Anchorage Daily News

Cold Bay must have a road; bad weather will stymie hovercraft

Environmentalists opposing the proposed road linking King Cove to Cold Bay unfairly claim it's unnecessary. This road is critical to saving lives. We don't have a safe, dependable form of transportation to Cold Bay's airport. The hovercraft cannot travel in winds above 40 mph.

Fortunately, the hovercraft has been able to transport patients to Cold Bay -- so far. But what will happen when the weather is too dangerous?

I can tell you from first-hand experience what would happen. I had double pneumonia two years ago and had to be medevaced. At that time, we didn't have the hovercraft. But with the terrible weather, there is no way it could have operated in those conditions. Planes couldn't fly. My son's friend risked his life and took me in his fishing boat. The seas were very rough. I held onto my oxygen tank in my bunk and my wife held onto me as we bounced around. It took three long hours to get to Cold Bay. Then I had to climb up a tall ladder to the Cold Bay dock as my son supported me just to get to the ambulance. I'm lucky to be alive today. I don't want my children or my grandchildren to ever have that experience.

-- Seward Brandell

King Cove

Breeders shouldn't put aggressive dogs with inappropriate owners

American pit bull terriers and similar breeds make great pets in the right homes with the right owners.

It's obvious to blame the owner who screwed up the dog by not socializing it, training it or having it spayed/neutered. There's a bigger picture, though. What irresponsible "breeder" put this dog in those people's hands? A reputable breeder breeds only mentally and physically healthy dogs and screens the homes these dogs go to. They make sure the buyer is responsible and understands the serious commitment that these breeds require.

I am a 100 pound female who has my pit bull under control at all times. He heels on leash and is very sociable. I have socialized him to everything and everyone, I train him, and I exercise him daily. I understand that by doing these things every day, my dog will be an emotionally and physically balanced one. People who do not do those things should not have this breed.

Many pit bull-type dogs out there that are in the hands of irresponsible owners do the breed a great disservice.

Please be open minded that there are people out there like me who has raised their dog(s) to be well-mannered and well-trained.

Regardless of what breed you have, respect the community, keep your dog on a leash at all times and scoop the poop.

-- Louann Devlin

Anchorage

Bailout creates more problems

The "bailout" is no solution to anything. Just giving money to the rich corrupt Wall Street brokers.

This is nothing more than Wall Street holding the U.S. government for ransom. They ran a pyramid game, and want us to bail the game out at the top. After this bailout, they will become much more powerful, and we will be more in debt. What happens then? Just another pyramid game, and another threat. But larger.

Close Wall Street, close the banks and restore confidence by putting thousands of them in jail.

Now or never fix this problem.

-- William Arett

Talkeetna

CEOs should help pay for bailout

According to statistics in the news, a bailout of Wall Street would cost between $3,000 and $7,000 per American taxpayer. In April of this year for the first time in my long life I invested part of my piddly savings from years of low paid labor into a bank investment account. Over the summer I have lost more than $3,000. Consider my part of the bailout to be already paid up thanks to our taxpayer-fleecing economics. The CEO recipients of this great socialized handout should match what we taxpayers put in from their own great salaries.

-- Roger Freed

Fairbanks

Teens perform good deeds

How long has it been since you heard or read about kids doing good deeds? Sadly only the mischievous ones get any attention. Let me tell you about some pre-teens in our neighborhood who voluntarily came to our yard and raked and bagged leaves and debris.

They didn't ask for compensation or even recognition; because their identity needs to be protected I can't mention their names. This isn't a one-time event; it's just the most recent one. They often bring the mail to us, take the trash to the curb and too many things to mention; all without asking for anything in return. Thank God for these good kids and the parents who have trained them so well. Thanks, kids.

-- Curly and Erma Doggett

Anchorage

ADN cartoonist will be missed

As editorial cartoonist for the Anchorage Daily News for the past quarter-century, Peter Dunlap-Shohl created a rich body of work that Alaskans are unlikely to see again. He regularly illuminated, informed, provoked and amused us with a rare combination of intelligence, artistic skill, thoughtful perception, and wit. His work will be sorely missed, as Alaska is destined to be a less informed -- and much less humorous -- place without the benefit of Peter's voice.

-- Jeff Feldman

Anchorage

Palin adopts a new religion

Sarah Palin has undergone an amazing transformation since her debut on the national scene. The most remarkable change has been her ability to spout lies so easily.

In light of her professed faith and Christian beliefs, I find this especially disappointing. She is willing to parrot anything the McCain operatives tell her to say. I know politics is hard ball, but please don't flaunt your religion at the same time you are telling blatant untruths.

The latest, that Obama has been "palling around with terrorists," is beyond the pale. She knows this is inflammatory and not true. As a Christian myself, I would remind her of one of the Ten Commandments -- , You shall not bear false witness. If she can promote her faith only when it is convenient to her and the campaign she has surely proven that ambition has become her new religion.

-- Nancy Voorhees

Eagle River

Bailout shows something is rotten

No bailout! This charade is so repugnant that even those who don't understand the fraud committed here know something is rotten.

Instead of bailing out the scoundrels who orchestrated this "disaster," we should be prosecuting the members of Congress who were calling the shots. The fox watching the henhouse doesn't sell anymore.

-- Douglas Hooper

Anchorage

Where is the justice in bailout?

Before the bailout:

I tried not to buy things that I didn't need or couldn't afford.

I dismissed too-good-to-be-true offers as being too good to be true.

I was scrupulously honest on my taxes.

I didn't do business with outfits that prey on the fragile and naïve.

After the bailout:

Bottom-feeding companies are saved.

Those they fed upon lose all.

Greedy CEOs keep their millions.

And my taxes pay for it.

-- Julie Collins

Big Lake

Borough, state must take stand to protect area's historic trails

Loss of Iditarod Trail is sad ("Knik landowner blocks use of Iditarod Trail," Oct. 5). Even though the Iditarod is listed in the RS2477 registry and should be off limits to closure, it is going to be lost without a fight.

The state and the Mat Su Borough have dropped the ball on trail development for years. The practice of "moving a trail" on paper is easy, but in most cases, it is not practical on the ground.

The borough refuses to take a stand on existing trails that have been in place for years and willingly allows these right of ways to be lost forever. The state collects trail development funding through the TRAAKS program at the gas pump and should use a portion of this money to fund legal fights for these historic right of ways.

Legal access to the back country is quickly being lost with little attention from the borough and state. Now the Iditarod Trail right of way is threatened and past history shows it too will be lost. Even if the closure of the Iditarod trail in Knik does not effect you personally, assume the trail to your favorite recreational spot is safe and will be there forever. It is finally time for the borough and state to take a stand to protect these historic rights-of-way.

-- Jeff Ross

Big Lake

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