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6/17/2009 3:33 AM

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A few decades ago, the insurance industry was confronted with extreme public and political pressure to remove gobbledygook from their convoluted policies; the issue was to have policies published in a simplified and easily understood text. Success was achieved for awhile.

The most convoluted gobbledygook existing today is within our legal system. Remember the old saying that "ignorance of the law is no excuse?" Being somewhat educated, I struggled mightily with 19 pages of legal gobbledygook received from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Soon after the market opened on June 1, I sold some stock and that day the company declared bankruptcy which was approved by order of the court judge on June 2. Within the 19 pages, numerous references are made to the restrictions on transactions in the company's stock, definitions of unauthorized stock transactions (with references to various codes that were not provided), and several "ORDERs" are issued with references to "Exhibits" and various sections of law-none of which were attached.

My thought process was that my stock sale had violated some federal code and the FBI would be at my door in no time (ignorance of the law is no excuse). Thank goodness that my broker had the research capabilities to review the "ORDERs," etc. and advise me that this was the court's method to advise stockholders (and others) that the company had declared bankruptcy. So 19 pages failed to get the bankruptcy idea across. One reference was made to the court documents as "being Greek to me;" my reply was "not so - Greek is an intelligent language."

Clarence M. Spicer

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Canonsburg

Cats should be

tested for disease

I would like to inform your readership of a rapidly growing epidemic among cats, whether inside or out. The disease is called bartonellosis, and it is caused by a bacterium called bartonella. This disease is contagious to other cats, dogs and people, where it is called "cat-scratch fever."

In cats, the disease causes a very sore mouth, lips and gums, usually a fever. If an infected cat bites or licks a person, it causes a very severe case of flu-like symptoms, which can last for many weeks. It also sometimes causes infection of the liver, heart and kidneys, and can be fatal, especially in children and the elderly.

One problem is that supposedly healthy cats (up to 1/3) can carry the bacterium and cause the disease in people. Another problem is that many physicians (veterinarians) seem unaware of the disease or its seriousness.

The good news is that the disease can be tested for, treated and cured (with the right antibiotics). Therefore, all cats should receive a test for bartonella, and if positive, treated for it before serious problems begin.

John C. Hansell, VMD

Washington

How do you get

a sure return?

It was quite interesting to find out that Washington county taxpayers will subsidize the county retirement plan for current and retired employees to bring the proceeds up to a guaranteed 7.5 percent return.

Pension plans are usually composed of stocks, bonds and mutual funds. There is no guarantee that stocks, bonds and mutual funds will provide a constant rate of return. It's a gamble. It would be be nice if all taxpayers could be guaranteed a 7.5 percent (or better) return every year.

To put it into perspective, I lost 39 percent (like many others) of my retirement savings in 2008. Who is going to make up mine and others' losses while we will have to contribute to the $ 2.4 million for the 7.5 percent county pension guarantee?

I find it even more disturbing that the taxpayers have been subsidizing the county pension fund with millions of dollars since 2003. Up until 2008, the stock market did quite well. It seems to me that whoever is managing the pension plan needs to perform better or be replaced.

Anthony Sacco

Canonsburg

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2 comments

Anthony Sacco : 6/20/2009
If your letter is accurate, then Wash county taxpayers are really getting screwed.

silky

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Of course leagalese : 6/30/2009
is impossible to read. This is the result of sending lawyers to the legislature instead of people from other walks of life that speak plain English. This further confusion allows gvt to carry out it's main goal: To make criminals out of as many citizens as possible to collect the fined (aka selective taxation).

Joe Furjanic

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