A different view of the Indio quarry

Since I also took the Indio tour offered by Granite Construction and had a very different reaction than Bill Harker's (Letters, April 22), I'd like to point out some details he seems to have overlooked:

For starters, the fact that there is no blasting at the Indio site should take it out of the realm of comparison with Liberty Quarry. Harker's comment that the people of Temecula shouldn't mind putting up with more blasting sounds since some already hear noise from Camp Pendleton makes no sense to me, especially since the proposed quarry site is much closer to us than the military base.

I, too, observed the new homes going up on the opposite side of the hills where the Indio mine is located. For those who choose to buy a new home close to a quarry, I reserve the same small amount of sympathy as I have for people who choose to build in a riverbed. The operative word here is "choose." The growing population in this valley did not choose to live near one of the largest gravel pits in our country, which is what Liberty Quarry would be.

Incidentally, while strong Santa Ana winds occasionally blow from the northeast across our cities, most days our strong ocean breezes come from the west, across the hills where the quarry would be located. Since those winds blow to the northeast, many fear the air quality of the whole Temecula Valley will be compromised.

Sorry, Bill. Liberty Quarry belongs somewhere else.

Pam Grender

Temecula

Buyers knew risks with mortgages

I know this may seem harsh but I am tired of hearing how mortgage companies took advantage of home buyers with the "special" term loans. I do not believe that the people who agreed to the interest-only, negative-amortization and other non-conventional loans did not know their payments were going to go up.

Now for the politicians to say that they want the mortgage companies to bail out the buyers in foreclosure is an insult to all of us potential buyers who chose to wait. I was told I qualified for a loan over $600,000 but I used my basic math skills, added up by bills and knew that qualifying did not guarantee that I could make the payment after the full payment kicked in.

The buyers took a risk and lost. The fact is that these foreclosures are a necessary part in correcting the over inflated real estate market. If the politicians truly want to help they should cut the real estate taxes by half or more.

Art Miller

Temecula

Mayor wrong on rights

Regarding the article on Temecula's smoking ordinance ("City smoking debate lights up," April 24). I quit smoking three years ago so I have no problem with the new ordinances, but the quote from Mayor Chuck Washington, "people are making assumptions that there is an innate right to smoke, and there is not," is so wrong I had to write in rebuttal.

Smoking is legal and heavily taxed by the state. Until smoking is outlawed by the United States government, it is our right as a citizen to smoke. For the mayor to have the audacity to say what is or is not our rights, is pure arrogance on his part. I don't like smoke in my face any more than anyone else, but it is not Chuck Washington's place to determine the innate rights of U.S. citizens.

Donald Mooney

Murrieta

Law-abiding pay price for lawbreakers

How come the good guy always has to pay the price for the not so good guy? For about the last 10 years I have driven through Lake Elsinore several times a week on personal matters. Every once in a while I am almost awestruck by the beauty of the early-morning sun shining across the lake -- that is, until I see some homeless-looking types using the lake as their own personal toilet.

I see this all the time. It's some of the same people I've seen for years. Why don't the police ever do anything about this? If you are a degenerate bum it's all right to use the lake as a toilet, but if you are a law-abiding property owner wishing to camp on your own private property, the ruling class of Lake Elsinore will now extort $25 from you and limit the time you may enjoy your little piece of the shoreline.

The next time you pay your hard-earned money to use your own land, think about the multitude of bums and illegal immigrants that don't pay anything ever and try not to get to upset.

Michael Augustine

Sun City

Shortage of hospital beds is critical

On Jan. 11, my mother became ill and was ambulanced to Rancho Springs Medical Center. If the new hospital were built at Highway 79 South and Margarita Road, 9.4 miles and 11 minutes would have been saved on her trip to an ER. The ER doctors determined hospital care was required. She was told there were no hospital rooms available at Rancho Springs or Inland Valley.

She and 11 other patients, on gurneys, spent the night in the hallway of the ER. The hallways are narrow, just wide enough to allow another gurney to pass. Hallway patients said it is difficult to rest in the noisy, fully lighted passageway that medical staff and equipment must move up and down all night long.

A privacy screen is temporally erected while the bedridden patients use a bedpan. The medical staff is polite and tries to provide good medical care under conditions that mimic a Third World setting. Hallway patients can wait 16 hours or more before hospital rooms become available.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night each had 10 or more sick and elderly patients stored in the hallways. They must wait for a room to become available anywhere in southern Riverside County. The shortage of hospital rooms happens often enough that 18 spaces are numbered on the hallway walls of Rancho Springs.

After spending 16 hours in the hallway, rooms were located. While lawsuits continue to delay over due construction of a needed hospital, are sick and elderly are stored in hallways!

Stephen Krzywicki

Temecula

Kids need place to play

I'm all for our children and yours to enjoy a new complex, too. Put an entertainment center for them also. The (Golden Triangle) area is perfect for a second Magic Mountain with a huge water slide, also. After all, we do have over 20,000 homes with children inside. We need it for them and other children in this valley and the surrounding communities to be close at hand in their own town. Less mischief and crime also. Think about this, people.

Jan Harris

Murrieta

Don't fight an excellent plan

Tonight (April 24) I attended a public hearing on a request by Eternal Hills Memorial Park to expand its burial site into about one-fourth of its remaining 80-plus acres with the remainder set aside for riparian use. About 100 attended the meeting at the First Presbyterian Church, including Councilwoman Esther Sanchez. She spoke, but said nothing memorable. So did a great many others in the audience, obviously folks who live on or near Fire Mountain Drive. None were for the project, but, apparently, none had even taken the time to glance at the environmental impact report, much less read it. …

I can understand folks being concerned about their property. That is their right, but all this was a misguided effort to stop a high-quality, much-needed expansion of a community asset. Eternal Hills has been an outstanding neighbor all these years. There is no reason to believe it would change. …

Without this expansion, Eternal Hills burial sites will be exhausted in two or three years and there is no other public cemetery within 25 or more miles. If some minor changes need to be made to the plan, make them and get on with it, but don't fight an excellent plan for the sake of some open space that will benefit only a few.

Randall Mitchell

Oceanside

Show us the facts on Chargers

It is interesting that all the go-go-Chargers people only resort to personal attacks on people who want to bring valid points of view and facts about the impact a stadium in Oceanside will bring.

Stadium lovers, show me some facts to support your views. When one truly looks into the impact of stadiums all over the U.S.A. a clearer picture comes into focus of broken NFL promises and silly city councils kissing butt to get a city box and their egos stroked and to get in on the development deals.

Mark Deakins

Oceanside

Creek concern appreciated

Thank you, Miriam Nichols, for speaking out to save a creek (Letters, April 15). Many of us appreciate your concern.

Our creeks are precious natural resources that deserve the best of care and attention by the public, from youthful citizens to the federal government. No matter how the creek is treated by uncaring citizens or the homeless, there are people of all ages willing to keep the areas clean of modern-day trash. If elected officials in any area of the county are neglecting their leadership responsibility to keep the creeks flowing and free of modern-day junk, they should be voted out of office at the first opportunity, or even recalled.

The beautiful green lines running through our arid county are a sight to behold and help bring us closer to God. In addition, the trees growing along our creek areas help to eliminate the pollution from our hundreds of thousands of gas-guzzling vehicles. Thanks again, Miriam Nichols, for your concern. You are appreciated.

Lita Bowles

San Marcos

Where is my tax cut?

Re: Alex Holstein's Community Forum: "Democratic tax hikes will have a political cost," April 14.

Will somebody give Holstein a crying towel! The Democrat increase in the capital gains tax he writes about is not an increase. It is what the cap gains tax was until, to get campaign contributions from the rich, King Geo cut taxes so the rich pay taxes on only 15 percent of the 2006 cap gains of their common stocks, leaving 85 percent of the stock cap gain untaxed. Was that fair?

Nobody cut taxes on my saving interest, on which I pay taxes on 100 percent of the interest I earn, while stock owners get $8.50 tax free, and pay taxes on only $1.50, on every $10 in capital gains in 2006!

Bully for the Democrats and get crying towels for Holstein and, biggest banditos on earth, the Republican Party, a Republican Congress and a Republican president we boot out the door on Jan. 20, 2009! I'm going to celebrate, and then eagle-eye the Democrats, whom I don't trust, to keep them on the straight and narrow.

Keith Manigold

Encinitas

School safety concern

How safe is it to build a shopping center next to an elementary school? Poway's future town center is presented as a development to attract shoppers and diners from outside the immediate area as well as locals. It borders Valley Elementary School on three sides. More traffic and strangers coming into an area where young children travel to and from school. Pedophiles like schools and shopping centers ññ this will be both.

Valley School staff members and parents of students can get a sense of who belongs in the area and who doesn't after a while. But once we attract shoppers and diners from other areas to the immediate vicinity of this school, who will be able to know who belongs and who doesn't? Valley School seems to have been cast aside already as being a poor performer. Low-income housing has been concentrated in the surrounding area, instead of spreading the housing and educational opportunities throughout Poway's other neighborhoods and fine schools.

Now we'll put these kids' safety at risk by adding more traffic and strangers near their school. And the additional affordable housing in this new town center means even more crowding in this school.

Mary Lou St. Lucas

Poway

Rude response to letter

I would like to respond to Bill Schlitz's (Letters, April 21) remarks about Miriam Nichols (Letters, April 15) of Vista.

Miriam Nichols sent her letter into the North County Times expressing what she felt could be done environmentally with Sycamore Creek mobile-home property in Vista. Bill Schlitz's letter in response was rude.

Miriam Nichols has been a member of the Vista Woman's Club since 1973 and a point of light for all of us when it comes to recycling, planting trees, working to save conservancies, endangered species and building green. Building green was expressed to the City Council and Planning Commission by Miriam for their future developments.

Many citizens in the city of Vista have expressed their opinions on what should be done with Sycamore Creek's 13 acres. My hope is the city plans for the 13 acres will include large, winding walkways through the creek area, built strong enough for city park vehicles to drive through, lighted and maintained beautifully.

Mary Lou Clift

Vista

Supermarkets have a chance to do better

Let's hope that the giant supermarket chains have learned something since the strike five years ago. They lost $2 billion (which took them several years to recoup), paid large fines and alienated many of their customers.

I am one of those customers. After raising five kids in this community and spending thousands of dollars at Albertsons, Vons and Ralphs, I have not bought a single item from them since the strike. Part of this is mere self-interest. I want to know that the people who handle my food are receiving regular health care. It's a matter of common sense in an age of epidemics. It's also justice. …

These giant corporations broke the strike only by resorting to unfair and illegal tactics. They cheated customers with an anti-competitive profit-sharing pact and concocted fraudulent identities to illegally rehire workers locked out during the strike.

With grocers' profits soaring, and Wal-Mart in retreat "Grocers' profits up since '03 strike," April 13), maybe the results of the current negotiations will show that these corporations have had a change of heart. Our community needs good neighbors, not parasites draining our money away. And I need my grocery store back.

James Summers

Solana Beach

The Sprinter is NCTD's boondoggle

By October of 1972, the residents of the San Francisco Bay Area were using a public rapid-transit system. Known by its acronym BART, the sleek electric trains are quiet and, because the system uses aerial structures, underground tunnels and a transbay tube, there are no train whistles.

In December of 2007, some 35 years after the introduction of BART, and numerous advances in technology and engineering, the residents of San Diego's North County will have its own public transit system, a diesel train (aka the Sprinter). The train will run every 15 minutes on railroad tracks from Oceanside to Escondido (just four cities). Traffic will be impacted at street crossings and train stations. … Local residents will face increased commuter frustrations, road rage and, of course, let's not forget the train whistle every 15 minutes. As for the quiet zones (no train whistles), when will that happen? Ask your city council, but residents near the Coaster are still waiting for them.

When completed, who will use this expensive, modern mode of transportation? I predict college students and those wishing to escape Escondido's summer heat, but, of course, all North County taxpayers will be forced to subsidize NCTD's boondoggle. Where is Marty McFly? I want to go back to the future.

Steve Conley

Oceanside

Repeal TransNet II

Again, North County gets shortchanged even before the ink on the proposition is dry. TransNet II, aka the SANDAG full employment act of 2006, is more of the same ññ collect the money and promise roads 20 years from now.

SANDAG representatives are now calling for more mass transit. What a load ññ we need roads and we need them now. We should be bonding and building now while money is cheap, and building materials will only get more expensive.

We should start an initiative campaign to repeal TransNet II and pass a version that lasts no more than 10 years that requires accountability by our elected officials. Build general purpose lanes on Highway 78 now, get going on Highway 76 now, not 2010.

Jay Berman

Vista

Save the steelhead

A project to construct Highway 241 toll road could cause degradation to San Mateo Creek and endanger conditions for survival of the southern steelhead. Proponents of the highway claim safeguards would be provided. There is no guarantee long-term protection of San Mateo Creek would be provided.

San Mateo Creek is the southern-most stream in the United States with southern steelhead. Without protection of their environment, southern steelhead could rapidly face extinction from San Mateo Creek.

Bill Wernett

Fallbrook

Healthy children, healthy communities

Healthy Children, the Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act (SR 764, HR 1308) grants states the option to cover lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant women under the State Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid.

In 1996, Congress passed legislation that bars states from using federal funds to serve recently admitted legal immigrants in Medicaid or SCHIP during their first five years in the United States. … It is not only fiscally unwise but also arbitrary and fundamentally unfair to deny health coverage to immigrant children and pregnant women.

Legal resident families contribute to the fabric of their communities. Their members pay taxes that support public health insurance programs, and they serve in the military, defending and dying for our country. Despite immigrants' high rate of employment, almost half of low-income immigrant children are uninsured, a rate three times higher than that of children from native-born families. That is why any serious commitment to covering all kids, to reducing health disparities, or to increasing the enrollment of low-income children and pregnant women in SCHIP and Medicaid must redress the arbitrary exclusion of lawfully residing immigrants from these programs.

Arcela Nunez-Alvarez

San Marcos

Follow the money this campaign

It's time for campaign reform. No other issue is more important to turning the tide of the corporate takeover of America. It takes so much money for politicians to run for office that the only entities rich enough to contribute are corporations. Hence, the politicians owe the corporations in order to get re-elected. …

Why, really, don't we have fuel-efficient automobiles? The technology has been out there for years. Follow the money. Why, really, did we go into Iraq where the terrorists weren't, guard the oil depots first and then pay Halliburton, Blackwater and all those other corporations billions to do what? Follow the money. Why did the banking lobbyist actually write (literally) the new bankruptcy bill? Follow the money. …

Perhaps it's time, or way past time, for we the people to demand equal representation in Washington. Enough of the liberal/conservative bashing because those purporting either belief are not represented by politicians who truly practice those ideals. … It's not about party affiliation, it's about getting control of the government back in the hands of the people, where our representative actually represents our concerns and beliefs and not just give us lip service once every two, four or six years. …

Michael Montgomery

Escondido

People really do help people

Sometimes you answer the phone and, on the other end, is the offer of a gift, no strings attached. That's just how it was last week for Don Kinner, manager at Fallbrook People to People Services (a nonprofit organization providing free employment services for the community).

The person calling was Lori Kelvert, coordinator/teacher for a group of home-schooled students in De Luz. The students had been given a project to do, some volunteer work for their community. … It just so happened that the annual fundraising drive was about to be mailed. Don needed to have 1,500 letters folded, stuffed into envelopes and sealed for the mailing.

On last Friday, seven students came into the office to offer their services. Rosemarie Lintner, volunteer at People to People, supplied the students with home-baked cookies and sodas while they worked. The project was completed in one day. Congratulations go out to the students for completing their project. Our thanks to the students at Iowa Street School. They are Kevin Allenstein, Jason Allenstein, Trevor Kraus, Cameron Kraus, Sam McDaniels, Gabby Olivas and Marek Olivas.

So there really are good phone calls, sometimes. Thanks again to the students. The mailing was delivered to the Fallbrook post office that same day.

Carol Schling

volunteer

Fallbrook People to People Services

Short takes 2.0

Iraq. I've searched, unsuccessfully, for data on the war on terror in Iraq, e.g., cumulative number of terrorists killed or captured, and terrorist cells broken up. If anyone knows a source, please post it.

Afghanistan. Did anyone else see the following quote? "The Afghan army is struggling with old weaponry, low pay and desertions, yet performs better than the troubled Iraqi army and could defend Afghanistan without U.S. and NATO support in 10 years or less, military officials and analysts say" (Associated Press, Feb. 19). Disquieting, to say the least. If that's accurate, we are in for a very long and expensive stay in Iraq as well as Afghanistan.

Reparative therapy. While researching whether homosexuality is reversible, I learned that Charles Socarides, who believed it is, was a leading practitioner of reparative therapy for that purpose. Ironically, he had a gay son, Richard, whom he was unable to "reverse." Richard went on to become a gay-rights activist. (More at NCT Letters archives for April 6: see La La wrote on April 15, 2007, 7:43 p.m.)

Mil-Spec Viagra alert for Pres. Bush: If you should experience an insurrection lasting longer than four years, contact your Congress right away.

John Terrell

Fallbrook

Police shootouts: fantasy vs. reality

Ever see a police shootout on the TV? In a hail of bullets, the bad guy is finally taken down with maybe one, two or three bullets. To a hail of bullets, mind you. The police here go to the range and practice, practice, practice so that, in a hail of bullets, the bad guy will be caught. For this I should feel safe.

Now in Virginia a man goes on a rampage. He kills his peers with a single shot. He aims, he fires and he kills. He bought these weapons of destruction two months ago. With little practice and little training, and without a hail of bullets, this man massacred 32 people. In two months he's better trained than the police officers I see on those videos who, in a hail of bullets, finally get their guy.

Ever hear about those stray bullets? You know the ones I mean, that miss their mark but hit someone anyway? What really gets me is that, after an investigation, the shooting is justified. After all, it's a hail of bullets, don't you know?

Nelson Norgell

Escondido

More gun laws won't stop gun deaths

The recent tragic events at Virginia Tech once again give rise to the gun prohibitionists' cry for more gun control. Twenty thousand gun laws didn't deter this incident; 30,000 won't stop the next. …

Jay Bookman's "Easy Answers Ring Hollow" today insults many Americans. To play off the courageous acts of those who have stepped into harm's way in recent times (an off-duty officer in Salt Lake City, for one), intervening and stopping mass murder with a concealed handgun, as mere fantasy is ludicrous.

Why is it hard to believe that other citizens do not possess the ability or courage to intervene? Cops are people too, no S on their chests. Smith's cartoon is also a demonstration of ignorance. Go to a gun store and try and buy a handgun. It isn't easy. Virginia Tech's no-weapons policy simply made a target-rich environment for a crazed human being with no regard for rules or laws or decency. Only way to deal with his kind is to neutralize him as soon as possible after he starts the shooting spree. To accomplish this, have legally armed, trained students and faculty in their midst.

Stop giving this coward any more media exposure. It only serves to inspire other losers like him to gain attention by trying to beat his benchmark.

Laurence Renner

Oceanside

Fair trade and globalization

Members of Congress are stepping up their confrontation with China over the lack of fair trading on the part of China. They have a great competitive advantage in trading with the U.S., but they still want all of the advantages they can get. …

The U.S. cannot trade competitively with any foreign country that has labor manufacturing cost of less than $2 per hour when the living wage for manufacturing labor in this country is over $20 per hour. Manufacturing jobs in the U.S. have depleted drastically, and wages for the remaining workers have decreased considerably. If the present trading system continues, the U.S. will have to either give up all manufacturing, or reduce wages to less than $2 per hour to be competitive.

We have already lost part of our manufacturing base, which we dearly need to retain military security in the face of China's growing military buildup. Purchasing lower foreign-labor-produced products does not result in increased purchasing power for Americans as is touted by big business and most politicians. … The only hope of providing U.S. workers a fair living wage is to produce and sell products and services in this country as we have successfully done in past years.

Herbert Pairitz

Carlsbad

Harry 'Tokyo Rose' Reid

Our majority leader has just said that "the war is lost"! With that statement he has now placed himself in the same category as Tokyo Rose, who disheartened our troops with World War II enemy propaganda by saying that "you can't win the war because it is already lost." She was the mouthpiece of a foreign enemy.

So what is the difference between what Harry Reid does and what Tokyo Rose did? I don't see any difference ññ he sounds like the mouthpiece of a foreign enemy!

Thomas Rees

Carlsbad

Memory loss is good for business

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said: "The moment I believe I can no longer be effective, I will resign as attorney general." ("Gonzales finds senators skeptical at make-or-break hearing, Republicans as well as Democrats," April 20).

Fortunately, he can't recall the last time he was effective. Sorry, senators. Who wants an attorney general who loses memory like small change? Alberto needs to take ginkgo biloba. He is an embarrassment to our country. He and the president make lying a virtue and selective memory loss a morality play. And these two are the poster children for the religious base of voters. They mock religious values and their base loves it.

So, here's the lesson: Any appointee who works at the pleasure of the president knows that the one who calls himself the decider also decides what his appointees will or will not remember. Alberto wants to frame what and how the American people should think of him. On TV, he appears like a child who knows he doesn't tell the truth but wants you to believe him because he has a smooth, unreal doll face. The president and Alberto have a place in heaven, if they can recall what it takes to get there.

Greg Ballerino

Fallbrook

Sensible power is possible

In response to "Rates rising faster than supplies," April 14: Conservation and improving efficiency are the quickest, cheapest and cleanest actions we can take to make America more energy independent. It is important, however, that ratepayers feel that their actions toward conservation will actually have an impact on the price they pay for energy.

Those of us who are using less have seen our energy rates increase to more than make up the difference. Smart meters are a step in the right direction, but since encouraging conservation doesn't increase SDG&E's bottom line that much, they will focus on other schemes that will.

Building a $1.3 billion, ratepayer-financed transmission line is one such scheme. Make no mistake, the Sunrise Powerlink is neither cheap nor efficient, and it discourages conservation and energy independence by increasing our dependence upon imported power. …

Conservation and energy efficiency are not the only better options available to us. Others include maximizing distributed generation and local renewables like rooftop solar, as well as implementing smart grid technology. We can do much more to take charge of our own energy future here in San Diego.

Laura Copic

member, Communities United for Sensible Power

Carmel Valley

The United States v. George W. Bush

The recent firing of eight U.S. attorneys has evolved into an avoidable controversy and potential debate in the U.S. Supreme Court. While Alberto Gonzales claimed the terminations culminated from "inadequate performance," independent research exposed the incredulity of his assertions. Personnel evaluations revealed that seven of eight prosecutors received favorable reviews, four were ranked in the top one-third of their peer group, one sustained negative ratings, but four investigated Republicans for alleged corruption. Someone is failing to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

U.S. attorneys are political appointees; they serve at the pleasure of presidents and can be legally terminated without remedy. If Bush had been candid, though, this paradox would be moot. But now, it is likely to produce a landmark case: The U.S. v. Bush. …

Bush enjoys confidential executive deliberation, but his guarantee is not absolute. Bush must prove specific application of constitutional principle, but if Democrats demonstrate a compelling governmental interest, then America will be tragically subjected to a nightmarish rendition of the U.S. v. Nixon, and he lost!

John Tucke

Vista

Can Baghdad be secured? Not really!

While the U.S. military is trying to fulfill our glorious leader's political stunt to secure the city of Baghdad from succumbing to the civil war in the rest of the surrounding country of Iraq with only 25,000 or more U.S. troops … the rest of Iraq is in total civil war, which is being ignored by most U.S. news organizations (these news organizations have also received their marching orders from their corporations that support the Bush regime in Washington, D.C.: Do not report outside of Baghdad …).

In the last few weeks we saw Sen. John McCain tell the world news organizations that "I just walked through one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Baghdad with no problem!" He did not mention the fact that a full company of U.S. troops and helicopters were surrounding him on the ground and in the air, and that he was in helmet and protective gear at all times. …

Then, just last week, the Green Zone of protection in the city of Baghdad had a bomber blow up the Iraqi parliament cafeteria. … This whole last-ditch charade of troop surge by the Bush regime reminds me of the Fuhrer's last orders to his troops in Berlin at the end of WWII: "Defend to the death Berlin and your leader!"

Gary Myers

Oceanside

Importing incompetence to San Diego?

First there was Michael Brown ("Heck of a job, Brownie!"). Now there is Michael Vu, forced out as top election official in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland, Ohio) in the nation's top voting scandal and registrar malfeasance in 2004. After two felony convictions, and the removal of Vu's entire elections board by the Ohio secretary of state on grounds of malfeasance generally, San Diego County has now hired Michael Vu as assistant registrar of voters: ("San Diego County hires Vu as assistant registrar," April 12).

In the Ohio convictions, Cuyahoga County officials spent two entire days rigging the presidential recount. All four members of the Cuyahoga Board of Elections were forced to resign by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who issued a stinging five-point complaint. Vu denies knowledge, saying they "followed longtime procedures and did nothing wrong."

San Diego Registrar Michael Haas, easily one of the nation's worst and most irresponsible election administrators, has hired the incompetent 30-year-old Vu for $130,000 a year to do one "hell of a job" to screw up SD voting like he did in Ohio. We voters will not tolerate SD County to become the next Cuyahoga County.

J. Howard Crews

Fallbrook

Stop the baloney

William Ficere feels I attacked his time spent in the Marine Corps (Letters, April 20). All I said was Jack Murtha was a real career Marine and not a know-it-all lifer. If there was no truth to my remarks, then there would be no need to be offended.

As a former Marine, I do think I understand the difference between a career Marine and a lifer. A career Marine defends our freedoms. A lifer attacks those who use these freedoms by disagreeing with him. The lifers are the reason I didn't make a career of the Corps.

Bill, again I ask you to tell me the last time you or this administration got anything right. If you can't answer, then please stop the baloney.

Thomas Cowan Jr.

Escondido

No pictures of Miss Fallbrook

I attended the Miss Fallbrook pageant put on by the Soroptimists at the Bob Burton Performing Arts Center at the Fallbrook High School. For the girls competing for the title of Miss Fallbrook, this is a one-time event in their lifetime, but the Soroptimists and other organizations don't allow flash photography. The excuse given is that it is distracting to the girls.

However, at my urging the girls told the leaders that it didn't bother them and they were curtly told "no flash photography." The parents have put a lot of money and time in the enterprise, and it is a shame that they will not have great pictures to commemorate it. …

This year the queen stood by her trophy for about two seconds and then turned her head as the audience was thanked. Then all the girls hurriedly picked up their stuff and went to the back of the stage as the curtain was hurriedly dropped behind them. There would be no pictures by the audience of the queen and her court.

It is time for these organizations to have more consideration for the parents and public and quit making up these self-serving rules. I have a number of pretty good pictures and, if anybody is interested, they can give their phone number to the North County Times Letters editor.

Chris Pulse

Vista

Who are the real heroes?

In a recent article ("After Tillman's death, Army clamped down on information," April 21), it is clear what it means to be a real hero. Pat Tillman and Jessica Lynch both served their nation with honor and courage. Tillman signed up after 9/11, believing he and others would be focused on fighting al-Qaida. Lynch was unwittingly placed in the spotlight while the administration and the complicit media twisted the truth of her story into a lie to suit their purposes. Let's remember: It was al-Qaida, harbored by the Taliban in Afghanistan, who attacked us. It was not Iraq. No twisting of the facts or outright lying will ever change that.

No attempt by the president to align himself with the courageous service of others will ever make right what he has asked of our military. Cowards who used their connections to avoid service ññ Bush and Cheney ññ sent our brave troops to fight a war in Iraq. They are willing to send our children to kill and be killed in a nation that never attacked us. They have killed upward of half a million Iraqis through their direct military action and through the chaos that has ensued.

It's time we begin to repair the tremendous harm we have done to our own and to the Iraqis. It is time to bring our troops home.

Rachel Rott

Vista

Web comments

Foley friend found guilty of assault

Readers respond to our April 27 story about a jury on finding Lisa Maree Gaut of San Diego guilty of assault with a deadly weapon for driving former San Diego Charger linebacker Steve Foley's car at Aaron Mansker, an off-duty police officer in Poway.

Justice

Finally a good judgement!: "She deserves to go to prison! Driving Drunk! Anyone who supports this must think driving drunk is OK! She was breaking the law! Also, she has got an arrest record anyway! This is business as usual for this lady! Drunk and violent!"

No show, no badge

Chief: "Take Mansker's badge since he didn't want to show it anyway. He is just another insecure fool that gets to carry a gun."

Not gullible

Peter: "So if someone walks up with a gun and says he's a cop you have to believe them? If someone pulls a gun on me and doesn't prove they are a cop right away, I'm running them over/Self defense! Way too many people out their impersonating cops for what this cop did to be okay. I don't think she did anything wrong. … Foley was stupid for confronting him …"

Disappearing act

Where's Waldo: "Foley, Foley, Foley, Foley! Where's Foley? How come Foley never testified to help her defense?"

Just crazy

Sad: "Foley is the only one who should be going to trial for DUI and nothing else. Gaut did nothing wrong. When you have some guy claiming to be a cop - not proving it - drunk or sober, you have to do something to protect yourself and others. If this was some crazed fan, would she still have gotten charged? I doubt it, but since it was a crazed cop, she got busted."

Fits the bill

Floyd: "The dictionary defines 'hero' as a person who shows great courage. That would be an unarmed Foley attempting to deal with a stalker and an unarmed Gaut attempting to prevent Foley's death when Mansker started shooting. Yes, hero is the right word for both Foley and Gaut."

Tri-City board asks Sterling to refrain from financial comments

Readers respond to our April 27 story about Tri-City board members asking board member Kathleen Sterling to stop making comments about financial mismanagement at the hospital that she can not, or will not, prove.

No bad PR

Paul: "The board of directors is giving Sterling exactly what she wants. She thrives in the limelight. She believes that any publicity is good. A board can't stop a member from voicing her opinion. That is the essence of Constitutionally-guaranteed free speech."

Picking on her

Scapegoat: "We can see it now - Sterling is the scapegoat for the ineptness of administration."

Clean sweep

Ted: "Lets see, how did Sterling come to be in her position …twice now? Because you voted for her! Now you can reap what you sow, as the saying goes. Next time around, you need to vote off the entire dysfunctional board and start over with some people who can represent the citizens of the district in a rational and intelligent manner. But, as I suspect, the next election will result in a board populated by unqualified, egotistical members who have their own agenda to push. "

Time to go

Board Critic: "Elected boards are representative of the public which they serve. Common sense is not a value that can be weighed prior to election. Compare Director Jack on the Rainbow Municipal Water District to Director Kathleen and you will find an exact match. They engage their mouths before activating their brains.The only option the public has for these misfits is to issue a recall. The sooner the better."

Don't get it

Raise for Gonzales?: "Revenue is down and they are considering a raise for this guy? Gimme a break!"

Let it shine

Viva: "I like the fact the board wants to quiet Sterling down. Too much light is shining on the hospital. That is probably why they pulled the raise … for now."

Forum: Forgive, forget and forgo censorship

Readers respond to an April 27 commentary by Dave Van Hoomissen, chairman of the Committee for Peace & Justice at St. Timothy's Catholic Church of Escondido, which discusses how the recent sexual abuse cases tied to the Catholic Church were handled and how the Church can move on.

What is due

Dave: "The Bible clearly teaches that restitution goes hand-in-glove with forgiveness. $95 million is inadequate; $200 million is adequate. Unless the bishop authorizes appropriate restitution, there will be no Biblical basis for forgiveness."

All created equal

A man: "Good article, great thoughts, and hopefully a great healing in the future! The Church has too long placed themselves above us. That is just a symptom of the times. Our government does it each and everyday as do many of our charitable organizations. Thank you, sir, I hope your efforts make a huge difference!"

Not enough

Patriot: "Forgiveness might be possible at some later stage - much later. But before we shower Bishop Brom with accolades of which he currently is undeserving, we must hold him - and the corporate entity to which he apparently pledges his allegiance - to task. Moreover, not only is $95 million inadequate, it is an insult; $200 million is also inadequate as is ANY amount of monetary compensation because some damages cannot be quantified, but at least it is in line with the average settlement amounts elsewhere in the state."