The caller had visited the state's campaign-finance disclosure Web site and found that a significant number of Kreidler's campaign contributors were trial lawyers. She wondered if the newspaper were aware of the potential conflict of interest.

"Kreidler, a former state lawmaker first elected insurance commissioner in 2000, received $176,360 in contributions for his 2004 re-election campaign," Otto said.

"Of that, $25,600 came from doctors, health care providers and groups representing them; $22,110 came from lawyers and groups representing them; and $24,150 came from people and groups associated with the insurance industry."

Given the breadth of the contributions, I don't think there's evidence that links Kreidler more closely to one side or the other on the initiatives.

"I did a little checking of the profits of three media companies as compared to their revenue," wrote Pyle. "When you compare the results of McClatchy (which owns the Raleigh and Tacoma newspapers) and Gannett (USA Today) to Exxon Mobil, the outcome is a different story."

"Yet ExxonMobil made $9.9 billion on $101 billion in sales, a 9.8 percent return on sales," said Pyle. "For each dollar of gas they sold, they made around 10 cents. Year to date figures are comparable."

We got a call from a reader after we printed a story about people convicted of soliciting prostitutes having to attend a class aimed at stopping their behavior. Police call the class John School, using the name prostitutes call their customers.

"I think that's terrible to call a prostitute's customer a ‘John,'" the reader said. "We have many Johns in our family, and I think we should bring them all down there and boycott your newspaper. That's really offensive."

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