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December 31. 2014 12:01AM Letters to the Editor, Dec. 31 Holding communities hostage SOU is holding the university and community hostage with its supposed “student-funded recreation center” and abandoning the pool. This is how universities are run now. Nobody in the administration has the spine or vision to sustain an Olympic-sized pool, because it is about money-making and short vision. The problem and supposed empowerment to allow student government leaders to travel to Salem, and make sure millions could be used for repairing the crumbling walls that surround the pool, but eliminate the pool with a “student vote.” Students already fund all kinds of extra things besides their tuition; ask any parent or student if they are not tired of getting stuck with those extras like ground maintenance fees, and little fine writing that makes getting a degree a punishment in debt, that the cadre of administration would surely like to not pay for. How much do the president and dean make again? If anyone was actually present and logical in that “administration,” they would know that the pool has soul. It helps the SOU students, and provides high schools a place for aquatic recreation. The pool has a soul, and it builds friendships, educates, keeps kids off the streets. Ask any parent or student who has children who were on swim team or water polo teams, or who took a scuba diving class like me, if that pool is not vital for a healthy university and town. But put it up to a student vote, and of course I don’t want to pay for it. That hostage scenario is a microcosm of what is wrong with the “business model” mentality that administrations across the country are doing: raking in the big bucks, as you illogically cast your “student vote.” Tom Frantz, Ashland Just say no Decisions we make today, individually and collectively, will determine the ability of our planet to support humanity in the decades ahead. We are feeling the consequences of global warming today, but it will only get worse if we continue our "business as usual" behavior of ever increasing greenhouse gas emissions. It is impossible to be too alarmist about this issue! The math tells us clearly that we have but 13 years to solve our use of fossil fuels completely and be fully weaned. By 2027, globally we need to be using renewable energy sources. The technology is here to achieve this goal — all we need is a commitment to do it. Whether we burn fossil fuels here or export them overseas to be burned there is no difference, the end result is more global warming and more climate chaos. Recognizing this threat, we must consider the greenhouse gas emissions consequences of every decision we make. The Jordan Cove Pacific Connector LNG pipeline is a perfect example. By emitting carbon dioxide and methane, this project can only make global warming and climate chaos worse. Just as we must with all efforts to export our fossil fuels, we should just say “No!” Julia M. Rodriguez-Seidler, Ashland One-liners for 2015 Learn to love myself first, then I am able to love others. I am enough, as is. Obey my body; it is wiser than my head. Suffering is resistance to what is. By doing my unsavory jobs first, I can breeze through the rest of the day. Be alert to daily miracles happening. Pay close attention to what I'm doing this very moment. Persevere, no matter what is going on around me. There is double joy in giving. Compassion for others brings our deepest and most lasting satisfactions.  Carola Lacy, Ashland http://www.dailytidings.com/article/20141231/OPINION/141239974 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->