LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, 12-22-2011

Welcome 99 percenters
Editor: I know the people who open up their
homes for holiday house tours donate the money to worthy causes and
good for them. But boy oh boy, could we 99 percenters give touring
types a shocker if we opened up our homes … also for worthy
causes. Me for example. Watch those wobbly stepping stones. They
are on my “to do” list. Sorry about the blistering paint on the
handrail. The hutch was given to me by friends because their dog
chewed up the front of the cabinet (note teeth marks). Matching
pair of Drambuie liquor boxes for end tables. Blank canvas on easel
has been waiting to be painted for 20 years. It’s on the list.
Faded antique Persian rug is all cotton. Permanent dark spot on
coir rug in kitchen is from a spilt chocolate malt from Mimi’s.
Anyone want this set of 30-year-old encyclopedias I can’t give
away? Yes, it’s a re-clining chair, but it won’t, so don’t try.
Designer tiles behind kitchen sink held in place by velcro. Only
one bedroom available for public viewing … the other one is
filled with boxes. No, I don’t have guests. Yes, I normally keep
the vacuum in the living room. No, the front screen door doesn’t
close tight. Those cobwebs only show in the afternoon light. The
dust-balls are starter sets. I mail them to my compulsively neat
friends. Yes, I normally leave the ironing board open in the dining
area. And yes, those are Grant’s ant stakes scattered artfully here
and there. End of virtual tour. Make checks out to cash and I’ll
donate them to the charities of my choice.
Happy Holidays.
Neil E. Davis
Sebastopol
Civilize the discourse
Editor: I was more than a little upset by
several letters in the Dec. 15 paper. Here we are in Sebastopol, a
purported leader in civilized living, looking to take the world
beyond the petty and the greedy, trying to find and express love
for our fellow humans, and now this. Vindictive and personal
attacks … over a building. And right before Christmas, too.
I hope the letter writers will take a moment to look within
themselves, find their inner selves, see the common humanity we
share. Perhaps then we can have a civil discourse about a project
that affects us all.
Hank Bassior
Sebastopol
Delightful decision
Editor: What a delight and relief it was to
read that the Design Review Board opposed the plan to erect two big
boxes for CVS and Chase Bank on the premier corner of Sebastopol’s
downtown. And they did it for all the right reasons, one of which,
“a sea of asphalt,” really resonated with me. The Earth is being
crushed and suffocated under tons of asphalt. How about we –
un-pave paradise and put up a park in the lot? It has kind of a
nice ring to it.
Lily Berkeley
Sebastopol
Refrain from attacks
Editor: This is a respectful request for
writers of Letters to the Editor to please refrain from personal
attacks and sarcasm directed at individual community members. To
demonize individuals lowers the level of political dialogue and is
a below-the-belt-tactic. Instead, please give us your reasoned
arguments for the policies and people you would like to
support.
Holly Downing
Sebastopol
CVS violations
Editor: I was one of the DRB members who voted
to deny the CVS project for reasons that extend well beyond the few
that were outlined in your editorial (“Small town charm” Dec. 10).
Sebastopol does, in fact, have “clear and comprehensive” design
review guidelines, totaling 14 pages, and are far above average in
their level of understanding and thoughtfulness that attempt, while
supporting reasonable growth, to protect us from the negative, and
too often irreversible, environmental degradation we all know so
well from the misfortunes of other communities.
At the beginning, the CVS team made positive changes to their
original design, but refused to “stay the course” and continue
working with the board to achieve an acceptable result. Their final
scheme was in direct violation of far too many of our guidelines,
from matters of pedestrian safety, architectural scale and
compatibility, traffic flow, excessive asphalt areas, energy
conservation, etc. to those that disfavor a franchise repetition of
imported styling. We will undoubtedly see a project at this
location someday, but this one, in my mind, was completely
unacceptable.
Robert O Beauchamp
Sebastopol
Thanks from Mr. Music
Editor: A big thank you to all who came out and
help me during the Holiday Singalong Marathon at Whole Foods last
Wednesday. We set the record of 9 straight hours singing Christmas
and Hannukah songs. All the shoppers came out with smiles on their
faces and many sang along with the Love Choir, and contributed to
the Mr. Music Foundation, which brings music to local schools.
I am so grateful to Whole Foods for giving 5 percent of their
gross to the Mr. Music Foundation. That was a huge contribution to
our cause. The management and staff were extremely supportive of
our group, and even joined in the singing.
Anyone wanting to contribute to the Mr. Music Foundation can do
so at MrMusicFoundation.org.
Holiday blessings to all,
Jim Corbett
“Mr. Music”