Hummingbirds in winter

The picture on page A2 in Monday's paper (Jan. 26) shows an Anna's hummingbird. They are becoming more and more common as year-long Willamette Valley residents. The other hummingbird we have in the valley is the more common rufous hummingbird. They are really hard to tell apart unless you look closely. The rufous are long gone this time of year.

I have kept a feeder out and have had a pair of Anna's all winter. It was really amazing to watch them when it was really cold a few weeks ago. They were happy when I brought out the unfrozen feeder each morning from the house.

Greg Anderson, Albany

Let Lebanon public speak

Lebanon city council meetings are scheduled the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at the train station, Third and Sherman, and by law must be open to the public and recorded.

Each city council meeting has a prepared agenda of the items to be acted on or discussed and the order they are to be presented. The meetings have had two public comment periods scheduled, one at the first of the meeting and the other toward the end.

The mayor and city administrator, on their own, decided to remove the time allowed for the second public comment. In doing this they have informed the citizens of Lebanon that the council doesn't have time to listen to their concerns.

I have voiced my objections in having it removed, to no avail. Because of this I have decided to vote against accepting the agenda until time for the public comment is reinstated.

The mayor and some councilors have chastised me for not voting as they do on this matter, as if it's against the rules to think for myself. I vote the way I think it best benefits the city of Lebanon and its citizens. During my four years on the Lebanon City Council I have worked to improve communications and cooperation between the council and the citizens of Lebanon.

When a newspaper reporter contacted me requesting information about a cancelled city council meeting I told the reporter it was because some people couldn't make it to the meeting. I got a call from the city administrator and was informed I was not to communicate with the press on this matter, that it was up to him and the mayor to communicate with the press. As an elected official I have the duty and authority to communicate with any one who contacts me. The Lebanon City Council must remember they are employees and work for the citizens of Lebanon.

Please contact me if you have an opinion on this matter or any other concerns you would like to discuss. I would very much like to hear from you. Phone (541) 401-3162 or e-mail me at ray@dswebnet.com.

Ray Weldon, City Councilman, Ward 1, Lebanon

Hope essential, not illusory

In Todd Rund's letter on Jan. 24 he says that Bush inherited a deficit and Bush didn't lie, and indicates that to believe otherwise is due to brainwashing by the liberal media. I must say that to me Mr. Rund seems to be getting his supposed facts from right-wing media sources, and I'd be interested in knowing what those sources are.

He blames our economic problems on liberal policies of the last 20 years, but seems to ignore how the Republicans in the 1990s promoted the deregulation of banking, which in large part has let to our economic meltdown.

He then says that anything a politician says or does is virtually always politically motivated with the effect on our country being of secondary concern. The problem I have with this is that it is a gross over-generalization: With politicians, just as in many other groups, there is a range of motivations, some based more on egotism and power, while others are motivated primarily by concern for people and the country. To paint all politicians so negatively as he does is simplistic at best and at worst breeds extreme skepticism toward democracy.

Then Mr. Rund goes on to say that "hope" is a meaningless emotion and that Michelle Obama's statement about hope is "absolute nonsense."

I think most mental health clinicians would agree that a component of depression is a lack of hope, and without hope people will become seriously depressed and often commit suicide or slow suicide through poor life choices.

For me the Obama administration has brought me hope, because I see the primary solutions to our planet's problems, being science, diplomacy and compassion, as being highly valued again.

Keith Kendrick, Albany

Restore production work

To end the depression we are now in, American companies should be given lifetime tax exclusions for creating new production jobs in America. Jobs that produce something to sell in America. Jobs only for Americans.

The workers that get those jobs will pay enough taxes to make it worth the government effort to do this tax cut on businesses. Plus the purchasing power of those workers will do more than any stimulus the government can spend.

Good-paying production work is what brought America out of its last depression. It took a war to get everybody a job, but when the war ended Americans were back to work and the economy grew for many years. America became the richest and strongest nation in the world off the backs of production workers.

Which makes me wonder, why did our public officials allow trade practices to send millions of our production jobs overseas?

Why did our public officials allow illegals to come and take millions more of our American jobs? Why can we not find American-produced products in our stores? There are a lot of questions our public officials need to be asked, and under oath.

In a big picture of all the events that have transpired it would make anyone who studies it very cynical of our government.

Too much is being said and done without accountability for their deeds. I hope sooner or later Americans see this whole depression for what it is, but it looks like the truth is going to come too late.

When the corruption ends America can be strong again, but Americans are going to have to demand it.

May God Bless America.

Jim Farmer, Albany