Letters to the Editor

Hooked on “Hackie”

I just moved to Vermont a few months ago, and I’m already hooked on the biweekly “Hackie” column. Jernigan Pontiac’s writing makes me feel like I’m in the cab with him, and I seem to visualize his stories in surreal false color. Kind of like a waking dream.

Thanks for the column, and keep ’em coming!

Larry Parker

South Burlington

SmallPox Point

Amy Lilly’s review of my book Inside the Outbreaks was fair and accurate [“Public Health Heroes,” April 28], but there was one passage that might mislead readers. In 1965 an EIS officer did object to a Colorado doctor’s “flawed, inflated figures” on adverse reactions to smallpox vaccinations. But the officer agreed that the vaccinations should be halted in the U.S. because, in some cases, life-threatening complications could follow vaccination, including possibly fatal postvaccinal encephalitis (swelling of the brain).

There were 433 people hospitalized as a result of smallpox vaccinations in 1963, about 70 cases per million shots. A total of seven died, yielding a rate of just more than one death per million primary smallpox vaccinations. The number of complications from milder reactions to the vaccine was found to be much higher: more than 450 cases per million vaccinations.

The call to halt routine smallpox vaccination of children in the U.S. sparked a fierce debate in public health circles, but the vaccinations were finally stopped in 1971.

Mark Pendergrast

Colchester

Abenaki Equity

Shay Totten’s comments on the Abenaki issue were well done [“Fair Game,” April 21]. I know many who are descendants of Abenaki. Vermont has long denigrated their existence here. Their recognition — and the need to preserve their culture — is long past due.

Our state must look to the fate of the poor and elderly. Our tax system with its over-reliance on fees and sales and property taxes, puts an undue burden on those who can least afford it. A $5 increase in the cost of registering a car may not sound like much, but it hurts the cash-strapped Vermonter making $250 a week a lot and the Vermonter making $250,000 a year not at all. We need a more equitable way of funding our state. Thank you for the info on tax rates.

W.A. McLaughlin

South Burlington

Religious Discrimination?

[Re: Letters in “Feedback,” April 28 and May 5]: Why is it OK to bash the Catholic in a manner that I’m willing to bet Seven Days editors would not allow if another religious body were savaged in a similar manner?

John Grinnell

Burlington

Happy in Vermont

I wasn’t surprised when I read that Vermonters “register higher on the happiness meter than other people.” [“Happiness Is…” April 28]. I’ve certainly enjoyed my life more since moving back to Vermont.

More specifically, I’m a recovering pessimist, with much of my gloomy outlook having been based on the assumption that peak oil, climate change and resource depletion spelled doom for the human race. Although I’m still very concerned for our future, nowadays I’m in a better headspace because I believe that Vermont has the potential to act as a positive and hopeful model for the entire nation on issues like food security, zero-waste clean energy (no nukes or smokestacks), and environmental stewardship.

Why is Vermont leading the pack? Probably lots of reasons, but my guess is it has something to do with Vermonters truly valuing the following three things (with concrete examples so you know I’m not blowing smoke):

1) education, such as Confronting Collapse author Michael Ruppert discussing the link between peak oil and economic chaos (May 14, 7:30 p.m., at the Unitarian Church in Montpelier);

2) alternative action, such as learning how to “harvest the rain” with permaculturist Mark Krawczyk (May 20, 6 p.m., at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier);

3) community celebration, such as the 2nd annual Village-building Convergence: a community-wide celebration of sustainable living and practical homesteading skills (August 14-22 in Montpelier).

This is the kind of stuff that can only bump up your “gross national happiness.” And it’s happening now in Vermont.

Josh Schlossberg

East Montpelier

Crucial Oversight

I was confused by your story “Produce Pedaling” [April 28] about Burlington’s newest bicycle delivery service. Contrary to the article, there is in fact a bicycle delivery service already here in Burlington, pedaling cookies, coffee, pizza, ice cream, food — including produce — and many other necessities. Crucial Couriers has been delivering anything, anywhere, anytime since September 2009, working with residents and local businesses such as August First Bakery, Local Motion, Sweet Basil Greeting Cards and the Flashbulb Institute. Lauren Ober, author of “Pedaling,” actually wrote an awesome, instrumental article about Crucial Couriers when we were just starting up last December. Since then we’ve made some important changes to our business, including a new trailer and a massive pricing overhaul. We are available to make deliveries within an hour or less of any request, from anywhere in the Burlington area. We welcome One Revolution’s new service and their work to help promote bicycle use — just wanted to clarify that Burlington does already have a bicycle delivery service, working 24 hours a day!

Zack Rouda

Burlington

Rouda is co-owner of Crucial Couriers.