Letters to the editor July 17

Cut Block slack for youthful stunts

| The New Mexican

7/16/2008 - 7/17/08

The Bible says, "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone." I firmly believe that in our youth, many of us have committed some indiscretions that should not be held against us for the rest of our lives, especially when we have matured and learned from our mistakes. Having grown from a mistake, like all learning experiences, prepares us well for a future of service to others.

Just as our current president is given the benefit of the doubt for his prior undisclosed "youthful indiscretion" of a DUI offense at age 41, so PRC candidate Jerome Block Jr., should be given the opportunity to demonstrate the abilities for which much of the public voted.

Rather than constantly harping on something that he is understandably not anxious to remember, as it occurred more than
10 years ago at a truly youthful age of 21, your articles should focus on pertinent issues, such as the regulation of our overpriced utilities, unregulated corporation profits, etc. and not on the politics of personal destruction.

Rommie Compher
Española

Greens from the get-go
Contrary to Jerome D. Block's comments in his letter of July 10, many Greens were pushing for renewables at the state level during his tenure in the Public Regulation Commission — myself, Cliff Bain, Carl Hansen, among others. The renewable contingent was large, active and, to my knowledge, never counted Block as an ally in the struggle.

Ben Luce, Citizens for Clean Affordable Energy, New Mexico Solar Energy Association and the Sierra Club, along with individual activists got the job done. PNM was under a rate freeze when Block sat on the PRC, hence no rate increase.

Rick Lass will be the commissioner we need to counter the power of corporate attorneys who are after one thing — a bigger share of ratepayer's money!

David Bacon
Santa Fe

'Sunday' mourning
I'm certainly sorry to see Sunday magazine go. It was nice to read about inconsequential oddball things outside of New Mexico. At least Gene Weingarten's column has been saved, but I'll miss the travel, Our Weird Planet, Sexcetera and the book reviews, which I guess were moved to another part of the paper, but I haven't spotted them.

There's pretty much nothing to look forward to now in the Sunday paper except the Opinions and the Target advertising insert. Maybe I should consider switching to the Sunday New York Times so I can find out what's happening in the rest of the world.

Kathryn Blackmun
Santa Fe

Late curtain
I disagree with William Briggs' July 12 letter, "Give us a break," which criticized as "buffoonery" the Santa Fe Opera's decision to shorten Falstaff by combining the first and second acts.

What Mr. Briggs conveniently omitted is that the Santa Fe Opera waits for dark before raising its curtain at 9 p.m., unlike, say, New York's Metropolitan Opera. This means performances run late and people get home near midnight.

Operas are expensive productions. An objective of the Santa Fe Opera is to attract as big an audience as possible to help ensure its viability. Surgically shortening a production apparently is intended to help sell tickets to those "who like to get home early."

I enjoyed Falstaff and would suggest that Mr. Briggs attend the Met to ensure strict authenticity. Others of us are thankful to have a wonder such as the Santa Fe Opera in the middle of the high desert.

Richard C. Gross
Eldorado

What's the rush?
My husband and I recently attended the Santa Fe Opera for the first time. The performance of The Marriage of Figaro was stellar! The opera building itself stunning! And the audience — evidently well-to-do, seemed suave and sophisticated.

So, imagine our surprise when, before the final chorus had even started, patrons started getting up and leaving! And here I was, thinking that because Santa Fe is considered the acme of arts and culture, its lovers of said arts and culture would know how to comport themselves at such an occasion.

My husband compared it to a "stampede" — everyone trying to get out of there as fast as they could, just so as not to be stuck in what amounted to a 15-to-20 minute waiting pattern to clear the parking lot. I can only imagine what the performers were thinking.

For some reason I had expected different behavior, somewhat more appreciative, civil, polished — dare I say cultured?

Annemie Miller
Santa Fe

P.O.'s OK
This gave me a chuckle so I wanted to share it with you. A letter was sent on June 26 from Cass Lake, Minn., and I received it on June 29. Now that's fast service by any standard; however, it was addressed to Travis Bay, New Mexico, 87501. My zip code is 87507 and I obviously live in Santa Fe. Good job postal workers!

Diane Polaco
Santa Fe

Dittohead storm
Rush Limbaugh has almost 20 million listeners on 600 outlets. Forget the immigrants on the border fence, there is a darker cloud on the horizon.

Scott Abbott
Santa Fe