friday at LTV. I expected the room to be filled. To my dismay about eight people, including the Montauk school principal, were in attendance. The panel — one clergy, one teacher, and two high school students — discussed a very important issue that affects the whole community, especially minorities. We watched three short films highlighting young people. It was sad that no leaders of the community were in attendance. None from the school district, no clergy, no police, no town or village board members. It showed a lack of interest in trying to solve the bias problems. Money won’t do it, isolated psychology persons in school won’t do it. The whole community needs to get together and talk through issues that affect our neighbors, especially our young people. Perhaps the program was not advertised. I know everyone is concerned. Perhaps we feel very insignificant, but it takes a village to solve problems. The next program is tomorrow night at 7, LTV. Let’s show our support. ELIZABETH ANDERSON Second-Home Voters East Hampton March 1, 2015 To the Editor, Just an important clarification: In your editorial “Battle for Beer” in your Feb. 26 issue, you say, “East Hampton is the second home to many of the voters who put the trustees in office, and their wish for a family-friendly, safe, and inviting beach must take precedence over what may be an anachronistic idea about liberty.” I stop there as I don’t wish to make a comment here on the issue at hand, but I believe that in this country we still have one vote per person, not one vote per person’s houses. We vote in the locale of our principal residence. Second-home owners would logically vote in the district of their principal home. There have been attempts to gain voting rights based on property ownership, which would give multiple votes to the owners of multiple residences. Unless I missed something rather drastic, this did not come to pass. I certainly hope I am not mistaken about this — we are far enough along on our skid into becoming a feudal society. FRED KOLO Clarifications Newton, Mass. March 2, 2015 To the Editor: In reference to your Feb. 26 editorial “Money Needed for Water Quality‚” in which you state, “Because East Hampton’s wastewater consultant also sells name brand septic upgrade equipment, we have to wonder about his advice against hoping for money from state or federal sources to fight water pollution,” the following clarifications are submitted to eliminate any wonder: 1. Lombardo Associates, Inc. will not recommend to any of our municipal clients, any technologies in which it has a proprietary interest. 2. We do not sell “name brand septic upgrade equipment” for individual properties in Suffolk County. We are not authorized to, nor have we made any applications for authorizations and have no interest in doing so. 3. As professional engineers, we engineer larger highest nitrogen removal wastewater systems (we do not sell equipment, we sell engineering services/expertise), approved by Suffolk County, whose performance I guarantee as a professional engineer. I trust you know that means I personally guarantee, with significant insurance capacities, performance. This is well beyond “selling name brand septic upgrade equipment‚” and is the highest standard of engineering services. On public projects, our engineering plans are publicly bid. 4. Please be advised that Lombardo Associates, Inc. has, starting in December 2014, initiated discussions with the Town of Southampton and Stony Brook University regarding donating the name brand nitrogen removing technology to its septic improvement program. Our objective is to have the name brand technology in the public domain as soon as possible. 5. At the September 2014 public hearing, I did advise against planning on grant money from existing state or federal programs to fight water pollution, because there are few programs and they have very few grant dollars. I stated that loan money was available. The wastewater project Dec. 4, 2013, financing analysis report describes all the existing grant and loan programs that served as the basis for my advice and examines the affordability of wastewater system costs. During the September 2014 public meeting when financing/grants was discussed, the option of lobbying for special appropriations was identified and discussed. As for all special appropriations, I stated that the town and area political leaders would need to champion that option as they would know the best sources of prospective funds and best lobbying strategy. The governor’s surplus budget funds were not known to be available when the public discussion was held and reports written. Since the public meeting, clearly the supervisors and mayors have championed the wastewater funding cause, identified that the surplus funds could be potentially available, that the $100 million request is a special appropriation pursuit and consistent with the public hearing discussions and my advice. The Town of East Hampton’s comprehensive wastewater management plan enables the town to optimize the use of any grants. Your printing of these clarifications will be greatly appreciated. Yours truly, PIO S. LOMBARDO President Aircraft Noise East Hampton March 2, 2015 Dear David, This evening, beginning at 4:30 at LTV Studios, the East Hampton Town Board will hear comments from the public regarding proposed laws setting access limits at East Hampton Airport to protect the public from aircraft noise this season. We thank the board for dedicating the entire meeting to this critical quality of life issue. This is the last opportunity for East End residents to have their rights for the peaceful enjoyment of their homes and properties restored for this summer. I urge your readers to come to LTV and voice their support of this town board in its historic move to protect residents all over the East End from the disturbing and health-threatening impacts of aircraft noise. This is it! Sincerely, Kathleen Cunningham Quiet Skies Coalition The Tantrum Card Amagansett February 27, 2015 Dear David, I advise my grandson’s group, Trusty Tots for the Betterment of Bovey Tracey. There are parallels with the East Hampton Town Trustees, albeit the collective age of the East Hampton Town Trustees is about 500. Whereas that of Jack’s group is a lot less. Like the East Hampton Town Trustees, the Trusty Tots for the Betterment of Bovey Tracey tried to raise some sandbox rents by 400 percent. The sandboxes were seen as renting far below market and valuable for their water views. I suggested that this was a blindingly stupid political move. Similar to the East Hampton Town Trustees, Trusty Tots claim ownership of a local beach. They begrudgingly agreed with the grownups to a sign that warns against screaming, water pistols, and peeing on the sand. The sign is still up in February, which irritates the tots. “You can’t trust them” they say about the grownups. “They are rude!” I advised them to get over themselves. Like the East Hampton Town Trustees, the Trusty Tots for the Betterment of Bovey Tracey are experienced in playing the tantrum card. My Jack has a black belt in playing the tantrum card. But he’s my Jack and I love him. He just needs to grow up. All good things, DIANA WALKER Two Hearing Aids East Hampton March 3, 2015 Dear Editor: I just learned I am not only in dire need of a hearing aid in my right ear but I’m slowly losing my hearing in my left ear also. I need two hearing aids that will be $4,000. Medicare/Medicaid does not cover the kind I need at all. I have to find someone or some group or organization that will help me. Does anyone out there know of any? Please contact me if you do. I am missing out on so much not being able to hear, and I just don’t have that kind of money. I would gladly pet sit or try to work out some way of repaying. Sincerely, LOIS WATTS The Warming Trend Springs February 27, 2015 Dear David, There is some truth to the statement so frequently voiced by deniers of climate change, that the climate is too complicated to predict with certainty. However, this is not news that should comfort us. For example, a newly published study (by Nature Communications) has solved a mystery about why there was an unprecedented spike in sea level of four inches in the northeastern United States in 2009 to 2010. (Stay with me now, a little science here, but if I can understand it, so can you.) There is something called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. It is a northbound current of warm surface water from the tropics moving up the Eastern Seaboard. The waters cool in the North Atlantic, sink into the deep ocean, and return south. So it works like a giant treadmill, and the engine that drives it is ocean temperature. In 2009, unusually warm water (climate change heat) in the North Atlantic prevented the water from cooling and sinking, so it formed a bottleneck, trapping the water along the shore of the northeastern United States, resulting in an unanticipated four-inch spike in sea level. It is estimated this slowed the normal ocean current by 30 percent. This has not happened before. Wow. Who can predict the ramifications? Scientists are deathly afraid of making outlandish claims which other scientists will pounce on with no mercy. So, in their published papers, they are extremely conservative. In that light, it is surprising that 97 percent of peer-reviewed scientific papers state that climate change is a serious threat, and it is largely driven by the burning of fossil fuels. Of that, they are confident. On the other hand, every one of these scientists will concede that there is much we do not know and cannot predict. Most ominously, where is the point of no return, beyond which we have no hope of stopping the warming trend? When will we activate unknown tipping points, like the stalling effect of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, that kick in faster than we can modify our behavior? We are now at 400 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere. Last time it was that high, the water was 50 feet deeper in Manhattan. That is where we are headed. E.T.A. — uncertain. The conservative path dictates modifying our behavior now. It behooves us, who live by the sea, to write our member of Congress, Lee Zeldin, and request that he consider the proposal from Citizens’ Climate Lobby. By the way, it’s good for the economy. DON MATHESON Weakness From Within East Hampton February 26, 2015 Dear David, This letter is in response to R.P. Higer’s letter’s request as to why there may be weakness in President Obama’s support and/or support for progressive thinking in the country in general, dated Feb. 18. First, let me state that I deem myself to be a progressive-thinking independent who has always striven to see the other person’s point of view in all situations. I voted for Barack Obama in 2008, believing that he would move the country and its values forward. Let me try to answer simply, in a general manner, as to my belief why there may be a weakness, as stated. I believe that roughly 15 to 20 percent of the American populace is radically right-wing. Also, I believe that another 15 to 20 percent is radical left. The rest, possibly some 60 to 70 percent, I believe are truly independent thinkers who vote based on what is central to improving their lives, freedoms, and family needs. My father, who was a seaman and the son of a great sailor, had a saying that I remember. He said, “No matter how far to port, nor how far to steerboard the country might list, son . . . if she goes too far over, the strong hands aboard will stand to and center the helm.” Without being too melodramatic, I believe our nation is the greatest ship of state launched in the history of the world, weathering all storms. As Abe Lincoln warned us a century and a half ago, if we are to be defeated, it will come from within. Respectfully submitted, ANDREW HANSON Great Neighborhood Southold February 10, 2015 Dear Editor, In 1900, when Humphrey Bogart slept in a little black pram, his mother would push him up and down 104th Street in the elite section on the Upper West Side. She dressed nicely, in long-to-the-ground taffeta and beautiful high hats. She would park the fancy carriage on the sidewalk, in front of the house, next to another carriage. Around the corner, down the street, a big board of wooden structure would open, when it started to get warm. Inside a blue-eyed man with a loud voice would hand out, to the tallest models, beautiful, long, and heavy dresses that touched the ground. Some were gray satin with green rope, draped over the shoulder, a variety of colors with all different color rope for the many dresses, only for the tallest ladies. They would promenade the elite way up the street, passing the tall white attached townhouses. In the back alley, they had many big wooden boxes that held the extra gates, if they were stolen from the front, by the little black mail boxes. This block was compared to Park Avenue with a floral median strip. Other famous people lived in this great neighborhood, as did Charlie Chaplin! ANITA FAGAN P.S. My very first try at writing was the famous Writing School, 1959. It saved my first composition when my name was Perrella and showed it. Poetry, Not Science California February 10, 2015 To the Editor: What the world needs and immediately is a world court for the environment. The president of Bolivia, Morales, already called for a declaration of the rights of Mother Earth. As a native person whose indigenous people have a true cosmology, his words speak truth to power, but the leaders who recently met in Davos conduct business as usual with little regard to the future. One leader who said “It is profitable to let the world go to hell” is symptomatic of the care and concern the upper echelon have for the next generation! There are too many companies like Shell, which even after the BP disaster want to continue to drill in the Arctic. It is reckless and thoughtless behavior. Most of the world’s oil needs to stay underground, lest the hell realm under the earth haunt our waking life, life that could lose 50 percent of its organisms this century. There needs to be a governing body that decides what is good long-term for the planet and what industry needs to be shelved. This arcane civilization is terrorizing, overwhelming the life support systems of the planet, and cannot be allowed business as usual. Jacques Ellul was a giant of a thinker who wrote the ground-breaking “The Technological Society,” a Frenchman, therefore completely unknown in the Anglo-Saxon world except for those in academe. He said, “We are in a veritable race, but it is evident that we are beaten before we begin. The effects of technique are already far too advanced for us to begin again at the beginning. There is no doubt that all the traditional cultures and sociological structures will be destroyed by technique before we can discover or invent social, economic and psychological forms of adaptation which might possibly have preserved the equilibrium of these peoples and societies.” The Anglo-Saxon bridge between London and D.C. has had a stranglehold on world policy for decades. In terms of foreign policy, (please be careful in Ukraine; the world can’t afford another conflagration), environmental policy, energy use, this ignoble axis of power has not done a good job of stabilizing the planet. It has bullied and harassed the four corners of the globe and is now itching to prove something to Russia and maybe even China. Is this a policy of nonviolence and outright equipoise? When Gandhi was asked what do you think of Western civilization, he answered, “It would be a good idea.” Droll, and extremely clairvoyant. Right now we had better watch it as a world civilization because we have a perfect storm of social, economic, and environmental issues loading up like a royal flush of worldwide calamities. A world court could at least put a halt to ecological ineptitude and desecration. Here in the West some bumper stickers exclaim, “At least the war on the environment is going well.” It’s not funny. We are supposed to be raising confident children. How on earth is that possible when the earth is being cracked wide open beneath childhood’s feet? When I was a child in Paris it was the cold war, racial issues in America, and French colonial problems in North Africa, which are now coming back to rear its ugly head. But now the fractures are systemwide across an entire spectrum of social, economic, political, and ecological issues. Most children can’t see the horizon, because, in the tall Babylon style of glass-afflicted towers of skyscraping mayhem, the sun is often blotted out. Everywhere, as Ellul has written, the human being is dissociated from the essence of life; instead of living time, he is split up and parceled out by it. In the West, here in the middle of nowhere by New York standards, where at least the rampages of superb crimson suns and the howling of coyotes and secret knowledge of the native people still can mesmerize one to the dimension of wonder and revelation, there is a horizon to look to. Ellul wrote about the high-pressure cooker of modern industrialized cities: “The human being does not feel at home in the collective atmosphere.” And when we lose the atmosphere, as they have already done in the large cities of China, watch out! We are codified and ensorcelled and cloistered in cubicles far from any relationship to the earth, and financiers continue to make pulverizing decisions about whether a rainforest will stay or be flayed so their shareholders will profit. The “process of massification,” ecologically, socially, and psychologically, is ossifying the human spirit. The rate of technical, social, and spiritual change is daunting, and nothing suffers today quite like the environment. We cannot geo-engineer the world. The ramifications are of a world order we will not be able to bear nor control. The climate must be handled by the human heart, by an emotional commitment to sustainability and not the abject corruption that is headed by the corporate elite. As I was told by an elephant researcher in Timbavati, the answer will come from poetry, not science. Poetry meaning not just statistics, facts, and numbers, but the heart’s ability to listen to a higher power than ours, the ability to emotionally connect to the cosmos. It is time we listened and took in the evidence of our time. The eminent whale expert Roger Payne wrote that “if we should lose the whales no Beethoven, no Shakespeare, no Van Gogh will ever be able to atone for our sins.” Ditto for the entire life force on earth. Our economy needs to be altered lest massive convulsions in the very artificial money system cause us as a world civilization to tremble and falter with repercussions and tremors we cannot fathom. The great cities of the world need to have their engineers and policy makers rethink the carbon economy. The exploitation the earth is experiencing is coming back to haunt us. As the remarkable Loren Eiseley wrote, “Perhaps a creature of so much ingenuity and deep memory is almost bound to grow alienated from his world, his fellows, and the objects around him. He suffers from a nostalgia for which there is no remedy upon the earth except as it is found in the enlightenment of the spirit-some ability to have perceptive rather than an exploitative relationship with his fellow creatures.” I recommend those modern Citizen Kanes of our time to have a change of heart and undergo a conversion of the spirit, not try to alter or buy or swindle next year’s election and candidates and feel, rather, what it would be like not to have another large mammalian form running around besides man in less than 100 years! How is corrupting what is left of democracy making our children confident? Our modern globalized civilization is narcissistic beyond anything humanity has ever known. As Eiseley exclaims, “Some act unknown, some propitiation of unseen forces, is demanded of him. For this purpose he has raised pyramids and temples, but all in vain. A greater sacrifice is demanded, the act of a truly great magician, the man capable of transforming himself.” As someone noted in Newsweek after the moon walk, “Should man fall back his destiny the confines of this planet will destroy him.” Let us awaken to the miracle and limits of a finite and nearly exhausted planet. There is no escape to another home out there. There is no real escape from the soil of our origins, the gravity of our earth at this time. CYRIL CHRISTO
Published 4 years ago
Last updated 4 years ago
Letters to the Editor: 03.05.15
March 5, 2015