Win-win-win

I love the Bohemian, and now I really love it!

Thank you so much for your article by Stett Holbrook in your food and drink section on the hazardous effects of eating meat and dairy ("Low-Carb(on) Cuisine," May 14).

Not only does eating meat and dairy contribute more to global warming than any SUV, it is horrific for the animals. We now know that eating a plant-based diet excluding any meat and dairy products is the healthiest diet and lifestyle; eating a plant-based diet is a win-win-win situation. It saves the animals from horrific and deplorable suffering on factory farms and slaughterhouses, it helps the environment and it is the best for your health.

Thank you again for the wonderful article. We look forward to more like it!

Lisa Soldavini

Petaluma

Into the Public Eye

I just read "Trawling for Answers" by Alastair Bland (May 14), and I have to say that his assessment is spot on. The MLPA issue has been out of the public eye for too long. I believe that Mr. Bland has exposed this process for what it really is. Kudos to Mr. Bland and the Bohemian for printing this article.

Michael Caporale

San Jose

Mlpa Fixed?

Alastair Bland's article "Trawling for Answers," regarding the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force considering placing restrictions on the north coast fisheries, hit home. Bland writes, "In fact, many anglers have suspected all along that the public MLPA process has been a done deal from the start."

The anglers' "suspicions" are 100 percent correct. The MLPA is no different than any other corporate-funded public body: corporate-owned commercial trawlers that destroy thousands of miles of ocean habitat aren't on their hit list, only the individual commercial and sport fisherman who use sustainable practices are. Before the fisherman and their allies even showed up to the meeting, the MLPA had already made their decision to restrict the waters off the North Coast—they are just going through the motions of holding a faux public hearing.

Several months ago, I observed a meeting of the Central Coastal Commission where a fisheries expert presented the results of a two-and-a-half year-long scientific study performed in restricted waters adjacent to a Central Coast marine sanctuary. The purpose of the study was to prove that newly developed methods of fishing would reduce or eliminate by-catch, meaning that some of the restrictions to fisherman should be removed.

At the end of the presentation, a woman on the commission asked the question that drove a stake through the heart of the study: "How many dolphins were taken as by-catch during the study?" The expert responded, "Amazingly, only one dolphin was caught during the two-and-a-half-year study."

When she heard his response, the woman started ranting about the dolphin, with several other members of the commission chiming in. They had their excuse to invalidate the study and to make sure that restrictions remained in place for commercial and sport fishermen (no mention of corporate trawlers). Nowadays, going before public commissions is like betting on a fixed horse race. You lose!

Michael Murphy

Kenwood

Lynn tarred by Hillary

Why bother voting in a party primary when there is only one candidate, running unopposed, like Lynn Woolsey is on June 3? I've always supported Woolsey because of her strong opposition to the war in Iraq and her consistent support for progressive issues that I believe in, but her continued public support for Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary is unacceptable to me.

In addition to the fact that Woolsey's district voted predominantly for Barack Obama, it is unacceptable because Clinton's campaign rhetoric has included:

• Praising McCain's qualifications over Obama's

• Threatening to "obliterate" Iran with nuclear weapons

• Stoking racial fires to cut into Obama's support

• Participating in misleading smears about Obama's religious beliefs and patriotism

• Suggesting she is staying in the race because something might happen to Obama

This time, although Woolsey is running unopposed and will clearly move on to the general election, I have an opportunity to send her a message when I step into the voting booth on June 3.

If you are also discouraged by Woolsey's continued support for Hillary Clinton throughout the current Democratic primary season, please join me in not voting for Lynn Woolsey on June 3!

Steve Enos

Cotati

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