Dear Editor:

May 24, 2021

To boost their oversized egos the corrupt Hamas bosses seem ready to sacrifice untold numbers of their fellow citizens. Launching 4,000 wayward missiles that did little damage in Israel, they declared victory. History suggests that in a few years they will repeat their performance but with more sophisticated rockets capable of doing serious damage and invite a retaliation akin to total devastation

Harry Truman in Kansas City had Jewish neighbors and a Jewish business partner before entering politics. Yet he harbored ambivalent feelings toward Jews in general. Like President Biden today, he believed all people have an intrinsic right to live in peace and dignity. On several occasions, he was heard to express opinions similar to the following: “…when they have the power—physical, financial, or political—neither Hitler nor Stalin has anything like them for cruelty or mistreatment to the underdog.” I might add that ever since 1948 when the UN created Israel they have consistently ignored every resolution from that body. (“Presidential Courage, etc.” by Michael Beschloss)

Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia use checkpoints to catch drunk drivers. Our state’s Supreme Court has outlawed them since 1983-84, ruling they violated our state constitution. (local newspaper, 10-7-19)

The Galveston, TX, hurricane of 1900 is considered the deadliest disaster in U.S. history with 6-12,000 fatalities. Most of these occurred on the nearby coast on the island where most of the city is located. Most of the island is about 8 feet below sea level. The hurricane sent a storm surge of 15 feet over the island destroying 7,000 buildings and leaving 10,000 homeless of a total population of around 38,000. Engineers have since raised the shoreline 17 feet and built a 10-mile seawall. (Wik)

A video of a crow in Russia shows it sliding down a snowy roof on a plastic lid, flying back up with the lid in its beak, and then sliding down again. (“National Geographic” magazine, Jan. 2018)

Igivquig, AK, (pop. 70) on the Kvichuk River near Lake Iliamna is about to switch to hyperkinetic power. An underwater turbine has been installed in the river that is powered by the current. After a second project joins it, they should be able to provide 90 percent of the village’s electrical needs. (“Alaska” mag., Apr. “21)

Bob Hall

Bellingham