PUBLIC FORUM : DEATH PENALTY DOESN'T DETER MOST KILLINGS.I would like to take issue with Walter Poe's letter of Jan. 12, ``Death as a deterrent.'' I am not necessarily opposed to the death penalty. However, from a strictly practical point of view I think it should be recognized that the death penalty is not now, nor has it ever been, a deterrent. Certainty and immediacy have long been acknowledged as the only true deterrents to crime. Sadly these have been eliminated from our criminal justice system, and the result is obvious. Most murders are crimes of passion, often committed under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They are not planned or thought out. Indeed, if there was any thought involved, the vast majority of murders would, quite probably, never occur. To suppose that the death penalty is actually a deterrent is to suppose that someone who is emotionally unstable enough to kill is at the same time capable of rationally considering the potential consequences of their actions. That being said, there are still the Charles Mansons of this world whose elimination would be cheered by many, myself included. These are people who, by virtually any standard of common decency, deserve to die for their crimes. So let them and those like them be executed. But at the same time, let's call the death penalty what it really is: revenge, pure and simple. - John McFadyen Canoga Park `Care about each other' Re the Daily News' editorials on the top issues for 1998: Society, in order to thrive, needs to comply with one golden rule: All members of it have to care about each other. Each person has to have consideration for all others. We should all be cognizant of the fact that almost everything we do will have an impact on others. It should be our goal to ensure that impact is not negative. That all sounds quite reasonable, doesn't it? The fact is that we are heading in the opposite direction. Our ambitions, our needs, our obsession with personal ``success'' are at odds with this basic rule. Narcissism narcissism (närsĭs`ĭzəm), Freudian term, drawn from the Greek myth of Narcissus, indicating an exclusive self-absorption. In psychoanalysis, narcissism is considered a normal stage in the development of children. is rampant and out of control. Until we deal with the individual, the human issues, little else will have any long-term meaningful effect. This should be the focus of a national dialogue. - William Brady William Brady may refer to:
Reseda Abortion milestone Today is the 25th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States Abortion in the United States is a highly charged issue with significant political and ethical debate. In a medical sense, the word abortion refers to any pregnancy that does not end in live birth, although it is sometimes medically defined as miscarriage or induced . As a supporter of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) was founded in 1967 as the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion and then later as the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (RCAR). The current name was chosen in 1993. , I believe that ``choice'' clearly means more than just abortion. Prevention is the first moral choice. Sex education, family planning family planning Use of measures designed to regulate the number and spacing of children within a family, largely to curb population growth and ensure each family’s access to limited resources. and contraception help people to make responsible decisions and reduce the need for abortion. I pray I beg; I request; I entreat you; - used in asking a question, making a request, introducing a petition, etc.; as, Pray, allow me to go s>. See also: Pray that we may continue to empower women to make such decisions prayerfully and in consultation with those they trust. - Susan Cornner Northridge Viewpoint, Jan. 18, had two articles dealing with Roe vs. Wade. They clearly point out that this debate will not go away and why the people are changing their minds about abortion. One writer, Nancy Sasaki, only writes about the woman, her choice and her sex life. The other writer, Gina R. Dalfonzo writes about the child. One would certainly agree that a woman has the right to get pregnant or not to get pregnant. That would be a noble cause for the Sasaki organization to foster and support. No rational argument can be put on the table that the woman's choice, after conception, overrides the child's choice to live. While both writers have a valid argument, Sasaki's is only valid before conception and Dalfonzo's only after conception. - Francis Jansen Northridge King's birthday We celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and it is only fitting that we remind ourselves of some of his most famous words. King wanted people to be judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin. The thrust of the above is that character is important. With William Jefferson William Jefferson can refer to more than one person.
- James Steger Camarillo Social promotion I just want to say brava, bravissimo bra·vis·si·mo interj. Used to express great approval, especially of a performance. [Italian, superlative of bravo, fine; see bravo1.] to Annie Caroline Schuler (Public Forum, Jan. 13) regarding social promotion. It does no student any good to be ``pushed along'' to promotion. I can remember that when I went to school eons ago, I failed a class in bookkeeping bookkeeping, maintenance of systematic and convenient records of money transactions in order to show the condition of a business enterprise. The essential purpose of bookkeeping is to reveal the amounts and sources of the losses and profits for any given period. because that class included algebra, a subject I couldn't understand then and can't understand now. I had to take the course over the following term, but the next time, the course did not include algebra, and I ended the course with a grade of 98. I was glad to take the bookkeeping course over again because I knew I could do it the second time around. - Grace Weinstein Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. `Gardeners' revenge' Re ``Gardeners' revenge,'' Daily News, Jan. 17: So, the leaf-blower ban is leading to rate hikes? The gardeners, trying to turn a health and safety issue into a ``class'' issue, like to claim that only affluent Westside residents favored the ban, but that was never true. Other residents, from all over Los Angeles and all over the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , affluent or not, also are being exposed to the noise and pollution on a daily basis and support the ban. How about some resident revenge? Residents who use gardeners should fire those who raise rates in retaliation RETALIATION. The act by which a nation or individual treats another in the same manner that the latter has treated them. For example, if a nation should lay a very heavy tariff on American goods, the United States would be justified in return in laying heavy duties on the manufactures and for the leaf-blower ban. Residents who don't use gardeners should consistently file complaints when the ban is violated. Gardeners have no right to endanger our health and quality of life. - Carol Keeler Keel´er n. 1. One employed in managing a Newcastle keel; - called also keelman ltname>. 2. A small or shallow tub; esp., one used for holding materials for calking ships, or one used for washing dishes, etc. Sylmar I am shocked at the immature responses of the gardeners. Frank Tamai, president of the San Fernando Valley Landscape Gardeners' Association, states that he will have to raise rates 40 percent to 50 percent. Terry James, a coordinator for the Association of Latin American Gardeners, said that he will use his leaf blower A leaf blower is gardening tool that propels air out of a nozzle to move yard debris such as leaves. Leaf blowers are usually powered by two-stroke engine or an electric motor, but four-stroke engines were recently introduced to partially address air pollution concerns. when he can get away with it or he, too, will raise his fees due to the extra time it will take to clean up the leaves and grass clippings. Not once have I seen in print any gardeners mentioning that they can purchase a new electric leaf blower and use it instead of the old, smelly smell·y adj. smell·i·er, smell·i·est Informal Having a noticeable, usually unpleasant or offensive odor. smelly Adjective [smellier, smelliest , noisy, soon-to-be illegal version. People buy new equipment all of the time. What is the problem? The cost can be made up with small increases from customers, such as about $5 or less a month. The gardeners need to go with the flow. - A. L. McMahon Woodland Hills Money down the drain Re ``Sewer fee shock'' by Marie Miars, Public Forum, Jan. 14: I agree with her. Last summer we had to refill refill noun A second allotment of a prescription agent obtained from a pharmacy, which is allowed by the original prescription verb Pharmacology To obtain more of a particular drug, after the initially prescribed amount of the agent has been used or our small pool due to a leak. It took 3,500 gallons of water, the water is still in the pool and we were charged nearly $100 in sewer fees. I decided to cut everything off - no sprinklers, no outside water. We bought bottled water for all cooking and household use and had only one load of laundry per week. As a result, our water bill plummeted to $14.50 but the sewer fee was $36.63. It's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a Valley homeowners get an explanation as to how this happened. Did someone say ``class-action lawsuit?'' - Jim Rowe Jim Rowe (born 1978) was the 2006 Republican nominee for State Senator in Illinois' 39th against Democratic incumbent Don Harmon but received less than 30% of the vote against Harmon in 2006. On May 15, 2007 he annouced he would challange incumbent Senator Dick Durbin in 2008. Winnetka The ABCs of sex Never have I read a more self-serving piece than the one written by Carl Falletta, the recently retired assistant director of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Alcoholic Beverage Control may refer to:
Alcoholic Beverage Control may refer to:
in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. keep fighting S-E-X,'' Saturday commentary, Jan. 10). What has happened during the past 33 years to the Southern California sex industry? A once marginally controlled industry is now completely out of control. What was a controlled blight blight, general term for any sudden and severe plant disease or for the agent that causes it. The term is now applied chiefly to diseases caused by bacteria (e.g., bean blights and fire blight of fruit trees), viruses (e.g., soybean bud blight), fungi (e.g. in very specific areas is now an urban cancer, spreading, corrupting and destroying the quality of life in virtually every community in Southern California. That is the ABC legacy. The department has done very little that has protected anyone's ``quality of life,'' except feeding paychecks to ABC bureaucrats and protecting their ``quality of life.'' - John T. Reynolds Woodland Hills Re ``Let ABC keep fighting S-E-X'': We may be getting closer to nude bars, sex clubs and porno bookstores flourishing in our neighborhoods, but we can rest assured there will be absolutely no smoking or gasoline-powered leaf blowing in or around these establishments. The quality of life in California, thanks to our fearless lawmakers, just keeps getting better. - Eileen O'Neill West Hills Dangerous distractions In 1934 when my mother bought her first car, a 1934 Ford for $830 cash, she refused to have a radio in it for the very reason cited in ``Car phones, gadgets big factor in crashes,'' Daily News, Jan. 8. I'd say she was a pretty smart woman. And they weren't driving 75 miles an hour then or with cars on all sides of you. Instead of trying to eliminate the crashes now, we buckle up so we can roll with the crashes better. If people had any sense, nearly all accidents could be avoided. - Mary L. Clark Tujunga |
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