Sickening Romance While curing your own olives sounds romantic ("A Cure for Olives," 8/24-30), it is also risky unless it done properly. Any time one uses any food preservation directions from an old history book or even an old cook book, it is even riskier.

May I suggest a publication from the University of California Cooperative Extension, leaflet number 2758, "Home Pickling of Olives." It is based on the most current research and, if followed, safe methods. Olives are very low in acid which means micro-organisms love them as much as we do. To avoid any possibility of getting sick from home-cured olives, or any home canned food item, one needs to follow the most current recommendations.

The cost is $2.50. It can be ordered from: University of California, ANR Communication Services, 6701 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94608 or by phone: 1-800-994-8849 using your VISA or Master Card.

Janice O. Harwood, Advisor,
UC Cooperative Extension, Salinas

Outrageous Abuse

Your news brief about the most recent filing in the Bernardi vs. Monterey County litigation reached the wrong conclusion about the "agreement" between Monterey County and Clint Eastwood''s attorney, Tony Lombardo, of the private law firm of Lombardo & Gilles ("Bernardi Case Continues," 8/24-30).

Requiring a developer to "provide assistance" in a condemnation case does not mean that the developer or his attorney ghostwrites the county''s pleadings. It means they provide engineering studies, property descriptions, title reports and similar documents.

Normally, the county would hire an independent outside attorney whose duty is solely to his client, the county. While the outside attorney''s fees are reimbursed to the county by the developer, the attorney''s loyalty is to his client, the county.

None of that occurred in the county''s condemnation action against Wolter Properties. Instead, the law firm of Lombardo & Gilles, representing the interests of Canada Woods, Clint Eastwood''s development in Carmel Valley, ghostwrote major portions of the legal documents, including sworn testimony from county officials, legal complaints, court orders and letters to opposing counsel.

In its simplest form, you have a private attorney using the power of government to take someone else''s property to benefit his client. Nowhere does the name "Lombardo & Gilles" appear on any document. What you do see is the billing code on documents supposedly written by county counsel.

The Board of Supervisors never hired the law firm of Lombardo & Gilles to represent them in the condemnation action against the Wolter family. This hidden involvement is an outrageous abuse which never should have occurred. Seeing that it doesn''t happen again is part of the reason Patricia Bernardi filed her lawsuit against the county in the first place.

Fran Farina,
attorney for Patricia Bernardi

Squid Excrement?

I was shocked at your ugly article about [Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush''s campaign appearance in Salinas] ("Squid Fry," 8/17-23). Your reference to the "largely lily-white crowd" of onlookers was typical left-wing liberal bias. What color are you? Where do you get off making racial remarks? It is obvious you are one of the ugly, left-wing "politically correct" Democrats. How does it feel to be called names?

It so happens that Bush has a large Latino following in Texas and speaks fluent Spanish. I bet you can''t speak Spanish. If you watched Al Gore, or should I say Al Bore...you would be sick to your stomach. He used his daughters to tell their sweet, gushy stories about good old dad. Who gives a damn about his home life! What is he going to do for the people of the U.S.? Nothing as usual. That is the Democratic way...take from the so-called rich and give to the poor. That''s the only way they can stay in office...and that''s why the Democrats love the Latinos...more votes from the welfare corner. "Put that in your pipe and smoke it!"

Also, your dirty language isn''t appreciated and I am surprised your editor allows it. What''s your name anyway? Afraid to put it in? Typical liberal attitude...name calling but no guts to stand up for it and hiding behind "Squid Fry"...maybe you should change your column name to "Squid Shit" because that is what you sound like.

Donna Moore,
Salinas

Half Truths and Elephants

Shame on Lisa Giesick for her half truths regarding Circus Vargas (Letters, 8/24-30). Ms. Giesick''s position on the role of animals in the circus is long on ideology but short on facts. USDA inspections of zoos, labs, breeders, exhibitors, shelters, etc., can and do frequently result in citations akin to "fix-it" tickets. Serious violations result in hefty fines, and suspension or revocation of licenses. According to USDA records Circus Vargas has been cited for what can be characterized as minor violations of Animal Welfare regulations.

Putting Vargas'' violations into perspective, the Performing Animal Welfare Society facility in Galt, CA, among the harshest critics of animals in any circus, has been cited for similar compliance issues.

Ms Giesick cited AWA violations involving the proper transport of animals without dating those violations--1994.

Ms Giesick mentions that elephants leased by Circus Vargas from Hawthorn Corp. died of tuberculosis. She didn''t mention that Vargas hasn''t leased Hawthorne elephants since 1996, nor that there are no known cases of an elephant passing TB to a human.

Giesick incorrectly blames Vargas for a 1994 elephant incident in Hawaii. The elephant, called "Tyke," belonged to Hawthorn Corporation, not Vargas, and the show was Circus International, not Vargas.

Giesick claims circuses deprive animals of their basic needs. Longevity in circus animals is impressive and veterinarians posit circus animals outlive their zoo counterparts because they get more exercise. Behaviorists note performing animals are far less apt to show signs of stereotypical behavior than zoo animals. Dr. Heine Hediger wrote at length on the value of training in the classic text on captive behaviors "The Psychology of Animals in the Zoo and Circus."

Ben Trumble,
Monterey