Attn: Bill O'Reilly--despicable!

Peter Byrne: I have never read a more despicable article ("Baby Killers," the Byrne Report, June 14), one filled with lies and un-American and anti-American statements. You accuse our brave soldiers of murders worse than the murders of the Nazis. I could fill pages with vitriol, but you are not worth it. I will applaud any ill or evil that befalls you; you are deserving of attention by a blood-thirsty Muslim terrorist. May you suffer in hell for two eternities! I support our soldiers, I support our government and I support the American people.

I support Americans who do not agree with me but who are sane and honest. I do not support or wish well people like you because people like you are evil. Mr. O'Reilly, please take the time to read this article. It is utterly despicable.

Two words for you,
Walter Pazik
Via e-mail, natch

Trolling the Net

Great article, if scary ("Cyber Crisis," June 28). Here's a thought: Is there a system for consumers to report incidents that they feel are similar to the Cox/Craigslist.org issue? Some type of Net neutrality incident clearing house? If so, please let us know.

Craig McAnsh, Maurietta, Georgia

Hidden epidemic?

Thank you so much for your excellent article about tick-borne diseases in the North Bay ("Tick Talk," June 21). I have had a table for Lyme disease education at a local Sunday farmers market here in Marin for over a year and am seeing 30 to 50 people every week who tell me they, a family member or a friend have been affected by Lyme disease. This is a hidden epidemic in our state that needs to be taken seriously by the medical profession and public health agencies. I hear the same story over and over: people who have gone from doctor to doctor and have been misdiagnosed or dismissed while the disease progressed and caused increasing illness.

Marisa Battilana, San Rafael

Defining customer service

Does anyone know the definition of customer service anymore? I wonder...

About a week ago, I had a rough morning so decided to step into A'roma Roasters for a cool glass of water. I sat down in the ice cream parlor area with my lap top. I pulled out your paper, took a big sigh and started reading it. Ahhh! Finally a quiet time in my day to relax. Wrong! About five minutes after sitting down, I was approached by the cleaning woman asking me, no--telling me--that if I sat there I needed to buy something. What?

I was so offended I think I mumbled to her that I was going to buy something later. She said she was sorry, but it was the rule that you need to buy something if you sit there.

I have been a customer of theirs for years. I buy their coffee, I eat lunch there and sometimes I stop in for a dessert. The manager even said she recognizes me as a regular. I can understand if it was someone who continues to sit there day in and day out not buying anything from them. But asking someone who comes in a great deal is not a good customer-service policy as far as I'm concerned.

I no longer will honor A'roma Roasters. I am heading over to Flying Goat! Besides, their service and coffee is much better.

Thank you, Bohemian, for listening. I was wondering if anyone else got this rude awakening.

Mike Shea, Santa Rosa

Gosh, Mike, while we appreciate you turning to your good buddies at the Boho, we're firmly on the side of the cleaning woman at A'roma's. Even if you spend money there every day of your good blessed life, it's not Mom's house. Taking up space with a pine float and a laptop is not good service from a customer.

Yummy Animal Waste cesspools

Al Gore's riveting documentary An Inconvenient Truth has focused public attention on the looming disaster of global warming and the associated flooding of coastal communities, extreme weather conditions and destruction of wildlife habitats. Global warming is brought on by emission of "greenhouse gases," primarily carbon dioxide and the much more potent methane and nitrous oxide. These gases trap the sun's heat in our atmosphere creating a greenhouse effect.

Most of us blame automotive and industrial emissions. But animal agriculture is a major culprit as well. It emits carbon dioxide from the burning of forests to create animal pastures and from combustion of fossil fuels to operate farm machinery, trucks, refrigeration equipment, factory farms and slaughterhouses. It emits methane from the digestive tracts of cattle and nitrous oxide from animal waste cesspools.

According to a recent University of Chicago study, a meat-free diet reduces greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide per year--as much as switching from an SUV to a hybrid car.

Folks who care about the future of life on Earth would be well advised to consider switching to a meat-free diet even before they switch to a hybrid car.

Steven Alderson, Santa Rosa

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