Wall of Vehicles Springs August 26, 2013 David, There are some people who are portraying the argument over beach parking on the Maidstone loop as a conflict between locals and folks from away. It might be — but not as perceived. Imagine you grew up in Maidstone Park and went to this beach all your life. Now you have kids of your own, and instead of the place you have always enjoyed you have a parking lot on the beach with a view not of the water and the beautiful landscape but of a wall of vehicles between you and the channel. Some of the vehicles don’t have a beach-driving sticker or even a beach-parking sticker — some have out-of-state plates. Many longtime residents of the neighborhood now avoid this beach. Oh, the irony. I would never call myself a “local;” I’m obviously more of a bubula than a bub. That said, I started driving on the beach long before you needed a sticker and have been an ardent defender of beach driving for decades. What is going on at Maidstone, however, is not beach driving; it is beach parking. You cannot drive to anywhere from this beach or from anywhere to this beach on the beach; all you can do is drive the 50 feet from the road onto the sand and ruin it for everyone else. There’s no one there in the winter when I go there to launch my kayak or paddleboard, but I still park on the road. The water is only about 30 feet away. I’ve been doing this on a regular basis, year round, for over 30 years. I can assure you that vehicles parking on the beach has only been a problem for the last three or four years. An occasional fisherman, usually at sunset, and toward the jetty was about it. Things change and no great place gets better‚ but you do get to try to control and slow the decline. A split-rail fence would be nice. It wouldn’t stop anyone from using this beach. To think about writing this letter, I went over to Accabonac to paddleboard. (I used to launch from Landing Lane, but that’s an entirely different letter to the editor.) When I got to the launching ramp, some folks had backed their sport utility vehicle down to where the pavement ends and had set up beach chairs on the 10 feet of sand between their vehicle and the water. They were only blocking half the ramp. I wasn’t all that surprised. Sincerely, RANDALL ROSENTHAL We Are Fortunate Montauk August 26, 2013 Dear David, My husband, Tom, and I were involved in a two-car accident on Route 27 in front of the Lobster Roll on Tuesday evening, Aug. 13. Our daughter, Donna, and Allison Rigby watched over us until the ambulance arrived. The restaurant staff at the Lobster Roll brought us water, ice, and blankets. They are remarkable people. The immediate response by the Amagansett Ambulance Squad was unbelievable! They were there within minutes, giving Tom and me medical assistance to help make us comfortable before transporting us to the hospital. We can’t say enough about this wonderful group of volunteers. We also learned that Montauk Ambulance Squad was also on the scene. Living in Montauk, we have heard the fire and accident siren going off too often this summer, and we realize what these volunteers must be going through to help others. Last but not least, the emergency room staff at Southampton Hospital treated us with such compassion and kindness while taking care of our injuries. We are fortunate to live in a community where there are such caring people. MAUREEN SENNEFELDER 45 Extra Dinners East Hampton August 26, 2013 Dear Mr. Rattray, Three cheers for the Amagansett Fire Department! On Sunday, Aug. 18, the ladies and gentlemen of the Amagansett Fire Department made available delicious barbecue chicken dinners for delivery to clients of East Hampton Meals on Wheels. These gallant men and women cooked wonderful dinners, which included chicken, sweet corn, potatoes, coleslaw, rolls, and watermelon to raise money for their own much needed community service. They took the time to prepare 45 extra dinners free of charge so that volunteers from East Hampton Meals on Wheels could take the meals out to our homebound neighbors. This service filled a tremendous need in our community because the clients who received these delicious meals are homebound and unable to cook special meals for themselves. We heartily thank those who skillfully coordinated this event with our organizations, and all the members of the Amagansett Fire Department and Ladies Auxiliary who gave generously of their time and energy to help so many lonely individuals. We are thankful to live in a community in which so many organizations and individuals are concerned for the needs of their neighbors. Very truly yours, EDWARD D. McLAUGHLIN President East Hampton Meals on Wheels Cramped to Capacity East Hampton August 24, 2013 Dear David, I was very pleased to read your recent editorial “Letting the Community in on Preservation‚” where you wrote about a successful community event on the town-owned Duck Creek Farm near Three Mile Harbor. From my view as organizer of the East Hampton Farmers Market, located in the Nick and Toni’s parking lot on North Main Street, we gaze across the street to a very vacant green space called the Labrozzi property, bought with community preservation funds. What are we preserving open space for, if not for the community? If we are to continue the successful marriage of town-owned properties and successful community events, then wouldn’t it be common sense to figure out how to move the East Hampton Farmers Market across the street? We are cramped to capacity in the parking lot, thanks in part to the generosity of Nick and Toni’s. The East Hampton Farmers Market has grown from six vendors to 24 in eight years. We support the local economy and help make East Hampton’s farmer/fisher heritage sustainable to the next generation. By their very nature, farmers markets bring people together. More than once this summer I saw people hugging one another in greeting a long-lost friend, or making a new one. Surely this would be another win-win situation for the town and the community. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Best, KATE PLUMB On the Books East Hampton August 26, 2013 Dear David: Tales of a Hamptons BookSeller (in Reply to Hamptons Waitress): At BookHampton, where the day starts before 9 a.m. and ends after 10. p.m., we were taken aback by the tone of Hamptons Waitress’s snarky column. We were going to write in and say, Get over yourself, sister; this is a resort town and the summer crowd is our bread and butter. But then we thought, who are we? We don’t work for tips, all our work’s on the books. Instead, we’d like to address our shared summer clientele: At BookHampton it has been, and will continue to be, our pleasure to provide you with personal service. And we’d like to take this moment to offer a special recommendation: Go to the market, get some hamburgers or fish, get some veggies, too. Keep your shirt on, the one you wore to the beach, it’s still summer, don’t stress the meal, and enjoy your kids! In other words: Make dinner at home! Then, with all the money you just saved (and the “attitude” you just avoided), please come over to BookHampton! Our BookSellers will greet you at the door, you don’t need a reservation. We have an outstanding children’s section, a basket of lollipops, and we’ll be happy to read stories to your kids while you browse our book tables and shelves. All of us at BookHampton are happy to serve you and all of us are happy to recommend books that you’ll enjoy. When you’ve selected your books, we’ll put your take-away in one of our cool free BookHampton totes. Our younger friends get BookKid backpacks. And then last, but really not least, when it’s time to go home, we’ll say thank you, have a nice night. Please, let us know what you think and if you need anything else, we’re right here. Our e-mail’s easy: [email protected]. It was really good to see you this summer. Stay in touch, and come back soon! All good wishes, BookHampton. CHARLINE SPEKTOR, CHRIS AVENA, TAYLOR BERRY, KIM LOMBARDINI A Ball of Yellow East Hampton August 26, 2013 Hi, David, I wonder if anybody else saw this: On Friday night, Aug. 16, between 7:30 and 8, I was standing in front of a residence on Egypt Lane welcoming guests to a Democratic fund-raiser. The moon was misty and to my right, to the south I guess, I was watching planes make their way back and forth across a dark sky, when all of a sudden appeared something quite different. Something was moving, I think from south-southwest to north-northeast (approximately), and it looked as if it were on fire. At first I thought it was a plane. But then I saw other planes, wing lights blinking. This thing was a ball of yellow that changed shape quite subtly. All I could think was fire. Maybe propulsion. And no, I don’t think it was a U.F.O. The technology seemed too earthbound. I mean, fire? After maybe three or four seconds of this thing moving across the sky from left to right, it suddenly winked out. Was it a missile test? I’m hoping somebody else out there saw this thing and has some ideas. (I’ve been in East Hampton 10 years and have never seen anything else like it.) Thanks. JEANNIE REED Are Benefiting Port St. Lucie, Fla. August 12, 2013 To the Editor: Montauk has certainly come a long way from being a quiet out-of-the-way fishing village. Your article (Aug. 8) about the eye-popping prices of modest houses is proof of Montauk’s popularity perhaps to a fault. Commerce is way up and has been for a number of years. Remember last year? “No Hipsters” signs in restaurants? I can’t think of any place where establishments open for business will shun customers simply because of the way they are dressed and their undesirable attitude. As summer 2013 begins to wind down and the school year begins I will be keenly aware of the flush of money in Montauk. Last year the Montauk School Board ignored the wishes of parents who voiced very clearly that they did not want class size to increase. Furthermore they asked that programs that had been dropped be reinstituted. But I (and the parents) know how that went. The board dismissed the pleas of parents and voted for a policy of no maximum class size. I wonder what exactly was the true motivation for such a policy? What about bringing back programs that parents believed were worthwhile? It can’t be money. It seems to me that a slight increase in property taxes to keep class size small and bring back desired programs could be managed. It will be interesting to read what excuses the board will try this spring that will deprive students of the education they deserve. Montauk’s businesses are benefiting from its popularity, so should its students. Sincerely, MARY JUDGE Main Street Montauk Montauk August 25, 2013 Dear Editor, Have you noticed how nice Main Street Montauk looks? If not, next chance you get come take a stroll downtown. Mickey’s Mowing & Carting and James Grimes Land Design deserve the credit! They did a spectacular job. And if you decide to stay and sit for a while, you’ll notice that the teak memorial benches have been spruced up! Phil Defina has been scrubbing these benches all summer long. If you see Phil, Mickey, or Jimmy, please let them know how nice it looks! Best, JULIA STAVOLA Worry About Montauk Springs August 24, 2013 Dear David, For many years my family and I have looked forward to our annual camping trip to Gin Beach. It is only one of several county parks we are lucky enough to have right here in East Hampton. Although I am a true Springs native, given a choice, my second home would be Montauk. East Hampton is fortunate that, in spite of the fiscal cliff Suffolk County is facing, the county has committed to keeping our parks open. Ken LaValle and Fred Thiele were instrumental in the county’s decision not to ruin the summer and fall for the many East Hampton residents who enjoy camping as much as I do. As your current town clerk and as a candidate for the East Hampton Town Board, I pledge unequivocally that I will work with whomever necessary, whether on a county, state, or federal level, to make sure that our parks and campgrounds remain open. Our local parklands not only provide a wonderful recreational benefit to us all, they boost our economy as well. Speaking of Montauk, isn’t it appalling that, for seemingly purely political purposes, some of our current elected officials sitting on the town board will not take seriously the issue of coastal erosion; something I believe to be an imminent threat to hundreds of families who live, work, and own businesses in Montauk? If it isn’t politics then what could it be that would stop them from wanting to help our neighbors who live at The End. I worry about the next storm. As an active member of the Springs Fire Department for 50 years, I have seen, up close and personal, the devastation to our shorelines caused by hurricanes and harsh northeasters. Unfortunately my vivid memories of the wrath of Irene and Sandy only make me worry more about Montauk. Thankfully I am not alone in my belief that downtown Montauk is in serious trouble. New York Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Congressman Bishop have begun lobbying the Army Corps of Engineers to start work immediately on all emergency stabilization projects to nourish beach areas in downtown Montauk damaged by Sandy and to protect the dunes against the upcoming hurricane season. In their view, the protective measures recommended in the Fire Island to Montauk Point Reformulation Study are seriously overdue. The work to be done is funded by the federal government, and they urge that this project begin as soon as possible. Additionally, they believe that the emergency stabilization projects aimed at downtown Montauk “represent the best short-term storm protection measures” for the south shore, “until the entire FIMP project can be implemented.” In my view, our Montauk neighbors deserve to know that until these projects are put in place, they can protect themselves and their property from flooding without political bickering and the threat of court action against them when faced with the threat of imminent damage. I wholeheartedly embrace the emergency stabilization projects supported by Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Congressman Bishop, and hope this town board acts soon — before it is too late. FRED OVERTON Republican, Independence, and Conservative Candidate for Town Board Now is the Time Springs August 26, 2013 Dear David, Just a few words. It’s August of an election year. Soon the silly season will begin, or maybe it already has. We have a town board of five persons. The superintendent and his “deputy” are not running for re-election. They are lame ducks. They have chosen to leave the gaggle, flap their wings, go to the field to eat seeds, fly south, and/or just fade away into the private-sector sunset. Their style for the last four years has been “my way or the highway.” Do it my way or no way. It seems to me this gives the remaining three board members a great incentive to deal with some of the quality-of-life issues so near and dear to the voters of Springs and East Hampton. We have short-term and long-term illegal renting issues. We have commercial vehicles and equipment parked and stored in residential areas, and we have not been able to define when a driveway becomes a parking lot and/or what constitutes a light truck yet!? We have mass gatherings in single-family residential backyards playing volleyball. Thirty people shouting and playing volleyball on a half-acre lot anytime is a mass gathering and a nuisance to the rest of the neighborhood. These are only a few of the problems. We have been begging this board to do something; at times their response has been downright hostile or mute. For four years we have been pleading. The candidates for the upcoming November election seem to be acknowledging reality. The platforms of both major parties promise to address quality-of-life issues. Why is the current board oblivious? We need some new laws written. We need some new ideas. Now is the opportune time for the troika to get to work, to discuss, cooperate, and form a consensus. They can do it — we saw cooperation with the Fort Pond House property. They should feel empowered. Let’s show some leadership instead of waiting for Godot, treading water, playing politics, and doing nothing. This gang of three should put their heads together and do something positive — doing nothing is also “lame.” Mr. Cantwell and Co. sure are going to have a lot on their plate come the new year. Is it going to take four more years before we see some solution and or resolution? Thank you, BETSY RUTH Republican Primary Springs August 25, 2013 To The Star, The pending East Hampton Republican primary on Sept. 10 offers some interesting options. Enrolled Republicans get to write in the name of their supervisor selection in an opportunity-to-ballot contest (there will be no named candidate to vote for), and their choice will affect the entire tone of the town election. The town’s Republican Party (I am the vice chairman) had been seeking competence, civility, and independence in a supervisor candidate to carry on the brilliant fiscal management of East Hampton during the last three-plus years. We had settled on former Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, who had appeared at our screening. When he reneged, citing his ties to Babylon-based County Executive Steve Bellone, we were chagrined and disappointed. Wanting a capable and unifying supervisor leading our slate of candidates, I am requesting my fellow Republicans to select Larry Cantwell for supervisor. His acceptance of such nomination would provide the truest indicator of whether he is campaigning to be the supervisor of all the people. Having the endorsements of both major parties would provide him with the ability to be the independent “town manager” many want to see as supervisor. The Democratic Party has cross-endorsed the Republican nominees Steve Lynch for highway and Carole Brennan for town clerk. In both cases, they are clearly superior to any potential contenders. Similarly, Mr. Cantwell has the edge on any supervisor candidates who may now want to declare. While a special-interest or faction candidate may have appeal, the Town of East Hampton needs a capable leader of experience and stature. I believe that if we provide him with our trust, he will not disappoint. I put aside adversarial politics and urge you to write in a vote for Larry Cantwell for supervisor in this unique primary. TOM KNOBEL Tom Knobel is the vice chairman of the East Hampton Republican Committee. Ed. Not Being Disclosed East Hampton August 26, 2013 Dear Mr. Rattray, In a letter I wrote for last week’s edition of The East Hampton Star, that wasn’t printed, I asked the question, “What is the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee Campaign 2013 (Campaign 2013) hiding from East Hampton voters?” Well, it’s been a busy week, and I think we are starting to get an answer to that question. A few weeks ago (in a different letter), I asked about an opinion poll that perhaps one of the many Democratic committees or affiliates had conducted but was not legally disclosed on any campaign finance reports. Jim Devine, in a letter to this newspaper last week, and apparently also in e-mails sent to various local investigative reporters, fills in some first-hand facts about the poll and its costs. In addition, rumors are swirling through town about a cozy and lovely appointed Democratic campaign headquarters being housed at a very prominent Democratic law firm. Nothing illegal about this arrangement, except that once again, this sizeable in-kind contribution is not being disclosed to the voters or to the New York State Board of Elections, and that is illegal. So, it is becoming quite clear why the chairwoman of the East Hampton Town Democratic party is not keeping a promise to the voters she made weeks ago, that Campaign 2013 would be filing a legal and proper amendment to its July periodic report with the board of elections. (As of the writing of this letter, noon, Aug. 26, the board’s Web site is not reflecting any amendment to her party’s original filing.) Campaign 2013 and its leaders, Jeanne Frankl and Chris Kelley, are quick to throw around class-E felony lingo about Dominick Stanzione, who, by the way, did amend his filing. But, when it comes to their own committees, they are quite silent. Democratic candidates, in particular, Job Potter and Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, who appear to be relying on the Democratic Party committees to fund and represent them in this political campaign (as they are not running independent campaigns), have an obligation to the voters to ensure that Ms. Frankl and Mr. Kelley are making honest and accurate representations to the voters on their behalf. How a political committee or a candidate committee handles their campaign finances and their reporting requirements is a window on how they will govern if and when they get into office. If they lie and misrepresent or distort facts to voters before they get elected, what will they do once they are safely in power? And, this goes for every political party and every candidate. New York State’s history for political corruption is a well-known embarrassment. Not surprisingly, our state has a sullied reputation when it comes to voting and elections. New York represents 50 percent of all election law litigation with the other 49 states sharing the other 50 percent. Our state is also governed by the Federal Voting Rights Act, for having violated the voting rights of minorities in the past. So when a state as corrupt as New York finally institutes minor reform measures, such as public disclosure of campaign finances, we who are involved in the political process have a duty to comply with this law to the absolute best of our abilities and with unquestioned integrity to the voters. Those standards must apply across all political parties, including, without question, to my own Republican party. Cynicism with our electoral process and our elected officials is rampant across the land. This is dangerous and tragic. Voters must demand truth, honesty, and integrity from their leaders. Those qualities start with honest and transparent elections. Sincerely, CAROLE CAMPOLO Carole Campolo is a member of the East Hampton Republican Committee. Ed. His Father’s Truck Amagansett August 19, 2013 Dear Editor; In his letter last week to The Star, James Brooks indicated that Carl Irace, candidate for East Hampton Town Justice on the Independence and Republican lines, was perhaps doing something wrong by driving a truck with Vermont license plates. He gave two clandestine possibilities as to why Carl Irace, candidate for town justice, would do such a thing. I would think that the Democrats would have something better to do, like checking Carl Irace’s experience, instead of worrying about whose truck he drives. I didn’t think it was illegal to borrow your father’s truck. For the Democrats’ information, Carl Irace cares about East Hampton. He does pro bono work for the Amagansett Life-Saving Station, the L.V.I.S., and the Retreat. He is Suffolk County assigned counsel for indigent felony defendants. He is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association, the Lions Club, East End Classic Boat Society, the Surf Riders Foundation, eastern Long Island chapter. I could go on, but I believe Carl Irace has the experience and the integrity to be our town justice. Sincerely yours, ELAINE JONES Chairwoman East Hampton Independence Party Judicial Temperament Montauk August 25, 2013 Dear Mr. Rattray, Carl Irace is a great man and will make a great justice for the Town of East Hampton. In every situation that I have witnessed I have seen him be calm, fair, and compassionate. I think that is the definition of judicial temperament. When faced with adversity, he is clear-headed and never loses his cool. Also, for people like myself, who tend to get stressed out, he has a calming effect that always leads to a better result. I am proud to call him my son-in-law, and I will be proud to vote for him for East Hampton Town Justice. Very truly yours, BOBBIE GAIL COOLEY Professional Skills August 25, 2013 Springs Dear Mr. Rattray: I would like to thank the Suffolk County Bar Association for giving me the highest rank, “qualified,” that the association gives to judicial candidates. I am honored to receive this designation from such a venerable institution. During the screening, the committee asked about my East Hampton-based law practice, my work for almost nine years as a prosecutor in the district attorney’s office, and my work for two years in the East Hampton Town Attorney’s office. These are all important parts of my legal career and the right professional skills for a candidate for town justice. However, they also spent a lot of time discussing my pro bono work. I imagine that they were looking to see that I had the right credentials to evaluate the needs of our community, if I am elected to serve as our town justice. We discussed how I have volunteered my legal services to the Amagansett Life-Saving Station Society, Inc., in our effort to restore this culturally and historically important building, and how I volunteered my legal services to the Ladies Village Improvement Society, when someone attempted to undermine the L.V.I.S.’s charity efforts. We also discussed how I have volunteered my legal services to the Retreat, to help victims of domestic violence and abuse with legal matters in landlord-tenant court, criminal courts, or support, visitation, custody, and juvenile delinquent matters in Family Court. We also talked about my work as a member of the Assigned Counsel Defender Program, where county court judges assign felony cases to me when defendants cannot afford an attorney. We even discussed my membership in the Lions Club, helping raise awareness of health and sight issues, and my position as secretary of the Surfrider Foundation, Eastern Long Island Chapter, promoting beach access and clean water in our area. Giving back to the community is always an essential element of being a part of that community. I am proud that I have been able to find new ways to use my skills to help East Hampton while still growing my business. Yours very truly, CARL IRACE That Dog Won’t Hunt East Hampton August 23, 2013 Dear Editor, Last week there was an expensive ad for Dominick Stanzione, of the Wilkinson-Quigley-Stanzione administration, a k a the Wilkinson Team, before it disintegrated. The ad refers to the “McGintee/Potter administration.” In fact, Mr. Potter’s very successful run as a councilman included two years with Supervisor Cathy Lester (the Lester/Potter administration?), four years with Supervisor Jay Schneiderman (the Schneiderman/Potter administration?), and the first two of McGintee’s six years in office. To link Potter with McGintee’s mishandling of community preservation funds is misleading and deceitful. The C.P.F. program was in excellent condition when Mr. Potter left office in 2005. The illegal transfers and violation of the public trust happened in later years, when he was no longer on the board. It’s only politics, but as they say down South, that dog won’t hunt. Yours sincerely, ALDI BINOZI Beach Parking Fees East Hampton August 26, 2013 To the Editor: Please tell me we are not back in 2008, once again fighting the battle of the Democratic-instituted beach parking fee all over again! I am told that at the recent meet-the-candidates event held by the Duck Creek Association this past weekend, that Democratic town board candidate Kathee Burke-Gonzalez said that as a way to create new revenue they will seek to increase beach parking fees. News flash, there is no beach parking fee to “increase” for a resident, unless of course, your intention is to initiate such a fee for all East Hampton Town residents. Apparently the Republican and Independence candidate for town board, Fred Overton, at that same event reminded the audience and the Democratic candidates present that in 2008 there was a townwide outcry from all residents, across party lines, when the Democrats tried to raise revenues by charging us to park at our beaches. Fred, as town clerk then and now, knows firsthand how unpopular this idea was, because it was his office that had the dubious honor of selling those permits to a very unhappy, complaining citizenry. If the Democratic candidates are actually considering taxing us for beach parking, then I have news for them, old, stale ideas for new hidden taxes we don’t need. BEVERLY BOND Taking Credit East Hampton August 26, 2013 Dear David: Dominick Stanzione presents himself as an independent voice on the East Hampton Town Board and is taking credit for finally getting Fort Pond House off the chopping block. Where has he been for the past two years while Peter Van Scoyoc and Sylvia Overby have fought to save this important asset for our community? It has cost the taxpayers $50,000 to defend against the lawsuit brought by the Concerned Citizens of Montauk to prevent the sale and, coincidentally, Stanzione’s vote comes just when he is running for re-election. Independent thinker? No. Opportunist? Yes. VAN ELLMAN Taking Up Space Amagansett August 24, 2013 Dear David, Dominick Stanzione’s large ad in last week’s Star says, “Vote for me because I’m not a Democrat.” No, he is not a Democrat! But the fact that he is a Republican is hardly a sufficient reason to vote for a councilman who has neglected his duties and spent four years saluting and voting for every misguided, destructive action of the Wilkinson-Quigley-Stanzione team. He either did that or evaded his responsibilities by abstaining. I have been a board watcher for these past four years and watched Dominick Stanzione spend these years ignoring every pressing issue facing the town, from code enforcement to quality of life. Even Stanzione cannot defend his sorry record. The best he can do is to plead that no one else be allowed to do the job that he himself cannot do. We do not need four more years of Dominick taking up space and neglecting responsibilities. Sincerely, RONA KLOPMAN Ms. Klopman is a member of the East Hampton Democratic Committee. Ed. Find Any Coattails Amagansett August 26, 2013 Dear David, Dominick Stanzione is always ready to cozy up with whomever he thinks can help him get elected. Four years ago, he embraced the Wilkinson-Quigley team, but when he began to feel his political future was turning sour with them, he flip-flopped, abstained, and ran away. In this election and in last week’s Star, Mr. Stanzione is cozying up to Larry Cantwell in a desperate attempt to find any coattails to help his campaign. What he doesn’t get is that voters want town board members to stand on their own two feet — and act on behalf of the people of East Hampton. Sincerely yours, LARRY MARCUS Specific Legislation Springs August 19, 2013 Dear Editor, One town board candidate continually defends poor judgment at the Springs School. Another candidate considers affordable housing the most important issue facing us. Only one candidate has offered suggestions and resolutions that speak to major problems. That candidate is Councilman Stanzione. He has proposed considered and specific legislation addressing the parking of commercial vehicles in residential communities and has significantly advanced dealing with the issue of illegally overcrowded homes by proposing a rental registry. Thank you, Councilman Stanzione. Springs residents appreciate your efforts. NANCY GROUDAS New Bay Constables Amagansett August 19, 2013 Dear David, We need to bring back the East Hampton Town Trustees’ bay constables! We lost them years ago, which was unfortunate. A modern version of the bay constables is the splendid idea of Capt. Ira Barocas, who knows his stuff about the trustees. I assume our new bay constables will be unarmed, but they could be awfully good at martial arts and, obviously, swimming. I strongly suggest that our new bay constables implement the following: 1. Predatory vehicles on, or near, our beaches or bay fronts will be covered with decals, i.e., “Oh, for a brain.” 2. Persons who litter will have their hands dyed red (inorganic is fine). 3. Fishing offenders (“over,” off season, wrong location) will explain to young children why they are robbing the future food supply. 4. Messy metal beach signage will go to the dump. Wooden handsome signs will display a. name of location b. rules posted on trustee Web site c. There are consequences. 5. Topless women on the waterfronts, causing an uproar among teenage boys, will be given a trustee towel which reads “We’ve got you covered.” Et al. All good things, DIANA WALKER Electric Blowers Springs August 26, 2013 Dear David: I just this minute returned from a pleasant bike ride from my home off of Red Dirt Road to the Springs General Store and back. Upon my return the peace and quiet that I had experienced was deluged from the sound of a leaf blower. The men who operate these blowers wear ear coverings to shield them from the loud noise and protect their eardrums. Residents of East Hampton should not be required to do so in order to enjoy their homes and environs. I think it is time for the town board to take action in the following respects: bar the use of two-cycle engines powering leaf blowers, lawnmowers, and chainsaws, and require the use of electric blowers and chainsaws and the use of four-cycle engines for lawn mowers. I own an electric blower and chainsaw, and they work just fine, creating very little noise, albeit they are a little inconvenient because one needs to use a long extension cord. Also, two-cycle engines are highly polluting and in fact contribute an astounding amount of carbon to the atmosphere, contributing significantly to global warming. It may sound unbelievable, but in fact I recall reading that these two-cycle engines contribute much more polluting gas than an automobile, one for one. The time for action is upon us to bring peace and quiet and to limit contribution to greenhouse gases. As an East Hampton Town Democratic committeeman, I call upon our candidates when elected to pledge to study this matter with a view toward taking appropriate action. DAVID J. WEINSTEIN ‘I Don’t Love Them’ East Hampton August 26, 2013 To the Editor, I am a landscaper and I was asked by a potential client to provide some names of deer-resistant plants for an ad he was going to run. I was happy to do it, because a lot of people suffer from deer-eaten plants. Unfortunately the ad that ran last week leaves the impression that myself and another landscaper were responsible for it. I did not write the ad, nor do I know the other landscaper. The thrust of the ad is that we shouldn’t do anything about the over-population of the deer, except “love them.” I don’t love them at all. I am sure I would, if there were far fewer. I can’t believe that the powers-that-be have let it get this bad for so long. To say it is a public health menace would be kind. Anybody who has walked in a brushy well-traveled deer path (such as outside a fence) at this time of year knows that something must be done. You can get twenty bites on your ankles in ten minutes from microscopic Lone Star Tick hatchlings and you’ll be scratching them for weeks. And I haven’t even mentioned Lyme disease, which I am well aquainted with. I don’t relish the idea of people shooting the deer (I am an ethical vegetarian). If contraceptives work, then let’s use them. But what we have now is unsustainable for the humans, as well as the deer. If we get a very hard winter, the deer can starve to death and that is the least humane form of control. Let’s finally do something about reducing the overpopulation. JOHN WHITNEY Whitney’s Landscaping Passing the Buck Montauk August 21, 2013 Dear David; On Aug. 20, I attended a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting because the owners of a local home had requested a minor variance to add an additional room to their house. I was concerned because I have recently observed two instances where it appeared that the home was being rented in violation of our town codes. Alex Walter, Z.B.A. chairman, informed me that it was not in the purview of the Z.B.A. to attempt to prevent illegal actions, but that housing code violations are the responsibility or the office of code enforcement. During proceedings the Z.B.A. checked to be sure that properties were cleared by the Natural Resources Department before a variance was issued. Why not also require clearance from the office of code enforcement? Passing the buck by saying, in effect, that’s not my job, doesn’t improve or even maintain our quality of life. All town employees must work to try to improve our town. Yes, that may mean that they may have to coordinate their efforts. As taxpayers we have a right to expect town codes to be enforced and that all town employees are supporting this effort. DAN BRIGANTI Lack of Respect East Hampton August 26, 2013 Dear David, Last week aircraft noise abatement advocates gained some new perspective in the fight for the peaceful enjoyment of our homes and properties. Friday’s Quiet Skies Coalition demonstration at East Hampton Airport provided some insight into the essentials of the issue. First, we had some reassuring conversations with local pilots of small aircraft, who understood our concerns and were supportive, which was heartening. I report this because the public relations campaign by East Hampton Aviation Association leadership falsely claiming that noise abatement advocates simply want to close the airport has made a neighbor-to-neighbor discussion of this sort impossible. More unexpected than surprising, was the astonishingly rude behavior exhibited by many arriving passengers. In response to coalition signs asking for respect for our communities some passengers stuck their tongues out at us as they passed — and in some instances gestures much more offensive than that. Remarkable in its impropriety, but more revealing was the general lack of respect for those of us who call this place home. Somehow this demonstration, in particular, helped to underscore the issue we face with aircraft noise in our community: Local pilots, respectful of our concerns, will support us as we support them, if airport noise abatement advocates are actually given a fair chance to discuss the issue with them. Meanwhile the careless ultra-rich, who are the reason for all this noise and for whom our concerns don’t even register, exhibit aggressive behavior to resist the notion that their transportation choices have a negative impact on our environment, effectively ruining our summers. Those people and the politicians who cater to them are the real problem. I remind your readers that in this election year our representatives in government need to understand and value this important quality-of-life issue. It is essential to the sustainability of our communities that our elected officials have common values with their constituents. And here are those values: the peaceful enjoyment of our homes and properties, remediation of our diminishing property values and the negative impact on community character this aircraft noise creates, and the completely essential stability of clean air and a healthy natural environment, unspoiled by poisonous jet fuel and noise impacts. Our way of life is dependent upon the sustainability of our ecosystems. This can only be secured by protecting the health, safety, and well-being of those ecosystems. When our ecosystems thrive, our economy thrives. When our economy thrives, our families and local businesses thrive. Our elected officials must recognize the interdependency of important quality of life issues like airport noise and its influence on the environment, both natural and economic. Our lives are completely dependent upon that shared understanding. Sincerely, KATHLEEN CUNNINGHAM Quiet Skies Coalition Where Credit Was Due East Hampton August 23, 2013 Dear David, Gerard Boleis, president of the East Hampton Aviation Association, wrote last week that I mentioned his name 13 times in a letter to the editor. He suggests that the letter of his to which I was responding must have struck a nerve. I suppose you could put it that way. I was patiently and deliberately explaining the seven or eight false or misleading claims made by Mr. Boleis (second mention) and his airport associates to induce the town to take more Federal Aviation Administration money and the 20 more years of F.A.A. control of our airport that comes with it. F.A.A. control prevents the town from regulating use of the airport to reduce noise. It was only right to give credit where credit was due. Sincerely, DAVID GRUBER Something Dramatic Wainscott August 22, 2013 Dear David: A friend of mine said, “You will never stop helicopters.” I said, “Do you know how many times the people of East Hampton have done something dramatic and unprecedented to preserve this place?” There are no billboards. (There were.) Ski-Doos cannot zoom up to beaches. (They could.) Farmland was sold right and left. (We have agricultural reserves.) We had quarter-acre zoning abuting the roads. (We have two and five-acre zoning and setbacks.) We had oceanfront slated for high-rise condos. (We have miles of open beaches.) We had everything for sale. (We have a community preservation fund.) If the great majority of us think that having giant helicopters screaming over our heads day and night is a good thing, it won’t change. That is hardly the case, however. Never say never. BARRY RAEBECK Airport Toxicity East Hampton August 23, 2013 Dear David, This letter reports resident-disturbing flights over Briar Patch Road using log samples on Aug. 16 from 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., and on Aug. 19 from 6:55 a.m. to 7:55 a.m. It concludes with simple suggestions that would reduce adverse impacts. On Aug. 16, there were 13 flights during the 45-minute interval, or one every 3.46 minutes. In addition, on the 16th in the later evening there were low-flying helicopters that awakened the household at 9:50 p.m. and again at 10:20 p.m. On Aug. 19, there were 15 flights during the 60-minute interval, or one every 4 minutes. In addition, on the night of Aug. 19 to Aug. 20 at 3:50 a.m., a large, low-flying jet aircraft awakened everyone. This noxious environmental assault needs to be addressed by the East Hampton Town Board. Town board officials are elected to look after the health, welfare, and well-being of the majority of residents. This includes residents’ right to the quiet and healthy enjoyment of life in the community. Something that clear and fundamental is at stake here. Board members are not elected to serve and promote the self-interest of a very small group of residents, especially when that interest adversely impacts so many others. An apt analogy might be if a single source polluter were to begin pushing toxic effluent into the town’s water supply. The toxicity of the airport could be vastly reduced by following four simple, even-handed precepts advocated by the Village Preservation Society, none of which would limit the enjoyment of the airport by East Hampton resident pilots. These are: 1. East Hampton should not accept any additional F.A.A. money. 2. No flights should be permitted over any East Hampton inland water bodies or other sensitive natural environments such as Hook and Georgica Ponds. These function as noise amplifiers to a large impact area. 3. Limit hours of operation to between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. These are the normal working hours of most businesses. This schedule would help to reduce the onerous noise impacts of aircraft during most residents’ peaceful hours. Unlike construction and garden maintenance, aircraft noise is not invited by residents, paid for by residents, or generated to benefit the needs of residents. Nor does it take place on a discreet site, or provide jobs for large numbers of local people. 4. Limit frequency of operation. Sincerely, PETER M. WOLF Noise Pollution New York August 25, 2013 To the Editor: The Aug. 25 Sunday New York Times Review section featured an article on the effects of external noise on concentration, thinking, blood pressure, health, well-being, etc. The results of being subjected to excessive noise seem to be all negative. Homeowners in East Hampton Town are currently being subjected to increasing amounts of noise pollution that is rapidly diminishing the quality of life. The leaf blowers, the airplanes and helicopters, the share houses and party animals are ruining any “peace and quiet” that we all are entitled to. The current town administration has shrugged its shoulders and with a wink and a nod allowed this to go on in full force. Not since the prelude to the French Revolution have so few rode roughshod over so many. There are grassroots movements to quiet the airport, prevent share houses, and silence the leaf blowers. But without help from the town government these small movements will wither and die. Each year the quality of life sinks a little bit. Some years more than others. We all adjust to the new normal and move on with our lives. It’s time that we all should be willing to pay for greater enforcement of the existing rules to roll back to the years when things were a lot quieter. Thanks, RICHARD ZIMMERMAN Methoprene and Shellfish Springs August 26, 2013 Dear Mr. Rattray, Jay Schneiderman’s introduction of a resolution to establish Suffolk County guidelines for the use of methoprene in its vector control program targeting mosquito-borne diseases is an extremely important step in protecting our threatened shell fisheries in East Hampton, and in the larger Peconic Estuary and Long Island Sound. The resolution, IR-1692-13, following on the enacting of a similar ban of methoprene in Connecticut (and resmethrin, there) earlier this summer, will over time enable threatened populations of lobster, crab, and other shellfish more quickly to recover. But estimates of recovery time are measured in decades, and given the constellation of issues facing our marine environment, from climate cycles to shoreside development and attendant effects, this step is only one of what will be a long journey. Over the past 25 years, the lobster catch alone in Long Island Sound has declined over 96 percent, as evidenced by the gross landings. Issues of (former) fishing families’ livelihood aside for the moment, continuing indiscriminate destruction of the marine environment by introducing methoprene is a crime against our children’s futures. It is also bad business, in that our beleaguered fishing industry, once one of the mainstays of our state economy, continues to suffer from depressed landings, ill-advised regulations, and shortsighted greed. Duck Creek Farm Association, a community organization of homeowners, your neighbors and friends in the Springs, urges other similar organizations and individuals to write the legislature at the county and state levels in support of passage of this important bill. IRA BAROCAS Mr. Barocas is a candidate for East Hampton Town trustee. Ed. Poisoning the Planet Springs August 25, 2013 Dear David, County Legislator Jay Schneiderman has introduced a bill to restrict methoprene in estuaries in Suffolk County, which will go before the Legislative Health Committee for a vote on Sept. 5, 2013. I ask everyone who reads this to write a letter in support of this bill, Intro. Res. No. 1692-2013, and e-mail it to Jay’s office: [email protected]. In case your readers are not aware, I am an East Hampton Town Trustee running for re-election under the Democratic and Working Family Party lines who has been advocating for safer alternatives to mosquito management for quite some time. My message has been heard loud and clear (thanks, Jay!) and in addition to sending Jay an e-mail, I ask East Hampton residents to vote for me on Election Day so I can continue to do good work for the people and planet! As you may recall, methoprene is an insect growth regulator, a biochemical pesticide that Suffolk County sprays around Accabonac Harbor, Napeague Harbor, and elsewhere in the county in an attempt to control mosquitoes. After years of spraying, guess what? We still have a healthy mosquito population, yet other species are in decline, and many believe it is due to the application of methoprene and its subsequent migration into the marine environment. Long-term spraying may actually increase the number of mosquitoes by destroying predators that feed on mosquito larvae and adults, and mosquitoes that are sprayed but not killed may become resistant to the chemicals! As we spray methoprene year after year, mosquitoes have continued to multiply while lobsters, finfish, and other marine inhabitants have declined at an alarming rate. So alarming, in fact, that Connecticut just passed a bill to restrict methoprene, while Rhode Island, Maine, and other seaside communities have had restrictions in place for quite a while. It is also interesting to note that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has established guidelines that limit the use of methoprene in D.E.C.-managed wetlands as well! Jay’s bill allows for the use of methoprene in our estuaries when “one or more disease threats, including, but not limited to, West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, have been positively identified in local mosquito populations, or when two or more bacterial larvicide treatments have been unsuccessful in limiting mosquito population numbers sampled at the wetland site.” Right now, the county sprays methoprene on a regular basis without finding diseased pools of mosquitoes or trying alternative methods. This is called nuisance control — not disease prevention. It is poisoning the planet and makes no sense, especially when there are options to control mosquitoes that the county has not implemented. The Town of East Hampton has also fallen short, as they have done little to nothing to control mosquitoes. Perhaps when the new town board members step in they will step up and implement a sustainable approach to mosquito management that protects public health and our aquatic environment. Whether or not Jay’s bill passes, our local government can and should take a proactive and nontoxic approach to reduce mosquito populations so that the county will stop dousing our marshlands with toxic chemicals. I wonder‚ if Suffolk County Vector Control does not find mosquito larvae, will they still spray? Other states, counties, and municipalities have implemented mosquito control through biological and physical management. Many steps can be taken on our public and private properties that can reduce mosquito populations without causing harm to other species, including humans. Let’s also remember that West Nile virus is not typically found in common salt marsh mosquitoes. Only a few of the several thousand kinds of mosquitoes in the world are considered to be important transmitters of human diseases, and West Nile is typically found in the common house mosquito. These are found in our backyards and reproduce in standing water, not salt marshes. So why are we spraying toxic chemicals on our salt marshes? Oh, right — nuisance control. Let’s hope this bill passes, and that the new town board will step up to help reduce mosquito populations that can cause disease or just bother people. Please send an e-mail to Jay’s office before Sept. 5, and please cast your vote for me, your incumbent trustee, on Election Day 2013. DEBORAH KLUGHERS East Hampton Town Trustee Killing Fields Sag Harbor August 26, 2013 Dear David, A few years ago I met Cathy, a young woman my teenage daughters grew up with, in Sag Harbor. I had not spoken to Cathy in 20 years. She began our conversation saying, “Larry, I like your letters to the editor, you write so differently.” That took me by surprise. I believe she touched upon the freedom of my spirit, out of the box so to speak, and my struggle for peace and justice. Also, two journalists for The East Hampton Star told me they have been reading my letters for many years. I never know where they land until the feedback of letters every week for over 20 years. After this affirmation I wanted to offer David thanks for freedom of the press, no longer offered by the corporate-controlled newspapers that manipulate the way we think. The sheep are many. I leave you with an injustice close to my heart. War is insanity now a threat to humanity. Perpetual war has morphed into killing fields where reverence for life, anyone’s life, especially the children, is nonexistent. To choose sides, which I have done, only contributes to the violence. And let us not forget, our pre-emptive war against Iraq motivated people around the world to demonstrate against war, even our allies. There lies our hope, too blind to see ourselves, too focused on sending more weapons, too busy bribing other nations. The signs are crystal clear. In peace, LARRY DARCEY Can’t Tell the Truth Springs August 22, 2013 Dear Editor, As the president of the United States of America, a free country, goes on television and repeats the same over and over again, the lies just spew from his lips. We are being watched, spied on, and our e-mails and phone calls are being collected. Each time he says “no, this is not true,” the very next day more information from N.S.A. comes out to prove him wrong. Politicians just can’t tell the truth, and this includes Hillary Clinton, as she visited Pat Smith and promised that the videomaker would come to justice when she knew all along it was a terrorist attack. The University of Virginia and United Parcel Service will be removing spouses from health care, citing the rising cost of Obamacare. A mere $7.3 million projected cost for the university’s health care in 2014. New studies say 40 percent of businesses surveyed plan to change their health plans next year in light of the law. Nevada’s A.F.L.-C.I.O. trashes Obamacare, claiming it will bring down the country’s 40-hour-per-week work and make our country a part-time work force. Unemployment jumped 7.7 percent to 8.9 percent. Figures show underemployment is 17.9 percent. This probably includes the dump store Waldbaum’s. If the unions are so angry, how come the liberal progressives in East Hampton keep writing how great things are? Incidentally, Max Baucus, a Democrat, thinks Obamacare is a train wreck, and he was involved in its proceedings. This president did state he will save Detroit, and just last week I watched a video with Obama ranting he will never let Detroit go bankrupt. Please let me remind the readers Obama did not win the last election by no landslide and his first win, people who never voted in their lives came out of the woodwork, hoping for a real hope and change. They soon learned they are no better off today than they were then. Please to all readers go to youtube.com/ elbertguillory, it’s a great video. In God and love of country, BEA DERRICO End of the Season East Hampton August 22, 2013 Dear Editor, I woke up this morning and realized that August was in its last weeks and the summer was drawing to an astonishingly speedy close. The summer I had waited and longed for during the cold days of fall and winter had come and was almost gone. My golf games at Sag, the fantastic hours at the beaches, our swimming pool use and care, the beautiful flowers blooming around the house — all were slowly losing their glow and relevance and being replaced by shortened daylight hours and cooler temperatures. Woe is me! But there are some redeeming results in the ending of the season. The local stores will soon be shoppable without the hordes; the restaurants will be available at reasonable dining hours and not as noisy as the Indianapolis 500, and the storekeepers will have the time to listen to our small personal requests without shuffling with impatience! Take London Jewelers, for instance. Their employees had the time and courtesy to help me find an inexpensive metal watchband link so I could wear a watch that has tremendous sentimental value to me. They listened, they sympathized, they called the manufacturer, got two matching links five days later, and installed them at a very modest cost. The crowds are going, going, gone, but the courtesy of a local jeweler gave me a good feeling about our town, sans touristas! So buck up, everyone. Fall and winter have some of their own advantages, like the Knicks, the Giants, the Jets, the Nets. And the dreams of next spring and summer will rise again, and should help keep us warm throughout the cold days to come. RICHARD P. HIGER False Impression Springs August 26, 2013 To the Editor, I found it amusing and ironic that the front page of last week’s Star contained both a story lamenting and contemplating rhetorically about the out-of-control and disrespectful behavior of many of the visitors to Montauk this year, and a color picture right next to it of a beloved local fisherman and crew setting out for the day’s work with a descriptive caption below it that began with the words “As the sun rose. . . .” Irked at first by the blatant misreporting of the truth of our world and the confusion that repeating this perspective perpetuates, it made me chuckle knowingly when I subsequently read the accompanying autumn HomeBook insert and came across Helen Rattray’s piece about sentimentality and her desire to hold on to the past. As a culture it is clear that we move forward into the future kicking and screaming the whole way, longing for bygone days and suffering the disease of nostalgia. [. . .] So, ok, fine. I don’t think you’d get any argument that being a mercenary soldier — Swiss or otherwise — far away from home long before cellphones and Skype could be a painful experience, but why do we as people live our lives day by day with many longing for the past, or that the present remain the same when the nature of our reality is dynamic and nothing would exist without the quantum mechanics of constant change? The problem — I’m telling you true — starts with the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening. Think about it: Why do we suffer heartache? We suffer heartache when our expectations are destroyed by reality, and we lose or do not attain something that we long for. If we long for something that cannot be, we guarantee our eventual disappointment. This can be disheartening if it occurs on a regular basis, and eventually can erode our hope that circumstances can or will improve. The funny thing is that the only reason that things can improve from one condition to a better one is because every thing constantly changes from what it is to what it becomes. This is where our creativity gets its power and we get the godlike ability to create the world around us, which we then metabolize and experience. So why do we create so much pain? Because we long for the past and its familiarities in lieu of a proper understanding of where or how the future becomes as it does is up to us to choose as we see fit from the possibilities that evolve from what they are to what they become in sequentially subsequent seconds. “One cannot step twice into the same river” is a quotation attributed to the philosopher Herecleitus, whose perspective, like mine, was one of a constantly changing reality, and this was 2,500 years ago. We’ve learned a lot about our world, and through the efforts of many brave and intelligent souls like Copernicus, Galileo, and Foulclot, we now know for a fact that the sun does not rise, and the Earth is not standing still. If an error is repeated enough times it becomes the accepted truth. Day in and day out, weather reporters not only incorporate the words sunrise and sunset, nouns by definition, but really quasi-verbs that are coquettishly insinuating the sun is moving, then seeking immunity from blame behind their grammatical status as nouns, but many of these reporters become commentators by adding phrases like “The sun comes up at such-and-such o’clock today,” or, “Tonight the sun goes down at X p.m.” I see these things, and I’m keeping track. Don’t believe me? Here’s a small sampling of the confusion creating ad-libs of local TV weather personalities that I’ve begun to document as part of a formal complaint that I am lodging with the Federal Communications Commission to try and stop this onslaught of misinformation upon our senses: Dec. 6, 2012, Janice Huff WNBC 6:21 p.m.: “When the sun rises in the morning. . . .”; Dec. 12, 2012, Rich Hoffman News 12 Long Island, 8:49 a.m.: “And the sun goes down today at 4:26.” [. . .] Yes, I watch a lot of news. It’s sport to me to watch the carnage and comings and goings of a world in confusion, not sure what’s coming next, while the weather people help create the confusion that manifests as a world with no true north star or sense of what’s really happening. Like a dark comedy reality show, I watch the words sunrise and sunset become the brackets that define a confused world of illusion that operates within those parameters with the participants all longing for greater understanding, not aware that their true power of creativity is being sapped by the misinformation contained in those two misnomers. How does all this relate to the antics and antisocial quality-of-life issues in Montauk this year? It’s simple. It starts with the eroding effects of the hypocrisy that says truth is all-important but then we get lied to about the world around us and are then tasked with finding reconciliation and reason forensically. In a world where nothing is right or true, who or what does one follow, who can be trusted, if not the front page of the town’s “newspaper of record?” We hear it said everyday now that the future is going to require that people in modern society have a far better grasp of math and science and the truths they disclose in order to be successful. Do we really want to perpetuate a reality where little white lies are allowed to pollute a person’s perception of reality and retard their understanding of the truth of our world for the sake of our romantic notions of yesteryear? Or do we want educated children that excel because they are given the respect they deserve from a more truthful world? The sky during both of those a.m. and p.m. horizon events is just as beautiful, no matter what you call it. Let’s find more truthful ways of expressing the dynamic of our reality, and make it easier for succeeding generations to get quickly out of the starting block so they can enjoy their race of life. Earthset for a.m., earthrise for p.m.? The caption on the front-page picture of The Star, although romantically sentimental, is erroneous and creates a subliminal false impression on young readers (some older ones too). Unless The Star is becoming a pure entertainment and advertising shtick like Dan’s and his fabricated East End subway system, let’s keep it factual unless labeled as fiction. The dream world that is reality is much more magical than the static, untrustworthy world of sun rises and sun sets, no matter how you spell the words to claim legitimacy. Let’s make it more user friendly. Possibility plus choice equals reality. RICHARD KOSTURA Energy Independence East Hampton August 25, 2013 Dear David, Here is some information that your readers might be interested in. New York State has expensive natural gas deposits that extend from Lake Erie almost to the Hudson and from the Mohawk River to the New York-Pennsylvania border. This gas was discovered and has been used since 1821, yes, just short of 200 years! The deposit is a shale formation called the Marcellus Shale. Over the years thousands of wells have been drilled, and after a while abandoned. Abandoned because the gas, liquids, and petroleum oil are locked in the fine grain shale. The invention of drilling equipment that allowed the oil/gas drillers to drill along the deposit let the well reduce much longer; then the invention of hydraulic fracturing and the fractures held open by causing sand and soap to prop the shale open made the wells much more productive. Up to 20 times more productive than a single straight-down drilled well. Wells take up about 10 acres, all-inclusive from the road in. The area where the pump is, etc., is about five acres. Straight or slant well, same area. That means the slant drilling uses only 20 percent of the area equal production would. Then there is the new so-called “octopus” drilling. Eight slants radiating out from a single drilling site. So modern drilling methods would use five acres for up to eight directional wells. Five acres total surface disturbed, as opposed to up to 800 disturbed. Well, Gov. Andrew Cuomo thinks that he wants to think about it, for two years now. He cited environmental concerns about drinking-water pollution. Ignoring that the two claims of contamination were found to be utterly false and unfounded. So, an unfounded claim by two citizens of New York hold up a multibillion-dollar resource. As a result, many oil/gas companies have canceled their contracts with landowners and moved on, cutting upstate gas/oil lease income down. They are now working in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other states. What are the facts, David? Is New York State so wealthy that it is a full-employment state? No. The unemployment rate is number 33 at 7.5 percent. New York must have no budget worries then, more than enough in the state coffers? No, the state is in debt, and we all know it. The supposed environmental concerns are bunk, so why not start getting income? The Marcellus Shale is good for at least another century from now, and 1,800 feet below that there is the untouched Utica Shale, also holding commercial quantities of gas, liquids, and petroleum oil. We need to get going, start the gas/oil business going, help reach national energy independence and let the Mideast keep their oil. That would put a crimp in their radicalism without sending a single bomb or exposing a single soldier to another roadside bomb. Yours, PETER OSBORNE Re: Wisdom Boston August 21, 2013 To the Editor, Tommy crown funds, re: Wisdom T.S. Elliot, Chet Atkins. Unrolling scrolls from the Lord’s storehouse. Dear student of honorariums and perquisites, Bremerton Washington, four catapult carriers chapel, cloak, solar, zipola. If you get your 3 score and 10 Ronald Reagan’s legacy — a “presidential experience for eight years.” Murder in Navy — holiness on the cathedral steps via theology of James-Peter-John. The spirit of the world is destructive (the Ezekiel funnel in Jordan and hills of Paran). God gives us a fiery spirit to survive but holds back his grace which is stronger than those two spirits. But we access when we are humbled and humble ourselves. Those who don’t believe God had a son are deceived. At 70 Moses had a wife, kid, grandkids. The coins were rolling in, life was good in Midian. Egypt was in the past. In a few years, as the old sheepherders died off . . . then at 80 guess what? “You’re going back to Egypt.” Unholyness. When the temple is built in Jerusalem being polluted and going up and ordering a medium-rare before the 75th day, and Jesus serving bread and wine. Enjoy Montauk vacation, GEORGE RICHERT
Published 4 years ago
Last updated 4 years ago
Letters to the Editor: 08.29.13
August 28, 2013