Letters to the editor

While walking my dog on Saliman Road around 5:45 p.m., I noticed how fast people drive. Some were even racing each other to be sure to make the front of the line when the road narrows to one line just before Kingsley Lane. This is troubling because my teenager who is currently driving with a permit is often scared because of how people ride our bumper and they get frustrated because she comes to a full and complete stop! Please people slow down! After all it is the law.

Thank you.

DIANE REECE

Carson City

Country is letting down veterans

Today was a sad day for the thousands of U.S. Navy Vietnam Veterans who have had claims on hold with the Veterans Administration awaiting the results of a Federal Appeals Court to decide if these Veterans would be entitled to compensation for their illnesses connected to Agent Orange.

These vets have been waiting for years for an answer, and many have died in the process, many have lost their homes, many have become unemployable because of their illnesses, and many more will continue to live this tragedy.

In 1991, Congress enacted the Agent Orange Act for all veterans with "Presumption of Exposure" for those who came down with any of the 11 compensable diseases recognized by the VA, and the proof was receipt of the Vietnam Service Medal. The U.S. Navy Vietnam Veterans have for some reason come down with many of the known illnesses.

This ruling has allowed the VA to impose a "Boots on Ground" ruling to entitle any veteran compensation under the presumption rule. This includes the vet that stopped in the country for five minutes awaiting a flight out, but denies the veterans that served off the coastal waters of Vietnam for months on end and were exposed by wind drift or contaminated water from distillation of the waters surrounding the country. This ruling also denies the veterans that moored and anchored in ports of the country but never stepped ashore.

This ruling has given a black eye to millions of U.S. Navy veterans who served in that conflict, and this ruling has opened up an opportunity for the VA to deny all future veterans of our country who are serving and will serve believing that the VA will take care of them for their injuries.

Please join the thousands of Vietnam Veterans who are voicing their views to our Congress and senators in opposition to this unforgivable act of denial to those who served in the preservation of our constitutional liberties we enjoy as Americans.

KEN HUMMEL

Carson City

Food drive was a success

On behalf of the Carson City Post Office and our National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 709, we would like to thank our community and corporate sponsors for their generous food donations for our less fortunate. Thanks to everyone we collected almost 47,000 pounds of food this year!

JULIA KERKLA

Carson City Letter Carrier

Horse racing in need of reform

Last week I heard about the Kentucky Derby horse breaking down. The needless death is par for that industry. Some say to outlaw the sport, but that is not the answer. Here are the answers to stop this nonsense.

1. All race horses should be trained and raced with a heart monitor (HM). The HM transfers the beats per minute to a computer to be analyzed. An elevated heartbeat as compared to normal is a signal the horse is in trouble, which requires analysis that would head off a problem.

2. Increase the distance of each race by one mile. Distance does not hurt a horse but speed does. At AERC.ORG one can locate 1,000s of horses having covered 1,000s of miles (racing) without any injury.

3. Put off all races for a horse for two years. For example, the Kentucky Derby becomes a race for 5 year olds and not 3 year olds. These horses are physically too immature to race at the current ages.

In utopia, (not USA) all race horses would be level 5 dressage horses. Training in dressage puts the center of gravity for the horse back and away from the nose. Dressage also makes a horse flexible. The race horse would greatly benefit from this type of training, but no one has the time or skills at the race track for such a commitment. However each horse and exercise rider should be able to put a horse into a right hand or left hand canter so that the horse develops his muscles on each side equally. Also learning to back will help move the center of gravity back. Race horses pull with their front legs whereas the properly trained horse will drive with his back legs and avoid falling on his face with the front legs.

JOHN GARDNER

Carson City