Letters for December 17, 2009

Problems

The pharmaceutical industry is rushing to produce 4 billion swine flu shots worldwide. With seemingly effective fear-mongering government agencies and the media provide free advertising for this gigantic business enterprise. What a deal! Now, why would the media report that more than one third of parents refuse to have their children vaccinated? What seems to be the problem?

Dr. Russell Blaylock, a retired neurosurgeon and vaccine researcher, warns that vaccinations are a fraud and that there is actually no proof that they do any good, but that they are linked to a host of serious health problems including brain damage, cancer and death. He further states that even medical science and the Centers for Disease Control are aware of these dangers. Incidentally, no discipline of natural healing favors vaccinations.

In light of all this, would it not make sense to optimize our immune system via natural, safe, effective and economical means to the extent that we need not fear the swine flu nor any disease? It works. By maintaining a strong immune system and refusing vaccinations I have not been sick since 1972.

Hans Frischeisen
Reno

Sing your song

Re “Native Songbird” (15 Minutes, Dec. 10):

What Christina Thomas is doing is so important, and I commend her for it. Reaching out to our youth and keeping our cultures and languages alive is a difficult road but so essential to our survival as First Nations’ peoples. I’m also very glad she is addressing stereotype issues. Tizhameh, thanks, Christina!

Richard Zane Smith
Wyandotte, Okla.

Riding the storm out

Re “Since we’ve no place to go” (Editorial, Dec. 10):

To Reno City Councilmember Dan Gustin:

I have lived in the Old Southwest neighborhood for a little over five years, and I have been a homeowner there since July 2008. I was here for the snowstorm in January 2005 and again for this year’s storm. On both occasions, there has been no snow removal on most streets in the neighborhood. This is unacceptable. I have lived in various cities, small and large, and have never seen such negligence elsewhere. In Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Vermont, if it is snowing, plows are circulating and continue to do so until all streets are clear. From Tuesday, Dec. 8, until Saturday, Dec. 13, the streets in my neighborhood were covered with a thick layer of packed snow. This is now thawing and has turned into deep, rutted slush which freezes hard at night. From my house, I have seen at least a dozen cars stuck in this slush, so that they needed to be shoveled and pushed out. Clearly this is dangerous for all involved, and can be damaging to vehicles as well.

In your 2008 campaign for re-election, you identified “Continued responsible management of growth, water and neighborhoods to ensure the quality of life Reno residents enjoy” as one of three primary issues. Responsible management of neighborhoods includes provision of basic services, including snow removal. I would like to know what action you will take to prevent this situation from occurring again.

Shelly Culbertson
Reno

Know your rights

Re “Something to believe in” (Green, Dec. 10):

I appreciate those who believe the consensus of scientists that tell us global warming, or climate change, is a fact: that it is man made, primarily America’s fault, and that a mass lifestyle change is in order. I remain skeptical. I hear a lot of excuses from adherents as to why they don’t take the bus system rather than their own vehicles. Yes, you have to get up earlier, arrive home later, but then it is one less car on the road, isn’t it? But maybe your own personal freedom is more important to sacrifice for than if the government mandated it, and we all had to conform.

What about government officials who routinely fly back and forth across country and yet will make those laws that limit our freedom—what of their personal responsibility? Will they be exempt? Is Al Gore better than some CEO from a major corporation? So it’s OK for Gore to fly around the world to give speeches about the dangers of carbon emissions, while he flies around the world spewing carbon emissions. Is that like committing an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan then flying off to pick up your Nobel Peace Prize? Think carefully before you give up your rights.

Bill Thibault
Sparks

You say you want a revolution

Re “Harry Reid’s Big Secret” (Feature story, Nov. 25):

The article on Harry Reid and filibusters in the Senate process is nothing new to democracy. Harry is just doing his job as the majority leader.

The real question is, why does the Senate exist? Sure, during the time of putting the Union together compromise for democracy happened for many reasons, especially in the area of states’ rights and the fear that the big, populated states would dominate the smaller and less populated states. The Senate itself is one of those compromises along with the Electoral College.

The Senate is undemocratic because it does not represent the citizens of the country by being based on two senators from each state. The House of Representatives is based on population, which is the real basis for democracy.

We need a radical restructuring of the United States electoral system. We need to abolish the Senate and have only one legislative body—the House of Representatives. The House should be chosen by Proportional Representation at the state level with the doubling of districts throughout the nation.

The president and vice president need to be chosen by instant runoff voting.

While we are at it, states need to have only one legislative body chosen by proportional representation, and the governor and the lieutenant governor need to be chosen by instant runoff voting.

Frederick Ellis
Reno

Gone away

Re “Who was baaad in 2009?” (Advertisement, pg. 38, Dec. 10):

My nominee for the People’s Shaft Award is Wilks Broadcasting.

I’m sure the escapades of Gibbons and Ensign will get more votes, but I’m saddest about Wilks Broadcasting killing off The Risky Biscuit Hayseed Hoot. Always fresh and interesting, this show was the best of what the once mighty X had left. Dondo introduced me to many great bands over the years that I would have never heard otherwise. The show was a one of a kind that was made in Reno. Now it will be replaced by someone playing music you can hear anywhere. This is a microcosm of what is happening with media outlets everywhere.

Joe Miller
Reno