Letters 7-07-11
07/07/2011
So Easy Now
Thank you so much for the wonderful article (“The Picasso in us all,” June 23). You are such an amazing writer, always finding such a beautiful way of integrating all the elements.
The core meaning of this project really comes through, which is so important to us and not always easy for us to articulate. You've made it so easy now. We can simply forward the article.
Thank you again!
~JOEY FORSYTE, PASADENA
Time for a ban
According to the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, half of the meat and poultry sold in US supermarkets may be tainted with the deadly pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. The study tested 136 samples of beef, chicken, pork and turkey in five cities. Half of the bacteria were resistant to antibiotics. One organism — MRSA — is a leading cause of fatal infections in schools and hospitals.
The authors suggest that feeding antibiotics to animals in factory farms may contribute to this resistance. Indeed, two-thirds of all antibiotics in the US are used to promote the growth of farmed animals and contain infectious diseases induced by their extreme crowding and stress.
The US Food and Drug Administration should ban the routine use of antibiotics in factory farms. The European Union adopted such a ban in 2006. The World Health Organization has recommended a worldwide phaseout.
In the meantime, each of us should replace animal products in our diet with vegetables, fresh fruits, legumes and grains. These foods contain all the nutrients we require without deadly pathogens, antibiotics, pesticides, carcinogens, cholesterol and saturated fats. They are touted by every major health advocacy organization and were the recommended fare in the Garden of Eden.
~PATRICK LAWSON, PASADENA
Party poopers
Just a quick FYI to all the “conservatives” who have an irrational hatred of Obama:
The Republicans have done everything in their power to stop Obama from closing Guantanamo. Closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay was a bipartisan goal before President Obama took office, with both President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain rhetorically committed to shutting down an international symbol of American lawlessness.
But an effective campaign waged by conservatives to portray the closure as negligent of national security — and Obama and the Democrats as weak for seeking it — has raised the political stakes for Democratic members of Congress. In 2009, the Senate voted to prohibit the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo to the US.
In May 2010, Congress voted for a bill with an express prohibition on the use of any Defense Department money to buy a new detention facility in the United States. In other words, the Republicans put the good of their party over the good name of our country. It was a cynical ploy to win votes and to try and say Obama broke a promise that they made it next to impossible for him to keep. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who supports shutting Guatanamo, said the effort is “on life support and it’s unlikely to close any time soon.” He attributed the collapse to some fellow Republicans’ “demagoguery.”
~ALEX MAGDALENO, VIA EMAIL
FROM THE WEB:
Re: “L. Ron Hubbub,” May 26
Bill0nator says this article contains a subliminal hatred of the Church of Scientology, but I can’t see anything other than factual reporting: The Co$ bought a building, they evicted the 22 tenants, they started renovating it, the basement was flooded with raw sewage, they called in a plumber to fix the problem and started proceedings against the city for $700,000, and two days later the city gave them an award for their renovation and preservation work. Where’s the hatred?
It seems ironic the city would award a group who is suing them, but the city is playing fair; it would be childish of the city to decide not to award work done because of pending litigation. All I detect is a note of irony. Bill0nator seems a little paranoid.
I disagree that converting the old buildings into Scientology churches is a good cause, but I understand why members of the Co$ would see this differently; in their eyes, their organization is the only hope for mankind and the world would be a better place if everyone were a Scientologist.
If you’re interested in finding out about the issues people have with the Co$ from direct sources, visit ex Scientology member Web sites, which can be found by searching for “ex-scientologists” on the Internet. Also check the Independent Scientologists’ blog by searching for Marty Rathburn; I don’t agree with his views entirely, but I respect the integrity of his growing group of ex members of the Co$, who have chosen to disassociate themselves with the worst practices of the Co$ organization.
I’ve being watching the land purchases of the Co$ worldwide for three years now. Most of the purchases are part of the Co$’s “Ideal Org” drive. The original plan was to have an Ideal Org (a kind of super Co$) in every location where there is a regular Co$ “org” by 2010; they’re behind schedule.
The Co$, which has cash reserves in various holdings around the world, has managed to get members to donate most of the money toward the Ideal Org drive over the past three years, then to donate further to the renovation costs.
There can be no doubt there has been a monumental donation drive by the Co$ to buy buildings around the world. By all objective estimates, the Co$ has more real estate floor space per active member than any other organization in the world, which is why most of these buildings seem empty.
The clever thing about the Ideal Org drive is the investment in property should work well for the Co$. Aside from giving the illusion of growth while membership is crashing, the renovated buildings, all owned by the Co$ (not the members who donated to their purchase, renovation and upkeep) should appreciate over the years.
~DEAN FOX
Scientology promises its “parishoners” virtually unlimited power over matter, energy, space and time through extensive and quite costly training. If there was ever an opportunity to put these powers to work, it would seem that a basement full of raw sewage would be a good place to start. … What went wrong? All of that time and money spent on your bridge and you can’t even handle a simple plumbing problem? There’s a real stink pouring out of the Pasadena Ideal Org, and it’s not limited to the basement.
~ LOOPYANNE
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