get a hefty fine. Elaine Phillips Randwick US opinion has been long-held Comment by American defence officials that ''Australia is freeloading on the American taxpayer'' ('' US to take up defence 'freeloading' with cabinet '', November 10-11) somewhat mimmicks similar observations made in 1942 by the US minister to Australia Nelson Johnson that ''Australia lives like a parasite on the body of the empire and at the moment there appears to be in process a movement to intended to transfer its parasitic life from the UK to the US ... These people with difficulty are waking up to the fact that they are going to have to fight for their right to live freely in Australia.'' Nothing has changed. Barry Palmer Jannali Look to the lingo At this stage the comparison of Rudd to Menzies (Letters, November 10-11) appears to lack detailed programmatic specificity. David Atkinson Beecroft Still dithering On January 30, 2001, the Herald published my letter, "The most vile and abhorrent act must be female circumcision ...'' Now Tim O'Connor and others (Letters, November 10-11) write about it again. For what are the politicians waiting? Just enact simple black-and-white legislation to bring to justice all those who carry out and condone these acts in Australia. Alastair Browne Cromer Heights Fowl play So, the only way the Australian Egg Corporation can see to meet the growing demand for free-range eggs is to redefine them to include those from chooks packed 20,000 to the hectare ('' With eggs, some chooks