Beauty of Bev

The author omitted any comparison regarding the maintenance cost of an ICE car vs. a BEV car ("Clean Dreams," MetroNews, April 8). It is the same reason that hybrid cars make little sense in the long run because you are still dragging along all of the moving parts of the ICE, which cost a great deal over the life of the car to maintain. The BEV, on the other hand, has one moving part and has very limited maintenance costs. Yes, batteries are still the limiting factor in making a BEV that fits every travel need, but remarkably, they will satisfy the great majority of the daily driving now, and longer trips will possible within a few years. Getting away from OPEC is worth the additional cost now to advance the battery technology.  

Roger Richardson
Surprise, Ariz.

Unfine Swine

The World Health Organization has just ratcheted up the threat alert for the swine flu epidemic to Phase 4 (out of 6). Along with the avian flu of a decade ago, the Hong Kong flu of 1968, and the Asian flu of 1957, swine flu has been traced to animal waste in a factory farm. Its H1N1 type virus is nearly identical to that of the Spanish flu, which killed more than 50 million people in 1918–19.

Today's factory farms constantly expose sick, crowded, highly stressed animals to contaminated feces, urine, and other secretions. They provide ideal breeding grounds for the replication and mutation of viruses and bacteria into more lethal forms.

In fact, Wikipedia lists more than 70 human diseases that are developed and transmitted by animals, frequently through confinement and crowding. Among these are such infamous killers as AIDS, bubonic plague, cholera, diphtheria, Ebola and dengue fever, measles, SARS, smallpox, West Nile virus, and yellow fever.

Every one of us can help prevent the development and spread of these killer diseases by replacing animal products in our diet with healthful vegetables, fresh fruits, and whole grains. These foods don't carry deadly microbes (unless contaminated by animal waste), are touted by every major health advocacy organization and were the recommended fare in the Garden of Eden.

Larry Rogawitz,
Santa Rosa

Short and Sweet

Right on! Well said. (Re "Obama's Dog and Your Dinner," Silicon Veggie, May 6)

Frank De Giacomo.
Honolulu, Hawaii

 

Ashes to Ashes

In your review of Little Ashes, May 6: "Cenicitas" or "Little Ashes" is a Dali painting not a Lorca poem.

A little research goes a long way.

Lisa Karaganis
San Antonio, Texas

A little research indeed goes a long way. Fortunately, the movie gave me a crib because Lorca was reciting a poem with that phrase 'little ashes' just before the titles. Whether or not Dali named the painting 'Little Ashes,' saying that the movie is named after a Lorca poem is still accurate. —Richard von Busack

To High Heaven

Well, Campos might be innocent, but the whole thing sure stinks to high heaven ("Accusing the Accuser,' The Fly, May 6). Doesn't the accused have a right to confront the accuser? I'm glad this bogus complaint was "brushed aside." This just sounds like political sour grapes from Campos.

Hugh Jardonn
San Jose