ETIQUETTE LESSONS

In regards to ex-New York City dude Michael Staley’s letter (Dec. 18): Michael, your sincere/insincere dichotomy is a bunch of pig dung. Being told “up yours’’ or “have a nice day’’ is a matter of civility vs. rudeness. I’m sure if you lived in L.A., you’d hear lots of “up yours’’ and I’m equally sure the phrase “have a nice day’’ emanates from the small towns, villages and hamlets in the Mohawk Valleys. Cities and large towns aren’t exactly renowned for civility. In conclusion Michael, I bear you and Ray Napolitano no ill will. It’s all a matter of enculturation. Have a nice day!

HOUSE OF MILLS

Very excellent article and well and balanced information. Very accurate.

MILLS REMODEL

I read with interest your story on the financial troubles of the Mills brothers. It seems to me that they got a little greedy and I don’t really feel that sorry for them. The people I feel sorry for are their grandchildren. Imagine the indignity, if you go to visit your grandparents and you don’t have your own bathroom to use.

I guess this is as good a reason as any for building a house with 11 bathrooms.

PANETTA DILEMMA

The appointment of Leon Panetta to head the CIA is doomed to failure. Mr. Panetta is a fine gentleman and skilled in general staffing but lacks any training or experience in the field of gathering intelligence. He is a confirmed liberal and this is not compatible with the operations of the CIA. The director of the Central Intelligence Agency must be a person with years of intelligence gathering who has the respect and loyalty of the people under his direct command. Moreover, Obama is a control freak and will micromanage to the point where Mr. Panetta will leave the CIA. The appointment of Mr. Panetta will cause bitterness among veteran CIA employees and will result in a mass exodus because they prefer one of their own to head the Agency.

The Agency should be free of being politicized as it has been in the past few years.

I am a retired operative of the CIA and can safely say that the DCI should be selected from the core of the best the CIA has to offer; a good choice would be a skilled station chief or an outstanding department head who would stand up to the president and to some of those ignorant members of Congress who nitpick with negative results. President Bush selected Porter Goss as DCI. Goss brought along his staff who almost immediately insulted the integrity and competence of veteran operatives.

All I can say is: God help us as a nation and wish Mr. Panetta well since the die is cast.