By Henri D. Kahn

David Letterman has neither cornered the market not garnered exclusive rights to the top ten of anything. Here goes my version, with number one being the top.
10. The terror of not being accepted into society, because of your skin color, language, lack of education, or low income.
9. The terror caused by street gangs of hoodlums that distribute illicit drugs that bend minds, ruin lives, and create havoc.
8. The terror felt by decent, honest, retired senior citizens who can't afford to pay for the life-saving prescription drugs prescribed by their physicians. People that can't pay their heating bills in the winter, resort to eating dogfood to get some type of nutrition yet live in what we call the greatest nation on earth.
7. Elements of the clergy preying on devout followers imposing physical, psychological, and financial terrorism.
6. Corrupt business executives willing to break all the rules of decency and fair play to line their pockets with money without regard to the incredible financial terrorism they create for workers and their familes.
5. Terrorist groups that rationalize acts of terrorism as heroic struggles to achieve equality and peaceful co-existence with their neighbors. Terrorism has many names: Sendero Luminoso, Al Qaeda, Hamas, Symbionese Liberation Army. Hate groups like Black Panthers, Klu Klux Klan.
4. The incredible paranoia caused by the mere thought of terror's omnipotent Osama Bin Laden. "Was that really his voice terrorizing us last week"? Oh my God, what shall we do?" A skinny, sickly guy has us pooping in our pants? Come on, people! Ridiculous, perhaps, but his name continues to fan the flames of fear.
3. The media. Gigantic organs of communication that influence our way of life to satisfy their lust for economic gain at any cost. All of this terror under the guise of "the people deserve to know." A la carte terrorism by exaggeration, inuendo, suggestion, and euphemistic expertise.
2. Maverick attorneys who exploit every entity that crosses their path or whose path they trespass. This nefarious bunch of terrorists along with the judges of poor judgement cause more devastation in the USA than Al Qaeda, El Fatah, and Hamas, combined, could ever hope to accomplish against us.
1. Crooked politicians throughout the world looking to get a firm hold on some coveted desire. Master soothsayers satisfying their whims. Dictators, presidents, royalty, all levels of government representatives have bad apples that are continually molding the minds of the masses to achieve their personal agenda.
This is terrorism at its worst!
Violence creates a cycle of violence akin to a contagious disease like bubonic plague. Who can tell me when or how the Israelis-vs.-the-Arabs violence will end?
See you next year, but till then, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, Feliz Año Nuevo, and -- Pray for Peace.

(Please send your insurance questions to Henri D. Kahn, c/o LareDOS, 1812 Houston St. 78040; fax 791-4737; or e-mail laredos@icsi.net.)