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Other articles by Debbie Kornmiller:

Star readers give so kids can go to camp My opinion Debbie Kornmiller : 10 get Star employee accolades My opinion Debbie Kornmiller : Gas costs force rural route cutsMy opinion by Debbie Kornmiller: Photograph reminds us of sacrifice My opinion Debbie Kornmiller : 'Offender' poor word choice My opinion Debbie Kornmiller : A look back at land-deal coverageMy opinion Debbie Kornmiller: Star reduced errors substantially in 2007 My opinion Debbie Kornmiller : Fairness not always measured by the inch My opinion Debbie Kornmiller : Bhutto interview in Parade My opinion Debbie Kornmiller : 10 named Star top employees

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Komatsu Equipment Co
Resident Field Mechanic Administrative & Professional
Tucson Urban League
CEO/President Finance and Accounting
Charles E. Gillman Company
Accounting Specialist Sales and Marketing
Everready Glass
Sales Reps Administrative & Professional
Jorgensen Brooks Group
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MAINTANANCE POSITION

More than 70 people e-mailed the Star in support of keeping elephants at the Reid Park Zoo.

Susie Pratt-Toothman's note was a typical example: "My children always look forward to seeing the elephants at Reid Park Zoo; it would be a loss for us and the community to lose them.''

Nary a one of those letters is included in today's letter count.

Nearly two dozen people wrote to criticize the president, Republicans in Congress and Republicans in general; some even had "Subject 62'' in the subject line. Those letters aren't included, either, said Editorial Page Editor Ann Brown.

These are just two examples of "Astroturf,'' false grass-roots opinion choreographed in an attempt to sway opinion.

Many of the elephant letters were copies of ones sent to the mayor and council asking them to stay the course and build a bigger habitat area for the zoo's Connie and Shaba.

The effort was in response to an e-mail Monday by Mike Carter, executive director of the Tucson Zoological Society. Brown said she doesn't publish or count these letter-writing campaigns, in an effort to reflect an organic response to an issue.

Pet Idol

The 57 finalists in the Star's Pet Idol contest include cats, dogs, a mule, a parrot and a sock puppet. Yes, contestant No. 426 — Super-Fuzz to his friends — is a puppet. Janet Wood, whose Newspapers in Education program is the prime beneficiary of the money raised through voting, said Super-Fuzz called her from his home speakerphone to say he was thrilled to be a finalist.

Wood said when she created the rules she thought the word "pet'' spoke for itself — that a pet is an animal, but she didn't specify that, nor did she say that the pet needed to be alive. Wednesday is the deadline to vote.

David Spade, defended

Sandra Oldfather of Elfrida took issue with last week's column about fashion designer Kate Spade, whose brother-in-law is comedian David Spade. I wrote that David didn't have fashion sense. Oldfather called that a potshot at an innocent bystander, as the column was about Kate. "Spade fashionable in a New York sense? Maybe not, but he's an Arizonan (by way of Michigan) and 'cleans up good.' ''

The Star, up close

Chaparral Middle School students Karina Arias, Sandra Higuera, Kyla Kemp, Siobhan Salomon, Jordanna Soto and their chaperone, Francisca Lugo, spent Thursday morning at the Star as part of their Career Shadow Day. Canyon View Elementary School fifth-graders and teachers Teena Clark, Brad McQueen and Scott Suter toured the Star Friday and got up close with the presses.

Contact Debbie Kornmiller weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 434-4080; at advocate@azstarnet.com.