A Laird Fan

I WAS delighted to read that Santa Cruz Weekly is one of the sponsors for the "Great Debate" of all four candidates in the special election Aug. 17. Thank you!

The debate is scheduled for Aug. 12 at Cabrillo College in the newly constructed Music Recital Hall on the ocean side of Soquel Drive. The debate is from 7pm to 8pm. It will also be televised on KION.

As a recent full-term assemblyman representing the folks in Santa Cruz County, John Laird did an excellent job. And, even though most people in Santa Cruz won't get to vote we hope that those of us who have friends and relatives in the 15th Senatorial District will tell them that John Laird is their man. The district covers the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Clara. Only voters in Watsonville and Scotts Valley in the county of Santa Cruz will have the privilege of marking a big red X on their calendars to remind them to vote for Laird at this very important special election on Aug. 17.

Mardi Brick,

Santa Cruz

Iranian Story Replayed

KUDOS to Ted Rudow III ("A Familiar Story," Posts, Aug. 4). He told the story of capitalism at work. Our government had the Shah in its pocket, and so as not to lose that position, the CIA made short shrift of Mosaddegh. I was in junior high school when it happened, and learned my first lesson about American politics and our lip service to it.  Unfortunately, that scenario played out many times in the 20th century, and still continues. Remember what happened to the last democratically elected leader of Haiti? He was kidnapped and exiled. The story goes on.

Joan Quilter

Santa Cruz

Thoughtless Morons

COULD SOMEONE please tell me where the free gas is in Santa Cruz? Not a day goes by that I don't see someone sitting in their car with the engine running while they chat away or check their messages or text their thumbs off on their cell phone. And I'm not talking about for a few seconds or even a few minutes. I'm talking about people getting into their car, starting the engine and then picking up their phone and not moving for five, 10, even 15 minutes. I can only surmise that these people must be getting their gas for free since the only other explanation is that they are thoughtless morons who are too dumb to remember how much it just cost them to fill their tank. Although the thoughtless moron thing would also apply to the wasting of the gas, free or otherwise, and polluting the atmosphere for no good reason, not to mention choking everyone who happens to be in the same parking lot with them while they conduct their pressing business.

Try this, folks: I know it's hard to keep such a complicated sequence straight, especially in light of the self-inflicted brain damage so evident in your behavior: 1) Get into the car; 2) Conduct your phone business, pleasure, whatever; 3) Start your engine; and 4) Drive away—far, far away. If you have trouble remembering this list, then perhaps you could text it to yourself—just don't read it with the engine on, OK? There's a good little primate.

Doug Springs,

Santa Cruz

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