Not all on far left find Letterman funny

Dick Cummings (Letters, June 19) criticizes "far-left liberals" for David Letterman's crude remarks about Gov. Sarah Palin and her family. I am far left politically and found Letterman's remarks unfunny and unacceptable; I am sure that essentially everybody on the so-called far left agrees with me.

But you must recall that criticism of Ms. Palin as the Republican vice presidential candidate in 2008 came from Republicans as well as Democrats. Also, Letterman's gutter humor reminds me of Rush Limbaugh, 15-16 years ago, flashing a photo of Chelsea Clinton on the screen of his television show and saying that there was not only a cat (Socks) in the White House, but also a dog.

Harold Weber

Oceanside

Thank God we had men of courage

This is in regard to Peggy Hart's letter of May 28: The many embassies of ours were bombed, the plane in Lockerbie, Scotland, was brought down, the Cole was attacked, and the first bombing of the Trade Center, all under Clinton's watch. He was twice offered bin Laden and refused him. And you blame Vice President Dick Cheney and President George W. Bush? How arrogant.

It was these two, after all intelligence agencies said Saddam had weapons of mass destruction, who everyone in Congress, including Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Charles Schumer, agreed to go to war with Iraq. Thank God we had men of courage to face the task ahead. Just what would you have done?

Waterboarding never killed anyone. Our own military got waterboarded. …

You know nothing about what went on. You weren't there. Our leaders aborted many attacks on this country and I don't care how they got the information. One of the terrorists bragged of beheading one of ours.

As Rush Limbaugh says, ignorance is our greatest commodity.

Bettie Heldring

Escondido

Poor air news is old hat

Recent exposure of poor air quality with cancerous pollutants in several metropolitan areas is an old hat with a new twist. In 1973, the Atlanta Centers for Disease Control provided me with pollution data near freeways. The CDC data showed that people living within 1,500 feet of a freeway had more incidences of neurological, cardiological and lung diseases than people living at a greater distance from freeways. This has been ignored by public planning and dense residential zoning near freeways.

I had occasion to receive the data when I was active in stopping an elevated freeway through Escondido planned for Highway 78. At that time, I was a 40-plus-year-old engineer and lawyer graduate looking for a social hobby, and stopping the elevated 78 was a good cause to pursue.

At that time, planning groups and county-city officers ignored such data in planning residential home locations. I recall the hospital trustees laughing when I presented CDC information to them in a trustees meeting during public comment period. Also, an elevated freeway through town had a tremendous noise pollution impact for residences.

Ervin Sommer

Escondido

Tough love â€"â€" government style!

When we were young teenagers and got into serious trouble, our parents would place us on restriction for a week or two. No television, no car, no dating. This was to remind us that we weren't completely free to do any and everything we wanted to do. If we didn't obey the rules, then we lost some privileges. Today, as parents ourselves, we must do the same thing to keep our own kids in line. It's referred to as "tough love."

The country is in bad financial shape today. Lots of blame to go around, but the main cause seems to be a minimum of government regulation. Not enough rules to keep everybody honest. People freely took advantage of the system, took risks (since everybody was doing it) and the system collapsed. If we don't obey the rules or we try to circumvent them, bad things can happen.

To solve the problem, our various governments are beefing up their rules and regulations and cutting back on many services. A lot of things we had, we can't have.

Now we complain about too much government. That happens when we don't regulate ourselves. We lose some of our privileges.ˇWe are getting a dose of "tough love."

Bill Norris

Rancho Bernardo

Cosmic flush: The bigger picture

A cosmic flush of epic proportions appears to be on the horizon. The ferocious forces of avarice, arrogance and ignorance are eviscerating and destroying our ecosystems, societies and nations at alarming rates. Blinded by, and drunk with, hallucinogenic cocktails of power and control, damaged world leaders, not understanding the interconnected, interdependent and interrelated nature of all things, are rapidly hastening this titanic downfall.

The ominous truth is our natural, emotional and spiritual worlds are being rapidly corrupted and destroyed by the viral pandemic of secularism, sectarian strife and rabid political divisiveness, for the benefit of the few at the expense of the many. Let's call it global suicide: a worldwide psychic depression/void, whereby the communal mirage of society â€"â€" induced and impelled by apathy, complacency, narcissism and depravity, fueled by an insidious and manipulative mass media dedicated to spreading obscenity, perversion, violence and gross lies, in place of honor and common sense, coupled with an endless array of all types of distractions â€"â€" is causing the colossal collapse of many systems.

It's the horrible chutzpah of the heartless political harlots, who turn tricks for pennies on the dollar to corporate masters, who are exponentially hastening the demise of this world.

Gary Walker

Escondido

Public option crucial for health care reform

The United States has ranked as low as 37th among nations for its quality of health care. We spend almost twice as much, per capita, as the nation ranked first, France. Why do we pay so much more and get so much less? The answer can be summed up in three words: health insurance companies.

We spend more than 300 percent more, per capita, on health administration than our neighbor, Canada. Writers to this paper decry the length of time Canadians wait for health procedures. Yet in Canada, the average wait time is a little more than four weeks for elective surgery, three weeks for diagnostic tests, and no time for emergency surgeries â€"â€" comparable to wait times for insured Americans.

Any Canadian horror stories are matched and trumped in spades by stories from Americans who are un-insured, under-insured, and even the insured who were covered for many healthy years, then "dis-insured" by their insurers after they developed serious medical conditions. You can read some of these stories at http://healthcare.barackobama.com/stories.

Horrifying as it may be to the Fox News crowd, we need to emulate France, and have a public health insurance option that is supplemented by private health insurance policies.

Margaret Liles

Escondido

U.S. health care is not superior

A number of letters printed Saturday, June 26, allege American health care is superior to those "socialized" systems in Europe and Canada. That assertion is manifestly untrue. The only category we lead is in spending the most money.

In every relevant category â€"â€" life expectancy, infant mortality, preventable premature birth, number of uninsured, etc., â€"â€" we do much worse than the "socialist" systems. So what do those defenders of our current system mean when they say we have the best health care in the world?

Jack Davis

Carlsbad

Never re-elect anyone

Look around you, folks. Look at the mess. Our government has failed us miserably in every respect, yet the same fat-cat politicians keep getting re-elected time after time, all the while filling their own pockets, while good, hard-working people lose their jobs, their houses, and their self-respect.

It's at all levels â€"â€" federal, state, county (especially) and city. Anyone who votes for an incumbent is stupid, stupid, stupid! Never re-elect anyone â€"â€" NRA!

Mike Malone

Escondido

Governor 'David'?

While asking for leniency in the case of his infidelities, lies and future governance, Gov. Mark Sanford compares himself to the Biblical David. This is not just a stretch, folks, it is a bungee jump at the county fair.

Add another attraction to the sideshow of politicians who first beg for votes, then beg forgiveness. Pass the cotton candy and corn dogs!

Barbara Miller

Carlsbad

Sick media pander to stupidity of public

Has everyone enjoyed the news on broadcast media in the last three days? With all of the problems in the world â€"â€" the Middle East, Africa, Korea, economic problems â€"â€"- the media has chosen to spend all of its reporting time on the death of a freak, apparently from overuse of drugs.

Michael Jackson was a celebrity only because he was a freak. His talents were few, the range of his voice was limited, the timbre and control were poor. He did have good rhythm, as demonstrated by loose-jointed, poorly choreographed sets played over and over again by the spectacle-seeking media.

The media are sick; a bunch of whores, pandering to the gullibility and stupidity of the public.

Doug Hunter

Vista

Appreciation for hospice care

I would like to acknowledge some of the people who helped me with caring for my husband, Sgt. Maj. F.M. Mike Vaughn, during April and May of this year after he suffered congestive heart failure.

The Odyssey Hospice in San Diego was outstanding in each visit and service provided. The Rev. Maureen Gates, nurse Julie Cox, Janet Pomeroy, Mary, nurse's aide, Horizon Oxygen Service, and medical prescription service: All who contributed to helping Mike live with dignity to the last day of his life. The family extends our heartfelt appreciation and thanks to each person involved.

Arlene Vaughn

Oceanside

Airport expansion would add to woes

Re: "Airport to celebrate 50 years of landings, takeoffs," June 22: Having failed in its efforts to achieve a site for a new international airport, the San Diego Regional Airport Authority has turned its attention to expanding regional airfields, including McClellan-Palomar.

It's a sad day when Airports Director Peter Drinkwater, accountable to taxpayers, says Palomar is "an underutilized resource," code for expansion.

Ironically, the biplane operation cited was a nuisance to the community and subject of numerous complaints. The operator frequently disregarded "alpha departure," flying loud and slow instead of southwest across the Voluntary Noise Abatement zone. It came as a relief when the operation was moved.

Hundreds of noise complaints are reported each month by Airport Community Relations. Extensively documented in the public record, it is clear the abatement plan does not work …

Overselling benefits with a jobs and prosperity speech is easy. Balancing cost-benefit is what it will take to meet the interests of community, pilots, and business.

Arguments that the airport was here first are no rationale for expansion. Such plans must include mandatory flight path and hours restrictions.

Absent these measures, expansion will face determined opposition, and compromise will once again elude the airport authority.

Steven DeLaney

Carlsbad

Clear river bed before El Nino hits

A few days back, the North County Times ran a story about the possiblity of Southern California having a wet El Nino season heading our way, and said story gave us hope for some extra rain for our dire needs ("El Nino could signal drought's end," June 25). But nowhere in the article did I find mention of how important it is for the San Luis Rey River bed to be cleared of all brush before El Nino arrives.

Some clearance has taken place, but for the most part, the brush remains and the threat of flooding is possible if El Nino dumps 30 inches in the areas near the river. I think it's time for the proper authorities to get rolling on removal, and I ask you, our voice, to put on the pressure, because the brush removal must be completed before El Nino strikes.

Lou Jordan

Oceanside

Police must watch for speeders on Melrose

I have been using Melrose Drive between Highway 78 and Palomar Airport Road for the past two months. It is a speedway that has got to be a risk for all those drivers who obey the law and drive at the posted speed.

It is just a matter of time before an accident occurs and leaves the good drivers with the possibility of death or bodily harm.

I ask the police and sheriff's departments of Oceanside, Vista and Carlsbad to please monitor Melrose Drive and ticket some of the offenders before a traumatic and deadly accident occurs.

Thanks for your help in preventing this from happening. If we can save one life it will be worth the time and effort you will provide.

Patricia Egan

Oceanside