Friday, May 21, 2010
Michael Mann should not be investigated
Letters to the Editor
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From the RoundTable blog
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Michael Mann should not be investigated
Re: "Cuccinelli should find any fraud," May 18 commentary:
The suggestion that Michael Mann, the subject of a legal inquiry by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, is legitimately suspected of fraud has been addressed by Mann's most outspoken critics.
Thomas Fuller, coauthor a book strongly critical of Mann, asserts in an open letter to Cuccinelli that Mann did not engage "in any fraudulent actions." Fuller further states, "neither I nor any of the people interviewed for our book have any doubt whatsoever that Mann performed the scientific work he has been commissioned to do."
Fuller further points out to the AG that intimidation of scientists is "not a path that this country, including I presume Virginians, should ever pursue," and cautions that, "unless you can reveal to the public prima facie evidence that shows cause for this investigation, I beg you to reconsider."
Steve McIntyre, another vocal Mann critic, condemns this affair as "a repugnant piece of over-zealousness by the Virginia attorney general."
Without reasonable suspicion of a crime, law enforcement has absolutely no business investigating scientists whose results are politically disfavored by those in power.
Turn to food, herbs, not meds
The time has come to shut down the pharmaceutical industry and embrace food and herbs for our illnesses. Food and herbs do not contaminate themselves, leave residues that pollute the environment or have side effects the way pharmaceuticals do.
Many of our illnesses are a result of pharmaceutical side effects. After the environment has had time to cleanse itself from pharmaceutical pollution and our food has become as nourishing as it should be, then we won't be sick and have the illnesses that cause so many to think they need the pharmaceuticals.
Obama isn't a straight-shooter
A lot of people won't speak out against President Obama not because he's president, but because he's black and they will be called racist. Unlike the 95 percent of black voters for Obama, I didn't vote against him because of his color, but because of his habit of adding to or leaving out when speaking on a subject, changing its meaning. That is the same as lying.
Like his untrue comments on the new Arizona immigration law. Like Eric Holder talking about challenging the Arizona law when he admits he hasn't even read it.
America has to vote against Obama and his political actions destroying this great country. Obama needs to stop bowing down to our enemy and apologizing for America. These people would cut off our heads in a second.
Obama's actions are a disgrace to every man and woman who has served in the military, especially the thousands who have died. I hope Americans wake up and vote Obama and the Democrats, disgraces like Richard Blumenthal, out of office.
Send Mr. Penn to Washington?
Over the last few months, I have been delighted to read the articles you have run on retiring Roanoke City School Board member Courtney Penn ("Penn decides to leave Roanoke School Board," April 6; "Penn 'at peace' after years of going own way," May 17). A public servant like Penn, who puts conscience and principle over political pressure and personal gain and who imposes term limits upon himself, is a very rare creature indeed.
As we enter this fall's congressional elections, and as we watch local politicians on both sides of the political spectrum sling mud, preen in the spotlight and spout meaningless sound bites and empty rhetoric, perhaps the voters of the Roanoke Valley should ask themselves whether they have a modern-day Jefferson Smith in their midst and work to one day send Penn to Washington.
Choose Hurt to oppose Perriello
Dissatisfaction with Congress and incumbents remains strong nationally. In the 5th House District, multiple political campaign sound levels are strongly rising, too, as we approach a Republican primary on June 8.
Voters are privileged to be able to choose from a large field of candidates, and my choice will be state Sen. Robert Hurt.
As a state legislator, Hurt's track record is transparent, easily reviewed online, facts not available from the other candidates. For example, his fight for Senate Bill 55 resulted in improved voting rights for military and overseas personnel.
Hurt's record supports his commitment to limited government, tax cuts for Virginia small businesses and families and cutting wasteful government spending. He's pro-jobs, pro-life, pro-Second Amendment. He would continue his fight for these commitments in D.C.
Hurt understands our neighborhoods and jobs issues. As a father of three young children, he understands what unlimited government regulation and congressional spending will mean to our future.
It's important to me that I have the freedom to choose who represents me. To protect my freedom of choice, I will choose Hurt on June 8. The election of any other candidate will assure a win for Rep. Tom Perriello in November.
Opera Roanoke brings talent
Lust, murder, greed, madness. That is the stuff of opera, and we had a grand dose of it when Opera Roanoke performed "Lucia di Lammermoor" in concert at The Jefferson Center. Onstage were a superbly trained chorus of 75, an orchestra of 50 polished musicians, and singers from opera stages worldwide. Holding it all together was conductor Steven White.
The male singers were hunks in full white tie and tails. The women were bombshells, coiffed, gowned, bejeweled and gorgeous.
At The Jefferson Center, what they sing is what you hear, unfettered by any electronic gizmo, unamplifed. It's from their hearts and mouths to your ears. This is top-notch opera, and it's right here in Roanoke.
Is it expensive? Certainly. You have hundreds of professionals, hundreds of thousands of dollars in instruments, at least a collective thousand years of experience and unlimited talent.
At the top of the heap is White and his wife, soprano Elizabeth Futral. Both are in demand in opera houses around the world, including the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York. It's their connections in the opera world and their commitment to Opera Roanoke that make such fabulous music available to us in the valley.
