Nov. 17 Letters to the Editor

A hostile planet

As a youth I was taught that things like sun spots, solar storms, the earth’s natural and constantly changing tilt, our planet’s travel through the solar system, the changing relationship of the moon to the earth, ocean currents, plate tectonic movement, volcanic activity (St. Helens, for instance), ocean currents and natural atmospheric changes all influence the livability of our planet.

Growth rings in thousands year old trees and samples of glacier ice give proof of constant changing climate, temperature, moisture and CO2, dating back to before the dinosaurs, the industrial age and the dreaded automobile. It is the height of arrogance to assume that we, mere mortals, are causing climate changes in our efforts to survive.

Fact, there is no man-made condition, including the A-bomb, that has or can have a greater effect on our climate than those provided by Mother Nature on this, our hostile planet. All of this hype is really about control of the population by the new, wannabe world aristocracy, the politicians and their cohorts the greenies. If they have their way, we had better pick out the best cave we can find and saddle up the old tricycle, because the only ones enjoying the good life will be them, just like Russia.

Bob Engleman

Kelso

Abortion signs too much

The other day I was driving down 15th Avenue and I saw some people holding anti-abortion signs with pictures of dead babies on them. Really? They are really going to force me to look at pictures of dead babies? And their location was right in front of the college and high school. They are really going to make underage children look at pictures of dead babies, pictures that would be censored on TV, just to drive home their point?

If I was protesting a war, and put pictures of a dead soldier on a sign, I would be run out of town with pitchforks and torches. We all know what abortion is. We all understand the possible outcomes of controversial circumstances. I don’t need a visual. We adults understand these things. Kids may not, and I think it’s insanely pompous to assume that you can go above any parent’s head and choose the timing of their learning about sensitive issues. I thought their point was to respect life, not exploit death.

They have every right to protest whatever they want, but they should do it with a little couth. They know a baby had to die for them to make that sign, right?

Brent Wilkinson

Longview

Scam alert

Recently, I received the grandparent’s scam. The scam is that your “grandchild” calls and says he or she is in trouble and needs money — now. This call supposedly was from my grandson (who is working in Texas) telling me he was in Victoria, Canada. I asked him how he could afford to go to Canada when he did not have the money to come home for Thanksgiving (his friend paid for his flight because he did not want to go alone).

But the caller said there had been an accident. He was driving (no one was hurt) but he was arrested for drunk driving and was in jail. He could be released from jail if he paid for the damages to the car and his tickets to the city. Amount needed was $2,900 cash.

Although his voice sounded a little different, I thought it was because he was under stress. I said, “Is this Trevor”? I have two other grandsons, so I was not sure. Yes, he said. Big mistake — ask them to identify themselves.

I told him I felt bad, but I did not have the money. He immediately hung up. At this point, I realized what had happened. I had heard about this scam.

I then called him in Texas and, sure enough, he was there. Beware and do not do anything until you have checked out all details, no matter what they try to pressure you to do.

Zoe Ann Wheatley

Woodland