Shakespeare’s birthday (observed)
Tradition calls for Shakespeare’s birthday to be observed April 23, preferably with a reading or production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. And this year we were especially pleased to find Rogue Theatre performing the play on their home stage. “I haven’t laughed so much at a play for a long time” one of our guests said, after the irresistible comedy of the play within a play. The players, some members of the company, were well cast. Personally I thought Hermia, Helena, and Mustardseed were exceptional, along with “Thisbe” (Avast!) and all the rest. And then this Monday morning, there was the Mendelssohn overture on KUAT-FM Classical 90.5 — truly a great celebration this week of a beloved play by the celebrated playwright. There may never have been Shakespeare in love quite the way he’s been shown on screen, but Shakespeare’s work is certainly well loved by treatments like these.
People are also reading…
John Leech
Foothills
How sad
American society has changed from “Use your words” to “Use your guns”. How sad.
Dianne Lethaby
East side
Green energy
I have seen little mention of nuclear reactors as a source of green energy anywhere. Most of the talk has been about solar and wind as a replacement for burning fossil fuels. I know that nuclear power plants are expensive and there have been accidents — some of them with fatalities (Chernobyl) — with nuclear reactors, but I’m sure the number of accidents in coal mines, oil fields and related power plants has probably been thousands of times higher.
Nuclear reactors have the potential to produce limitless energy from very small amounts of fuel and not produce any greenhouse gas emissions. So why don’t we get over our fear and “nimbyism” and use this limitless source of green energy sitting right under our noses.
Tom Henderson
West side
Arizona’s choice: Water or copper?
Hey Arizona, do you want water or copper? We can’t have both. Rosemont Mine, owned by Canadian company Hudbay, will use at least 13,153 acre feet of water annually if they are allowed to blast for the next 44 years. This is the equivalent of adding 41,000 homes, or about 102,500 people, pumping from a fragile aquifer. The Colorado River is running dry. Tucson must rely on an aquifer that already suffers chemical contamination. Allowing Rosemont to dump toxic sludge directly into the aquifer on which 1.5 million Arizonans depend is unfathomable. Wells will run dry. Longtime residents will be forced out.
Old timers remind us that mining is embedded in Arizona’s DNA. Crumbling ghost towns bear silent witness. These deserted hamlets, so attractive to photographers and retirees, are stark reminders of this legacy. The foreign companies, because of a draconian 1872 law, are able to keep every penny with no obligation to taxpayers. Choose well, or we’ll all be left high and dry.
Saba Bennett
Midtown
Immigration
For me some education is needed. Why does the government spend billions of dollars on migrants (food, shelter, transportation, health care, etc.) when they have not contributed to the society or to the economy of America; yet in the same breath, congress is discussing cutbacks in Medicare and Social Security for seniors who over 40 give-or-take working years have paid into the system for benefits (therefore not entitlements) and have contributed to the economy and to society?
Robert Emery
Foothills
Arizonans’ need PBM reform
As an oncology nurse, I see patients every day who are dealing with various forms of cancer. Recently, more price-setting policies have been included in President Biden’s healthcare priorities package. I worry that these additional measures could deprive patients of access to future cancer medicines and hope for a healthier, more comfortable future. Instead, I hope Congress focuses their efforts on one of the biggest headaches for many patients dealing with health issues — pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
Prescription drugs play a large role in oncology because many forms of cancer are treated with a combination of medications and care. As PBMs have grown in power and control over the medication marketplace, they have increased administrative red-tape and created extra, and unnecessary financial burdens on many patients. Patients should focus on fighting their cancer, not fighting with PBMs or insurance companies to receive the medications that keep them alive.
Taelor Martin
Foothills
“NO” on 412, again
Re: the May 1 article “The Prop 412 ‘Sweet Spot’ will grow Tucson’s resiliency.”
Nikki Lee’s op-ed urges Tucsonans to vote for prop 412 because its terms are mutually beneficial to the parties involved.
Mere pages prior to her argument, the Earth Week column proclaims this: “Types of severe weather that hit the nation once every 82 days in the 1980s are now occurring slightly more than once every two weeks.” That violent weather is occurring over six times more frequently than it was 30 years ago, it should be clear that no document crafted today involving climate change will be relevant 27 years from now. Or maybe even a decade from now.
It is clear, then, that prop 412 will not be beneficial to our descendants. Minimally, the time element of the agreement should be reduced to a decade when its relevancy can be reevaluated.
Rick Cohn
West side
Judicial ethics and the Supreme Court
Supreme Court Justice Thomas has become the focus of the national media’s attempt to discuss the propriety of a Justice accepting the favors of an uber-wealthy conservative and politically active mogul. Favors such as exclusive extravagant trips to exotic destinations. The dude even bought his house and made it a tribute museum. All gratis! Thomas never even reported it. But dagnabbit , there’s no ethics rules that apply to the highest court in the land!
Every other court, local, state or federal has applicable ethics rules. And every single one would proscribe this specific conduct AND preclude a judge generally from committing ‘any conduct that might give the appearance of impropriety’. Ethics rules are normally taken quite seriously by judges with annual continuing education requirements to stay current. As a retired Justice of the Peace for 20 years I know. Lets get real about the Supreme Court. Attaboy Clarence!
Paul Simon
Northwest side
Republicans propose massive VA cuts
The recently passed debt ceiling bill by the majority led GOP in the House would cut 22% from the Veterans Affairs budget. This results in six new clinics not being built, job cuts of 81,000 in health services, 30 million fewer medical visits, and increase food insecurity for 1.3 million veterans.
In addition SNAP benefits would be reduced for a million recipients hurting both the poor and farmers who produce the food. Likely crime will increase because parents won’t let their kids go hungry. Pell grants would be severely cut, causing fewer low income students to either borrow more money or forego their college dreams. Medicaid will be cut for over a million people.
But the GOP bill preserves tax cuts for the wealthy so they continue to not have to pay their fair share. Can’t expect billionaires to step up for those who have served and protected our country or the poor, needy, and elderly.
In other words, GOP is pandering to the ultra wealthy.
Dr. Pam Farris
Northwest side
