EDITORIAL.

Follow the drift

Re ``Trashing the Valley'' (Editorial, March 1):

The total estimated value of Sunshine Canyon Landfill is $29 billion. Our trash isn't going anywhere, regardless of the dog and pony show put on by our City Council members. Get my drift?

- Patrick Weir

Chatsworth

First, some leadership

Re ``Dumped on - again'' (March 1):

I think we all knew the City Council would renew the contract. There was no other thing they could do. They have not been able to look ahead and see what is needed for the future. They have not provided any leadership - in ages - for us.

Now let's all of us call our councilmen and tell them to get going, on a bond sale and planning for a garbage-to-energy facility and use it to desalt the ocean, so we can have water here in the future. Nothing can be more important than that to the city and the state.

- Alonzo Minard

Sun Valley

Trash talk 

Re ``Dumped on - again'' (March 1):

Our mayor and council members, the North Valley Coalition and the Daily News know the lingo; BFI is fluent. No alternative to Sunshine Canyon has been devised in over 30 years. The city is looking at a $250 million deficit (potentially $500 million in five years), so an extra $29 million dollars a year to ship our ``garbage'' to other cities is not a very intelligent solution, especially as we are learning after years of sending ``our'' sewage sludge to Bakersfield.

BFI will continue to operate, possibly costing everyone in the city more than just $29 million a year. Our politicians talk in circles and with deception (remember to vote), local residents talk about legitimate concerns, but not representative of the needs of a city of millions. BFI, they're talking trash, which is our problem and their business.

- John B. Miller III

Chatsworth

Nothing is inappropriate

Re ``LAUSD calls for community aid'' (Feb. 23):

Roy Romer says, ``I don't think that it's inappropriate for this district to have one (two) signature place - but this one place we're going to make an investment for history and for students.''

Underlying problem at the LAUSD - nothing is inappropriate as long as they design, publicize and politic it first, and taxpayers pay later. It's the second time for this title at the Los Angeles Unified School District. The first is the unopened Belmont Leaning Center. The LAUSD will design and politic and the people of Los Angeles will pay, again and again and again. Politics and buildings first, education and students later.

- Peter Meysenburg

Arcadia

Secure ports

Re ``Port deal faces new questions'' (Feb. 28):

The basic question is - do we have an independent nation or not? The USA was founded on the most forward-looking ideals of any nation on this planet. We are not just like everybody else. It is therefore important that we maintain, retain and as needed, re-obtain, our national integrity.

Not only should we reject the UAE agreement to run the ports, but we need to re-evaluate all earlier agreements which outsourced control to some other nation.

- Lou Teff

Tujunga

Look at Clinton

Re ``Port deal faces new questions'' (Feb. 28):

Common sense requires a careful investigation if a foreign-owned company - especially a Mideast one - wants to manage the shipping in U.S. ports. We're told this was done. More investigation won't hurt; that's being done too. Then why the outrage that almost surpasses that over 9-11?

Could it be the national election later this year, which seems to be controlling all issues? For once, I'll credit the words of Bill Clinton, who goes beyond President Bush by saying he has a very high opinion of Dubai as a good ally which is trying to build a new Middle East. Apparently Bill and Hillary Clinton, a leader of the anti-Dubai crowd, still don't communicate.

- Charles K. Sergis

Calabasas

Justice denied

Re ``Justice delayed'' (Editorial, Feb. 24):

Here's a question that begs an answer. Why do we invest so much time and energy in providing a humane death to murderers who murder in such brutal and inhumane ways? Did they for one second afford their victims similar consideration?

Capital punishment should continue in California - only more swiftly. Our moral ethics and responsibility should be devoted to understanding and alleviating the everlasting pain of the victims' families rather than that of the rights of the brutal murderer. Murderers, such as Michael Morales and Tookie Williams, gave up their rights to be treated as humans when they acted as vicious animals.

- Dolly Greene

Northridge

Algebra alternatives

Re ``Algebra is important'' (Your Opinions, Feb. 28):

Problem-solving can be learned and done in many ways other than by using algebra or geometry to learn logic. Fifty years ago these math courses were a requirement in the high schools for those heading for college.

But for those not going in that direction, there were business or vocational courses which taught logic, many different ways to solve problems, and how to earn a living using their own talents. Not everyone likes or can do all that math. Give those kids the benefit of classes they can use to be successful in whatever fields they might have talents in. To have a successful community, we need workers and people in all stages of work. You can't build a house without an architect, plummer, electrician and someone to hit the nails.

- Betty Jenkins

Chatsworth

Ban the amber signs

Re ``It's the trucks'' (Your Opinions, Feb. 28):

Thanks Gary Haskins for trying to fix the freeway problems, but if you have a million cars and trucks on the freeway it doesn't matter how you re-arrange them, it's still going to be congested.

But if you take those amber signs down, those morons stopping to read them will not stop traffic like they do. I drive the 405 Freeway and it's a parking lot, and I am waiting to see an accident, but there's no accident, just people looking at the amber signs and stopping traffic. Take down the amber signs.

- Joe Pinoy Lozano

Mission Hills

Extending the subway

Re ``IQ of elected'' (Your Opinions, Feb. 24):

George Timko apparently believes that extending the Metro Red Line down Wilshire Boulevard to Santa Monica is not a ``quality of life'' issue. I disagree. In Los Angeles, mobility is a crucial aspect of daily life, and increasing traffic congestion has a negative effect on the quality of life in the region.

Mayor Villaraigosa recognizes this and has begun the process for a subway extension, so that it can be completed before traffic on Wilshire Boulevard hopelessly gridlocks ... and, more importantly, before it also sends parallel arterials Pico and Olympic boulevards and Sixth Street into permanent gridlock as well from the overflow traffic.

- Kymberleigh Richards

Public Affairs Director

Southern California Transit Advocates

Not the amendments

Re ``Ignoring the laws'' (Your Opinions, Feb. 14):

John Sibert's understanding of the U.S. Constitution is somewhat lacking. He should take note of the following: The Second Amendment guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.

The Third Amendment provides: ``No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner; nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.''

In spite of John's belief to the contrary, the First Amendment does not ``give congress authority to pass laws'' nor does the Third Amendment give ``the Judiciary the authority to interpret them.''

- Jim Nolan

Los Angeles