Fenichel has jumped the shark: the man who doesn't stand for the prayer at council meetings has invoked the name of Jesus in his argument.

This is not about the 99 percent vs. the 1 percent as Fenichel and his ilk would like everyone to believe. EVERYONE uses the boardwalk at one time or another, some more than others. This is a simple matter of economics. The tropical hardwood lasts exponentially longer than the yellow pine, and doesn't pose a safety risk by splintering and cracking. That also means much less in maintenance costs. I hope they re-deck the whole boardwalk with tropical hardwood.

The fact that every primary school student 'knows what is happening with greenhouse gases and global warming' is part of what is wrong with our educational system. Instead of teaching mathematics, economics, language skills, they are teaching junk science. Heck even the people who believe in it don't call it 'global warming' anymore because they know the scam has been exposed - now it's 'climate change'.

The boardwalk should use ONLY sustainable wood. It's absolutely RIDICULOUS that we "need" to deck our boardwalk with wood harvested from endangered tropical rain forests. What's to think about here?

I can't believe the comments that are coming from my home town residents. Surely you don't think Ocean City exists alone in the world? You really don't understand the importance of the endangered rain forests? Please read, watch Discovery, National Geographic if you don't read. Our world is in grave danger if we don't help it. I adore the boardwalk but if they built it out of concrete to save the earth, it would be fine with me.

Once again, Eleanor and Al are way off base here. Apparently, they do not read, listen to the radio or watch science shows on TV. 97% of scientists who have studied this issue say that global warming is a serious situation that must be addressed. The 3% who do not say this, are paid by the fossil fuel companies. Yes, unfortunately Ocean City does have it's people who are ignorant of the facts and hang back in another time. This is a choice they make, however, since the facts are easily obtained. Using rainforest wood for the boardwalk is not an option and those who are better educated in the matter will prevail. Eleanor and Al, have a tea party, why don't you?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/03/world/americas/in-mexico-reclaiming-the-forests-and-the-right-to-feel-safe.html?_r=2&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120803

Steve - Excellent letter - Thanks! No worries, though. The mayor is solidly against using ipe and so is council. It does not matter what their motives. They are on the right side of the issue. A nonbinding resolution is the equivalent of poll (though actually less reliable than a scienfiically valid one because the sample in the former is limited to those who show up to vote during a political election). A binding resolution would be nearly impossible to finalize for many reasons including our elected officials would not support it, the language of the question would be as controversial as is the issue and just as tough to achieve, and it could very well be that even in OC the population would oppose having a purchasing decision turned over to voters. We are, after all, in America - where representative government is the way to go. Referenda are for matters that ultimately come down to how the electorate feels about something - something where, at the heart of it, there is no right or wrong (e.g., BYOB). The rainforest wood issue does not fit that bill. The science, the financials, and the arguments are in and made. Everyone interested should work together on a common purpose: identify and procure decking material that is better than southern pine when taking into acount finances, environmentalism, mechanics, aesthetics...

Why are so many people crazy about ipe - I, and a lot of people I've talked to, think it is ugly - gray, monochromatic, and fake-looking. Not to mention it's slippery when wet - bike wheels spin out on it often!!!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/climate-change-is-here--and-worse-than-we-thought/2012/08/03/6ae604c2-dd90-11e1-8e43-4a3c4375504a_story.html

http://www.globalwarminghoax.com/news.php

@Jennifer. I do read and sometimes watch TV and do not listen to as much radio as i used to since national does not always cover topics of interest and local is a good old boys network that is not imho women friendly.
So as to Reading: The Great Global Warming Swindle by FS Singer who is an atmospheric physicist.
The Deniers by Larry Solomon - the subtitle is The World Renowned Scientists Who Stood up to Global Warming Hysteria. Political Persecution and Fraud
Or you can watch an interview with Prof Richard Lindzen who is considered to be the worlds top climatologist Heres one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATqQ0F6wRjY&feature=related

...or you can not bother reading just what you agree with, what feels most soothing to your fears and suspicions, and just go with that. The result is the same. Another way to go, of course, is to take the time and effort to become literate in science and math and also train yourself to think critically. That, you will find, will lead you to the fact that 97% of actual experts in climate science believe that the the earth's atmosphere is warming and that man's activities make a signficant contribution to that. An equally high percentage of economists, sociologists, and geopolitical experts beiief that the rate of increase in global temperature, if not reduced and the consequences are not mitigated through planning policies, will be catastrophic. And, an equaly high percentage of relevant experts believe that we can significantly reduce the rate of increase to a manageable policy planning rate. Eleanor - the same kind of intelectual development I describe at the beginning of this post can be initiated quickly and easily. Here's a quick start up suggestion: read the posts you respond to carefully and more than once. That will cut down on mistakes (the grade level referenced) and the rediculous (the implication that math,language skills, etc are not taugh in elementary (sic) schools),

Even if 97% of 'actual experts' endorsed the myth of global warming aka climate change, it would not make a difference because science is not conducted by consensus. And the fact that that number comes mostly from the UN IPCC and bodies who reference it does not support the truth - the UN came into the issue with a preconceived conclusion and assembled and funded the IPCC to cherry pick through the data and put together a theory only using whatever information supported their preconceived notion and discard the rest. Their job was not to find out whether there was any global climate change or if it was man made but to design a theory that 'proved' climate change. The 'actual experts' who derive their income from grants and governmental funding know that their paycheck depends upon coming up with the politically correct conclusion. Independent scientists and many who have left government or academic posts and feel free to speak frankly have expressed a very different view.

Eleanor - For what little it is worth, I'll point out that your response effectively confirms Pleasenot...'s thesis, especially as it applies to you. Unless you are being ironic. In which case - brava (or bravo in the event that you are actually male). For the other readers, or Eleanor too if she is pulling our collective leg, here's to joining Pleasenot....in hoping OC can join together to accomplish our common goal of identifying and using decking better than pine when taking into account all of the major benefit cost factors (which would excludes ipe and greenheart, btw).

I don't know enough about the subject to chime in on the science, engineering and the rest but I do know that ipe looks like crap. Someone above also pointed it out. And I agree with him that it is slippery especially when it rains. And those bright silver screws lined up in the blocks long rows distract me on my bike and nearly put me in an trance. I like wood that looks like wood and ipe looks like plasitc. The funny thing is that now there is plastic that looks like wood - much more than ipe does. I don't know how many times I gone on a deck and had to ask the owner if it was made of wood or plastic. This is a crazy world.

Why are no other materials being considered? Common sense dictates there are many choices in-between pine and ipe, which would be both cost effective and a sustainable wood appropriate for decking...just sayin!!!

Rutgers Chenistry Professor, Tom Nosker has taken plastic milk cartons from land fills and fiberglass from car bumpers in auto junk yards and has developed a structural grade recycled plastic which is probably the best product for not only the boardwalk's substructure but also the boardwalk decking. Fort Benning has used it to build bridges over which 80 ton Sherman tanks travel.

What makes it the best choice is:
1.) Provides NJ jobs
2) Sales of it return Royalties to Rutgers University.
3.) fireproof
4.) friction coefficients can be incorporated that will prevent slipping on it when wet,
5.) able to simulate real wood appearance(even Ipe)
4.) can be chemically engineered so as not to absorb heat on the hottest summer days
5.) does not lead to land grabs by logging interests with the resultant murders of the indigenous peoples and forest defenders.
The list of positives is beyond all other boardwalk options! Keeping this product off the table defies logic.It's time for our city to think outside the box and beyond wood.
The axion link is:
www.axionintl.com/about.html

For Boardwalks and their substructure:
http://www.axionintl.com/products-composite-bridges.html

Thank goodness Eleanor is busy writing on the Patch and not actually in a position to make important decisions since she is clearly very close minded. Stay home and write, lady.

PEOPLE ARE PROFITING FROM CLIMATE CHANGE, AL?? NO - PEOPLE LIKE THE KOCH BROTHERS WHO HAVE MADE BILLIONS FROM THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY ARE PROFITING AND SPREADING THE WORD THAT THERE IS NO GLOBAL WARMING - AND AL, THEY ARE MAKING FOOLS OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU, WHO ARE BUYING THEIR BS -BUT POSSIBLY YOU ARE USED TO THAT. THERE IS A CERTAIN TYPE OF PERSON WHO BUYS INTO THEIR BS - (NONE TOO BRIGHT FOLKS AT THAT.)