It's our duty to impeach Bush, Cheney

The crimes committed by Bush and Cheney are criminal. Falsifying a letter about weapons of mass destruction … is treason. Torture, illegal wiretapping, suspension of habeas corpus and taking our country to war under false pretenses are against the Geneva Convention and prosecutable by an international court. At the very least, it is our duty to impeach!

Kathy McFarlane

Solana Beach

Amateurs versus real climate scientists

Darrell Beck (Letters, Sept. 13) errs in accusing me of not documenting peer-reviewed scientific research confirming human contribution to climate change or the role of Big Oil in bankrolling the anti-science deniers. Evidence for both has been provided in past letters, and a Google scholar search finds thousands of such references (with none opposed).

A complete listing exceeds allowable letter space, and specific examples of petrodollar funding has been provided regarding non-peer-reviewed works cited by others. Example: Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol 108 (2003) "Can solar variability explain global warming since 1970?" by Solanki and Krivova (Max Planck Institute) confirms human activity as a major contributing factor for current increases in global mean temperatures. While new breakthroughs sometimes oppose prior established consensus, it must be based on science, not the rantings of amateurs. For example, Beck says CO2 can't be harmful because it is necessary and beneficial. So is salt, yet too much will kill you.

Beck repeatedly uses the term "man-made global warming." No one claims humans are solely responsible for temperature fluctuations, but real science provides evidence of significant human contribution to increasing global mean temperatures far beyond the upper control limits of natural cycles.

Douglas Dunn

Escondido

New Tri-City management needed

For several years, I have been reading North County Times' articles about Tri-City hospital. Without the articles, I would have known very little about the hospital. Tri-City is a needed institution that is very busy serving patients. Therefore, good management should be able to account for sufficient funds to cover expenses and capital improvements or to obtain loans for capital improvements.

Asking three times for a bond vote to the taxpayers to fund financial deficiencies is unbearable and shows poor and pompous management. For the hospital to survive, and hopefully it will, a sale to a private company that will bring in new management at all upper levels is needed.

William Norman

Carlsbad

Is this the start of the NWO police?

Communist, socialist, oligarchy, or dictatorship-type governments are all collectivist types. These are governments designed and controlled by a limited group of elitists. They fear personal freedom. They flourish when the masses are totally controlled by fear. Remember the Soviet Union!

So far, our Constitution is still valid, but in many cases violated and ignored. Recent events have shown that there is an under-current police state. The North American Union is being forced on us (toward a new world order) and many cases have been reported of police action by unidentified police uniforms. The only identification is "police" and no other information is given. Is this the NWO police? …

Specifically, an ABC reporter arrested on a public sidewalk in Denver while taking pictures of senators and big donors to the DNC; and another case of police raiding the headquarters of RNC protesters in Minnesota, etc. These are tactics used by governments such as the Soviet Union. This is not what our Constitution dictates. The Obama rhetoric is exactly that of the communist Soviet Union. We must pay close attention to his plans, for it is all about more government entitlements to further control the masses by fear.

Saul Lisauskas

Encinitas

Pigs, pork and Palin

Sen. George Bush-McCain's pick for vice president is amazing. She was for "The Bridge to Nowhere," then against it, but took the money anyway ($200 million ). She managed to wangle $27 million from the federal government for her little town of 8,000, and no one mentioned it.

The state of Alaska, the home of the frontiersman, the self-reliant, the people who stand alone against government and interference of any of their rights, is, in fact, swimming in pork and government handouts. There is hardly a person in the state who could survive without it. This year, every man, woman and child will receive over $3,000. Since pork comes from pigs, the obvious conclusion (borrowed phase) is that a pig wearing lipstick is still a pig.

Max Savin

Escondido

Palin's contribution

To my surprise, Sarah Palin has demonstrated that lipstick on a pig is not nearly so unattractive as I had thought.

Gary Whitlock

Fallbrook

Democrats show their true colors

Imagine, for a moment, if Sarah Palin changed just two things: her abortion stance and her party affiliation. Then, imagine if a bunch of letters from the right suggested that she "should be at home raising her family." Doesn't take much to then imagine the barrage of letters from the left denouncing all such letter writers as misogynistic Neanderthals. I'd also imagine that if someone on the right mentioned her "sad little infant," a pitchfork and torch-bearing mob would then descend on Pennsylvania Avenue, demanding to know how the North County Times could even think of printing something so hateful. Of course, the claims that she'd "happily slaughter polar bears and wolves" would only result in eye-rolling laughter.

I wouldn't label all liberals as complete wack jobs, as I have a few intelligent, articulate and decent friends who happen to be liberal. Too bad for them that only the hypocritical lunatic fringe seems to write in to the NCT.

Jack DeLessio

Valley Center

Cartoon was disgusting

In regard to the cartoon on the Opinion page Friday, Sept. 12 North County Times by Jim Borgman: I find it very lowdown and disgusting to portray Gov. Palin the way the cartoonist did and that you would print it. Also, one does not assume the candidate for president would die while in office. This is a serious matter and should not be made fun of.

Rita Ferri

San Marcos

Council doesn't care about community

Reader/writer Richard Matthews sent a letter about dreaming of an Escondido Christmas (Letters, Aug. 24). In his letter, he suggested that the City Council members each donate $3,000. This "donation" would help provide funding for the Christmas parade. Is he kidding? Does he think that this council, the very council that refused to open (at no cost to the city) the winter shelter for the homeless during the winter months, would pay for a parade?

Christmas Parade organizers announced at a meeting Sept. 10 that they will be required to pay for police services (as announced earlier), and that the Department of Public Works is investigating whether they should be paid for services provided for the parade. This council states that they are concerned with the quality of life for the residents of Escondido. They really show their concern when the Fourth of July Celebration was almost canceled, when the Christmas Parade is canceled, when they refuse to open the winter shelter for the homeless, attempting to charge and/or charging some community groups a fee to use community rooms, prohibiting residents and their guests from parking on the street in front of their homes. What's next? Will they outlaw babies crying and children laughing in the park? …

I can sleep well at night knowing that my City Council is concerned about the quality of life here in Escondido.

Donna Martin

Escondido

NCT prints nonsense about gay animals

I enjoy reading your Letters to the Editor section. Rarely do I agree with the letter writers, and most commonly read them out loud to my wife (the special ones, that is) and make colorful comments about the authors. Sept. 6 marked the day the North County Times should have invoked censorship. "Homosexuality occurs in the animal kingdom," Letters, Harold Stidolph: This is the most outrageous, idiotic justification I have ever heard for engaging in homosexual activity. Because two male donkeys are observed in the wild picking parasites from one another or two female lions are observed grooming each other, this does not constitute a homosexual relationship. It's an act of cleanliness and survival.

There is but one being on Earth that engages in sex for any other reason than procreation, i.e., recreational sex, and that is humans. I could care less what Harold Stidolph cares to read or listen to. Remember, hundreds of people followed Jim Jones into the jungle. I am not a religious man, nor have I ever read the Bible, but I am pretty sure if there is a God or Great Creator, as Harold puts it, he has or had no grand plan for homosexuality. The time has come for the NCT to stop printing nonsense such as this baloney.

Robert DeRieux

Fallbrook

A sick comic comparison

I admit to not being a fan of the "Doonesbury" comics, and I believe in free speech, but I draw the line when someone treats a horrible time in history with such little respect.

There is no humor whatsoever about comparing "being assaulted by Vietnam prison guards" to losing a home. Extremely sick humor to say the least. Homes can be replaced; those memories stay forever!

Kathy Heinlein

San Marcos

Bush's people now working for McCain

I don't understand why Sarah Palin is getting so much coverage. She keeps giving the same speech, and she has given few interviews yet. That isn't news. It seems fishy to me that John McCain is riding this fictitious person's popularity coattails while the facts aren't being printed.

The fact is, they won't run the White House anyway. Their staff will. Palin's current staff has answered all policy questions for her as governor. This is what we have had with the Bush administration. McCain is already hiring their old staff. All the people who helped get Bush elected are now working for McCain. He has planned to rehire all the same Republicans who have been in the White House for the last eight years. His economic policy was written by Phil Gramm, the same man who brought us the deregulation of the housing market. How is this change? Oh, right. This year there's lipstick involved. We should really discuss that some more.

Anna Laramee

Rancho Santa Fe

Palin is correct on global warming

In Letters, Sept. 6, William Oxley criticizes Gov. Palin because she "does not believe that human activity created global warming." So he concludes that "she demonstrates a lack of fact-based thinking" and is "incapable of reaching a fact-based conclusion."

Actually, Mr. Oxley, based on scientific fact, Gov. Palin is absolutely correct about global warming. But don#,t just take my word for it. Anyone wanting to learn about global temperature fluctuations (warming and cooling) can go to www.geocraft.com, click on Articles, and see what real scientists have to say about it. It is pointed out there that 95 percent of the greenhouse effect is due solely to natural water vapor (e.g. evaporation from oceans, lakes, swimming pools). Human activity contributes only a trivial amount (0.3 percent).

So Gov. Palin does indeed demonstrate the critical capability of relying on fact-based thinking rather than politically correct hype and propaganda, which is an important feather in her cap.

Herb Marbach

Fallbrook

Do we really want a maverick and greenhorn?

The amazing thing is not that John McCain calls himself an agent for change, but that people actually believe it. For the last eight years, we've had a cowboy in office and now the possibility of a maverick and his greenhorn sidekick. Start circling the wagons.

Link Ladutko

Oceanside

Liberal attacks have intensified

As I wade through the daily liberal tripe printed on the editorial pages of this paper, I can't help but notice how vile and angry some liberal writers have become. On Sept. 11 in particular, the seventh anniversary of a national tragedy, liberal writers attacked our country and heroes of our country with a vengeance.

It is quite apparent that John McCain's choice for a running mate has incensed liberals and their attacks have intensified as a result. In choosing a woman to potentially become the vice president of the United States, McCain has somehow been able to draw out the dark side of the extreme left wing. The left has clearly demonstrated that bigotry, prejudice, hypocrisy and hate fostered by Marxist ideology are alive and well in the Democrat Party.

Today, I was going to write a letter in response to the caustic comments made by one liberal writer. However, out of respect for those who died on Sept. 11, 2001, I will abstain from turning his comments into a source of foolishness and anti-Americanism. But only today.

Mike Kania

Carlsbad

In difficult economic times, shop locally

It is in these difficult economic times that we must be frugal with our money and shop only for our necessities at the lowest prices available. Obviously, we need to budget our spending, especially when faced with high gas prices and an uncertain economy.

But in the midst of our financial issues, I am reminded of the convenient small businesses I hold near and dear to my heart. I take for granted my local farmers market, my neighborhood gift shop and the mechanic down the street. I would like to challenge all of us to give back to our small business owner by shopping locally. After all, what would we do without our nearby gift store when we need the perfect card for someone special?

Cheryl Linzey

Carlsbad

Are military deaths God's will?

Recently, a video was released showing Sarah Palin addressing a church audience. She is seen telling the church audience that the war in Iraq is God's will. I thought we went into Iraq looking for weapons of mass destruction? Does this mean that God was fooled by Bush and Cheney like the rest of us?

More than 4,000 men and women of America have perished because of this lie, and now the Republican vice presidential nominee wants us to believe they died for God's will? I truly pray that God's last will in Iraq, the last American soldier to die there, is not her son. Or is that God's will?

Alonzo Hall

Vista