Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) is neither a "synthetic hormone" nor a "genetically engineered drug." These are pejorative terms intended to frighten consumers.

rBST is produced by means of recombinant DNA technologies. A small amount of naturally occurring bovine somatotropin (BST) is exposed under sterile conditions to natural bacteria. The latter induce cellular division and multiplication in the BST. This process is called replication. It yields not a "synthetic hormone: but rather identical duplicates of the original BST--as natural as what came out of the donating cow. The BST has simply been induced to reproduce itself.

The recombinant technologies used to produce rBST involve no re-engineering or disturbance of the original genetic structure of the BST. To describe it as "genetically engineered" reveals an absence of scientific understanding by the individual who wrote your article.

There is no scientifically validated link between rBST and any human or animal disease. Canada and the EU banned rBST for political reasons. Both rely upon government-mandated "quota systems" for milk production intended to keep supply in balance with demand. The increased milk production that is the result of rBST use would disrupt these production systems, at high cost to taxpayers.

The Washington Dairy Products Commission neither endorses nor opposes the use of rBST. We respect the rights of dairy farmers and consumers to choose whether they embrace the product or not. Our only interest is in helping people to make choices based on science fact, not science fiction.

Blair Thompson

Consumer Communications Manager

Washington Dairy Products Commission

I'm not sure where you get the idea that the technical terms "synthetic hormone" and "genetically engineered drug" are pejorative. The term "frankenmilk" would certainly be pejorative, but not these other terms. Just because many people have negative feelings related to a certain term doesn't make the term pejorative. Or inaccurate: after all, recombinant DNA technologies are typically referred to as a type of genetic engineering, even in scholarly references.

Doug Collins, editor

Best Wishes for the Watada Defense

Lt. Ehren Watada [Aug/Sep 2006 www.wafreepress.org/83 ] is a very brave young man. Abe Osheroff, an Abraham Lincoln brigade member that fought in the Spanish civil war, recently stated that Ehren's refusal to go to Iraq has put him into a far more dangerous position than he would otherwise find himself in Iraq. Watada joined the army shortly after the 9/11 attacks because he felt that it was the patriotic thing to do. Since then he has served an overseas tour in Korea and had time to examine and study the events that led the United States to attack Iraq. He decided that the attack on Iraq was immoral and the reasons given for it were false and misleading. He was led to the conclusion that his participation in what he perceived as an illegal war would make him a war criminal. Upon return from Korea to Fort Lewis WA, he asked to be quietly released from the army. This request was denied. He did not apply for conscientious objector status because a conscientious objector has to be against all wars and he would be willing to serve in Afghanistan.

If he is court-martialled, it is important that this be done in a venue that will allow his defense team to enter evidence that has bearing on the legality of the war and to allow the consideration of the ramifications of the Nuremberg trials which held that the Nazi soldiers could be held accountable for their deeds and they had the obligation to disobey illegal orders. This trial should also help to make it clear exactly what is meant by the term "illegal order" that our service people are instructed to disobey.

Philip A Heft

Slot Machines Beat Election Computers

Only a week before the critically important 2006 mid-term elections, computerized voting machine manufacturer Sequoia Systems confirmed that the US Treasury is investigating the firm for connections to foreign governments.

This totally vindicates voting activists and computer scientists. It confirms the worst fears of all of us; namely, that the voting machine companies are able to influence elections in the United States undetected. If a foreign company can influence an election, then so can a domestic company.

It also confirms that the software certification process is merely pomp and circumstance. Because if it was real, any influence from any outside entities, foreign or domestic, would be instantly revealed via the software testing and certification process. You can't hide source code in a program. It's impossible. You can make it difficult to understand but you can't hide it.

The mere fact that the US Treasury Department is investigating proves how vulnerable our elections equipment is. Whether a foreign company or domestic company manufactures the computerized voting machines shouldn't really make a difference. Boeing jets have components from all over the world yet their products are safe because they have real certification standards and the FAA provides real oversight.

Our elections have no regulations. Casino slot machines are more regulated than our elections equipment. And the Help America Vote Act was written by Senator Bob Ney of Ohio, who is now a felon and headed to prison.

The irony couldn't be greater. In America, you can't vote if you're a felon, but you CAN redesign the entire election system.

Richard Borkowski

Readers may be interested in Richard Borkowski's elections-related blog:
www.stopcomputerizedvoting.blogspot.com

Hold Bush Accountable

The election results are in and the Democrats will control the Senate and the House next year. While all progressives feel a sense of relief, we must realize that our work has just begun!

Remember that the Democratic Party has a long-standing commitment to an imperial foreign policy. The Democrats have lead and/or aided and abetted every charge into warfare or occupation in the last 50 years. That commitment, along with Democratic support for the military-industrial complex, means that Democratic actions must be carefully watched.

A MSNBC live, on-line vote on Bush impeachment is currently running at 87% yes for impeachment. Also, the recent election reflects that 62% of Americans are against the Iraqi occupation.

Contrast the 87% yes for impeachment with Nancy Pelosi's statement that "impeachment is off the table" and the recent report of the post election breakfast where Nancy and Bush "reconciled". Note also the Bush administration's current plan for a preemptive nuclear war against Iran in order to head off another "911". Will the Democrats fall into line as they did with Iraq and support another invasion?

Progressives, we must refuse to let the Nancy Pelosis, Harry Reids, Chuck Schumers and Steny Hoyers set the agendas on impeachment, the Iraq occupation and other important issues for us.

We must insist that Bush be held accountable for his crimes and not excused because he's a member of the elite. We must also insist on a rapid exit plan from Iraq, one which calls for rebuilding Iraq