LETTERS LETTERS (January 19, 2005)

Editorial attacked Jobs' property rights

Editor:

Your January 5 editorial denigrating Steve Jobs' efforts to demolish a dilapidated building on his property in Woodside in order to build a smaller, more modern residence for his family is chilling in its direct attack on property rights.

Although Mr. Jobs originally applied for the permit in 2001, and only obtained one in late 2004 after prevailing in several appeals by preservationists, the editorial calls his efforts "an easy victory" due to Jobs' "strategy" of allowing the house to fall into disrepair.

Of greater concern is the writer's insistence that Woodside should enact a historic preservation policy that would make it difficult, if not impossible, for a resident to demolish a structure deemed historic by the town's history committee. Historic preservation is a worthy goal. It is best exemplified in cases of buildings of proven significance being adaptively reused; in Woodside's case the Pioneer Building and the Little Store stand out.

When buildings that lack significance are required to be preserved and maintained by an owner for the possible enjoyment of non-owners, when there is no possibility of adaptive reuse, and when an owner is prevented thereby from building the home he and his family wish to occupy, such proposed ordinances can impede property rights.

Any proposed historic preservation ordinance should forego coercion and permit denials in favor of benefits and incentives to preserve structures of agreed-upon significance.

I notice that Mr. Jobs is Stanford's commencement speaker this spring. Property rights might be a good topic. Students may not even be aware of these rights among the many entitlements with which they are familiar.

Leon G. Campbell

Albion Avenue, Woodside

Profit before safety on Mad Cow disease?

Editor:

The callous reaction by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the U.S. meat industry to the discovery of a third case of Canadian Mad Cow disease clearly places profits before public health.

The USDA announced that the U.S. still intends to lift the suspension on import of Canadian cattle imposed two years ago. The American Meat Institute, which finds Canadian beef more profitable than the domestic product, declared that the discovery is "no cause for concern."

Mad Cow disease is a degeneration of brain tissue leading to erratic behavior and death. It is transmitted through feeding of infected brain and spinal tissues to other cows. Human consumption of infected beef leads to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a deadly dementia that may be confused with the Alzheimer's disease affecting millions of Americans.

Measures taken by U.S. authorities to protect public health have been grossly inadequate. Only a tiny fraction of cattle slaughtered is tested, whereas Japanese and European authorities test every animal and find many more cases. The 1997 FDA ban on feeding infected body parts to other cows has lacked adequate enforcement. During slaughter, muscle tissue used in steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, and beef fillings is sprayed with bits of brain and spinal column tissues, traditional carriers of the disease.

Folks in the beef industry should seek a more secure and socially redeeming career. For the rest of us it's not too late for a New Year's resolution to replace beef in our diet with vegetables, fruits, and grains. Malcolm Davidson

Encinal Avenue, Menlo Park

Tsunami warning system protects Pacific coast

Editor:

The images of devastation throughout Southeast Asia tell a horrifying tale and also remind us of our own preparedness in the event of a tsunami in the Pacific.

While tsunamis are a rare occurrence, the Pacific cost is vulnerable. What may come from this recent tragedy is a heightened awareness about the threat of tsunamis and what is being done to protect U.S. citizens.

Since 1967, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has operated two tsunami-warning centers that constantly monitor seismic activity and water levels throughout the Pacific. Through the most technologically advanced tsunami warning system in the world, they can quickly alert emergency managers throughout the region to the potential tsunami threat and predict tsunami arrival times.

Citizens can also take action. For example, citizens can keep informed through use of a NOAA Weather Radio, which for years has been credited with saving lives by warning people of impending weather emergencies. The system recently added all hazards capability so it can now transmit homeland security warnings, chemical spill advisories, tsunami warnings and other warnings. This inexpensive all-hazards alert device should be as common as smoke detectors in homes and businesses.

Many local communities are working with NOAA to become certified as "tsunami ready." This voluntary program encourages communities to take a proactive, systematic approach to help enhance tsunami awareness, mitigation and preparedness plans. Citizens should encourage their local officials to explore this opportunity at www.stormready.noaa.gov/tsunamiready.htm.

While the West Coast is susceptible to the awesome power of a tsunami, it has the capability to minimize the devastation if citizens and communities are aware and prepared.

Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr.

Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

Under Secretary of Commerce

For Oceans and Atmosphere

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