Letters, 7/27: LES failing to look ahead

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In response to Marilyn McNabb (letter, July 23), who thinks the rate hike proposed by LES is reasonable, I would suggest otherwise.

LES has failed Lincoln for not having the foresight years ago to move aggressively into the alternative energy playing field. We have known for decades now that our reliance on coal and oil was not sustainable, yet as managers of our energy future, LES chose to ignore these warnings.

Granted, they built two wind turbines several years ago, but why haven’t more been constructed? They began a program at that time where consumers could send an extra $6 a month with their electric bill, which was supposed to go into their sustainable energy budget, yet nothing has been done.

Lincoln, especially younger Lincolnites, do you want to rely on LES as the entity to move us into a sustainable energy future? With the present management, I am not hopeful that they will represent us very well.

In this supposed free market world, shouldn’t those who made the wrong decisions be held accountable, or should we continue a failed policy of bailing these guys out?

Until LES recognizes that a significant portion of their budget needs to go into the development of sustainable energy resources, our future will look dim. Next year we’ll have a couple more rate hikes, and then the year after, etc.

I suggest that LES needs to do like the rest of us when they cannot pay their bills. A severe cut in salaries, a severe cut in operational expenses, a severe cut in benefits and perks. When your management fails you, these are the consequences they must pay.

Ron Kriha, Lincoln

Obama’s field trip

Sending Sen. Chuck Hagel with Sen. Barack Obama to Afghanistan and Iraq was like sending a student with his teacher on a field trip.

Sen. Hagel had to explain what war is and show him what it means to be a patriotic soldier. I hope Sen. Obama had his pen and notebook with him.

Sen. Obama will have to show he really cares about the military men fighting for freedom.

Tom Yearley, Goehner

Stay home or quit whining

I just returned from a trip to Minneapolis. I went to see my brother visiting from Oregon who is not doing well healthwise. That took far less gas than for the rest of the family to drive to Oregon.

The traffic was almost bumper to bumper most of the way. The restaurants were packed as well. Yet, all I heard on the radio were the horrors of gas and food prices. Is anyone staying home because of it?

We have become a nation of belly-achers.

Lois Bauer, Lincoln

StarTran cut a bad call

For a city the size and reputation of “Star City” Lincoln, the proposed midday reduction of StarTran services may be disastrous. Not only will many current riders suffer varying degrees of distress, but the future of Lincoln’s transportation needs may be put in jeopardy.

Although the four-hour midday bus schedule reduction may have less ridership impact than either the morning or afternoon schedules, many current users would find it difficult or impossible to find satisfactory transportation alternatives, such as:

The elderly who look forward to noon meals and other activities at senior centers; those who depend on public transportation to meet medical and business appointments or who have part-time or full-time jobs whose workdays begin or end at midday; students at the various campuses whose class schedules begin or end at midday; and those who may relish an occasional midday lunch, movie, shopping or other entertainment (as I, and I hope others, do with some degree of regularity) downtown or at the expanding horizons of Lincoln.

Here and there I read of larger cities experiencing sharply increased public transportation ridership.

Notwithstanding some growth in population, size and StarTran ridership, and with promise of continued growth (think of the investment in the Antelope Valley Project), the city of Lincoln proposes to reduce an important infrastructure component.

Rather than exert more intensive effort toward increasing ridership and considering other revenue sources such as modest parking and fare increases, the mayor’s budget proposes to reduce midday schedules, a step sure to reduce ridership not only by those who are currently dependent on midday services but potential future riders, particularly next generation consumers who may seek more promising “Star City” locations because Lincoln could not support their midday transportation needs.

Eli Zietz, Lincoln

Thanks for sharing

I wanted to thank Stanley J. Lambert for sharing Sydney Harris’ philosophy on patriotism (“Applaud patriotic efforts,” letter, July 17).

Now I know why I admire Sen. Chuck Hagel. Thank you, Senator.

John Bode, Lincoln

Lame book review

What editor at your newspaper read Francis Moul’s review of the latest Lee Child novel (LJS, July 20) and allowed it to go to print?

Calling it a review is laughable at best. Seven paragraphs were written. The first six described Jack Reacher, the main character, and gave a brief synopsis of his life so far. Most of this information can be found in almost every Jack Reacher novel, as Lee Child is very good at reminding his readers who we are dealing with.

This leaves one paragraph to “review” the actual book in question.

Here it is for anyone that missed it. … Reacher stops in the town of Despair for a cup of coffee. The townsfolk want him gone. He teams up with a married female cop to find out what is going on.

And that is it! At 407 pages I’d hoped we could have gotten something a little more detailed. At $27, Moul doesn’t make me want to spend my money, and I own all the other Reacher novels.

Seems Moul read the front and back covers for the “review” and missed the 407 pages in between.

Patrick Durkin, Lincoln