That space travel money stayed on the ground
Re: “Depressing news makes it tough to start day,” letter, April 26.
The letter writer was upset about the waste of money in Elon Musk’s rocket failure. I lived for many years in a part of Los Angeles called the San Fernando Valley, where many of the components that made space travel possible were conceived and built.
Over the decades, billions of dollars were spent building them and tens of thousands of people made good livings off their hard work.
Money that went to buy cars, homes, food, clothing, college educations for their children and savings for retirement.
Not one red cent went up in space. It all stayed on the ground.
The advances made because of space travel also added trillions to the economy with new and improved technologies.
Gerald Marantz
Parksville
Large outdoor festival made downtown vibrant
I can remember a time of promise and renewal in downtown Victoria a decade ago and then a vacant city council allowed the tourism community to throw the Victoria community out of its own downtown.
No one in the tourism industry wakes up in the morning to consider downtown interests, as that is not their mission, and exclusionary decisions impacting the community then get made that disenfranchises local presence and leaves a hollow wake.
People ask what made the 2013-16 period so community vibrant and forget during those Julys, for example, the largest outdoor festival on Vancouver Island happened. Right downtown.
Tens of thousands of South Island family members attended.
It was called the Victoria International Buskers Festival. I note that families can dwarf a local concert audience by a factor of 50 times yet not be perceived as having their own air clearance in substantiveness. Even if they are elephants.
It would take a vision, 36 months and a budget to restore “much” of downtown Victoria to Victoria. It’s unfortunate to see people forgetting what real is in the core, while vested interests stand idly not knowing the steps necessary to resolve.
John Vickers
Miramichi, New Brunswick
Saanich, what about commercial dog walkers?
Re: “Saanich no Grinch on Christmas tree sales,” April 27.
Saanich Parks has bigger fish to fry than the seasonal use of a lacrosse box for Christmas tree sales.
Coun. Judy Brownoff states that “there’s a policy in our parks of no commercial activity.”
And yet, under her leadership last term as chair of the former Parks Trails and Recreation Committee, and now as Chair of the Natural Areas, Parks and Trails Committee, no efforts have been made to curb the extensive use of Saanich’s parks by commercial dog walkers.
Spend a weekday morning at Saanich’s largest and most ecologically significant park, PKOLS Mount Douglas, and listen to the echos of these packs of dogs barking as they run off of trails, or down the many rogue trails they’ve created.
Many times I have watched clearly marked commercial dog vehicles pull into the parking lot and release eight or more dogs into the forest, where they wreak havoc on the sensitive ecosystems and wildlife.
Saanich put tremendous effort into planning, consulting, regulating and evaluating its recent food truck pilot, another commercial activity in its parks taking place again this summer.
It was decided that, like its Pop-up Dog Park pilot, PKOLS Mount Douglas Park was not an appropriate location for this type of activity due to its sensitive natural features that need to be protected.
And yet commercial dog walking continues uncontrolled each and every day, with no concern demonstrated by the elected officials and staff tasked with stewarding these areas.
Taylor Young
Victoria
A morning survey shows we need more dog parks
Recently I had to make two separate trips from Gordon Head to downtown Victoria between 7:30 and 10 a.m. and turned the occasion into a survey.
I discovered that there were seven dog walkers, three bicyclists, and two joggers during the 43 kilometres travelled.
Based on this survey, which is probably more accurate than any Victoria or Saanich had done, we need more dog walking parks and fewer bike lanes.
Taxpayers deserve to have their money spent on items that have the best use, such as dog parks.
Chris Sheldon
Saanich
Don’t raise kids to be your caregiver
People who really, really don’t want kids, should not have kids.
I don’t have any, and I did want them, but autism that went undiagnosed for 30 years pretty much prevented it. I’m way too old, now.
People definitely shouldn’t have kids for the hope of a personal caregiver in their old age.
Too many narcissists and other cluster B personality disorder sufferers who are also abusive put their “scapegoat” children who they constantly berate as worthless and can never do anything right – and sometimes even the favorite “Golden Child” who can do no wrong even if caught red-handed in a criminal act — through hell with their selfish and entitled behavior.
Those are the parents who will end up dying alone in “that crooked nursing home on 60 Minutes” because the nurses won’t put up with that, either.
However, if nobody is having kids, nobody will have any paid caregivers. Japan is trying to build robots to care for the elderly for this reason.
It’s funny, people accuse the childfree of being “selfish” for not having kids, but selfish people are the last people anyone should want raising any children.
April J. Gibson
Duncan
More high praise for health care workers
It was nice to read the recent letter thanking the staff at the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
I have two types of cancer and I receive incredible support and treatment from staff at the Victoria Cancer Agency.
Too much time is spent criticizing governments and agencies. I too give my humble thanks to the staff at the Victoria Cancer Agency.
Eric Jones
Victoria
If you own a cat, think of the birds
People who allow their cats to roam their neighbourhood should be aware of the damage that they are doing to the bird population. It is really not cute when your tabby brings you a feathered gift and leaves another family of babies in the nest waiting for a meal that never comes, or are just hatching.
Bird populations are being decimated while more cats than previous years are being let out to prey.
Cats should be licensed so owners could be fined. Enough already.
Ed McColm
Sidney
That ratio of nurses calls for some answers
The announcement to implement a minimum nurse-to-patient ratio sounds great but some questions need to be answered.
Will the government use effective recruitment strategies to ensure there are enough nurses in the system? Will the ratio be funded? What happens if the ratio is not met?
Kip Wood
Nanaimo
Strong positive attitude helps in the cancer fight
Re: “Your cancer can empower you,” April 20.
The column by Anny Scoones hits very close to home for me. In my case, it was severe leg pain that ER Doctors or my GP could not explain. Six weeks later, a diagnosis of terminal cancer was determined, a second opinion confirmed Burkitts Lymphoma. By that time, I was stage 4 with not a lot of time to spare.
There was no consulting on what had to be done, it was more a matter of timing, getting me to Vancouver in time to start chemotherapy treatment. The difference being the air ambulance over a ferry trip.
One week in ICU followed by three weeks in hospital put me on the road to recovery. I would continue as an outpatient for three months to ensure all the cancer cells were taken care of.
The medical staff were lifesavers and, to this day, I own them a debt of gratitude.
The main aspect that got me through the entire ordeal was the love and prayers of my wife, family and friends. The other was a strong faith and belief that the Lord was working with me to recover.
The strong positive outlook that Anny is using to help her move through the various stages of chemotherapy helped me do the same thing 10 years ago.
That positive approach to treatment along with strong support from family and the medical team goes a long way to conquering cancer.
Keep up the fight Anny – you have me in your corner.
Allan Wood
Qualicum Beach
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