I was wondering why the references to PETA. I've been so busy, I didn't read the earlier Dutch-L messages till after the second one which came today. I signed and checked the wonderful petition comments - good on-ya, Ginnie for making it available to us - you're always on the ball! What wonderful comments! I'm going to pass this on to a number of my writers who have roots in NY, as well as others. Why doesn't someone tell these ignorant (and stupid, as well) people, that the suffix "kill" (in NY State especially) does NOT mean to kill or murder or provoke death. It is the old Dutch word for stream or brook. So Fishkill = Fish stream. How iggerant can the iggerant get?? Very, I guess! Ginny, I'm passing on your remarks and directions to the petition to my other NY State Lists and a lot of my writers, family, and friends, who will be interested, and I hope sign it. Jean Chapman Snow - formerly from Putnam County, where there are still lots of "kills' including the City of Peekskill where my sister now lives. I'm a former English and French Teacher, now columnist, published writer, and teacher of writing, who loves language and hates to see our rich English language abused by the ignorant, no matter how well-meaning they may be.