SQUID MUST’VE BEEN DREAMING
Afraid we have a case of mistaken identity [“Small Town Romance,” SquidFry, June 7-13]. I missed the mayor’s Town Hall Meeting because I was vacationing in the Southeast with the family. Sounds like I got the better end of the deal.
If in the future I am able to attend, and I do fall asleep, you have full permission to put the pan of warm water to good use! —Bruce Taylor, Muckymuck, Taylor Farms | Salinas
STICKS AND STONES BACKATCHA
Phillip Crawford’s rant is so typically Democrat [Letters, June 21-27]. If you don’t see things my way you are ignorant or stupid and uninformed. They don’t ever know they are profoundly ignorant— stupid and uninformed!!! —Darmon Crocker | Carmel
FREEDOM FROM RELIGION
It would be very difficult for any Republican candidate to win national office without the support of the most backward elements of society— including the Christian fundamentalists. The destructive influence of these religious fanatics is demonstrated by the fact that two of the three times Mr. Bush has used his veto power it was to block stem cell research.
Mr. Bush’s willingness to allow a religious minority to impose its views on the rest of us demonstrates both a disregard for the Constitutional principle of church/state separation, but also a callous disregard for the human suffering that stem cell research could prevent. Of course, disregard for the Constitution and disregard for human suffering are the hallmarks of this administration. —Phillip Crawford | Monterey
AL GORE WILL NOT HELP ME SAVE THE WORLD
I just completed filing for patent protection for the latest in a long line of inventions on which I hold patents. This is a multi-stage system for the removal of CO2 from the exhaust of internal combustion engines. The physics and chemistry are unassailable. The only daunting challenge lies in trying to engineer my invention to fit into any automobile. This engineering is going to take a lot of R&D money. So I’ve been feverishly soliciting various foundations and corporations involved in alternative technologies.
In an effort to try to smooth my way I approached Al Gore at his Nashville office. I figured that the “guru of global warming” would be interested in seeing what promises to cure the CO2 issues.
I approached Gore with the innocent belief the man would at that least want to check out my brilliant yet simple invention. Wrong! He replied this week, saying that his focus is on educating the public to the evils of CO2. Am I then to deduce that he doesn’t want to do anything creative, constructive and workable to actually solve the CO2 issue? Does he only want to point fingers and bitch about the problem? Oh yeah, he’s got books and DVDs to sell, right? How foolish of me!
Methinks that what Michael Crichton alleges in his illuminating book State of Fear is right on the money. The American environmental movement has no real desire to solve the global warming issue because to do so would castrate their power-grab.
Well, I have the cure and I’m getting a patent on it. I’m now going abroad by approaching foreign concerns with my invention. If the corrupt American entities have no desire to solve the CO2 issue then I will sell my invention to international entities. I’ve already sent off inquiries to major European, Asian and Arab players. —Jeffrey Van Middlebrook | Pacific Grove
KEEP RADIO ON THE WEB WAVES
The Internet provides an easily accessible route to communication, critical information and discovery. The same stands true for Internet radio, which provides a vital array of independent and mainstream music, news, and foreign radio programs. Internet radio is a cost-free avenue to support aspiring and independent musicians.
This all stands to change on July 15 if a recent ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board, which increases webcasters’ royalty rates, goes into effect. If the increased rates remain unchanged, a great majority of webcasters will go bankrupt and silent.
The Internet Radio Equality Act has recently been introduced in both the House and Senate to counter the rate increase. This act proposes a fair option which states that Internet radio pay the same royalties that satellite radio does.
Please send a simple e-mail or call Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein to ask them to co-sponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act. Representative Sam Farr is already a co-sponsor of the bill. More information is available at savenetradio.org. —Alex von Dallwitz | Carmel