Letters for January 24, 2008

Sad but true
Re “How to caucus” (Feature story, Jan. 10):

Seven years ago, I was a proud Republican. Three years ago, I registered as an independent. Now I’m almost embarrassed to be an American. I suspect the Greeks would roll over in their graves at what we call a democracy. None of the candidates in either party pays the slightest attention to their party platforms, so what difference do parties really make aside from enabling personal attacks on the opposing candidates?

In Congress, both parties attach all kinds of ridiculous stuff to the bills they pass with no thought to fiscal integrity, and it’s only been in the last few months that Bush has found his veto pen and begun to espouse anything like concern over the deficit and our nation’s incredible debt. To say nothing of the fact that none of the candidates mention the trade deficit with China as well as the Middle Eastern countries.

George Washington and several of our Founding Fathers were dead set against political parties, and it would seem with good reason. How about a campaign to get rid of them, so that we can take pride in being Americans and perhaps be a bit less divisive? The parties are so concerned about being reelected that they only take time to pull in lots of money. Do you remember when Nancy Pelosi gave her first speech as House Speaker? Her words were, “We intend to be the most ethical Congress in history. Notice “intend” not “we will be.” In other words, judge us by our intentions not our actions. I never heard any of the pundits of any stripe even take notice of that.

The one thing I feel really good about is that in spite of all the damage President Bush has done in a little over seven years, apparently the United States of America has the strength to survive even his policies.

All the above goes to explain why I did not take part in the caucus farces going on in both parties.

Mike Strem
via e-mail

Danger, Will Robinson
Re “I would take a bullet for Condi” (Right Hook, Jan. 17):

For the longest time, I respected Mike Lafferty in a distant, laid-back kind of way. I saw him as providing a vital service to the people of Reno; that is, coming up with the most retarded opinions imaginable so we have something easy to hate. He was like a real-life internet troll, injecting life and vitality in an otherwise dull office conversation. “Hey, did you read what that jackass Lafferty said last week? Does he even know what middle class is?”

However, all this changed when I read his “I would take a bullet for Condi” column. A rambling hodgepodge of nonsense, there was nowhere in the entire piece anything resembling a coherent thought or, indeed, any kind of thought at all. It was as if he’d suffered a stroke and his damaged brain was desperately trying to make sense of its own mortality by pouring out whatever idiocy came to his mind, and for a moment, I panicked with worry. However, this passed when I realized what had actually happened.

Mike Lafferty is a robot, and he was just malfunctioning. It was that simple. Someone at your office probably left the poor thing out in the rain too long, and it fried his circuits. Doubtless he’ll be back in fighting form soon, fulfilling his robotic mission to teach us poor humans … um … something. Possibly how to be completely intolerant of other people’s views.

So, RN&R, if you guys could go ahead and dry out Cyborg Lafferty so he can get back to raving against THE EVIL LIE-BERALS AND THEIR VAST CONSPIRACY, I would appreciate it. Also, could you go ahead and update his memory banks because most of the shit he bitches about lost its relevancy 10 years ago. Oh, and do something about his current obsession with Oprah’s dresses. It’s embarrassing.

James Porter
via email

Labor pains
Re “Severe complications” (Arts & Culture, Jan. 10):

I am currently 25 weeks pregnant, and this is my second child. I currently have a much more tamed down version of hyperemesis gravidarum, as my pregnancy is progressing, but I had severe HG with both pregnancies. I have many situations different than your profiled story. I was hospitalized on three separate occasions for five days each and had home IV therapy with a pic line placed in my arm for IV hydration and nutrition. I was unable to drink any liquids, even water made me vomit. I could not keep any food down and lost excessive amounts of weight—22 pounds—going down to 90 pounds. On top of it, I vomited blood because the force of the vomiting was extremely intense. I was placed on five different medications, but none of them worked. Additionally, I have excessive saliva production, which I cannot swallow and constantly have to spit into napkins and buckets. It is extremely physically challenging and emotionally draining. Having to take care of another child and going on disability for work—extremely difficult. I am happy you published this story, but you should know there are many cases more severe, and women continue to die from this across the globe.

Deniz Conger
Portland, Ore.

Correction
Re “First responder” (15 Minutes, Jan. 17):In our 15 Minutes feature, “First responder,” we incorrectly stated it was Fallon that recently flooded. It was Fernley that was flooded with water during the storm on Jan. 5. Also, Lisa Watson wants people to know “there are no local wild ferrets—the domesticated ferret is related to, but not the same as, the black-footed ferrets that are near extinction in the wild.” Furthermore, ferrets are not gophers.