To: The Dallas Morning News
Date: October 3, 2006
Subject: Editor's opinion entitled (something like) "Six great ideas about energy" 
Result: not printed

authors note:  this letter was a response to an opinion piece by Mike Hashimoto, the editor of the Letters to the Editor of The Dallas Morning News.  He called his ideas very "big" and "bold",  said he was on the other side of the fence from the rest of the editorial staff with his boldness, and that such boldness  was needed.  "Whose ox are we willing to gore, if not our own?" he asked.  He also generously offered his ideas to Presidential candidates.  My added suggestions, however, were too "bold" for comfort – so they were censored.  See also the follow-up at the end of this letter.

Dear Editor,

Reviewing Mr. Hashimoto's 6 ideas about energy, there are a couple I would have added to the list.

First is traffic lights. I go down major streets every day at times other than the morning and afternoon rush hours, and find myself sitting at secondary streets with anywhere from 10 to 30 or more cars – counting both directions – waiting for a light that turned red for one car going in the perpendicular direction.  Or it may have turned red for no car at all, just going through the cycles. And when I'm sitting at an intersection with a bunch of cars with no traffic going the other way, I often think how in 3 to 5 minutes, another bunch will probably be sitting there the same way.  Multiply that by many intersections, and that's a lot of gasoline, not to mention pollution. If only those lights could flash yellow except for the 3 hours each morning and afternoon, so that cars on the secondary street can simply wait at a flashing red light until the traffic passes. Apparently that kind of technology is beyond our reach.

Speaking of cars and gasoline, I am also ready to get rid of drive-through windows at fast-food restaurants, as well as car racing. That's a lot of fuel that we just don't have, and should start saving now for the future, if we have so much excess now.

The second idea I would have added to Mr. Hashimoto's would be a surcharge, where people who drive big, gas-guzzling cars and live in large houses should have to pay a substantial premium for those privileges.

Taking Mr. Hashimoto, for example, his wife, Jacquielynn Floyd [Dallas Morning News columnist],  recently reported that they got a $750 electricity bill for their house. I myself have a 1650-square-foot house, where I work at home and use plenty of air conditioning,  but my biggest electric bill was $350. The well-paid Hashimotos obviously have a large house to cool, and they should pay extra for the privilege.

The proceeds can go towards the development of new energy sources, or to help people just trying to get by in their small-to-adequate-sized homes.

If Mr. Hashimoto wants to get serious about energy, let's get serious.  Let's gore some oxes.

Thank you, John Vehon
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Special Bonus: Follow-up letter to Mr. Hashimoto (Oct. 12):

Yes sir, Mr. Hashimoto. You're a bold renegade of a fellow, no question about it – going against the grain of the views of your compatriots with your great new ideas about energy that nobody hasn't heard a thousand times. I mean, drill for oil in Alaska. Stick it to the poor with a heavy gasoline tax. Forget giving your ideas to a candidate for President; we need you in that office. Somebody who is going to say the truth and stand up for our American values. At the very least, I think it's about time for you and/or your newspaper to get another one of them awards for your brave commitment and dedication to "the free flow of ideas", and all that [they received one a few days later].

John Vehon