Letters for July 03, 2009

July 03, 2009 08:07 am

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Industry spreads misinformation

Brad Gill's pro-industry op-ed accuses gas drilling critics of spreading misinformation, but he generates plenty. Most of the people I know, alarmed about the serious consequences of gas drilling, are not "opposed to any drilling whatsoever," but they do see it unjustified as currently proposed.

Gill fails to distinguish between vertical and horizontal drilling. The former is a much less invasive practice than the latter, which is why the latter is undergoing a separate DEC review. Only horizontal drilling can tap into the Marcellus, Utica and other shale beds, and only by using enormous quantities of chemically treated water. His statement that fracking fluids "will not come in contact with well water or the fresh water aquifer" is industry hype. Government is too underfunded to study the issue and deregulated industry is unwilling to do so, but anecdotal evidence abounds. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently reported a fracking spill that killed all the wildlife in a three-quarter-mile stream in Cross Creek State Park near Pittsburgh.

There are many dramatic reports of spills and contamination, including some in nearby Dimmock, Pa. Gill compares fracking chemicals to canola oil, shampoo and chlorine. In fact, out of a list of 54 fracking chemicals released by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Endocrine Disruption Exchange has identified the following with multiple health effects: 2-butoxeyethanol, ethylhexanol, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, boric acid, ethylene glycol, methanol, monoethanolamine, dazomet, acetic anhydride, isopropanol, propargyl alcohol, 5-choro-2-methyl-4-isothiazotin-3-one, sodium bicarbonate and diesel.

There's a cocktail for Mr. Gill to drink! Nor does he mention the many other potential consequences for our communities, such as higher taxes for cleanups and increased road maintenance, harm to agriculture, and lower property values. The costs of natural gas may well outweigh its benefits.

If you believe Gill's op-ed, you believe in the tooth fairy.

Adrian Kuzminski

Fly Creek

Kuzminski is moderator of Sustainable Otsego.

Profit main concern of private insurers

There's been a great deal of controversy about the president's proposal for health care reform, particularly from Republican congressmen. They say that having a public option is opening the door to a single-payer system or, worse yet, to socialized medicine. They have been saying this for 75 years _ that government shouldn't provide health care because the government will get between the doctor and the patient. This is sheer Republican propaganda, and it's very stale. This is nonsense!

Under Medicare, which Republicans opposed vigorously during the 1960s, the government doesn't interfere with the doctor-patient relationship. But, under privately insured health care plans, typically sponsored by employers, it's the health insurers (and the employers) who get in the way by curtailing benefits and/or denying them entirely, particularly under HMO plans.

I know that from personal and professional experience. I am a retired health care professional, and I know what insurance companies do. A few years ago, my wife needed an orthopedic surgery, and her hospital expenses for a six-day confinement came to about $50,000 (that excludes the surgeon's fees). The insurance company that administered the claims under my private employer-sponsored group medical plan didn't want to pay exactly one-half of the charges and only paid the hospital $25,000. Its position was that only $25,000 of the charges was "reasonable" and that my plan did not pay for "unreasonable charges." It wanted me to appeal to the hospital to accept only $25,000, which it wouldn't do.

I appealed to my former employer to have the insurance company reverse its decision, which I said was "unreasonable," and pay all the charges. It did, and I didn't have to pay the hospital anything. I think it's ridiculous to believe you can trust private insurers to pay claims properly, since it's profit that motivates them.

Martin Weissman

Oneonta

We need to get U.S. back to the Bible

Watching TV shows nowadays, I have noticed that they are becoming very filthy and plastered with sex. Well, sex, when it is used where it belongs, is beautiful _ only if it is used in marriage where God intended it. Sex is never to be used as an exercise. When it is, then is becomes filthy and dirty.

Some people think sex should be taught in school. No way. It should be taught by the parents in the home and only in the home. TV or school is no place for sex to be taught.

Hollywood is nothing more than a drug- and alcohol-saturated city or group of California dopes anyway. People, we as a nation need to get back to the Holy Bible and what it teaches.

In Delaware County, sex offenders are rewarded with a free living for committing one of the most violent and horrible crimes against humanity, when they should be put to death. How do I know? Because the word of God says so. We need to write our congressmen and elected officials and tell them we want some action done in the right direction or they can get bounced out of office. You know this nation used to be owned by the people and for the people, but now it's owned by the government, for the government.

People, wake up and smell the coffee before it's too late.

Edmund Jones

Walton

All should support Oneonta Stallions

Special congratulations to Del Anthony, Marie Lusins and the Oneonta Town Board for their work on a home field for the New York Stallions adult football team.

Mrs. Lusins sees the importance of bringing an added attraction such as this to our area. It will only enhance the area with a semi-pro football team being in our area.

It will take the support of the entire area and I hope people sponsor and help the team in any way they can. Perhaps local high schools or colleges can give or loan excess or used equipment they no longer use.

As a local high school fan for almost 50 years, I have had people say to me at high school games how much they would like to see local high school football stars still play after they leave school.

This is your chance to see them. Come out and support our Stallions when they play home games at Fortin Park.

Sean Knapp

Sidney

Two-party system causes dysfunction

With regard to the state government, I never thought I would hear Alan Chartock and Al Roney agree, let alone agree with so much untethered anger. The system is in ruins and it was ruined by these two parties that refuse to come off the fringes of a wide political continuum.

Rather than allowing them to further divide us while serving their own interests, we could better our nation and state by parting ways with these factions. America is not the problem, and neither is New York state.

Just look at the state Senate and their inability to reach the standards we set for our preschoolers. The problem is clearly this two-party system.

Let's celebrate this Independence Day by becoming independent of these factions. Voter registration cards are available at the post office, DMV and possibly at your local parade.

Justin Thalheimer

Cherry Valley

{"headlinelight18"/}Senators don't deserve paychecks

Previous New York Senates have dawdled and fiddled instead of doing what they were elected to do. This year, senators have devised a new ploy to avoid acting as representatives.

Even as their power goes on, however, they take time to keep their undeserved pay coming. Actually, they should be docked for all the time they aren't performing their public duties.

William F. Roberts

Otego