Letters to the Editor 3/14

Hoax hysteria

To believe that there is a worldwide conspiracy by the scientific community to destroy America through the hoax of global warming is a scary thing to believe. Those like Rush Limbaugh who do believe such things live in a scary world. This explains their hysteria but not why this hysteria is sweeping a once-great nation.

Jean Cox

Atascadero

Mix up businesses

I continue to hear about the possibility of the city of Atascadero building two movie theaters right across from each other. I think this is very unnecessary. Instead, the town should focus on bringing in other business (preferably from local sources) and entertaining its teenagers.

Providing alternative forms of entertainment, such as a bowling alley, might help to revitalize the Atascadero downtown area. Also, if the movie theater made the price of movies $5 instead of $10, it would bring in much more business from the junior and high school students. Creating different jobs for the town, versus two competing theaters, will help the entire community.

Tyler Ingersoll

Atascadero

Group goes too far

The editorial by Phil Dirkx comparing the Concerned Citizens for Paso Robles’ assault on the residents of Paso Robles to an autoimmune disorder is right on (“Water-rate dispute is like an illness,” March 5).

While the Concerned Citizens for Paso Robles did a service to the community with their opposition to the first rate proposal, they have now carried this opposition too far, forcing Paso Robles to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars defending themselves against this very small group of dissidents.

They are now attacking the community without regard to the consequences. Paso Robles needs the water and is legally committed to paying the bill for its share of the Nacimiento pipeline project. The current proposed rate structure is fair, easy to understand, equitable and self-limiting. You will pay only for the amount of water that you use.

Larry Werner

Paso Robles

Conservative columnists

I was very pleased to note the addition of the editorial by Charles Krauthammer. He possesses an extremely keen mind and offers thoughtful commentary on current events.

Having said that, I was extremely disappointed to read that you were eliminating Bill O’Reilly’s column. While I do not always agree with him, I find his opinions to be measured, often humorous and pertinent. To have him replaced by a left-wing ideologue is disturbing.

While I seldom agreed with Ellen Goodman’s conclusions, she was at least civil and somewhat moderate in her writing. That contrasts markedly to the morose and trite rants of Paul Krugman and three or four other regular columnists you feature. By my count, the only conservative writers you have left are Krauthammer and Victor Davis Hanson. The predominant liberal bias of your editorial writers, combined with the recent curtailment of the early week editions and the increase in prices, have left me seriously considering dropping my subscription to your paper. I would do so somewhat sadly, as I value the local news you provide, and the sports coverage, while limited, is welcome.

Gene Lundstrom

Paso Robles

Liberal columnists

Regarding “O’Reilly lite,” Feb. 25: Jim Griffin couldn’t be more correct. Charles Krauthammer is indeed an “ultra-far right ideologue” and Fox News Channel regular and there is no balance from the left whatsoever.

Why not try David Corn, the Washington bureau chief of Mother Jones magazine and a regular on “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” on MSNBC? Bet he’s available too.

John Winthrop

Cayucos