Recently seen in The Union

Letters to the Editor akin to the specimens of yore - [anti-]Iraq war crybabies and Enviro-fascists strike again

(one can understand why the Editor would wish to flee on a yearly basis, but this escape is not kind to those who remain)

On the Wildwood West Drive easement controversy - Union article "Neighbors' fear of growth leaves a family feeling isolated" and editorial "Neighbors need to find a solution" ("The actions of a few homeowners...Afraid..., the group seems to be using the road closure as a form of blackmail to impose a restrictive easement on its neighbor."); response by a resident, "Facts left out of story on road dispute"
Nov. 10: It appears that we may owe someone an apology.

The Woolly-Thinker's Guide to Rhetoric

The above WW West Dr. triad pretty much speaks for itself (if you read them), even without the other recent "private road" news -

Last week, a 9-year-old boy riding a motorcycle on another private road in the county (this is legal, according to The Union, which is insane, according to your correspondent) collided with an SUV and died; his father has indicated he will sue the driver ("retained the services of an attorney") if the CHP investigation finds negligence on the driver's part. ("How much is a child's life worth?" the attorney asks...). Wanting to keep private road traffic to a minimum - particularly if you really can't keep young children from riding motorcycles on it - isn't just a pesky neighbors issue, it's also about safety and financial liability.