Readers responses to the city’s new LED lights and the Weekly’s recent pit bull story
Shedding Light
This letter is in reply to the letter in Metro (Nov. 14-20, 2012) from “T. May,” entitled “The Light! It Burns.html!” As a environmentalist, I applaud the cost savings due to decreased energy usage from the city’s recently installed LED lighting. As an amateur astronomer, I am aware of the health effects of increased glare from excess lighting.
Excess glare has been linked to breast cancer and other health concerns. For more information please see darksky.org. Excess glare also makes driving difficult, especially for older drivers, and it decreases security by allowing criminals to hide in the shadow of bright lights. Darksky.org also has information about its adverse effects on wildlife.
Note that LED lights can be dimmed. For an example, I believe the LED lights on Fair Avenue have been dimmed. I agree with T. May that the recently installed LED lights are too bright.
Please join me in helping to improve the beauty and health of Santa Cruz County by contacting City and County officials and asking them to please put light where it is needed, during the time period it will be used and at the levels that enhance visibility.
Mark Buxbaum
Santa Cruz
If Breed Doesn’t Matter
Re: “Tooth and Nail.html” (Nov. 21-27, 2012): McClay says that breed has no bearing on behavior? I disagree, but have it your way. Ban pit breeding. Enact and enforce spay/neuter microchipping of all pits/pit mixes/all dog aggressive dogs. You can keep your spayed/neutered pit, but when she passes away, and there are fewer/no pits, you can adopt any homeless dog and train/manage her to be your charming pet. Since breed doesn’t matter, how can you object?
Re: “The first and only face transplant on a human that was performed was due to a Labrador Retriever.” That victim had tried to commit suicide, od’d on pills, was unconscious and believed her dog was trying to save her. Anyway, the woman lived, unlike 30+ other adult pit owners, killed by their own dogs in the past decade. Hundreds of other pit owners and pit neighbors were injured and thousands of neighbor pets have been needlessly killed by pits, pits being “good” pits. “Kill or die trying” is the pit bull motto.
In the past two months, two pit rescuers were killed by their own dogs, dogs who they were certain could be trusted. Mary Jo Hunt and Rebecca Carey were pit mongers who learned the hard way. I would accept pits if their only victims were their consenting adult owners, but more often the victims are the elderly neighbor walking to the mailbox or the elderly dog, killed on public property. If pits are are the “best” at killing their adult owners, we should never be surprised when they maim/kill neighbors and passersby.
Proof that pits are different, the best at attacking and not stopping? Essentially all U.S. dog fighters choose only pits.
Debbie Bell
Under Attack
I wish that lawyers like the one in this article got a pit bull. He would change his mind. The problem is idiot owners. Each dog is different and the owner knows if their dog likes or doesn’t like children, little dogs, other dogs. Be responsible. It’s hard to be the so-called pack leader because they are so lovable, but yes they have another side, the side that must be tamed. I saw a pit bull at the doggie beach with a spiked collar, it saddened me. No more backyard breeding. I feel like I’m under attack because I own a pit, but he is well trained. It’s hard to train them, but it is possible. I absolutely love my dog.
Shawn Harris
