A Story from History

I REREAD Genesis 19, as a letter writer to this paper ("He's Just Saying," Letters, July 2) suggested. Quite a story: Lot met two terrorist coming into the city by night and insisted they come to his house for a feast. When the men of the village surrounded Lot's house in protest, he offered his two virginal daughters to the crowd to "do to them as you please." The terrorists struck the villagers blind and led Lot and his wife and daughters out of town and spared the small town that they were willing to run to. Then the terrorists, in the name of their God, destroyed the whole valley and all the people, towns and crops therein. And our friend Lot turned his wife to stone when she showed enough concern to look back on her homeland. When Lot moved on to hide in the hills, the town he had been hiding in was also destroyed. In his hiding cave he impregnated both of his daughters (the girls wanted it--of course) and more God-fearing tribes where born. I did not see any mention of same sex marriage in the story as I was led to believe I would.

 Martha Van Dyke,
Aromas

Rotkin's Wisdom

I AGREE that it is folly for Mike Rotkin to try to curb in cell towers without taking the health issue on directly ("Rotkin's Folly," Letters, June 4). I would like to see our local governments stand up and fight for our right to live in an environment that is free from harm. The $130 billion telecom industry may disinform us, but this is not stopping the millions of people who are suffering from microwave sickness from fighting back. 

I suggest a good look at the BioInitiative (www.bioinitiatve.org). This peer review of over 2,000 studies covers the studies that the industry has somehow not noticed. There has been no safe level of exposure to cell tower radiation determined, and living near a cell tower with the 24/7 exposure has been shown to be more damaging than the more intermittent exposure of using a cell phone.

Scientists, doctors and governmental agencies worldwide have issued public health advisories over the exposure to this radiation. Children and fetuses are especially warned to have limited exposure as their skulls are thinner and absorb more radiation. The website New Media Explorer has a wealth of information on this topic. As the website says, we are part of a large biological experiment. Many people think that because there is natural electromagnetic radiation that more will not harm them. That is true folly and is the same as saying that being in a room with one cigarette is the same as being in a room with 100 cigarettes, or, more realistically, 10 million cigarettes. Our wireless devices have increased our exposure to EMR 10 million times over what we have evolved with.

  The price paid for the convenience of using a cell phone or wireless computer connection is reaching epidemic stages. The wireless industry should be required to provide shielding from the microwave radiation emitted from the transmitters and devices. As they do not, the only real solution is for people to curb their use and turn off the devices when they are not using them and, yes, to set limits on where they can be. 

Starting with keeping them away from children.

Thank you to Mike Rotkin for taking this on.

Angela Flynn,
Santa Cruz

He's Got It

IN RESPONSE to those who might say that Barack Obama does not have enough experience, may I remind them that he served eight years in the Illinois State Senate before becoming a U.S. senator. In Congress, he co-sponsored important pieces of legislation, even when the Democrats were in the minority. And he made official trips to different parts of the world, thus gaining firsthand knowledge of foreign affairs.

In the area of foreign relations, his multicultural heritage and upbringing would bring an invaluable and new perspective to our country's leadership. Another rebuttal is that Abraham Lincoln had little political experience, and yet he is generally acknowledged to be one of our greatest presidents. And besides, the people of this country are truly yearning for a new and fresh approach, and certainly not business as usual.

Arthur Charles Finmann,
Santa Cruz

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