To the Editor:  
    I’m always amazed at the ability of some people to ignore simple facts.
    I recently wrote that, “31,000 scientists have recently signed a petition rejecting human-made global warming…” A week later, a writer spent 600 words questioning that fact, stating, “there are NOT 31,000 scientists who have “recently” signed a petition rejecting man made global warming!”  
    Sorry, but there are. The scientist’s credentials are verified, and those who don’t meet the criterion are thrown out. What I wrote is perfectly true.  
    He then defames the organizer of the petition and the scientists who signed it. Then, he opines that while I might have a degree in science, I wasn’t an expert in global-warming. 
     It’s a classic leftist ploy. Incapable of competing in the arena of ideas, attack the writer instead. Failing that, target one fact among many, and then denigrate the source of the fact.
    Don’t debate the message, obfuscate instead.  
    The writer is correct about two things: I do have a degree in Chemistry and I’m not an expert in global warming. But I do know enough about science to know that global warming is a theory and not a fact. Yet the United Nations and an over-zealous media desperately try to pretend that it is.   I’d rather listen to the courageous scientists who are looking at data instead of polls.
    And the most recent data says the world is getting colder, not warmer.  

To the Editor:
    I would like to preface my comments by stating that I appreciate the role of local newspapers in delivering news that while not globally or nationally relevant is important to members of small-town communities. Though I don't expect a newspaper like the Morgan County Citizen to report on high profile international stories, I do expect that the stories they do report meet the same standards of journalistic integrity as that of any other news source.
    In your recent article titled "Local man busted for child pornography" you provide a detailed narrative of a Mr. John Bankhead, director of public affairs at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
    However, you fail to mention any attempt to contact the accused or his representatives. I have never before read, heard, or watched a news story covering a criminal event in which the reporters did not bother to obtain the viewpoint of the accused party.
    The absence of statements from Mr. Mastrogiovanni, or at the very least "representatives of Mr. Mastrogiovanni were contacted but did not immediately respond," suggests that you and your staff are merely acting the role of journalists.
    I very much doubt that you will publish this letter, but even if you do it does not change the fact that the aforementioned article is not a news report. It is a biased hand-fed press report that borders on the line of propaganda. I don't want you to exonerate or favor my father, I want you to perform your duties as a journalist and attempt to present both sides to every story.
    I understand that different news sources may present a story with a slant, but to not include or, at the very least, seek the voice of an involved party is irresponsible at best and libel at worst.
Sincerely,
Daniel Mastrogiovanni
Piscataway, NJ

To the Editor:
    Dave Belton’s letter on ‘Cap and Trade’ in last week’s Citizen is an example of how the very real problem of global warming is obfuscated by hack pseudo science.
    He states, “Thirty-one thousand scientists (including 9,000 with Ph.D.’s) have recently signed a petition rejecting human made global warming, asserting that an elevated carbon dioxide level would actually help the planet with higher crop yields that would feed the starving masses.”
    The problem with Mr. Belton’s reporting is that there are NOT 31,000 scientists who have “recently” signed a petition rejecting man made global warming! The crux of this preposterous statement comes from the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine located in Cave Junction, Oregon.
    The OSISM is not a university, not even a school and not accredited. It was founded by an eccentric renegade scientist, Arthur Robinson in 1980. There, with his family and a half dozen other “scientists” the institute has produced some “original” research on how to survive a nuclear war and how the Y2K bug would stop civilization in its tracks when the year 2000 arrived.
    Along with ultra right wing conservative Christian Gary North, the institute pushes apocalyptic books like “None Call it Witchcraft, Conspiracy: A Biblical View,” “Rapture Fever” and “How You Can Profit from the Coming Price Controls.” Another book, “Fighting Chance: Ten Fee to Survival” is a civil defense book which follows up on their belief that the dangers of nuclear war are over blown and that “those in charge are just trying to scare us and demoralize us.”

To the Editor:
    In response to the articles in the paper regarding MMH and Brandon Jolley. I would like to express some concerns and frustrations.
    First, Mr. Jolley was initally hired to be interim CEO for six months, but the authority hired him full time after only two months. Next, the concern about Mr. Jolley filing bankruptcy. He committed no crime and in the current economic time, automobile makers are declaring bankruptcy.
    Further more, the CFO and the QCO bankruptcies have absolutely nothing to do with any thing that relates to Brandon's departure.
    Finally, the senior staff member who discovered this information is somewhat of a mystery. I thought the CEO, CFO, and the QCO where the only senior staff members at the hospital.
    I know that there are other support staff, but not to the same stature.
    So someone else from within the hospital went digging to bring up the dirt. Finally, any issues Mr. Jolley was involved with several years ago should have been uncovered when the hospital board completed a thorough background check prior to Mr. Jolley's hiring.
    In other words. I am confused.
    The statements made that Mr. Jolley does not have the skills and ability to successfully handle a project of this magnitude should have been uncovered long before considering Mr. Jolley for the position as CEO.
    Finally, it was stated that concerns made by the board had been discussed with Mr. Jolley.
    I wonder if those concerns were put down in writing to go back to. I can't claim to understand all that has gone on in the triangle between the board, commissioners and Mr. Jolley.
    My only hope is that there was more to the situation than the inability to play nice with one another.

To the Editor: 
    The July 9 article in the Citizen about the Kingston escrow deal left me with more questions than it answered.
    First I was surprised to see that the infrastructure variance was still in the approval stage. It was my understanding it was finalized many months ago, right after the public hearings had taken place. No one in attendance at the December 2008 BOC meeting will forget the deafening silence after Commissioner Sammy Cathey tried to get a second to his motion to disallow a variance to the development agreement. Synergy was anxiously seeking the change to allow them to sell their lots prior to infrastructure installation. At the time, they stated the infrastructure contracts were in place and the systems are “on their way” (Morgan County Citizen, December 25, 2008), but it would take 90 to 120 days for the installation to be completed. 120 days was considered by the developer as too long a wait for people who were anxious to seal the deal.
    Since much more time than that has now elapsed I have to assume the infrastructure is not yet installed, else the variance discussion would be moot. Shouldn’t the agreement have contained a provision about timing? What happened to the contracts that were already in place for the work?
    Farther into the article perhaps a clue is given...Georgia Civil, the company responsible for determining how much Synergy needs to place in the county’s escrow fund won’t proceed until they are paid for other work already performed by them for the developer. Are there financial issues at work that have not yet come to light? Presumably no sales could yet be finalized since the variance is not in effect, and now we know an invoice hasn’t been paid.

To the Editor:
    What has happened to my America? Our media has gone ballistic in reporting the death of an entertainer who wrote songs, sang them and then danced to them. Meanwhile brave men and woman on foreign soil stand in front of us protecting us from harm. Each liberty we enjoy has been fought for by brave warriors in our military. How often are they and their deeds in the news? While we live our lives watching our children play soccer, playing tennis ourselves, attend cultural events, shop our malls and rock our babies, these brave men and women stand in front of us, protecting us and giving us these opportunities. When did we become so apathetic to the job our military does for us? They raise their hands voluntarily to stand in front of us each day as we go about our lives. The pay is low. They postpone the chance to see their children play soccer, rock their babies etc. Many return from these foreign soils in a flag draped coffin. The flag they honor and fought under. When was the last time you thanked a military person or veteran? Sent a check to Wounded Warrior or other veteran organizations? Have you ever picked up the check for a soldier at a restaurant? Honor them. Upon their shoulders we stand.Thank you U.S. military and may God bless you.
Shirlee Moore
Buckhead
Hand delivered