Letters to the Editor

We welcome your opinions and letters – with name and address. We will edit when necessary. Include your name, address and phone number for verification. Mail them to Bay Weekly, P.O. Box 358, Deale, MD 20751 • E-mail them to [email protected]. or submit your letters on line, click here

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Dishwashing by Hand

Dear Bay Weekly:

The article you published about washing dishes [Earth Talk, Vol. xiv, No. 2: Jan. 12] is an example of scientific research arriving at results that don’t reflect real life. The scientist’s advice about washing dishes will not bring happy results. If you wait until the dishwasher is full before running it, a family of three or four will wait several hours, during which time the food will dry and harden on the dishes. Several common food items — for example eggs, cheese, rice, pasta and citrus pulp — will not easily be removed once they are dry. If the dishes are not pre-rinsed, as the scientists suggest, I can assure you that these foods will still be on the dishes at your next meal.

This doesn’t even get into the harshness of the chemicals used in machine dishwashing detergents. These will etch glass and remove china glazes after repeated washings. Manufacturers of fine china recommend against using these products.

When our kitchen drain was clogged recently, I found that hand-washing the dishes from an average meal can be done while running less than two bucketsful of water into the sink drain.

–William R. Seabrook, Dunkirk

See More Calvert Barns On-line

Dear Bay Weekly:

I enjoyed Margaret Tearman’s “Barn Razing” article in Bay Weekly [Vol. xiv, No. 3: Jan. 19].

Over the years, as I would drive around southern Maryland and see its many barns, I would often think that, someday, many of these barns will be gone to make way for new construction. A few years ago I began carrying my camera with me to take pictures of Calvert County barns that I would pass. I also noted the location of each barn. After a while I decided to put them on my web sites. Right now I am concentrating on Calvert County barns. I don’t know how many barns are in Calvert County, but I do know that there are many yet to be photographed.

Here are two web links that may be of interest:

• www.bayclocks.net/db_folder4/barnslist.php

• www.marylandwoodcraft.com/barns.html

–Rocky Ragano, Prince Frederick

Temporary Roadside Signs Have Value

Dear Bay Weekly:

Much has been written and said about roadside signs (including my signs). Throughout Anne Arundel County, there are numerous roadside signs indicating an open house, school events, yard sales, community activities, sale by owners, builders’ activities, rentals, new homes, food or fund drives, directions, garage sales, bake sales, baseball/sports events, political candidates, arts and crafts events, church events, real estate activities, etc.

Some say that all road signs are trash.

I’ve been in the real estate business for over 28 years. In the last five years, over 1,000 of my temporary real estate signs have been stolen/removed on weekends even though they meet county code. My real estate signs and flyers are not intended to be trash, nor are they garbage.

Any county sign regulation should be fair, reasonable and realistic. I would like to ask for community support and understanding.

—Bill Lambros, Annapolis