Letters to the Editor

'Don't send' list needed for junk mail

I wonder if you people get junk mail like I do. Every day, and sometimes I believe they even leave it on holidays, my mailbox is crammed full.

I had it stopped once by writing to the merchants who send it, but it was stopped for only two weeks, and then it came back with a vengeance and has steadily built up in volume ever since. It has caused some of my bills to be delinquent because of getting lost in the piles, and it takes me hours of sorting through it to keep what I want.

I fill cardboard boxes with the rejected stuff so that I can take them to the recycling bins by the dump. One thing I make sure to do is to cut off my mailing address on selected mail pieces for safety purposes before loading them into the boxes, and of course this takes a lot of time to do.

My office is overflowing with boxes right now, and by the time I can get around to loading my pickup, it will be filled to overflowing also.

I tell you I am really disheartened by this situation so I have decided upon a plan which the postal people probably won't like at all, but I have purchased a "return to sender" stamp, and I will use up more of my time by stamping undesirable unopened mail and dumping it all back into the big mail drops by the post offices. I figure if it costs those senders twice for each piece of junk mail and still not get it opened up by the receiver then they are more likely to decide it is not worth the cost and effort to keep sending it to me (fingers crossed).

I welcome any suggestions as to a better plan but this is the only thing I can think of, and I figure if it costs them enough money then some of them will back off and at least lighten the load.

There is a "don't call list" and I wonder if we could maybe get a "don't send list"? That should work, huh?

DEL REED

Minden

Veterinarians need to accept spay vouchers

Carson City needs vets to accept spay/neuter vouchers. Carson City is not on the list of cities or towns that have a veterinarian or an animal hospital or clinic that will accept the spay and neuter vouchers provided by the Humane Society.

These vouchers are given to people who would like to do the right thing and get their pets fixed, but cannot afford the outrageous cost most of the vets are charging now days. However, not one veterinarian, hospital or clinic in Carson City will accept these vouchers. There are nine participating veterinarians in Reno and Sparks, one in Fallon, one in Minden, two in Yerington and one in Lovelock, but not one in Carson City.

Some time ago, Dr. John Margolin and his staff did offer this service to individuals and to rescue groups. But being the only veterinarian in Carson City to offer this service, he soon became so overloaded with clients and foundations that wanted to help stem the overpopulation problem, he had to discontinue this much-needed service.

By my count, there are nine to 12 veterinarians and six hospitals in Carson City with approximately 21 working days. If each veterinarian would volunteer his or her services one day a month and each hospital donate the use of the operating room one day a month, you would still have 20 whole days to make the big bucks. And by accepting the vouchers from the Humane Society, what a wonderful way to give back to your community and to help these beautiful animals and to keep more babies from being born just to be put to death because of the overpopulation and not enough homes for them.

SAMI CLARK

Volunteer for Wylie Animal Rescue Foundation

Carson City

Carson's quality of life going down the drain

I have lived in Carson City for more than 30 years, and I have watched our population grow from 20,000 to 55,000 people. For years, I have abided by imposed water restrictions. During this lengthy period of time, I have been told Carson City has "plenty" of water, but the "system" cannot meet the demand. We have so much water, in fact, residents can sell some of it to Douglas County!

Today, further restrictions are in the works, and people have strongly recommended I consider a smaller lawn, plant fewer flowers, etc. because I live in a desert. If the population had not grown to where it is, would the system produce adequate water today? If it is true there is sufficient water to fulfill the demands of the population, developers and city planners should have factored in an adequate water system to meet the needs of the people. Carson City's quality of life is going down the drain.

SUE KNAUS

Carson City

Don't get caught napping again

How much money is being spent on a no-brainer like what are terrorists future targets? I suppose it would be unreasonable to just assume they will strike and that they will go big wherever it is, and they probably laugh a lot at our on-again, off-again paranoia. We have already seen what they can do, and if we assume that future strikes will be as devastating and creative - times 10 - then we will be doing all we can do.

And for George W. to claim the credit for fighting terrorism, well, he has failed. The terrorists took down the Twin Towers in NYC while GW was in office, and the terrorists are still planning and they will come. Maybe if we had a stronger America - health care for all, food for all, education for all and so on and so on - we the people would be too strong to get caught napping again.

KAREN SMITH

Stateline

Help from man appreciated

Tommy Barnett and I would especially like to thank Mr. John Tipton for the kindnesses he showed us on July 15.

Thanks again, John.

DIANE ALLISON

TOMMY BARNETT

Carson City