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March 09. 2015 2:00AM Letters to the Editor, March 9 No real choice Rather than an elephant, it's a crouching tiger in the room. Whether one is for the Jordan Cove pipeline or not, this pipeline must never be built. Fossil fuels produce gases that absorb heat and melt the Arctic ice. The resulting acidification of oceans is creating extreme weather that affects all life forms. Over 250 million years ago, 90 percent of species disappeared. Prevailing theory attributes high levels of carbon and sulfur dioxides that heated the planet and released methane. Methane has heat trapping properties 87 times greater than carbon dioxide, is melting polar ice and bubbling up from the ocean floor. We are dangerously close to the tipping point. In her book, "This Changes Everything," Naomi Klein points out that gas is a fossil fuel, and while it may produce less carbon than oil or coal, “it is not a bridge fuel to be used to impede the growth of true clean energy.” Today’s renewable technologies are efficient and affordable while most gas is the product of hydraulic fracturing, can be dangerous, and contributes significantly to global warming. There is no real choice. We don’t need another pipeline. What we do need is more wind and solar energy. Kathy Svendsen, Grants Pass Get a second opinion I went to get my car serviced, and was told my transmission needed to be replaced or rebuilt, so went to a transmission shop and was told it was fine. My next trip was about the radio, and I was told it was no good and needed to be replaced. A few minutes ago I was pulling a couple of fuses out in the car to see if any were burned out. After I put them back I got in the car and happened to push the radio button. Guess what, it came on. I guess it was a loose fuse. The lesson: Get a second opinion! William Carlson, Central Point Vote for Starchvick Voters sometimes remark that local elections are unimportant, or that their votes don’t count. Nothing is further from the truth. Issues decided in the local arena profoundly impact our community, and local measures or offices are won or lost by very few votes. Few elections will more profoundly impact our community, our schools and our children than the current campaign for Medford School Board. I encourage everyone not only to vote, but to join me in supporting Karen Starchvick for Position 4. Karen’s business acumen, sterling history of service to our schools and many community organizations, understanding of the challenges faced by teachers and students and passionate concern that our children receive the best possible education convince me that she is uniquely qualified for this position. Please join me in electing Karen Starchvick to Position 4 of the Medford School Board. Rita Sullivan, Medford Walden not a real conservative Well, our staunch "conservative" in Congress, Greg Walden, just voted "yes" to approve funds for Obama's "executive" amnesty that his buddy Boehner sneaked through during the hubbub over Netanyahu's address. So much for any "conservative" aspects of Walden's record. The Conservative Review, which rates "conservatives" on their actual record, scores Walden as an "F" grade, voting for conservative positions only 4 percent of the time. There's another election coming up next year. Walden is apparently much more concerned with his relationship with Boehner than he is about the relationship with his constituents. He is a "make-believe" conservative. Oregon already has enough of those on the Democratic side of the House. Jules Gilpatrick, Eagle Point http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20150309/OPINION/150309706 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->