Find a more environmentally friendly solution

I must point out to Gov. Schwarzeneggar that reports on the environmental impact of the Sunrise Powerlink across the Anza Borrego Desert state that this plan would increase greenhouse gases and that there are more environmentally friendly ways to get the job done.

Please reconsider the wisdom of this project. We need to do everything we can to reduce greenhouse gases now. I'm certain SDG&E has the expertise and money to come up with a more environmentally friendly solution.

Trish Green

Carmel Mountain Ranch

Restore benefits to Tricare

The allowable fee for the military insurance, Tricare, has decreased once again. This 13 percent reduction in allowable fees, over the past 11 months, comes on top of a 10 percent reduction during the prior two years. A 23 percent reduction in allowable fees places military families and retirees in serious jeopardy of potentially being unable to find a provider who will accept Tricare.

Since Tricare now only allows 34 percent of my billed fee, I soon will find myself running in the red and actually losing money for every Tricare patient I see. …

Along with many other psychotherapists, I am distressed to see Congress giving lip-service to helping military families and retirees while destroying the Tricare program, which was created to assist them. I am asking Congressman Bilbray and anyone else who cares about military veterans and families to halt further reductions in the Tricare program.

As a Vietnam veteran, my heart will always be there for these wonderful people. However, some medical providers may not be able to sustain further reductions and may need to completely eliminate services to Tricare beneficiaries.

Donald Bentley

licensed psychotherapist

Oceanside

We don't want the Sunrise ProfitStink!

Doesn't Gov. Schwarzenegger understand the Sunrise ProfitStink isn't necessary and it is only a means for SDG&E (Sempra) to profit at the expense of the rest of us? Doesn't he realize that SDG&E is being investigated for their power lines possibly starting many of the wildfires that ravaged Southern California in October? How could he possibly be in support? Power generated locally kept our region's lights on during recent wildfires when transmission lines had to be shut down or were sputtering out. Not only is it risky to put all of our energy eggs in one basket by investing in archaic transmission line technology, it is difficult to fight fires under transmission lines, and power lines [have been] known to start fires.

San Diego's backcountry cannot afford another fire risk. Independent expert analysis has shown over and over that this line is not needed, because we have smarter alternatives. California taxpayers should not be forced to shell out $7 billion to line the pockets of Sempra Energy executives and shareholders.

Todd Saier

Carmel Valley

Ferraro's grammar wrong

If Geraldine Ferraro were so brilliant, she should know that one should use a personal pronoun before a gerund, such as, "If Obama were (not was) a white man, he would not be in this position." I don't agree with her conclusion, either!

Jean Peterson

Oceanside

Is America to blame for border dispute?

I was outraged to read Dolores Welty's letter titled "Unrest in South America," March 12. The real question you should be asking yourself is why is Venezuela masking troops on its border with Colombia? Last time I looked at a map, I found Colombia borders Ecuador, but Ecuador doesn't border Venezuela, that's strange.

The real aggressor here isn't America but Hugo Chavez, who is a dictator with his Marxist left trying to take advantage of a tense situation between Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) and Ecuador.

I haven't read anything lately about American troops masking along the Venezuela border, has she? So I guess the real question that Welty needs to ask herself is who does she support? Is it Venezuela's expansion and influence in that region or is it American influence in that region? I know who I support, and I believe our readers know who she supports!

John Carpenter

Oceanside

Another liberal writer joins the ranks

Welcome aboard, Jim Wickstrom (Letters, March 6). Wickstrom has joined a sizable group of lefties, especially the organized North County Forum. This group of lefties are quite prolific in their submissions while hoping for an award at the annual ceremony hosted by the head honcho, Dick Eiden. Personally, I have wanted to win for the most detested right-wing letter writer but, alas, so far no success.

As for Wickstrom's letter: How does a right-wing radio host make a hard right turn? And what is wrong with Michael Savage using Sen. Obama's full name? His name is Barack Hussein Obama, isn't it? He says right-wing radio listeners are declining; who said so? It's more like declining listeners of the left-wing TV alphabet channels (Al Franken comes to mind).

I'm not a John McCain fan, mainly because he collaborates with the enemy (Kennedy, Feingold, Lieberman, Hillary). I don't believe, as does John McCain, that these four above-named are honorable. I despise any and all who pursue anti-American values. Those who push ruinous socialist policies and open borders! God bless America.

Junious

Montgomery

Carlsbad

Bush throwing our money to the wind

In the 1930s, Parker Brothers produced the game of Monopoly. An integral part of the game is Monopoly money. This money soon became a political joke, referring to U.S. taxpayer dollars freely given away by politicians, which brings me to President Bush.

Our president recently returned from a trip to Africa. There, he pledged free U.S. taxpayer money of $350 million to Ghana, $100 million to Rwanda, $700 million to Tanzania, $6 million to Benin and $1 million in textbooks and 10,000 desks to Liberia. Previous recent giveaways by Bush include $67 million to clean up oil spills in Lebanon caused by Israeli warplanes bombing oil tanks, $2.2 billion to Israel to fund Israeli troops exiting Gaza, $10.6 billion to Afghanistan and $1.4 billion to Sudan. Let's not forget his pledge to rebuild all mosques destroyed or damaged in Iraq for an undetermined amount of dollars.

Today, Social Security is nearly broke, a $750 million shortfall for veterans' health care Bush wants to cut or kill, along with 141 programs that benefit citizens, including $170 million for food for the elderly poor. The Monopoly money Bush is throwing to the wind is U.S. taxpayer money, which is desperately needed here at home.

Leon Smith

Oceanside

The truth about airline cell phone ban

To elaborate on my previous letter, Dwain Deets (Letters, Feb. 17) says cell phones won't work on planes. This is false, as a typical airline cruising altitude's at the outside range of cell phones (see http://www.slate.com/id/1008297). In addition, the FAA didn't ban cell phones on planes; the FCC did, and its concern was that they might interfere with cell phone signals on the ground (refer to http://www.progressiveu.org/node/25378/print). Why would the FCC worry about cell phone usage on planes interfering with ground-based cell phone signals if it's impossible to use a cell phone on a plane?

Furthermore, Deets - and David Ray Griffin - cite the FBI, which, last time I checked, was an official source - one of the same official sources that 9/11 questioners insist is lying. This is an example of a typical, and rather dishonest, tactic 9/11 questioners use called "quote mining," where they (the 9/11 questioners) cherry-pick from the official sources they say are lying and either take a quote out of context or deliberately omit parts of a quote. In short, Dwain Deets' Feb 17 letter is, shall we say, bovine droppings.

Victor Chabala

Oceanside

Web Comments

Sprinter ridership shows slight increase Readers respond to our March 15 story about how weekday ridership aboard the new Sprinter rail line between Escondido and Oceanside is running below the projected daily average but showed an increase in the two days riders were counted.

Business will decrease

Slight increase: [It's] because of the novelty. Once the novelty wears off then it will mostly be back to those who were riding the buses previously. My predicition is the ridership will decrease and the hours of operation will be adjusted. It can't send a few folks to Escondido or Oceanside mid-morning and afternoon. It would not be cost effective.

It shows promise

Herb:: The poor Sprinter. If done properly it would have been a boon to the county from the start, but alas, SANDAG's involvement has assured over-runs in cost and under-runs in revenue. Perhaps sometime in the future things will balance out and the "Poor Little Train That Could Be" will become a benefit after all.

Vandalism already

Main Problem: The main problem with public transportation is that it must appeal to the lowest common denominator. I have ridden it three times, and intend to ride it fairly often. As I was getting off in Escondido and waiting for the door to open, I noticed someone had already did their thang by etching the windows. Sad.

Other options

Dane: It would have been cheaper to just hire limos to take the students to school.

Feller drops out of Oceanside mayoral campaign

Readers respond to our March 15 story about Councilman Jack Feller announcing he has abandoned his mayoral campaign and will work instead to retain his Oceanside City Council seat in November.

Out of touch

Yipee!: Jack finally figured out he could never win the Mayor's spot. Guess all those expensive polls he paid for finally hit him over the head and said he'd lose. Running for council seat isn't a sure thing anymore either, Jack. You have turned against the communities that you are sworn to represent and they are angry! Vote for the concrete plant are you are going lose.

Keep it up

Oceanside's my home: Jack has been the anchor for our council ever since he was first elected. It's his kind of leadership that this city could use more of. Keep up the great work Jack!

Room for more

Treadway: Now the way is clear for Kern to run. He is smarter than Wood and Feller put together! Run, Jerry, run!

Work together

Old Timer: I am glad that Mr. Feller decided to work with the Mayor instead of against him all the time. Mayor Wood has been a good mayor and has really become very adept at getting things done. I hope Mr. Chavez, Mr. Kern and Ms. Sanchez will see that working together is better for the city.

La Costa gang member gets probation

Readers respond to our March 15 story about man who prosecutors said was second in command of a La Costa gang that planned to kill a pair of Carlsbad bookies and a wayward member of their own group was sentenced Friday to five years probation.

Gangs win

Lawman what?: So this gang member basically got a slap on the wrist for attempted kidnapping? This is embarrassing! [This] sets a great example to any gangbanger who wants to kidnap someone and gets no prison time! Expect more gang activity in your area!

Bad message

Bob S.: Probation for attempted kidnapping and "2nd in command" in a street gang? The system fails the people once again! What's the message sent here? Ok, I get it. Get in trouble with the law then get a "real" job and start a family. Sounds like that is what saved this gang member from prison! Ridiculous. I will be writing my Congressman. That I promise.

Crime does pay

I would say crime pays in North County: Maybe we should all join a gang and go on a crime spree it seems to pay so well!!! You wonderful lawmen/women in the police gang task force of North County need to just stop what your doing and rethink your profession it would seem that all of your hard work is being destroyed by the people you hand the cases over to and in the end you get screwed! Unbelievable!

Light sentence

Bill: Probation teaches that you can get away with crime!