Posted: Wednesday, November 8, 2006 12:00 am
Rules in a roundabout
After witnessing a few close calls at the North Albany roundabout, I understand Dale Holland's concerns (Mailbag, Nov. 4) regarding proper use of the roundabout. My latest Oregon Drive Manual (2004-2005) states that when approaching the roundabout, you must yield to pedestrians, vehicles and bicyclists within the roundabout.
Also, once inside the roundabout, always indicate your exit using your right turn signal. Maybe more signs (yikes!) at the roundabout regarding these rules and an attentive officer to gently remind the offenders of these rules might make this area a safer place to drive.
Carol Hiler, Albany
Hourly workers unite!
There are predominantly only three groups of people who receive promotions. The younger generation, those who are personal friends with management, and the brown-nosers. These people climb the corporate ladder so fast they forget what it's like to be on the bottom. Even if you have put in over 10 years of dedicated, hard work, if you do not fall into one of these categories, your chance of advancing is very low.
Hourly employees are overlooked and under-appreciated. Without being adequately compensated, hourly employees are required to do the work of two or more people often times outside their own pay classification. Hourly employees are commonly paid such low wages they have a very difficult time making ends meet. Most companies are only concerned about their bottom line and don't care who they have to step on or hurt to increase it. Additionally, many companies claim they are a "family first" company, however if you do not put your job before your family then you might as well find employment elsewhere.
Perhaps this is why many hourly employees opt to start a union. With some companies all you have to do is mention the word union and you will be labeled as a trouble maker and be terminated. Other than a union, who is going to stand up for our rights? Who is going to make sure we are being treated in a fair and just manner, and we are being paid a reasonable living wage? Who is looking out for us?
Unfortunately, employers have all the rights and the employees have none. Employers can treat us and use us in any way they wish. It's past time for us, the hourly employees, to band together and say, "We're not going to take it anymore."
Eric Harrison, Lebanon
Allow non-violent felons to hunt
My name is Keven Hampton and I'm writing about your Oct. 25 article about felons with guns hunting.
For the first thing, just because we are felons doesn't mean we're notorious outlaws looking for our next victim. Fifty percent of the felons are felons for a charge as minor as a DUII or driving while suspended that has nothing to do with a gun, yet you people take our guns away from us. Some of us felons enjoy the sport of hunting, not only for the meat - it is a chance to get outdoors and do what men do. It's good for some of us to reconnect with our manhood.
When I was in the Army, if we were caught without our gun or weapon, we got a charge against us like a felon for not having our weapon. When my butt was out there defending my country, there wasn't any fellow American taking my gun, saying it was against the law. You people were buying me bullets, saying, 'Here, go kill for your country.' Now I'm sitting in the Linn County Jail for a year for a felon in possession of a firearm.
It's a pretty bad day when a man can't get his rifle out of the closet and go hunting to kill some meat for the family. The law needs to be changed so us non-violent felons can go hunting without fearing a jail sentence. Please help me to carry my gun legally again.
Keven Hampton, Linn County Jail
Governor should uphold law
I find it hard to believe that we have a governor that doesn't want to be responsible for upholding the law. "Let the new Legislature tend to the question of driving licenses. I don't want anything to do with it."
The question is, what does he think that a governor is responsible for if it is not upholding the law? I would hazard a guess that he expects that a new Legislature, complete with possibly the aid of Sen. Frank Morse's magic wand, to take care of everything.
As one of the electorate, I am very concerned. I had to give adequate proof of who I was when I got my first driver's license and think that it should be a given. As far as resident aliens are concerned, they have to supply proof. Illegal aliens are just that, illegal. Knowingly breaking the laws of our state and country should not be tolerated. Allowing it is abetting.
M. Paul Lindsey, Lebanon
Get rid of time switch
No one I have talked to likes the daylight saving, which we do not really have.
Perhaps, we can get rid of this detestable unmitigated bore. (Twice a year is too much.) It took me a couple of days to reprogram the TV/VCR.
Margaret M. Macfarlane, Albany