"Jim, your recent articles on electronic voting are very biased and present a view that is not fact. You mention that in the coming election, 80% will be voting on electronic voting machines - the truth is that the number is less than 30%. You fail to mention that the confidence level of voters is very high for this type of equipment - it is only the academics and other so called 'computer experts' that are taking issue.

"The security of voting machines and a workable method of voter verifiable auditing cannot be a paper audit trail. This is because electro-mechanical printers will fail; ask any engineer or IT person what equipment fails most!

"I think that there has to be a level of responsibility on both sides of the issue with regard to electronic voting. Those of us charged with maintaining and holding elections must have a clear plan to maintain the security of the election and the integrity of the ballot and we must rigorously follow our plan. In addition, those who believe that elections have been, can be and will be corrupted should look for a better solution than tacking on a printer to a voting machine.

"My suggestion, and one gaining interest and steam in Europe and Latin America, is the use of parallel monitoring with an electronic 'black box'. This would provide feedback to a voter, add security and provide a mechanism that can be applied without the fear of paper printers failing, not printing, or paper being inserted backwards. We must strike a balance between the security required and the ability to function. Folks need to remember that poll workers are not engineers, technicians nor anything but honest, dedicated volunteers.

"The old straw-that-broke-the-camel's-ack story is very close to becoming true in America - we need some sensible people making decisions rather than politicians or those who benefit from the naysayers."

Dave Cutter [dave@villageebike.com] addresses the question of whether global warming is natural or Man-made:

"World scientists say humans are causing Global Warming, and this demands action now. Scientists are forecasting a warming of between 2 and 11 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century. During the last Ice Age the world averaged only 9 degrees cooler than it is today. We thus face the very real possibility of a swing in global temperatures of Ice-Age magnitude within the lifetimes of our children. It is no exaggeration to say that, unchecked, global warming will cause more human suffering and destroy more natural ecosystems than has any other industrial pollutant in our history.

"Global warming threatens extinctions - U.N. studies publish scientific evidence that global warming will result in catastrophic species loss across the planet. Global warming will become a top cause of extinction from the tropical Andes to South Africa with thousands of species of plants and animals likely to be wiped out in coming decades. The U.N. says that humans are responsible for the worst spate of extinctions since the dinosaurs and urged unprecedented extra efforts to reach a U.N. target of slowing the rate of losses by 2010. America is not participating.

"Our collective addiction to oil is at the root of at least six fundamental issues that are adversely affecting our nation and indeed, the entire planet:

1. Corporate-driven globalization
2. Global warming
3. Poverty
4. War
5. Terrorism
6. The undue influence of money on the political process."

Leon Michaud [Leon_Michaud@steris.com] commented on female rights:

"We, in the US, have a long way to go regarding many rights of many groups. I very much appreciated your niece's response in the recent eNews (19 Oct. 06). She wrote, 'Real power is not about fighting for an undefinable, unattainable equality in an unequal world, but in recognizing your strength and using it to your advantage.'

"This is also great advice for men. Rather than dwelling upon situations that make me feel powerless, I believe that I could benefit by identifying my strengths and using them to excel with my own expectations, not some irrationally-run companies' expectations of me."