LETTERS

BLAME CANADA
Ben Canada has been an unmitigated disaster for Portland's schools ["What, Me Worry?" WW, Feb. 28, 2001]. Poor decisions costing hundreds of thousands of dollars take money away from the district's main focus, education. Schools not only don't have modern furniture, they also don't have adequate supplies, texts, computer connections (what happened to those bond measure dollars?) or much credibility.

If Canada were a CEO with three years on the job, he'd be fired for the mess he's created. The school board should wake up and involve themselves in our children's education, the district's reason for existence. School Superintendent is a tough and thankless job in the best of times. Why continue with someone who has alienated teachers, students and much of the public? Our children's education should not be put at risk for administrative folly!

Dwight Nickerson
Northeast 23rd Avenue

BUY YOU A PINT?
Please relay the following to Special Agent Kenneth Cleaver: Mr. Cleaver, regardless of whether your prospects need accessing or assessing--certainly, a little of each would not hurt--I can see that you are a wise and honorable man [Missive Improbable, WW, Buzz, Feb. 21, 2001]. While I lack the financial means of the Meyer Memorial Trust, I have in my pocket $3.62 that I will gladly donate to your cause [as a barstool philosopher]. Please advise.

Chris Pfeiffer
Southeast 58th Avenue

Kenneth Cleaver responds: Thank you, Mr. Pfeiffer, for your kind offer. Unfortunately, I must decline. I am not a beggar and therefore still have the option of being a chooser. I choose not to accept your money because my research staff has discovered that you are, in fact, the third cousin twice removed of one Michelle Pfeiffer, the well-known thespian. I cannot compromise my political and artistic integrity by accepting money tainted by such atrocities as Dangerous Minds, Up Close and Personal and Grease 2. I hope you understand my predicament.

POISONING THE WELL
Regarding your article on fluoridation ["The F Word," Feb. 21, 2001], one key thing needs to be added: the specific chemical used to fluoridate public water supplies. Over 90 percent of all fluoridated water in America is treated with fluosilicic acid or sodium silicofluoride. These chemicals have never been properly tested for health and behavioral effects; virtually all the safety tests use sodium fluoride, which is in less than 10 percent of fluoridated water supplies.

We have studied effects of the two most commonly used chemicals (called together silicofluorides) in three large samples, over 400,000 children in all. The use of silicofluorides (but not sodium fluoride) is associated with higher levels of lead in children's blood. Lead is, of course, very dangerous; its effects on the neurotransmitter dopamine have been associated with hyperactivity and crime.

Our articles have appeared in a number of scientific journals, and a major new study is about to appear in one of the leading scientific publications on toxins. Our data strongly suggest that silicofluorides enhance the human body's uptake of lead from environmental sources.

Based on a misunderstanding, two lower-level EPA scientists attacked our first study. We have since received an apology from the head of EPA's Office of Research and Development.

We recently located a German PhD thesis conducted by the head of the University of Hamburg's toxicology department. The results vindicate our statistics showing that silicofluorides have significantly worse adverse effects than a simple fluoride ion from sodium fluoride.

Roger D. MastersResearch Professor,
Dartmouth College
President, Foundation for Neuroscience & Society
Hanover, N.H.

WE'RE PERFECTLY GRUNTLED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
On behalf of the many career workers employed by the Freightliner Corporation, I am sincerely disappointed by your Murmurs article [Feb. 14, 2001] focusing on alleged disgruntled workers. This type of report simply misses the real story at the Freightliner Truck Manufacturing facilities. The reality is that the work force cares greatly about the product they build and the livelihood of the company they work for. The return for their invested hours and years of labor provides a negotiated living saving wage with excellent benefit programs for active and retired employees. Additionally, the work force has played a major role in the company's achievement to reach its goal of being the number one truck manufacturer.

If a few employees are upset, it's because the opportunity for a good job is currently on hold until the truck market again returns. Freightliner is a serious company with a work force that is equally serious about its efforts.

Tony L. Andrews
Secretary-Treasurer/ Representative,
Teamsters Local 305
Northeast 162nd Avenue

RESEARCH AND DESTROY
Phil Dawdy's article on the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center ["The Spy Who Loved Monkeys," WW, Feb. 7, 2001] left me saddened, angry and disgusted, all at the same time. Knowing what we know now about primates--their humanlike behavior, their complex and rich social lives, their genetic closeness to us--it's beyond my comprehension that we continue to use them in research.

Countless protests outside ORPRC by concerned animal activists haven't been able to show the public the horrors going on inside. Rossell's videotapes reveal the dirty secrets that vivisectionists try to hide from the public. No amount of PR lies from Susan Smith of the primate center can cover up what has now been publicized by Matt's videotapes.

The delusional ideal that so many ORPRC research "scientists" perpetuate is that they are improving human lives and curing disease through animal research. The U.S. has sky-high rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes...the list goes on. Only through proper diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle will we ever cure what ails us.

WW's article will hopefully open the public's sometimes apathetic eyes and force ORPRC to at least group-house these sentient beings where they can interact with one another. I encourage concerned readers to contact In Defense of Animals of Portland or to view PETA's website to get the real story about what's going on in animal research.

Suzanne L. Matthews
Hillsboro