Voice thoughts on vineyard lands on Tuesday
On Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., the first major development under the new Wine Country zoning regulations will be coming before the supervisors. This development is on approximately 1,100 acres, about half of which was the former Bell Ranch vineyards once owned by Callaway. It will consist of 237 homes, 470 acres of habitat land, land for a fire station and over 200 acres of new vineyards.
This project follows the 2006 revisions to zoning that allowed developers to get one house per 5 acres as long as they planted half the land in permanent vineyards to be maintained in perpetuity. However, the meaning of permanent and in perpetuity seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle.
Because the land on which the required vineyards are planted remains in private ownership and can be bought and sold, we are concerned that a future owner would go to the supervisors and request to develop the land or use it for other purposes. In such an event, we would find ourselves fighting to save the vineyards all over again.
The only way to make sure that this doesn't happen is to place a permanent deed restriction on the property in the form of a conservation easement, the only kind of deed restriction that couldn't be undone by the county.
If you believe that preservation of vineyard lands is of utmost importance to our future, we urge you to come to the hearing.
Phil Baily, president, Temecula Agricultural Conservancy
Ray Falkner, president, Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association
Gangs should not even be allowed to exist
I expect our government to protect us from terrorists. We pay taxes to support our armed forces and police forces to ensure this protection.
What I don't understand is why our country allows gangs to exist at all. Gangs are terrorist organizations, bent on breaking the laws and do no good for humanity. They are a blight on mankind and need to be eradicated. Their reasons for existence vary, but the reality is that they serve no positive purpose and our country would be a much better place without them.
I propose that the government grant a 30-day amnesty for any gang and its members and that after that 30-day period, anyone caught involved in any gang activity should be treated as a terrorist. If we need to build more prisons, then we should do it. An appropriate sentence would be 50 years, regardless of their age. Incarceration means society is being protected. I am more than willing to bear the cost of this expense to protect society from these predators.
We need to write our legislators to enact our needs. Do it now.
Douglas Peake
Murrieta
Parents need to be involved in kids' lives
About 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, my car was vandalized in the driveway. I can't say for sure it was high school age kids who did it, but because the car was kicked several times and the side mirror was broken off it appears to be a random -- although expensive -- high school prank. It was unprovoked, as far as I know. This incident brings up a good question though, since all kids in Temecula are out on spring break right now. Do you really know what your kids are up to?
Juvenile crimes are very much on the rise nowadays and kids can so easily make bad decisions that will affect the rest of their young lives. It's a shame to think that some parents don't stay in touch with their kids as much as they should, but it's a fact. I'm not saying you need to spy on them all the time, but if you have noticed changes in their behavior or if they are out late at night with friends that you don't approve of or know, it may be time to do your parental duties. If they live under your roof and they are under 18, they are your responsibility. Every wrong decision they make can come back on you and that does give you the right to find out what they are up to.
Yes even the best little Johnny/Jane is capable of bad decisions. Exercise your right as a parent. Your kids will thank you later.
Jerry Hess
Temecula
With right approach, grief can be brief
I'm writing in response to the March 21 article "Nearly four years later, a mother still grieves."
After my mom's death, grief was overwhelming to me. I was grateful to meet a man who practiced making grief become brief.
He was a special man, in addition to being a Christian, he took action in this way. He created the feeling of being safe. He helped change the ruminating conversations to be free of anger and fear. He allowed the last feelings that caused the hurt to be known. He was a giant, so gentle in his words, and in the tone. He soothed the anguished feelings that took me into sleep.
Thankfully, he accomplished this work in less than 30 days.
It's too bad that others would look at grief as we used to look at other ailments such as the influenza pandemic of the early 1900s. This change to look at grief as a list of actionable and positive outcomes that may be addressed in 30 days is outside the normal position of "letting grief run its course." That philosophy isn't acceptable any longer.
I would like to share this with any organization that has the ability and interest in helping grief to become brief. For any individual, the transition to again wake from dreams with joy is available. This kind man taught this in the most wonderful way.
I demonstrate and share. It's time we can see grief becoming brief.
Paul Rieker
Temecula
Violation of First Amendment rights?
At the March 21 Oceanside City Council meeting, a distraught citizen recounted an experience she had trying to attend a March 16 community meeting about gangs on City Hall property. This meeting was part of a series of meetings she had been attending that had been scheduled by Councilwoman Esther Sanchez.
However, at this meeting, the citizen was barred at the door from attending the meeting by Esther Sanchez's aide (Jacob Regalado) on orders from Sanchez. Although this citizen had been attending other meetings on a regular basis over the 18 months (actually took off work to do so), Regalado told her that her name was not on the list. This citizen rightly wondered why she was prevented admittance to the meeting, particularly since it was publicly announced and held on city owned property. This certainly seems like a violation of this citizen's First Amendment rights to free assembly.
No elected official can choose who attends a public meeting, and certainly cannot have approved names on written lists. This is clearly a violation of the Brown Act. If you are as outraged as I am, let your elected officials know. At the next election, let Sanchez know by not re-electing her.
Lawson Chadwick
Oceanside
A way to end farmworker program
The president recently revealed details of the Safe Southern Border Program to move against illegal crossers, violent gangs and abuse of migrants by authorities across the nation. No, not President Bush, but President Felipe Calderon of Mexico, who states this reform is needed to respond to criticism that illegal Central American migrants are denied the respect that Mexico demands for its citizens illegally in the U.S.
Currently, Mexico is planning the extension of its seasonal farmworker program, which issues at least 40,000 temporary visas, mostly to Guatemalans, to work on coffee plantations, construction and service industries.
Wait a minute! I have a suggestion for President Calderon. Depending on which statistic one believes, the U.S. has anywhere from 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens, mostly from Mexico. How about taking 40,000 back? Better yet, take back all 12 million to 20 million, as I'm sure they could provide all needed labor and end his very unnecessary farmworker program to all persons residing south of the border. Our president might not like it, but the vast majority of American citizens would.
Leon Smith
Oceanside
More traffic checkpoints needed
It is pretty alarming when a person (Olga) who ran for City Council verbally attacks members of our City Council once again (March 7). I understood her to say that she … doesn't think the traffic checkpoints are necessary because the sweeps are creating tension and distrust by dividing the city.
I want more traffic checkpoints where anyone who is driving on our streets needs to show proof of vehicle registration, insurance and have a driver's license, and anyone who is here illegally or has an outstanding warrant be taken away. I want a safe city free from gangs and illegal criminals. What side of law and order is she on? Maybe she (Olga) and her family should spend a week in Cudahy, Maywood or the Hollenbeck area where gangs rule. She might like it better than Escondido.
Why do groups like the ACLU, La Raza, Lulac, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Cardinal Mahoney hate the United States so much that they want to destroy it? Yes, even Bill Gates, who made his $57 billion here, requested that Congress let him have H1B visas so he can flood our country with more cheap foreign labor to replace our own Americans. … Take notice at what these anti-American groups are doing to Hazelton.
Helen Maria Gallardo
Escondido
If you can't help yourself, you can't help others
After reading Austin Uhlmansiek's scathing letter against capitalism (Letters, March 2), I actually agree with some of what he'd written, and I'm a capitalist. This is just a guess, but the tenor of his letter suggests he's young and disillusioned. If so, there's hope.
As a society, we do seem to be caught up in consumerism and the vanities, but simply criticizing it will only frustrate one even more. My suggestion to Austin is to get in the game, but don't lose sight of why you did. An individual's ability to help themselves has a direct impact on their ability to help others. And there's no better way to spread a message than through positive action(s).
So, to Austin and others with the same feelings, one can pull a page out of the Timothy Leary playbook and "turn on, tune in and drop out," or one can make themselves part of the solution by participating, all the while keeping their eyes and heart on a more noble cause. If you can't help yourself, you can't help others.
Robert Salvi
Rancho Bernardo
Training Iraqi troops
The reason given for training Iraqi troops is for the Iraq government to keep the Shiites and Sunnis from killing each other in a civil war. Both the executive and legislative branches of our government propose an increase in the training of more Iraqi troops as part of the solution to the war in Iraq.
Most Americans believe there will be no stability or solution to the war through military action, so why build up the military? … The Iraqi troops have indicated that they would rather kill the opposing faction than fight to create stability in Iraq. They take the pay but they don't do the job. About two-thirds of them will not or cannot report for a mission, and the remainder are questionable concerning their effectiveness. They have strong sectarian loyalty, but very little Iraq government loyalty. …
Physical training of more Iraqi troops just provides more soldiers and equipment to fight in the civil war. What they really need is mental training to get them to fight for the stability of the Iraq government. The latter can only be provided through political negotiations between the Shiites and the Sunnis. The Iraq Study Group has verified this, but our commander in chief will not accept this fact.
Herbert Pairitz
Carlsbad
Writer needs to check facts on our history
Zianya Patino (Letters, March 25) claims that California is, and always will be, Mexican territory. Ms. Patino is the one who should check her history. The United States defeated Mexico in 1848 and, under the terms of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico ceded what is now New Mexico, Arizona and California to the United States, for which we paid $15 million. Our mistake was that we should have kept the entire country. The Mexican people would undoubtedly be better off, and we would not have a problem with millions of illegal aliens.
Ms. Patino also claims that Mexicans harvest our food, build our houses and, without them, we would not be able to survive. If the Mexicans have done so much for our country, why haven't they done the same for their country?
Prior to the late 1980s, the majority of Mexicans, legal and illegal, were confined to the four border states. The other 46 states survived just fine without Mexicans. I know the facts because I worked for the U.S. Border Patrol from 1955 to 1982.
Frank Thurlow
U.S. Border Patrol
(retired)
Vista
Let them know they are being watched
Last week, as I left for work at approximately 5:30 a.m., I noticed a person going through the trash on our street. … It appeared he was going through the recyclables. I did not bother to stop and ask him what he was doing. March 26, I noticed the same person doing the same thing. Enough of this. I stopped him as he had some papers in his hands and was looking at them. He told me he was looking for bottles. I informed him I did see him last week doing the same thing. He denied the allegations. I told him I watched him load his bicycle onto his car down the street last week. Again, he denied the allegations. I drove down the street, and his vehicle was parked there in the same spot. I took down the license plate number. By that time, he saw me and rode his bike to his vehicle. …
I informed him I was taking down his vehicle information and was going to turn it over to the Sheriff's Department. He strapped down his bike to the roof of his vehicle and left in a big hurry. If you see people doing this in your neighborhood, be aware. This is one way how identity theft starts. It might not be a good idea to approach them, but at least drive by slow and make eye contact so they know they are being watched.
Raymond Collier
Vista
Bush - the new Mexican president
President Bush has promised the Mexican people on his trip to South America that he will work very hard to force his amnesty bill for illegal aliens through Congress against the will of the American people, the states and local governments.
If you don't believe it, go to any TV news report of when he was in Mexico last week and see/listen to his speech. Wow! This is the president of the United States telling a foreign country and its people he will work against his own country and its people to represent the interest of the foreign country's people and not the American people's interest!
Gary Myers
Oceanside
Bush is weak on terror
President Bush's claim to fame is his battle against terror. He has often cited efforts to track terrorist finances as one of the main ways he was protecting us. It will likely come as a surprise to Bush supporters that the people in charge of tracking currency, the Office of Foreign Asset Control, had four agents tracking terrorist finances, including al-Qaida, while there were 21 agents working on enforcement of the Cuban embargo (as of May 2004).
Like most of President Bush's actions in office, his war on terror is a fraud. His policies have been just what al-Qaida would have ordered, and Mr. Bush has been a disaster for the country and the Republican Party.
Paul Cavanaugh
Ramona
Words devoid of human morality
Minutemen Ray Carney and Jeff Schwilk are wrong ("Defamation lawsuit filed against Minuteman founder, other activist," March 27). Sued for calling ACLU worker Joanne Yoon such names as "slut" and "skank," or declaring that she regularly "beds down" with "those little brown border-hoppers" - the venom and ignorance of these two gentlemen undermines any legitimacy their cause might hope to claim.
Carney justifies his vile comments by saying, "We try to demoralize their side. That's what being an activist is all about." Yet, clearly, he has not looked up the meaning of the word. In fact, "activists" are "individuals who passionately support (or reject) a cause." By allowing his passion to veer from the honorable support of a (supposedly honorable) cause and, instead, degenerate into the lowest of human exchanges, Mr. Carney also sullies the view of his cause for those of us who look on, and distracts from any legitimate issues he might support.
In fact, it appears Ms. Yoon may have accomplished the de-moral-ization Mr. Carney describes, because his words certainly are devoid of human morality.
Susan Traugh
Vista
Petty accusations against Ivey
Regarding "Ivey Ranch board investigates complaint from former employee", March 27: As a current volunteer in the horseback-riding program, I can personally attest to the fact that the horses, riders and volunteers I have seen are very well-treated.
For the six months I have been involved, I have seen absolutely no signs of any mismanagement or abuse. I have seen the smiles on the faces of the children benefiting from this wonderful program.
I commend the board for investigating these dubious complaints, yet I hate to see such a worthwhile program plagued by such petty accusations.
Lee Keller
Oceanside
Illegal is not ambiguous
Tina Jillings (Letters, March 26): For whom does she speak? Claudia Spencer came to America legally. Jillings, however, presumes to speak for scofflaws, misdemeanants, illegal aliens. What part of illegal is so very difficult for her to understand? And she ran for Vista City Council? Had she won, she'd have been required to take an oath to uphold and defend the United States Constitution (the supreme law of the land). Would she have scoffed at that, too? Implicit in the oath is the upholding/defense of all lesser laws - including laws that declare as illegal those for whom she claims to speak.
Congress has repeatedly spoken. Immigration laws and limits are already in place. While we offer an open-armed welcome to those who enter legally, Americans cannot accommodate the whole world, thus these limits.
So, why is Ms. Jillings so openly defiant of current law? Does she, too, seek the reconquista of the American Southwest for Aztlan? Or does she just want America dragged down to Third World status like … Mexico? As Carlos, one of my 10th-graders, so presciently inquired … "What the [heck]! Do they (her ilk) want to make this into another TJ?"
Well, does she?
William Griffith
Carlsbad
Pat Tillman disgrace
The cover-up concerning the death of Pat Tillman is consistent with a military and federal bureaucracy that routinely operates outside the rule of law and common decency ("Five investigations later, Tillman family says Pentagon misleads," March 28). Having worked on Camp Pendleton for many years, I have seen firsthand the arrogant audacity of [some] … federal bureaucrats and egocentric military personnel. The longer a cover-up continues, the more layers of corruption that need to be added on to hide the misconduct of the wrongdoers. …
Criminal negligence, incompetence, professional misconduct and dereliction of duty are common characteristics of many of our leaders. If it wasn't for the diligence and determination of the Tillman family, the truth would never have been made public.
As indicated by my experiences on Camp Pendleton, truth is considered collateral damage as corruption and unaccountability take precedence over public service. It is sad and discouraging that our government has basically become the enemy of the truth and justice. All those in our government who were involved in the Pat Tillman cover-up should face the strictest punishment allowed by law.
Thomas Calabrese
Oceanside
How bad things are in this nation
The president fraudulently won elections (but his term of office ends after elections next year). The political opposition was shut out of any voice in government, practically disenfranchised. The president and his cronies looted the country, claiming spoils for themselves and distributing the rest of the swag to their loyal followers. Nothing the president says can be believed. The country falls apart, yet he blames troubles on traitors and never takes responsibility. A misguided foreign military adventure made things worse.
I'm writing about President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Who did you think it was? Zimbabwe is in a death spiral. The approaching catastrophe will be worse than the miseries of Darfur.
Richard McKenzie
Vista
Carlsbad City Council replacement
Carlsbad City Council was supposed to make a decision on April 10, but has now been moved to April 3. Many people who were planning to attend the April 10 meeting may not know in time that it has been moved up to this week.
It appears the council is split between two candidates. Both are well-qualified, but since the council is split, would it not be in the best interest to choose a compromise candidate who is just as qualified as the first two choices?
In my opinion, the council should decide on one of the other candidates rather than send this to a special election. Have any of the candidates sign an agreement that they would not use the term "incumbent" when they run for re-election in '08. This would give all the other candidates a more level playing field who choose to run.
Put away your differences and pick any of the others and save the city taxpayers the cost of a special election, not to mention the cost to each candidate to raise funds for a special election. Surely, "compromise" is a word they all understand and shows the voters [they] can work together to fill this vacancy rather than default to a special election.
Greg Agosti
Carlsbad
Outing 'don't ask, don't tell'
Gen. Pace's recent remarks regarding exclusion of homosexuals from the armed forces has finally brought "don't ask, don't tell" out of the closet. Previous policy justifications, such as "incompatible with military service," "security risk" and "unit cohesion" were all based on a presumed negative impact on the military's ability to carry out its mission of defending our country. Each of these policies has ultimately been discredited by the facts.
Thanks to Gen. Pace, the real reason is now out in the open - some people should be excluded from military service, not because their presence would compromise the military's ability to carry out its mission, but because certain activities of these unmarried, consenting adults are viewed by others as immoral.
Public debate can now be boiled down to this: On what foundation should military policy be based? Should we exchange the "mission achievement"-based policy in favor of one that is based on (some people's definition of) morality? If so, then the policymakers should eagerly embrace a universal policy that states, "Service members engaging in sexual activity with another person outside of marriage is grounds for immediate discharge." Anything less would be condoning immorality.
Bob Fraas
Vista
Can Oceanside afford this?
A few years ago, the city of Irwindale, in Los Angeles County, was contacted by the owner of the Oakland Raiders, who expressed an interest in moving his team to this blue-collar, bedroom community. The city was thrilled; they could envision the revenue and publicity that this venture would bring, and they were eager to enter plans.
The city scraped up $1 million and gave it to start the planning. Guess what? Mr. Davis changed his mind, kept the city's $1 million and went to his bank with a big smile on his face. The Raiders are still in Oakland.
If the people of Oceanside think they are getting any major sport here, they will have to pay for it, and the owners of the team will reap the profits. Can we afford it? Let the citizens of this community vote on it. Remember Manchester?
Rose Jacobs
Oceanside
Alta California history works both ways
Regarding the letter from Zianya Patino (Letters, March 25): Learning the history of Alta California works two ways. If it were not for the U.S.A., California might well belong to Russia or Britain, as the court of Madrid and, later on, Mexico City, could not resist the European encroachments.
Then there was WWII. If the U.S.A. had not been a coast-to-coast power, who would have resisted Imperial Japan? Mexico? I doubt it. And if anyone thinks a brown skin would have cut you some slack, ask the Chinese survivors of Singapore or Nanking or the Filipinos who survived the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.
Presently, socialist lawyers and gutless politicians of both parties seem to want to make our national Constitution an instrument of social and cultural suicide, so Alta California may indeed belong once again to Mexico. With all of our faults, we still live in the best country in the world and anyone who doubts it, please ship out for whatever Third World hellhole you left or yearn for and leave us in peace.
George Bolton
Carlsbad
Hello, taxpayer suckers
To the car owners in San Diego County: Don't expect your government to stop the high prices of gas! The Pelosi-Reid Congress doesn't care if the price of gas goes to $10 a gallon. Congress doesn't pay for the gas Congress uses. We taxpayers pay for the gas Congress uses.
Every year, Congress secretly steals 2 billion taxpayer dollars to pay for free perks, gas and cars and limos; dining room free perks for food; medical with five free-perks doctors; free perks for travel and a $5,500-an-hour Pentagon jet for Pelosi. All 500 Congress members get 1 million taxpayers free-perks dollars, every year, for home state offices.
And remember, if the Pelosi-Reid Congress did something about the high price of gasoline, Exxon-Mobil and British Petroleum would stop giving millions of dollars in campaign contributions to your Congress! As 1920s nightclub owner Hot Mama Texas Guinan used to say, "Hello, suckers!"
Keith Manigold
Encinitas
Observations he has made
I've made some observations over the last several years that I would like to share with your readers: 1. Put country ahead of party. 2. The first rule for politicians should be to do no harm. 3. Reasonable minds can differ, unreasonable minds often do not. 4. Separate church and state. 5. Decisions have consequences, often lasting centuries. 6. Protect the Constitution, even if you think you have a better idea. 7. It's better to make friends than enemies. 8. Lying about sex is an impeachable offense; lying about war is not. 9. Bias impairs perception. 10. The people who drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights probably gave it a lot of thought.
Link Ladutko
Oceanside
Republicans go after Edwards
Now the Republicans are saying John Edwards is using his wife for a sympathy vote, that he should stay with her, he would be distracted, she should stay home with the children. Did you see any of that when the king of bad health, Dick Cheney … was chosen for vice president? Did the Democrats say he should stay home, and that he is putting a strain on his wife with worry? No, they were more than happy to see him put under more strain, even with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a pacemaker and more clogged pipes than a kitchen sink, just to get their war started and oil money in their pockets.
Most of the people in the world have family with health and personal problems and continue on in their work. Edwards looks honest and like a candidate who sticks to his word, and the fact he wants to overturn "don't ask, don't tell" and would stop any changing of the Constitution scares the Republicans. So the negative spin goes on and it is all bunk. Just because the Republicans can't walk and chew gum at the same time doesn't mean Democrats are handicapped in the same way.
Although I personally still prefer Obama, I think Edwards would be a good candidate. We Democrats have a great group. …
Peggy Hart
Carlsbad
Some thoughts about Hooters
I have been following with some interest the saga of the Hooters restaurant on the hill in Rancho Bernardo ("Fate of Hooters' liquor license now in one man's hands"), March 22. I'm not particularly fond of the idea of it being there, although I find some of its protesters' arguments to be a little over the top.
My personal beef with Hooters begins with its one-sided sexploitation of women. How would people feel about a restaurant chain that hired only well-endowed male waiters, dressed them in tight jock straps and called the restaurant "Cocks" with a rooster for its logo? Fine, if the chain wants to base itself on a sly wink of sexual innuendo. However, this clashes with its other claim that it is a family restaurant. Putting women (and only women) forward as sexualized spectacles is not what I call a family value. It's this whiff of hypocrisy that also offends me.
However, being as how this is a free country, as long as nobody is attacked, maimed or killed, what Hooters does is perfectly legal. Being as how I am a free American, I am also free to take my money elsewhere and never darken the door of a Hooters. Which is what I think I'll do.
Barb Parcells
Rancho Bernardo
A plea for open space in Carlsbad
Re: Kasey Cinciarelli's beautifully written plea for open space in Carlsbad (("Preserve Carlsbad's at-risk open spaces,") March 26, delayed since 2002 when Proposition C required purchase of open space and trails. … I ask you, where is it best to renew the human spirit - walking that fresh paving, or walking with your child or dog in the woods? Man does not live by paving alone. If a child misses out on getting acquainted with nature, he will find other interests instead. …
I have been a proud member of Preserve Calavera for years because land donated in Vista by Ida Dawson to the University of California abuts Carlsbad land. Not only does this property preserve trees, it also is home to small animals. Since they haven't learned to read boundary signs yet, they sometimes wander across to Carlsbad land. … If officials believe that animals don't matter, they do so at their own peril. The message of Chief Seattle long ago that whatever happens to the beast also happens to man is being proven correct.
Diane Nygaard deserves highest praise for her leadership in bringing about the purchase of the Sherman property. I intend to see that a prestigious national organization becomes aware of her important accomplishment for all of us.
Miriam Nichols
Vista
Web comments
Union files charges with labor board against Albertsons
Readers respond to our March 30 story about the union representing Southern California grocery workers filing charges with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that Albertsons intimidated workers in the lead-up to Sunday's membership vote to authorize a possible strike.
Doing just fine
Craig: "I don't have a union looking out for me and I do just fine. Maybe because my job requires a little bit of intelligence. The new employees knew the benefits they were getting when they were hired, either deal with it or get a new job. They are just taking jobs away from high school students."
Costs too much
Get 'em out: "I do hope the union is finally broken. As others have said, it does nothing but raise the price of the food for my family. Don't believe it? Compare the prices to nonunion stores. The difference is huge. Breaking the union should be simple. Since these people do not get paid unless they are working, after a short period of time they must find something to do for work. It is not like the workers are highly trained specialists. Anyone off the street can do this work, as was shown during the last strike. The stores just need to cut the people loose and be done with the UFCW once and for all."
Give some support
Support the Workers: "The ignorance of these anti-union posters is staggering. Support your local grocery workers."
Need insurance
Insurance: "How many of you pay $7.95 a week for insurance? Not many I am sure. Even as a part time employee, they offer insurance even if you have to wait a year. What other company offers that? Not Wal Mart! Once our union was taken away because the young folks voted it away. Our Insurance went to $50 a week for a single male. That's just not right."
CSUSM to be part of first round of strikes
Readers respond to our March 29 story about Leaders of the Cal State faculty union announcing that professors on the San Marcos campus and five other Cal State campuses will be the first faculty members to strike next month if a new labor contract is not forged by then.
Sweet deal
Socrates: "The students should know that the more the professors get, the more their fees will be. We all should have all the perks associated with being a professor at a college. Ample coffee breaks, a captive audience to cast our political beliefs to, getting every conceivable holiday off, and a lucrative pension plan."
Unreal
Tony: "Typical dot-edu people that have no clue how the real world works. Give up your tenure and earn your job security like everyone else!"
They need to learn
San Marcos Taxpayer: "Powell and her companions wouldn't know how to handle something professionally if it bit them. If you don't like the pay and benefits, go get a real job! Maybe then they would realize what a cush job they had and would quickly understand what it meant to expect performance. My heart bleeds."
Redistribute the cash
Another CSUSM student: "Normally, I don't advocate strikes. Basically in a capitalist society, those with the power control the reins. But this is different than a supermarket worker strike where the labor is easy to replace. There aren't enough qualified college professors around. Therefore the professors should have more power than a typical labor strike. The real problem that I have is that the administration is getting these raises while the professors get little. The administration doesn't do anything, why should they get raises? If there's no money to go around, then tough luck professors. However, there's plenty. The money is just going to the wrong people."
Community complains over police and immigration cooperation
Readers respond to our March 30 story about some Latino immigrants saying recent cooperation between Carlsbad Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has resulted in the deportation and is creating an atmosphere of fear.
What's the problem?
Mike: "Sounds like police department is doing what they're getting paid to do. What's the complaint?"
Caution Carlsbad
Careful Carlsbad: "Escondido has seen a significant drop in public image - all on account of exaggerated immigration problems. Don't fall into the same mess we're in."
Two communities
Licensed Driver: "Police misconduct, plain and simple. Yeah, they get away with their little pretextual stops, but we all know all of us with indigenous features, illegal or not, are going to get stopped, searched, and harassed. Fantastic way of employing community oriented policing, Carlsbad! I forgot, when I say community, I assumed non-whites were part of the community."
Behind the fear
It's Simple: "We learned in kindergarten: 'If you haven't done anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about.' If you are here illegally, you should be afraid. If I had entered any country in the world illegally I would be afraid of being discovered. "
Silly story
Illegal: "Look it up in the dictionary. This entire article showcases people doing illegal things. This is not news, this is flippant violation of the law. What part of this do you not understand? If these people were spray painting your walls at night, you say 'oh, you're illegally here, sorry, you can stay' - come on. Get a clue. I know the NCT like every other paper just loves to be controversial, but come on, this just ridiculous."
