LETTERS

What if?

What if India responded to the terrorist attacks in Mumbai (Bombay) in the same fashion as Israel is responding to the kidnapped soldier in Gaza and the Hezbollah bombings and kidnappings from Lebanon? Wouldn’t India be within its right to launch attacks against (presumably) Pakistan, who aids and abets Kashmiri extremists suspected in the bombings, according to this logic? If that was the case then it would lead to the Gandhian saying: “An eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth leaves the whole world blind and toothless,” especially with nuclear weaponry.

Of course President Bush responds that it’s OK for Israel to take such extreme measures because that is the same policy that he advocates for the U.S.: shoot first, ask questions later. This is not how to deal with terrorist violence or provocations of any kind. Look at the mess in Iraq about which Bush lied and said it had to do with 9/11. This military-only policy just creates more violence and war leading to a bigger mess than we already have. Is that the kind of world we want to leave for our kids? Why do parents tell their kids to use their words and not their fists if leaders don’t follow the same advice? We have to put a stop to this senseless cycle of war and violence, otherwise the 21st century will be known as the new Dark Ages.

Penelope Curtis
Via e-mail

Ludlow monument update

Can we get an up date from a 2003 People’s Weekly World article about the Ludlow Memorial being desecrated? Was it rebuilt? Were those who destroyed the monument apprehended? Those who broke the monument are so low that they need an extension ladder to reach the belly of a rattlesnake!

Jerry Aschermann
St. Joseph MO

It’s the pipes

This year, dozens of cities across the country had their worst sewage spills in decades, if not ever. And it is going to get worse.

And no one is writing about it.

This week, it was Spokane. Last week, Annapolis. In the last six months it was Hawaii, Raleigh, Boston, Santa Monica, Stockton, Key West, Texas, Wisconsin, Wilmington, Durham, and on and on and on. Just recently, there was a big story in Irving, Texas, about looking for a little boy that disappeared and may have fallen into a large hole in a large sewer pipe.

Here’s why we have a quiet epidemic of sewage spills all over America: It’s the pipes, stupid!

Most of the sewage systems in America were built 60 years ago, and meant to last for 50 years. Do the math. Read the clips: Sewer pipes are breaking at an unprecedented rate. Last year, the EPA said there were 73,000 sewer spills in America.

Lots of people are not paying attention.

Colin Flaherty
Winchester CA

Fitness with Fido

Say you know someone who really needs to get more exercise (and don’t we all know someone like that?). Now, if that someone had an enthusiastic exercise companion who needed physical activity as much they did, one who was always willing and ready to go, you’d think they’d be more likely to get out more often, right?

Wrong. Tragically wrong!

At least, that was the finding of researchers in Australia, where 40 percent of households have just such a companion — the family dog! But those Australian dogs seldom get the opportunity to encourage or accompany their owners on any kind of activity.

In fact, the majority of those pooches are prisoners of their owners’ sedentary lifestyles. No amount of furry fervor seems very effective at getting the owners to walk those dogs, even though it would be good for everyone involved.

There is abundant data that show much diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even some cancers could be avoided altogether if only people were more physically active.

Typically, I stick to issues of human health, but given Americans’ famous devotion to their pets, perhaps the whole idea of Fitness with Fido would be more likely to take off if Americans understood how much their dogs need their “walkies,” too.

If you’re the indulgent dog owner, consider that really pampering your pet means getting him healthy, right along with you! To reach the U.S. Surgeon General’s recommendation of 150 minutes a week of exercise, your Fitness with Fido program could start with just a 20-minute walk each day — of course, that’s without stopping every 10 feet to sniff a bush.

Caroline Cederquist, MD
Naples FL

Delivery blues

I have been having a lot of trouble the last few months with receiving the PWW in the mail. There were some issues in the past which I never received, and I haven’t received any issues for about the last two months. I did call my local Post Office, but they said that there were no issues left there to be delivered. My father also receives the paper and lives in Philadelphia (I live in the suburbs). He was also having some problems, but now receives the paper regularly. I realize that this is probably not the fault of the PWW, but I wanted to check with you.

Alan Horwitz
Via e-mail

Business Manager Dan Margolis writes: Thanks for letting us know. We have had numerous problems with the Post Office and are looking into them. It is our mission to make sure that the PWW comes to all subscribers on time, every time. We are waging a campaign to ensure that in the future all subscribers get all their issues in a timely fashion. If you have a problem, I want to know personally right away! My direct line is (646) 437-5363, and my e-mail is dmargolis@pww.org.