Jul 20, 2008

Letters to the Editor

Daily News

Oil prices

Dear Editor: Two years of Democratic control of Congress has brought us the saddest state of affairs since the Great Depression. Two years ago gas was $1.50 per gallon, and now it is $4.50 per gallon. Their slogan of "change" was prophetic to say the least. They can't blame Bush, as the monkey is on their back. Their accomplices are the environmentalists, as they can't see the needs for the trees. As an example, the only renewable resource we have is wood. A tree is a plant, therefore if one is planted it can be harvested in 30 years. The process can be repeated ad finitum, but if arrogant people judge everything by their lifetime, then the process stalls.

The lumber people planted six to 26 trees for every one they cut. The future for trees was incredible, but the simple folks couldn't see it. In fact we have more trees now than when the Mayflower landed in 1620. Steel is replacing wood in some house construction, and steel is not renewable. Incredible. They can't see it, as their sheepskins must be in their eyes.

Now we can't drill for oil because they are afraid of spills or whatever. Funny, as the countries that are drilling and producing oil don't spill anything. The only accidents that have occurred are in shipping, and if we drill here, there is no shipping. Can't Congress and voters see these facts? It's time to retire Pelosi, Feinstein, Boxer, Eshoo, et al and let's get on with it.

Joseph Locasto

San Mateo



Comic portrayals

Dear Editor: Not a day goes by when I do not see unfavorable cartoon pictures of President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Gov. Arnold Swharzenegger, Sen. McCain, Karl Rove, Condoleeza Rice or a host of other public officials. These people are always portrayed in unflattering manner.

Why all of the protesting over one picture of Sen. Obama? He is in public life. Publicity comes with the territory.

President Truman said, "If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen."
Perhaps Sen. Obama is not ready for high office.

Keith De Filippis

San Jose



Middle East

Dear Editor: Bacil Mackiw, in his July 18 letter, falsely assumes that the land that for over 3,000 years has been named the "Land of Israel" is somehow "Arab land." Since the 15th century the land was controlled by Ottoman Turkey. When Turkey joined with Germany and lost in World War I, the land was ceded by international treaties to the British mandate under the condition that they encourage the return of Jews.

When the British took they promptly elevated the anti-Jewish fanatic Haj al Husseini to leadership of the local Arabs. In 1937, the British Peel commission proposed a partition plan between the Jews and the Arabs that would have given the Arabs a state on most of the land. In 1947, the United Nations voted for another partition plan. In 2000, the United States proposed a partition plan. All three plans were accepted by the Jews/Israelis. All three were rejected by the Palestinians/Arabs.

The Palestinian-Arab leader Haj Al Husseini spent World War II in Berlin broadcasting Nazi propaganda. Given the Arabs' cooperation with the maniacal Hitler, whose prime aim was extermination of the Jews, for Mackiw to equate Israel's control of the land of Israel with the Nazi German's occupation of Czechoslovakia and Poland is abhorrent.

Arthur Cohn

Portola Valley