If it seems it’s gotten hotter than hell, it certainly has

The news media love to carry on about the daytime and nighttime Phoenix temperatures, stating that it is not that bad and that our 30-year average has hardly changed, etc.

As an Arizona native who grew up in Glendale in the ’60s and graduated from Glendale High School in 1966, I must differ.

We had only a swamp cooler in the summer and did quite well once the sun went down, it was not that bad.

Try that now. Our 3:30 a.m. temperature this morning was 97 degrees.

I think the media need a new statistician, one who can actually do an arithmetic average.

— Phoenix of constituents demand. He or she should listen to the ideas of the constituents, and then make a judgment as to whether what is being requested makes sense and is constitutional.

Ideally, if the representative disagrees with what the people are saying, he ought to provide good counter-arguments as to why he will not go along with the request. And the people involved should listen in turn, and recognize that they have not made their case.

— Glendale ourselves.

Dictatorships and other forms of totalitarianism exist to benefit the few or one belief system. Democracy respects all valid perspectives, so that the best emerges.

That is why America is the beacon of the free world, the hope of mankind, because we, apart from all others, were established upon solid democratic principles.

But that doesn’t guarantee success. Success is dependent upon the citizens in a democracy to perform in an enlightened, responsible manner. Right now our democracy, the progress of our country and thus the world, is threatened because the electorate is not acting democratically.

Democracy requires that all segments, particularly the two dominant parties, put forth their best ideas and agenda in competition. Currently, Republicans are doing just that.

Democrats on the other hand are simply trying to discredit the Republican agenda by any means, without having or professing a valid agenda of their own. Spending into oblivion is not an agenda.

In the context, then, Democrats are exploiting the honest emotions and ignorance of their constituencies and followers. But, to what end? Certainly it is not to contribute to the democratic processes that will advance civilization.

— Cornville

After reading the recent article “Shade keeps city cool-and makes it cooler,” my hat goes off to the City of Phoenix for implementing the Tree and Shade Master Plan.

Chandler could stand to pick up on Phoenix’s lead and (1) plant more trees, (2) begin a campaign to encourage appropriate and healthy pruning, and (3) reduce the heat island affect of asphalt by discontinuing the practice of paving the alleys (and please don’t tell me paving alleys is for dust control; there are numerous other ways to do that).

We all have to live in this heat. Shade from well-pruned trees could be our greatest asset.

— Chandler