This is to all the smokers out there who think it’s okay to litter your cigarette butts all over town. If you must smoke, please discard your used cancer sticks in an ashtray, not on public streets and walkways for the rest of us to enjoy. I would guess that most of you who do this would not litter a candy wrapper, lunch bag or probably anything else, but for some reason you seem to have no problem with flicking a cigarette butt out your window. Why is this? Just in case you’re not sure if a cigarette butt is litter, let me clear it up for you once and for all: It is litter! And it’s possibly one of the worst kinds of litter since cigarettes contain a variety of chemicals that are considered health hazards, and they often end up in drains and eventually in our oceans and lakes. So please, next time you are tempted to pitch a cigarette butt out your window or on to a sidewalk, don’t do it. Have more respect for others and yourself. Besides, it’s against the law to litter – and if you’re caught you could get a fine. What’s more, other residents like myself can report you by going to donttrashaz.com. Enjoy your next smoke. – Dana Kleven This is for all The Times. I was just recently in the hospital for 22 days. When I got out of the hospital I couldn't walk. I had to go through therapy. My husband's such a good man and was always there for me when I was in the hospital. He even took some extra time off to be with me. He had to go back to work. If it wasn't for my cats being there for me to keep me company - I got tired of watching TV. I don't do computers. I get tired of playing puzzle games. There's only so much you can do when you're confined to a chair. I tell you, if it wasn't for my cats, I probably would have been going crazy because they were there for me to keep my spirits up. You gotta love 'em. My husband was glad I wasn't getting lonesome. Cats were good for my mom too when she got out of the hospital because she lost her leg to a spider bite. So, you know, to the person who can't handle cats, you need to start looking into some of these other things on animals. If they're fixed, they stay home and don't wander.

How classic is that? Councilman Jim Lane, who likes to grandstand about open government, has repeatedly violated the state's open meeting law trying to lobby the council with secret e-mails. I call that hypocrisy.

Hello, my name is Gloria and the phone number is (caller leaves phone number). I'd like for someone to call me and see if they can place my ad back in the classifieds and change it slightly. My number is (caller leaves phone number). I also have a home in, uh, I have a guesthouse in Phoenix. My name is Gloria (leaves phone number).

Editor's Note: To place an advertisement, please contact our classified advertising department between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Oh, and if I'm not mistaken, Tracey Andrews is running some specials for new advertisers.

The Phoenix Lights were aerial parachute flares used by the military and dropped by a National Guard aircraft far away. They are visible for miles. The flares are dropped in echelon and in the right wind conditions can linger in the air for a long time. The echeloned dropping of the flares explains the "formation" of the Phoenix Lights. Still not convinced? You see the exact same aerial demonstration regularly over Fort Benning, Georgia when there are night exercises. In fact, if I took pictures of the flares floating over Benning and sent them anonymously and without description to UFO "experts" saying it was a previously unreleased pic of the Phoenix Lights, they would immediately "authenticate" the pix as such. Straight now? - Chris Long

Great story in this issue. I have two teen daughters and one who's already out of school and married. She got involved with a guy in high school, and he turned out to be a very violent person, and he's serving 15 years now for rape in Oklahoma. Fathers, watch who your daughters associate with. I did. I knew this guy was no good. He was always in trouble, and I made it so my daughter couldn't see him even if she wanted to. Well, look how it turned out for me. I'm a living example. Thanks for bringing awareness to the issue with the story. - Nathan P.

To Jack McVickers, who thinks all terrorists are Middle Eastern boys. You may be watching too much Fox News. When you add up all the terror attacks in America, you'll find many of the terrorists to be American. Sure, the 9-11 attackers were mostly Saudi, but that was a single attack with a single backing group. Look some of these names up, Jack. Educate yourself on the use of terror by red-white-and-blue Americans like the rest of us. John Birges, Samuel Bowers, Michael Bray, Richard Girnt Butler, Samuel Byck, Robert E. Chambliss, Jeff Fort, Michael Fortier, David Gilbert, Luke Helder, Patrick Arguello, Paul Jennings Hill, Robert Jay Mathews, Timothy McVeigh, Tom Metzger, Terry Nichols, Eric Robert Rudolph, John Tomkins, John Walker Lindh. It's a partial but rich history of Americans upset enough to resort to terror. Unless you think terror only happens when your skin is, uh, brown? Jack?

My name is Peter George Kimber. I was kidnapped and held captive in a Mexican penitentiary for two-and-a-half years for a crime that was never committed. The facts and evidence are in my Web site. It is my total intention to bring the evidence of the corruption in Mexico to as many people around the world as humanly possible. A guy by the name of Manuel Martinez was illegally held in prison for ten years and nine months. As an American, he was devastated to find out that his government would do nothing on his behalf. Even when he was proven an innocent man, no help was to be found. This evidence and more can be forwarded upon request about Mr. Martinez, me, or any other information about me. Thank you very kindly for allowing me to bring this matter to your attention. I feel it pertinent to bring these matters to the American and Canadian public. I would like to speak to you further about these atrocities. I also have a variety of information and evidence of the corruption in Mexico that I would like to bring forth to the press. Please feel free to view my Web page, and I await your reply. - Peter Kimber

A very large part of General Petraeus' presentation was concerning Al-Qaida in Iraq. According to the congressional commission report on the reasons presented by the President for going to war, Al-Qaida was a non-factor in Iraq at that time. How can anyone argue that our presence there is not the major factor for making Iraq a breeding ground for Al-Qaida recruits? This is another war about religion. Faith is belief in something for which there is no proof. Faith is a killer! Question faith. Faith and truth are not compatible. Respectfully, Larry J. Kluth (Lt.Col. USAF Retired)

Please write another story on (caller names local modeling agency and its owner). A while back I read John Dickerson's investigative story about their scam into luring parents into modeling jobs for their children. I think more people should be aware of this scam today because it still persists. Regards, Pam

Editor's Note: The story "Vanity Tax," which won several journalistic honors, can be read on our Web site at scottsdaletimes.com. Scroll to the archives section.

Hi, I'm calling about David Leibowitz's column. The soldier he's talking about, Christopher, didn't have to go to war. We don't have a draft right now. He had a choice. The police dog, Bandit, was forced to be a police dog. He can't talk or get food for himself. The officer, Lovejoy, was only thinking of himself that day. He probably made extra money for having that dog in his house. I hate to think of the other ways he probably treated that dog. Put him in jail. Let him learn a lesson. Start letting female officers take care of police dogs. Animals can't talk. Thank you. - Diane. I'm speaking for all the animals.

Elvira Arellano and her supporters claim they are fighting for "Latino rights" in the United States. Translation: They believe that Latinos have the right to barge to the head of the immigration line ahead of the ten million people who are fleeing from persecution, mutilation and death in their home countries. Our laws and any sense of justice demand that these threatened people are given priority over people like Elvira Arellano, who are simply seeking a better economic opportunity and who evidently believe that God made them better than everyone else. If you wish to shed a tear, shed it for the person who was jobless and homeless all these years because Elvira Arellano took a job and housing that rightfully and justly should have gone to someone else. - Jack McVickers

Here is an Open Letter to President Bush and Senator Clinton: You both are working to interject the federal government into the nation's health-care system. Please tell the American people how you square this with your sworn duty to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States, a constitution that was written to severely limit the power of the federal government. To make it absolutely clear, the constitution lists the powers of the federal government. Health care is not one of them.

Want to see the results of Village Planning and affordable housing as proposed by various Scottsdale activists and politicians? Take a look at Phoenix. I rest my case. If this bunch gets their way, say hello to the blighted future of Scottsdale. - Robert Sanders

I am sick and tired of some people whining about the loss of the Orchidtree Apartments. Years ago they were nice, but as they aged and became full of Section 8, etc., they just became a blighted mess. Sweet elderly folks were not the only ones that lived there. Trust me, I know. I had a friend that moved out over a year ago due to issues in that community. I am tired of some activists who want to make a name for themselves attempting to make out that the place was a haven for sweet elderly folks. Sure there were some of those there, but many were problems. - Marci Stevens

Beware of those candidates for council and mayor that follow too closely behind Bob Littlefield and Tony Nelssen. By the time half the population wakes up it will be too late and no one will remember who was responsible for transforming Scottsdale into Yuma. Apparently in keeping with their desire to keep Scottsdale the West's most Western town, they will transform it into a ghost town in keeping with their own short-sighted vision. Nesvig is nothing more than a puppet for the Littlefields of the world. He owes her for his part in the last election debacle. After all, playing the game makes the world go round.

Thank you, City Council members, for your recent vote to honor the legal opinion supporting open government (to release the charter officer self evaluations). However, it should be noted that they will continue to spend taxpayer treasury dollars on the outside attorneys to "request reduction in the legal fees to be paid to the Tribune" - but not those paid for the city's legal bill? You made a mistake in judgment. Pay all of the Tribune legal costs. It was their freedom of information actions that provided important government information to the Scottsdale citizens. Perhaps the East Valley Tribune should get a bonus!

Well, we are certainly glad the results of Jan Dolan's evaluation will be made public. That should solve? We can all sleep a little better. Brought to you by the same folks that were against photo radar, trolley logos, security systems at city hall, strip clubs and everything else. Now that we know the results, can we please get on with running the city - traffic, development, you know, the stuff that makes a difference and that most people care about..

Hello, my name is Erin. I was looking through your magazine (call ends abruptly).
A Sad that a majority of candidates that want to challenge the incumbents for council and the mayor are run by the activists and Bob Littlefield. We need some independent voices - those would be voices that cannot be controlled by one side or the other but have conviction and will vote for something or not simply because it is the right thing to do and not because they are in debt to certain people. It is sad that Councilman Littlefield was the one responsible for last season's election fiasco, did not own up to it, and then agreed to back Nan Nesvig, who thus far has done nothing that would qualify her for a seat on the council - other than play politics and climb into bed, so to speak, with all the "right" people.

It is unfortunate that Scottsdale's future seems to be shaped by the few, the proud, the shortsighted and unenlightened people who are not interested in progress in any form. To see the end result of this mentality, take a look at South Scottsdale. This area has been blighted and neglected by the inaction and arrogance of select politicians and the actions of a select few who label themselves as activists. This area cannot tolerate any more delays. Some of us are determined that theirs will not be the only voices allowed to shape Scottsdale's future.

South Scottsdale is hardly blighted. Take a short drive and you will see incredible things happening. On my block alone, six homes have been completely renovated in the last 18 months. Young families with children are moving in. McDowell Road looks better and better. The Granite Reef Senior Center and the senior center on McDowell are gorgeous and have breathed life into the McDowell corridor. General Dynamics has finally landscaped their properties. Los Arcos Crossing is about to be developed once height and density issues are resolved. Ironically, the only blight is the absolutely awful-looking building at SkySong.

Please include this message in all issues. I just heard that we got a new tape from bin Laden and he is urging the American people to vote against the Bush policies. You know, I wasn't much of a Bush fan before this, but he makes me want to be one. I also have to note that all these liberals who are putting down Bush and all his policies are playing right into the hands of the terrorists, and bin Laden himself has said so. What do you think?

The list of council candidate wannabes throwing their hats into the ring does not bode well for Scottsdale. Ms. Nesvig, who has accomplished little other than being tossed off a ballot, has apparently become the mentor of Councilman Bob Littlefield, the guy she accused of being the primary person responsible for her petition signature debacle. You would think she would have accomplished something if she was serious about being elected. You can't run on the martyr platform forever. She is hoping to become a charter member of the activist Littlefield fan club and slide into office. But what has she ever done? Short on accomplishments but, gee, she really, really wants to be a politician. That should make your skin crawl. Then there is the daughter of a strip club owner who has suddenly decided she is qualified to lead. This bunch almost makes the losers we already have look good. And we wonder why no one votes? - Debbie Craig

I just read that the Governor of Arizona has decreed to establish a new date for the holding of primary elections. She did so "without violating national-party guidelines." Since when are state governments required to follow "national-party" guidelines? For that matter, why are taxpayers' funds being used to fund the elections of any party? Political parties, after all, are not elements of our constitutional government. Under the constitution, political parties are no different than the League of Women voters. Why are the taxpayers then funding the elections of the political parties and not the elections of the League of Women Voters? George Washington advised us against the establishment of political parties. He was right. They have taken over our government, as our Governor's actions so clearly prove.

Well, it seems that the city of Scottsdale is going to expand the popular trolley system. Good. Activists and various politicians who pander to them were quick to criticize it - the trolley logo was not Western enough, and it was free. Horrors. Activists have also criticized security equipment that was installed and later removed at city hall, where the city attorney lives, cameras on the 101, a litany of things that most could care less about - issues that for the most part have gone nowhere and rightfully so. Ever notice their list of accomplishments is a little on the light side? For folks who seem to love to see their name in print, maybe they should accomplish something aside from creating chaos just to create chaos before they worry about the PR. The trolley success story shows that once in a while the forces of good prevail over the forces of darkness and gloom.

Experience is a requirement. No one has ever been elected as the mayor of Scottsdale without first being elected to the council. Since 1976, all mayors have completed at least two full terms on the council.

Well, we hope all those people in South Scottsdale that never want anything are happy. All the good retail went to Tempe Marketplace, and now you have nothing. It is rumored that some of you rocket scientists plan to fight the Los Arcos Crossing project. Keep it up; you will get stuck with what you deserve - nothing. Some of us who have to live here and endure your stupidity are sick of this. - Lori Morgan

How did Scottsdale politics become so corrupt? People need to start paying attention. Ask yourself how Bob Littlefield and his vocal supporters have helped South Scottsdale. Take a look around. More disturbing is the fact that he has now worked behind the scenes to support Nan Nesvig, a woman with little community involvement other than failing to collect the necessary number of petition signatures during the last election. He worked to get her thrown off the ballot, but as payback he has now agreed to support her in spite of the fact she has done nothing of substance that would qualify her to represent the residents of Scottsdale. She has no experience at much of anything. Scottsdale is indeed in for some very dark days if this bunch of unscrupulous folks gains the upper hand. Worse, these people seldom bother with the truth when a half truth will serve the purpose. They will discredit someone any way they can. You see, for this bunch the end justifies the means, even if it isn't in the best interests of the city. - Steve Young

Hey, I just wanted to say goodbye to the Cardinals coach Whisenhunt, or whatever his name is. He's finally - that's gonna be it for 'em. See ya later.