PUBLIC FORUM : POOR PEOPLE FACING WELFARE CUTS NEED WORK.The poor of California are being placed in an untenable situation because of recent welfare cutbacks. When I see men and women getting soda cans out of my trash, I appreciate the fact that they apparently have not resorted to criminal activities as they complete their daily rounds of can collecting. They could have much more self-respect and meaningful work in the spirit of the old Civilian Conservation Corps Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), established in 1933 by the U.S. Congress as a measure of the New Deal program. The CCC provided work and vocational training for unemployed single young men through conserving and developing the country's natural resources. camps. I remember the spirit in one of those camps among those who built a park near my home where I grew up in Oregon. I wish we could see that spirit again today. Some of our military budget could be used to pay people to do good works such as infrastructure restoration. Unemployed youth could be salvaged with meaningful work. People are on welfare because there are no jobs with livable wages available to them. The Jobs Creation and Infrastructure Restoration Act of 1997, introduced by Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Alhambra, will provide valuable jobs for our American victims of downsizing (1) Converting mainframe and mini-based systems to client/server LANs. (2) To reduce equipment and associated costs by switching to a less-expensive system. (jargon) downsizing and also provide a solution to our welfare crisis. - Allan Taylor North Hills Disney boycott How sad to read David Grimes' column in Opinions July 1 (``Could Donald, Mickey and Goofy Goofy bumbling, awkward dog; originally named Dippy Dawg. [Comics: “Mickey Mouse” in Horn, 492] See : Awkwardness be that way, too?''). Grimes Grimes is a surname, that is believed to be of a Scandinavian decent and may refer to
The Baptist leadership rightly challenged the direction and values of those hiding behind the once-respected, trustworthy Disney name. We are called by God to love the sinner sin·ner n. 1. One that sins or does wrong; a transgressor. 2. A scamp. Noun 1. sinner - a person who sins (without repenting) evildoer , but to hate the sin. While we appreciate the creativity and talents of both the past and present within the Walt Disney Noun 1. Walt Disney - United States film maker who pioneered animated cartoons and created such characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; founded Disneyland (1901-1966) Disney, Walter Elias Disney Co., we abhor the disregard for family values family values pl.n. The moral and social values traditionally maintained and affirmed within a family. . When all verbal appeals fail, there is no other choice left except to strike the giant where it hurts the most: in the pocketbook, through economic boycott. - Julie Affonso Tarzana In response to the critics of the Southern Baptists' boycott of Disney: May I remind you that we live in a free country where people have the right to support or withhold support of any company if they feel so inclined? If they choose to boycott a corporation for moral reasons, and they do so in a peaceful and nonaggressive manner, is that option not protected by the rights that we hold so dear in this country? Nobody is forcing anybody to boycott anything. It is voluntary and therefore cannot be construed as ``pushing their beliefs into mainstream America'' - a quote from one letter to the editor. It also has no relation to the concept of the separation of church and state
- Juli Young Burbank `Clear conflict of interest' The June 20 speech of Ravi Mehta, chairman of the Fair Political Practices Commission, to several hundred lobbyists represents a clear conflict of interest, as well as gross misconduct on his part. The FPPC FPPC Fair Political Practices Commission (California) FPPC Fédération du Personnel Professionnel des Collèges FPPC Fieldpoint Petroleum Corporation (stock symbol) FPPC Farm Pilot Project Coordination, Inc. is California's top watchdog over political corruption In broad terms, political corruption is the misuse by government officials of their governmental powers for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, like repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political and is charged with interpreting and defending Proposition 208 when it goes to trial in the U.S. District Court on Oct. 15. The lawsuit was filed in January by several California Republicans, Democrats and various special-interest groups in an attempt to overturn the initiative and thwart the will of the people. Mehta's bragging about his being the eviscerator of Proposition 208 is absolutely sickening. It is exactly this type of activity that has caused more than 75 percent of the voters to feel disgust and distrust for our public servants. On Nov. 5, 1996, Proposition 208 received 5.7 million votes and passed in every county in the state of California. The voters sent a very clear message. They want immediate reform in the way campaigns are financed. Gov. Pete Wilson's refusal to remove Mehta as chairman of the FPPC establishes that he has an equally blatant disregard for the will of the California voters. - Marge Kitchen North Hollywood Banning leaf blowers As responsible property owners, we try to maintain our properties as if we lived there ourselves. Our gardener just advised us that, to maintain his present quality of service, he will be forced to add another crew member to hose and rake leaves because of the 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. municipal ordinance prohibiting the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. Our added cost is $5 per house per week for a total of $40 per month. The new ordinance is absurd for many reasons. Gas-powered leaf vacuums, which make the same amount of noise and dust, are still approved for use. Have you ever tried a vacuum instead of a blower? You must take the time to vacuum every square inch to pick up all the debris. That means the vacuums will have to run much longer to accomplish the same task, thereby producing more noise and pollution. The ordinance will permit the use of electric blowers, which are virtually useless because there is seldom access to outside power outlets, and they produce the same amount of dust as gas-powered blowers. We have never experienced a complaint either from our tenants or their neighbors about noise or dust pollution from our gardener's gas leaf blower. We see the misdirected efforts of our liberal City Council, which once again has supported the wishes of a few over the needs of the majority. Is this a great city or what? We only hope that the collective outcry over this stupid ordinance is big enough and loud enough to get this turned around. Of course, it would probably be easier just to raise the rent. - Robert S. Sutton Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, The Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. bans gasoline-powered leaf blowers, all in the name of reducing airborne particulate matter particulate mattern. Abbr. PM Material suspended in the air in the form of minute solid particles or liquid droplets, especially when considered as an atmospheric pollutant. Noun 1. , and hammers the small-business owner - but leaves a milewide loophole An omission or Ambiguity in a legal document that allows the intent of the document to be evaded. Loopholes come into being through the passage of statutes, the enactment of regulations, the drafting of contracts or the decisions of courts. for city and industrial blowers. A small business may provide a small capital outlay capital outlay See capital expenditure. of a new portable gasoline-powered generator, a 100-foot electrical extension cord and an electric leaf blower, and it is back in compliance. If my math is correct, that is now two machines operating instead of one, and the particulate airborne matter is still heading south. Dana C. Johnson Los Angeles |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion