Aguirre on the side of the people

In your recent article regarding the allegations made by City Attorney Mike Aguirre ("SDG&E threatened with suit over green energy," July 9), you neglected the fact that the renewable energy-mandated requirements can be met without the $1.5 billion, citizen-funded Sunrise Powerlink. This fact is so important because it is apparent that Sempra has invested heavily in fossil fuels and will continue to spin its agenda so that we, the ratepayers, will fund this mistake by building this unprecedented power line.

Mike Aguirre is truly on the side of the people, which is why his opponents, who are backed by Sempra, continue to try and discredit this man. In light of the fact that SDG&E has been found responsible for the recent fires, we do not need a gigantic power line strung through our fire-prone back country. We need more rooftop solar and wind on businesses and homes where transmission is already in place, and less of these gigantic power farms that require transmission lines over long distances.

Judith Withers

Warner Springs

Masterpiece of a letter

Recently, Darrell Beck of Ramona penned a letter masterpiece (July 3), putting the "great wordsmith" J. Howard Crews exactly in his proper place. I doubt that it will have much effect on the Crews crowd and some of their leftist cohorts, such as Chris Pulse, Eric Parish, etc., because their highly opinionated, one-track minds are only geared to hatred and self-esteem, rather than opposite point views of reason or common sense.

I hope it wasn't mere coincidence that Beck's letter was printed just above another letter by Howard. In that letter, Howard was true to form, slamming Laura Bush, one of the most gracious of all first ladies, and then praising a virtually unknown and untried potential replacement.

Fortunately, I would guess that by now, regular letter readers would only glance at the headline and a few words, then look below for the author's name and save the time of reading the same old … garbage generated almost every two weeks.

Galen Kuehnast

Escondido

Oil company profits will keep pace

With interest, I read the letter supplied by Austin Marx (July 3). His analysis of America's addiction to oil I can agree with.

However, let us look at this from the other side of the story. The major oil companies have posted, in the last five years, quarterly (that's four times a year) billions (that's a b) in profits. They explain this away to our illustrious leaders as "their margin of profit is the same margin of profit that all other major businesses are posting." Total bunk. I see this as just plain greed â€"â€" an addiction to money and all that it buys for them. Does anyone really believe that a single company needs $160 billion a year in profit to survive? Not me.

We all need to do our part to reduce our addiction to oil. The question I pose is, will the oil companies respond by reducing prices if we reduce our consumption? Not in a million years.

Kristie Young

Fallbrook

A reason to appeal code change

The area code overlay that has been approved by the PUC for Orange County should be a good basis on which to appeal the code change scheduled for San Diego County. Last week on radio station KNX, there was an announcement for citizens in Orange County to prepare for the approved overlay plan there.

A code overlay has a real current precedent and should be jumped on by supervisors and overlay activists who mean business.

Dick Nagy

Encinitas

No sanctuary for sanctuary cities

San Francisco has a real mess on its hands, www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/30/BAR211HGVL.DTL&tsp=1. San Francisco flew juvenile criminal illegal aliens back to their home countries in defiance of federal immigration laws. When federal law enforcement authorities began an investigation, the city sent the young illegals to rehabilitation centers in Southern California.

Formal charges may be brought against San Francisco city officials, including the chief of police. The federal government will be derelict in its duty if it does not. Our Escondido City Council should be paying close attention. Since they assumed a stance of compliance with immigration law, they have reason to be proud of their position.

SF city officials could be arrested and tried for violations of federal statutes that make it a crime to aid and abet the movement of illegal aliens across the border, regardless of direction, and for providing shelter in violation of the law. I, for one, do not want my city or state to slide even farther to the wrong side of the law in the eyes of the rest of the country. But when we have cities like San Francisco trying so hard to support such lawlessness, what is the rest of the nation to think of us?

Michael Henderson

Escondido

It's the Constitution, stupid

Regarding Timothy Swift's letter titled "Stop bashing our president," July 9: The current president of the United States has continually exhibited extremely poor judgment and has been wrong on virtually every decision he has made while in office.

Mr. Swift's suggestion that "the best way to stand up for our country and take pride in being an American is to stand up for our elected president" is nonsense and explains to a large degree why we are in the mess we are in with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is the Constitution … shredded by the wannabe-king who occupies space in the White House that we should stand up for. I would also like to know if Mr. Swift stood up for duly-elected President Clinton.

Joe Ducey

Encinitas

High school killed by OUSD

The Oceanside School District School Board did a dollar dance over the corpse of the only charter high school in the city, playing a numbers game by tabling a decision on renewing the School of Business and Technology charter until after the charter had expired ("School board votes to end charter," July 9). Then saying, "Oops! We didn't know the clock really meant time was up." They then covered their duplicity with a cloak of righteous fiscal responsibility, claiming that approval of the school's charter would leave the board liable for SBT debts carried over from the previous year.

But the reality is these self-congratulatory [board members] are afraid small-class education, conducted by caring, passionate teachers who produced a 100 percent graduation rate and 100 percent college enrollment rate this year, would show them up for the big-school pedagogic failures that they are! The parents of 100 displaced SBT students thank the Oceanside Unified School board for destroying their children's school and their educational future.

David Barrett

Oceanside

Energy crisis solved

The only way to solve the energy crisis is for all the liberals, Democrats, environmentalists and anyone else who does not want to drill for gas and oil or construct refineries in our country to do the following: 1. Sell your cars and trucks. This will increase the supply available of gas and diesel fuel. 2. Disconnect the electric service to your home, as most electricity is generated by oil-fired or gas-burning power plants. 3. Remove the heating system in your home, as most of the country's home heating is done by oil or gas-fired furnaces.

If those opposed to drilling of gas and oil would abide by the three actions, the supply would go up and the price would go down. Unfortunately, they would not want to give up the good lifestyle they currently enjoy.

Gordon Cargill

Rancho Bernardo

City needs to honor its obligations

Despite the fact that council members were provided documentation that clearly shows the city of Oceanside obligated itself in two elections to preserve our Goat Hill property as parkland, they persist in seeking alternative uses for it ("O'side looks at options for Goat Hill site," July 8).

In one election, the city persuaded voters to let a thriving downtown park be sold with a promise on the ballot to replace it with a larger one at Goat Hill. In a following election, the city persuaded voters to approve the sale of 42 acres of their land surrounding Goat Hill, while promising on the ballot to use the money for park facilities there. They were never provided.

Since funds are not now available to develop a park, the solution to preserving this irreplaceable open space is to continue to lease it out as a golf course for the time being. The present operator of the course reportedly is willing to invest $3 million to $5 million dollars to upgrade it in exchange for a 25-year lease. If so, it could continue to generate revenue for the city, make it a desirable tourist attraction and enable the City Council to honor the pledge to keep this property open space parkland.

Harriett Bledsoe

Oceanside

Wal-Mart is 'Soylent Green' come to life

I am astounded that any thinking person â€"â€" nay, member of the media â€"â€" could welcome a Wal-Mart Supercenter development (" 'Supercenter' will be boon to consumers," July 10). This is the short-sighted thought process that has delivered our country and community to the door of economic ruin â€"â€" exactly what we apparently all wanted. Surely this expansion promises badly needed advertising revenue that the North County Times could reap, but Wal-Mart exists as a parasite on American business across the country.

Wal-Mart is "Soylent Green" come to life. Do some research and talk to some of their domestic suppliers â€"â€" better yet, former suppliers. No doubt lower overall prices become available, but at what cost? Look around â€"â€" exactly what aspect of the current economic condition would suggest lower prices on anything? The cost of in-bound freight alone should answer this question. Maybe make a list of San Diego County manufacturers who will be supplying this new center. (Finished yet?)

Ignorance is truly bliss â€"â€" ask and ye shall receive. We are all the lucky winners of our own stupidity â€"â€" and look, another opportunity awaits: presidential elections in the fall. P.S: Traffic is not the issue.

Wade Oppliger

Escondido

Year-end carnival a success

On June 7, the Ivey Ranch Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization held its annual end-of-the year carnival. The community event was a success, thanks to the efforts of many volunteers and staff members.

We#'d also like to thank these individuals and companies that made the day a successful event: USMC Maj. Armando Espinoza, for picking up and collecting tables and awnings; Heather Gonzales, for the robot; Kelly Hamme and her husband, for Chargers shirts; Otto Sievert, HP scientific calculator; Anna Meyer and Lisa Haavig, restaurant/business liaisons; Patti's Hallmark Cards & Gifts; Oceanside fire and police department representatives; Camp Pendleton firefighters; KnockOut Pizza; Jamba Juice; Enzo's BBQ; Hunter Steakhouse; and Linda Fitz for taking photographs.

The weather was beautiful, many children enjoyed running on the new track, and everyone had a good time. We#'d also like to thank our co-treasurers from the PTO, Coral Krebs and Chris Caffrey, who have worked several carnivals and other events in recent years, along with PTO VP Scott Johnson, secretary Elisa Whitenack and Community Ambassador Dan Hakala. Lastly, we thank Principal Faye Wilson for her undying support and encouragement.

David Wall and John Meyer

Ivey Ranch Elementary School PTO co-presidents

Oceanside

Rooftop solar better than Powerlink

(City Attorney Mike) Aguirre is spot-on to note that SDG&E's efforts to pursue renewable energy are "incomplete at best and intentionally compromised at worst." ("SDG&E threatened with suit over green energy," July 9). Like a stubborn child, SDG&E refuses to pursue proven local renewable technologies because it wants the Sunrise Powerlink and will only pursue speculative renewables contracts that require this costly transmission boondoggle.

Sempra wins when a contract fails by ultimately filling the transmission line with its own LNG-fueled power. The Stirling engine technology that SDG&E is relying on for Sunrise is expensive, and lacks manufacturing capacity and commercial operation experience. It requires large tracts of desert land, lots of scarce water and a $1.5 billion transmission line that would add to San Diego's fire risk. Local rooftop-solar PV projects like SCE's cost less, can be installed near load centers on rooftops and have little or no need for land, water or transmission infrastructure. You do the math.

Laura Copic

Carmel Valley

Nay on Rep. Bilbray

The last time I checked, Webster's Dictionary defines a representative as "one chosen to act for others." Since January 2007, to date, Brian Bilbray has voted nay on every bill that has anything to do with helping the less fortunate, protecting the environment or ending the war. Children's health insurance, HR976, nay. Mental health coverage, HR1424, nay. Funding to combat AIDS, HR5501, nay. Amend the tax code, HR5719, nay. Require OSHA to establish dust safety standards, HR5522, nay.

I could go on; however, this small list gives me enough reason to conclude Brian Bilbray dose not represent my values. Come Nov. 4, nay on Bilbray.

Ron Susi

Leucadia