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Y00eaders" €]ournal: Read both
Full-employment act for lawyers
Editor, The Journal:
Referendum 67 is nothing more
than a full-employment act for
lawyers. This referendum would
allow for treble damages, plus at-
torney fees. Since lawyers work on
a percentage and you give treble
damages, does your math skill in-
clude the ability to triple the law-
yer's fees?
The Washington State Su-
preme Court now allows political
lying, so some supporters of R-67
are taking advantage of this. The
facts of the case of the Puyallup
fireman who was "unreasonably"
denied insurance coverage for his
leukemia, according to the Puyal-
lup city government, are:
(1) Insurance claims were paid.
(2) Care decisions were made
on medical facts, not insurance
coverage.
Insurance companies are fund-
ing the argument to reject Refer-
endum 67, and they are up front
I
about this support. If R-67 passes,
insurance rates will go up and you
will pay the additional cost. Or
maybe insurance companies will
leave the state as some insurance
companies did a few years ago
when excessive medical insurance
requirements were developed (and
later rescinded) by the insurance
commissioner. Unless you want to
pay lots more for insurance or lose
your insurance altogether, you
should vote to reject R-67.
Legal societies, legal groups,
legal firms and individual attor-
neys are spending hundreds of
thousands of dollars to support R-
67, and they are trying to keep it
a secret. The amount, in Septem-
ber, exceeded $400,000 by legal
groups alone (much from out of
state), plus more from individual
attorneys in Washington State.
Are they being altruistic? No, they
plan to get rich from additional
lawsuits.
What would make this law rea-
sonable?
(1) Allow defendants who were
wrongly sued to counter-sue
against the plaintiff and their at-
torney for a frivolous lawsuit.
(2) Require accountability for
policyholders and not just the in-
surance companies. I suspect many
of the 4,100 annual complaints to
the insurance commissioner are
the result of policyholders who
did not read their policy and thus
have unrealistic expectations.
(3) Require insurance compa-
nies to write policies in English
rather than legalese. The federal
Securities and Exchange Commis-
sion required mutual-fund compa-
nies to write their prospectus in
English rather than legalese. Why
can't insurance companies do the
same? Tell this to our insurance
commissioner.
Ardean A. Anvik
Star Lake
Editor, The Journal:
Voters who will decide Novem-
ber 6 to either rescind or keep the
current law requiring the 60 per-
cent majority ibr passage of school
levies should carefully read the
FOR and AGAINST statements
in the voters' pamphlet.
The statement FOR, written
by the teachers' affiliates, says
little except they hope to en-
hance their chances of more eas-
ily winning levy decisions, with
the resulting higher cash flow.
The AGAINST statement clearly
dispels the teachers' argument
by citing the fact their levy votes
have seldom failed, having a 98.2
percent approval record since the
year 2000, and 97.1 percent in
Referendum only about fairness
Editor, The Journal:
This is about Referendum 67, up
for a vote in November. I try not to
tell people what to think all of the
time, but this one is important.
R-67 is about fairness. When a
person has a legitimate and valid
claim against his or her insurance
company, the company has to be
fair. That's it.
This is how it works now, with-
out R-67: Let's say you have a car
accident. You have a broken car
and some medical bills and submit
a legitimate, valid claim to your in-
surance company. If your company
denies and delays paying your le-
gitimate claim, you can sue it. At
the end, a court will tell them to
pay what they should have had to
pay in the beginning. You wait an
average of 1-2 years, and you have
to pay your lawyer and the other
costs of the lawsuit.
This is like catching a shoplifter
and making him give the TV back,
then letting him or her go. No rea-
son not to do it again.
Forty-five other states have
laws like R-67; what R-67 does is if
your insurance company uses bad
faith against you, and does not pay
your legitimate claim, you can sue
them, and get triple damages and
your fees paid. That's all there is
to it.
This is not about insurance
agents, or all insurance compa-
nies, or a lot of big claims. It is
about practices that some compa-
nies use, and it is mostly about the
small claims that ordinary people
have, getting their cars fixed after
an accident, getting the medical
bills paid, and so on.
If a company denies all claims,
then only a small number of people
with legitimate claims will argue
with them. It just isn't worth it on
the vast majority of these claims,
usually under $10,000. Others will
wind up taking much less than the
claim is worth, just to get it over
with. This is called "deny-delay,"
-and it makes the insurance in-
dustry huge profits. Industrywide,
$44.8 billion in 2005, up 19 per-
cent, with a surplus of $427 billion
nationwide. Think about the news
stories about how insurance com-
panies treated the survivors of the
Katrina catastrophe.
The response of insurance com-
panies is to raise $10.5 million to
fight R-67 in about a month and a
half. John McCain raised $8 mil-
lion nationally over April, May
and June. What does that kind of
money buy? A world of TV and ra-
dio ads, letters to all voters, signs
and everything else they can think
of. Why would they spend that
kind of money in Washington?
Because it is a drop in the bucket
compared to the profits they make
using deny-delay.
I've been a lawyer in Mason
County for 29 years. Over that
time, the single most unfair prob-
lem I see is how insurance compa-
nies treat their own policyholders
after an accident. It happens over
and over again.
Please listen carefully to all
sides of this before deciding to
vote with the insurance industry.
Anderson Cooper had an expose
on what the insurance industry is
doing in Washington, about R-67,
a couple of weeks ago. If you can
find it on the Web, watch it, and
you will be convinced. One part of
it had the official spokeswoman for
the insurance industry telling the
camera that if R-67 passes, it will
cost consumers huge increases in
their premiums and that State
Insurance Commissioner Mike
Kriedler saw no need for R-67.
Cut to an interview with Mike
Kriedler, who said it is absolutely
needed. He also believes that no
premiums will rise and that this
is a serious problem. He says his
office gets more than 4,000 com-
plaints a year, and this is the tip
of the iceberg, as few actually
file complaints with his office. He
doesn't have much power to help
most people in this situation.
That's why he is one of the lead
supporters tbr R-67.
The only insurance companies
that have anything to fear from R-
67 are the ones that make a prac-
tice of bad faith dealing with their
own insureds, the average people
who pay their premiums every
year. There will be no flood of law-
suits. If the shoplifter knows that
he will have to give the money back
and go to jail, he is going to think
twice about shoplifting again. The
insurance industry will have to
reevaluate deny-delay, that's all.
If they treat their insureds ihirly,
they have nothing to lose.
Rob Wilson-Hoss
Shelton
Election's $10-million question
Editor, The Journal:
Referendum 67: For it or against
it? Hard to decide? Here are some
numbers to consider:
In my adult lifetime my fam-
ily and I have spent more than
$100,000 purchasing insurance
for homeowners, automobiles, wa-
ter toys and health care. I am 52
and have been making such pay-
ments for a long time.
During that time I have en-
gaged in zero "frivolous" lawsuits,
but have at various times had to
engage attorneys to assist me in
getting what my insurance was
supposed to cover.
It is reported that the insurance
industry has pumped more than
$10 million into defeating R-67.
Why would they do that? Ahhh,
there is the $10-million question.
* Is it because they are altruis-
tic and want to insure (haha) that
the citizens are protected from the
frivolous lawyers?
• Is it because they are con-
cerned about their insureds-cus-
tomers?
o Or, perhaps it is because R-
67 will hold them to a standard
to which they do not wish to be
held7
The insurance industry does
not wish to be held to a standard
that requires them to provide
what you and I pay them for. They
do not wish to be punished when
they fail to provide coverage paid
for, or when they nickel-and-dime
their own insureds.
Consider whether: (a) the state
legislature or (b) the insurance
industry is more concerned about
the interests of Washington's citi-
zens. If you guessed that our leg-
islature is more concerned, you
would be correct. If you believe
the insurance Companies have the
interests of citizens in mind when
they pump more than $10 million
into our state to defeat R-67, you
should investigate a little further.
My own auto insurance agent
mailed me a form letter of disin-
formation in connection with R-
67. I am now changing my insur-
ance to one of the few companies I
know that has not contributed to
the mighty $10-million stick; that
company is PEMCO. I suspect
PEMCO and other insurers who
are not involved in trying to defeat
R-67 are going to be very busy over
the next few weeks because those
of us who understand why R-67
is good, who believe in consumer
protection, who know we are being
lied to concerning the effect of R-
67 on the citizenry, and who also
received one of these unsolicited
letters from their insurance agent,
are pretty darn disgusted.
Would the insurance commis-
sioner of Washington be in favor
of R-67, which is simply consumer
protection, if it was a bad thing?
Do your own research, but
please don't take the word of the
insurance companies for it either.
They have a vested interest in not
being required to perform accord-
ing to the terms of policies.
Lastly, of all the stories asso-
ciated with insurance companies
you have told and heard, how
many involved "frivolous lawsuits"
and evil "trial lawyers," and how
many involved a friend or family
member having to fight and claw
for what they believed they had
insurance coverage for? How many
times have you heard about the
person who made a claim, finally
got it resolved (sometimes with as-
sistance from an evil trial lawyer),
only to have their company cancel
their insurance?
Who do you believe is interest-
ed in protecting the consumer, our
insurance commissioner or the
agent who sent you that form let-
ter?
Katherine Farr
Angleside
Just change Christian club name
Editor, The Journal:
Go figure.
On page one of The Journal on
October 11 we have, "Board nixes
Christian club at SHS." On page
19, we see that. the governor has
declared a "Christian Heritage
Week."
Maybe that is the answer: Let
the Christian group call itself
"Christian Heritage Club."
And what is wrong with a
Page 6 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, October 25, 2007
Scrabble Club? Gee, our kids
might actually learn to use a dic-
tionary.
Marni Parker
Agate
2006!
Other than just trying
other 1.8 percent, the
obviously have another
seriously hoping for
under the proposed
to expand their levy
counting on a sure-thing
every time. The law as
provides the one
affecting this aggressive
interest faction. It is
mental to the success
Vote "no" on
Joint Resolution 4204.
school has trouble
academic goal, it's
lack of money.
Four endorsements
Editor, The Journal:
I want the mayor of Shelton to
be a person of integrity, ethics,
knowledge and experience. That
man is John Tarrant.
I urge the voters of Shelton to
allow Mayor Tarrant to continue
with the projects that are now vis-
ibly under way in town. Isn't it
wonderful to see all the construc-
tion projects under way? This has
come from years of effort on behalf
of our city commissioners, with
Mayor Tarrant as a vital part of
that commission.
I also urge voters to support
Mike Byrne for city commissioner.
He has the experience and knowl-
edge we need to keep a strong com-
mission going forward.
I also urge voters to support Jay
had the privilege
Mr. Hupp on numerous
about the port issues, and
ways pleased with his
tion style, knowledge, and
he listens and seeks
need a port
a broad range of
many issues the port
proven record
And lastly, please
do something about our
The levy lid lift is a small
pay to finally make some
on getting our streets
to today's standards. We
delaying
more expensive over time.
Keep candy from
Editor, The Journal:
I hope this reminder reaches
pet owners.
Halloween is the time when a
lot of treats, for humans, are in
homes. Chocolate and candies and
foods can be toxic to pets. Christ-
mas and Valentine's Day are the
other two holidays when extra hu-
man treats appear.
People treats are very tempting
to pets. Keep supplies
een treats out of pets'
the ones
often last for days, in a
too.
A list of foods that
pets can be found on-line
hsus.org (Humane
United States).
Demise of human
Editor, The Journal:
I hesitate to offend and deni-
grate my friends and neighbors,
but when they hasten to expedite
the demise of the human race wfith
more population, it s time, in thct,
maybe too late to raise a concern.
A genetic glitch is making man
unable to coexist, along with in-
creasing developmental problems
such as autistic births.
So what can you say to three
billion women morally and physi-
cally inclined to fulfill an obliga-
tion?
The first question faces
mash of religious conflicts.
It's funny in
ous scenario is that God
have nothing in commonl
onic anomaly is not the
of the universe, but with
hope, we can still do
There is something out
but my book does
liminal contact.
Dou
Same ploy using
Editor, The Journal."
I occasionally receive e-mail
aimed at whipping me into a
frenzy of fear of Islamic terror-
ists. I refuse to be whipped and
for good reason:
Historically, the same ploy has
been used against Mexican immi-
grants, Indians, Jews, Democrats,
liberals - whatever. I remember
World War II days when the fear
tactic was used very effectively to
whip the population into a lather
against the Japs and the Nazis.
In those days, however, it prob-
ably wasn't needed because we
were attacked.
Each generation falls for this
ploy used by national leaders
for hundreds of years: Find a
focus for hatred by the citizens
and keep their minds offthe real
threat, which often is from with-
in. It's occasionally a good cover
for suspending whatever rights
the people might otherwise be
entitled to and for initiating a
preemptive war.
Hitler used the fear tactic very
successfully in convincing the
population that Jews were the
sole cause of the country's prob-
lems and that Naziism was the
only salvation. A preemptive war
that ruined most of Europe was
endorsed by the German popula-
tion because of this fear.
Goebbels, his minister of pro-
paganda, refined all the tech-
niques for keeping the people in
fear and proved that the tactic
was a great motivator. It is not
my intent to downplay the threat
from terrorists, Islamic or other-
wise. There are quite a
of groups around the
our collective asses, some
fairly credible list of
Now, with the
out of the bottle, the
a group of frenzied
wreak havoc is very real.
rational response to a
Islamic extremists
ards is not going to
threat one iota. The
of any country in the
included, to someone
in and detonating a
vice is past doubt.
"Winning" in Iraq is
to change this. The
rent, if there is one is
mediate retaliation
large areas of the
terranean a wasteland.
ple currently in power
areas know this, and
it behooves them to
extremists by any means i
sary.
I refuse to join the
teria against Islam, or
Mexican immigrants
matter. History is just
itself, and life (mine) is
I'm sure the younger
including
by a useless and
pensive war, will
However, I only
most of them could
that their sacrifice was
ble purpose as was the
most World War II vets
on the allied side).
Do
Y00eaders" €]ournal: Read both
Full-employment act for lawyers
Editor, The Journal:
Referendum 67 is nothing more
than a full-employment act for
lawyers. This referendum would
allow for treble damages, plus at-
torney fees. Since lawyers work on
a percentage and you give treble
damages, does your math skill in-
clude the ability to triple the law-
yer's fees?
The Washington State Su-
preme Court now allows political
lying, so some supporters of R-67
are taking advantage of this. The
facts of the case of the Puyallup
fireman who was "unreasonably"
denied insurance coverage for his
leukemia, according to the Puyal-
lup city government, are:
(1) Insurance claims were paid.
(2) Care decisions were made
on medical facts, not insurance
coverage.
Insurance companies are fund-
ing the argument to reject Refer-
endum 67, and they are up front
I
about this support. If R-67 passes,
insurance rates will go up and you
will pay the additional cost. Or
maybe insurance companies will
leave the state as some insurance
companies did a few years ago
when excessive medical insurance
requirements were developed (and
later rescinded) by the insurance
commissioner. Unless you want to
pay lots more for insurance or lose
your insurance altogether, you
should vote to reject R-67.
Legal societies, legal groups,
legal firms and individual attor-
neys are spending hundreds of
thousands of dollars to support R-
67, and they are trying to keep it
a secret. The amount, in Septem-
ber, exceeded $400,000 by legal
groups alone (much from out of
state), plus more from individual
attorneys in Washington State.
Are they being altruistic? No, they
plan to get rich from additional
lawsuits.
What would make this law rea-
sonable?
(1) Allow defendants who were
wrongly sued to counter-sue
against the plaintiff and their at-
torney for a frivolous lawsuit.
(2) Require accountability for
policyholders and not just the in-
surance companies. I suspect many
of the 4,100 annual complaints to
the insurance commissioner are
the result of policyholders who
did not read their policy and thus
have unrealistic expectations.
(3) Require insurance compa-
nies to write policies in English
rather than legalese. The federal
Securities and Exchange Commis-
sion required mutual-fund compa-
nies to write their prospectus in
English rather than legalese. Why
can't insurance companies do the
same? Tell this to our insurance
commissioner.
Ardean A. Anvik
Star Lake
Editor, The Journal:
Voters who will decide Novem-
ber 6 to either rescind or keep the
current law requiring the 60 per-
cent majority ibr passage of school
levies should carefully read the
FOR and AGAINST statements
in the voters' pamphlet.
The statement FOR, written
by the teachers' affiliates, says
little except they hope to en-
hance their chances of more eas-
ily winning levy decisions, with
the resulting higher cash flow.
The AGAINST statement clearly
dispels the teachers' argument
by citing the fact their levy votes
have seldom failed, having a 98.2
percent approval record since the
year 2000, and 97.1 percent in
Referendum only about fairness
Editor, The Journal:
This is about Referendum 67, up
for a vote in November. I try not to
tell people what to think all of the
time, but this one is important.
R-67 is about fairness. When a
person has a legitimate and valid
claim against his or her insurance
company, the company has to be
fair. That's it.
This is how it works now, with-
out R-67: Let's say you have a car
accident. You have a broken car
and some medical bills and submit
a legitimate, valid claim to your in-
surance company. If your company
denies and delays paying your le-
gitimate claim, you can sue it. At
the end, a court will tell them to
pay what they should have had to
pay in the beginning. You wait an
average of 1-2 years, and you have
to pay your lawyer and the other
costs of the lawsuit.
This is like catching a shoplifter
and making him give the TV back,
then letting him or her go. No rea-
son not to do it again.
Forty-five other states have
laws like R-67; what R-67 does is if
your insurance company uses bad
faith against you, and does not pay
your legitimate claim, you can sue
them, and get triple damages and
your fees paid. That's all there is
to it.
This is not about insurance
agents, or all insurance compa-
nies, or a lot of big claims. It is
about practices that some compa-
nies use, and it is mostly about the
small claims that ordinary people
have, getting their cars fixed after
an accident, getting the medical
bills paid, and so on.
If a company denies all claims,
then only a small number of people
with legitimate claims will argue
with them. It just isn't worth it on
the vast majority of these claims,
usually under $10,000. Others will
wind up taking much less than the
claim is worth, just to get it over
with. This is called "deny-delay,"
-and it makes the insurance in-
dustry huge profits. Industrywide,
$44.8 billion in 2005, up 19 per-
cent, with a surplus of $427 billion
nationwide. Think about the news
stories about how insurance com-
panies treated the survivors of the
Katrina catastrophe.
The response of insurance com-
panies is to raise $10.5 million to
fight R-67 in about a month and a
half. John McCain raised $8 mil-
lion nationally over April, May
and June. What does that kind of
money buy? A world of TV and ra-
dio ads, letters to all voters, signs
and everything else they can think
of. Why would they spend that
kind of money in Washington?
Because it is a drop in the bucket
compared to the profits they make
using deny-delay.
I've been a lawyer in Mason
County for 29 years. Over that
time, the single most unfair prob-
lem I see is how insurance compa-
nies treat their own policyholders
after an accident. It happens over
and over again.
Please listen carefully to all
sides of this before deciding to
vote with the insurance industry.
Anderson Cooper had an expose
on what the insurance industry is
doing in Washington, about R-67,
a couple of weeks ago. If you can
find it on the Web, watch it, and
you will be convinced. One part of
it had the official spokeswoman for
the insurance industry telling the
camera that if R-67 passes, it will
cost consumers huge increases in
their premiums and that State
Insurance Commissioner Mike
Kriedler saw no need for R-67.
Cut to an interview with Mike
Kriedler, who said it is absolutely
needed. He also believes that no
premiums will rise and that this
is a serious problem. He says his
office gets more than 4,000 com-
plaints a year, and this is the tip
of the iceberg, as few actually
file complaints with his office. He
doesn't have much power to help
most people in this situation.
That's why he is one of the lead
supporters tbr R-67.
The only insurance companies
that have anything to fear from R-
67 are the ones that make a prac-
tice of bad faith dealing with their
own insureds, the average people
who pay their premiums every
year. There will be no flood of law-
suits. If the shoplifter knows that
he will have to give the money back
and go to jail, he is going to think
twice about shoplifting again. The
insurance industry will have to
reevaluate deny-delay, that's all.
If they treat their insureds ihirly,
they have nothing to lose.
Rob Wilson-Hoss
Shelton
Election's $10-million question
Editor, The Journal:
Referendum 67: For it or against
it? Hard to decide? Here are some
numbers to consider:
In my adult lifetime my fam-
ily and I have spent more than
$100,000 purchasing insurance
for homeowners, automobiles, wa-
ter toys and health care. I am 52
and have been making such pay-
ments for a long time.
During that time I have en-
gaged in zero "frivolous" lawsuits,
but have at various times had to
engage attorneys to assist me in
getting what my insurance was
supposed to cover.
It is reported that the insurance
industry has pumped more than
$10 million into defeating R-67.
Why would they do that? Ahhh,
there is the $10-million question.
* Is it because they are altruis-
tic and want to insure (haha) that
the citizens are protected from the
frivolous lawyers?
• Is it because they are con-
cerned about their insureds-cus-
tomers?
o Or, perhaps it is because R-
67 will hold them to a standard
to which they do not wish to be
held7
The insurance industry does
not wish to be held to a standard
that requires them to provide
what you and I pay them for. They
do not wish to be punished when
they fail to provide coverage paid
for, or when they nickel-and-dime
their own insureds.
Consider whether: (a) the state
legislature or (b) the insurance
industry is more concerned about
the interests of Washington's citi-
zens. If you guessed that our leg-
islature is more concerned, you
would be correct. If you believe
the insurance Companies have the
interests of citizens in mind when
they pump more than $10 million
into our state to defeat R-67, you
should investigate a little further.
My own auto insurance agent
mailed me a form letter of disin-
formation in connection with R-
67. I am now changing my insur-
ance to one of the few companies I
know that has not contributed to
the mighty $10-million stick; that
company is PEMCO. I suspect
PEMCO and other insurers who
are not involved in trying to defeat
R-67 are going to be very busy over
the next few weeks because those
of us who understand why R-67
is good, who believe in consumer
protection, who know we are being
lied to concerning the effect of R-
67 on the citizenry, and who also
received one of these unsolicited
letters from their insurance agent,
are pretty darn disgusted.
Would the insurance commis-
sioner of Washington be in favor
of R-67, which is simply consumer
protection, if it was a bad thing?
Do your own research, but
please don't take the word of the
insurance companies for it either.
They have a vested interest in not
being required to perform accord-
ing to the terms of policies.
Lastly, of all the stories asso-
ciated with insurance companies
you have told and heard, how
many involved "frivolous lawsuits"
and evil "trial lawyers," and how
many involved a friend or family
member having to fight and claw
for what they believed they had
insurance coverage for? How many
times have you heard about the
person who made a claim, finally
got it resolved (sometimes with as-
sistance from an evil trial lawyer),
only to have their company cancel
their insurance?
Who do you believe is interest-
ed in protecting the consumer, our
insurance commissioner or the
agent who sent you that form let-
ter?
Katherine Farr
Angleside
Just change Christian club name
Editor, The Journal:
Go figure.
On page one of The Journal on
October 11 we have, "Board nixes
Christian club at SHS." On page
19, we see that. the governor has
declared a "Christian Heritage
Week."
Maybe that is the answer: Let
the Christian group call itself
"Christian Heritage Club."
And what is wrong with a
Page 6 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, October 25, 2007
Scrabble Club? Gee, our kids
might actually learn to use a dic-
tionary.
Marni Parker
Agate
2006!
Other than just trying
other 1.8 percent, the
obviously have another
seriously hoping for
under the proposed
to expand their levy
counting on a sure-thing
every time. The law as
provides the one
affecting this aggressive
interest faction. It is
mental to the success
Vote "no" on
Joint Resolution 4204.
school has trouble
academic goal, it's
lack of money.
Four endorsements
Editor, The Journal:
I want the mayor of Shelton to
be a person of integrity, ethics,
knowledge and experience. That
man is John Tarrant.
I urge the voters of Shelton to
allow Mayor Tarrant to continue
with the projects that are now vis-
ibly under way in town. Isn't it
wonderful to see all the construc-
tion projects under way? This has
come from years of effort on behalf
of our city commissioners, with
Mayor Tarrant as a vital part of
that commission.
I also urge voters to support
Mike Byrne for city commissioner.
He has the experience and knowl-
edge we need to keep a strong com-
mission going forward.
I also urge voters to support Jay
had the privilege
Mr. Hupp on numerous
about the port issues, and
ways pleased with his
tion style, knowledge, and
he listens and seeks
need a port
a broad range of
many issues the port
proven record
And lastly, please
do something about our
The levy lid lift is a small
pay to finally make some
on getting our streets
to today's standards. We
delaying
more expensive over time.
Keep candy from
Editor, The Journal:
I hope this reminder reaches
pet owners.
Halloween is the time when a
lot of treats, for humans, are in
homes. Chocolate and candies and
foods can be toxic to pets. Christ-
mas and Valentine's Day are the
other two holidays when extra hu-
man treats appear.
People treats are very tempting
to pets. Keep supplies
een treats out of pets'
the ones
often last for days, in a
too.
A list of foods that
pets can be found on-line
hsus.org (Humane
United States).
Demise of human
Editor, The Journal:
I hesitate to offend and deni-
grate my friends and neighbors,
but when they hasten to expedite
the demise of the human race wfith
more population, it s time, in thct,
maybe too late to raise a concern.
A genetic glitch is making man
unable to coexist, along with in-
creasing developmental problems
such as autistic births.
So what can you say to three
billion women morally and physi-
cally inclined to fulfill an obliga-
tion?
The first question faces
mash of religious conflicts.
It's funny in
ous scenario is that God
have nothing in commonl
onic anomaly is not the
of the universe, but with
hope, we can still do
There is something out
but my book does
liminal contact.
Dou
Same ploy using
Editor, The Journal."
I occasionally receive e-mail
aimed at whipping me into a
frenzy of fear of Islamic terror-
ists. I refuse to be whipped and
for good reason:
Historically, the same ploy has
been used against Mexican immi-
grants, Indians, Jews, Democrats,
liberals - whatever. I remember
World War II days when the fear
tactic was used very effectively to
whip the population into a lather
against the Japs and the Nazis.
In those days, however, it prob-
ably wasn't needed because we
were attacked.
Each generation falls for this
ploy used by national leaders
for hundreds of years: Find a
focus for hatred by the citizens
and keep their minds offthe real
threat, which often is from with-
in. It's occasionally a good cover
for suspending whatever rights
the people might otherwise be
entitled to and for initiating a
preemptive war.
Hitler used the fear tactic very
successfully in convincing the
population that Jews were the
sole cause of the country's prob-
lems and that Naziism was the
only salvation. A preemptive war
that ruined most of Europe was
endorsed by the German popula-
tion because of this fear.
Goebbels, his minister of pro-
paganda, refined all the tech-
niques for keeping the people in
fear and proved that the tactic
was a great motivator. It is not
my intent to downplay the threat
from terrorists, Islamic or other-
wise. There are quite a
of groups around the
our collective asses, some
fairly credible list of
Now, with the
out of the bottle, the
a group of frenzied
wreak havoc is very real.
rational response to a
Islamic extremists
ards is not going to
threat one iota. The
of any country in the
included, to someone
in and detonating a
vice is past doubt.
"Winning" in Iraq is
to change this. The
rent, if there is one is
mediate retaliation
large areas of the
terranean a wasteland.
ple currently in power
areas know this, and
it behooves them to
extremists by any means i
sary.
I refuse to join the
teria against Islam, or
Mexican immigrants
matter. History is just
itself, and life (mine) is
I'm sure the younger
including
by a useless and
pensive war, will
However, I only
most of them could
that their sacrifice was
ble purpose as was the
most World War II vets
on the allied side).
Do