PUBLIC FORUM : POSTAGE STAMPS: WHERE ARE THE REAL HEROES?I recently discovered at a local post office that there were no postage stamps This is a list of postage stamps that are especially notable in some way. The best-known stamps:
I was a bit nonplused non·plus tr.v. non·plused also non·plussed, non·plus·ing also non·plus·sing, non·plus·es also non·plus·ses To put at a loss as to what to think, say, or do; bewilder. n. at the innocence of the young clerk who went through her list of ``face stamps'' for me. She asked, ``Who was he? Was he a famous musician, or something?'' It was plain that this unfortunate and blameless blame·less adj. Free of blame or guilt; innocent. blame  less·ly adv.blame young lady is a product of our times; this shoddy period of our educational history in which school kids are encouraged to idolize i·dol·ize tr.v. i·dol·ized, i·dol·iz·ing, i·dol·iz·es 1. To regard with blind admiration or devotion. See Synonyms at revere1. 2. To worship as an idol. drugged-out rock 'n' roll rock 'n' roll: see rock music. singers and pretty blond movie actresses with close relationships to the rich and politically prominent - not people like Charles Lindbergh, Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, Mother Theresa, Joe Foss Joseph Jacob "Joe" Foss (April 17, 1915–January 1, 2003) was a leading "ace" fighter pilot in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, a 1943 recipient of the Medal of Honor, a general in the Air National Guard, and the 20th Governor of South Dakota. or Audie Murphy. Audie Murphy typifies the genuine red-blooded American war hero whom one may have read about in that old, time-honored McGuffy reader, when school kids really had decent historical role models to look up to. It is unfortunate that honorable reference to such people, even by means of a 32-cent postage stamp postage stamp, government stamp affixed to mail to indicate payment of postage. The term includes stamps printed or embossed on postcards and envelopes as well as the adhesive labels. , could be deemed ``politically incorrect'' by the U.S. Postal Service The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) processes and delivers mail to individuals and businesses within the United States. The service seeks to improve its performance through the development of efficient mail-handling systems and operates its own planning and engineering programs. - one of many governmental bureaucracies that young men of Audie's stripe bravely fought and died for. Warren V. Geeting North Hills Fairness for the Valley Regarding ``Does Valley receive its fair share?'' Viewpoint, April 28, by Shirley Brodie Carroll and Svorny: The bean counters are focusing on the wrong aspect of the San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Valley's fair share. The problem that needs to be addressed is that we Valleyites don't get our proportionate share of services. We have to journey over the hill or call a 213 number (or use an extra seven digits to obviate ob·vi·ate tr.v. ob·vi·at·ed, ob·vi·at·ing, ob·vi·ates To anticipate and dispose of effectively; render unnecessary. See Synonyms at prevent. long-distance charges) to settle business with the city. The Van Nuys establishment usually has to await approval from ``downtown.'' When the city fathers equalize e·qual·ize v. e·qual·ized, e·qual·iz·ing, e·qual·iz·es v.tr. 1. To make equal: equalized the responsibilities of the staff members. 2. To make uniform. the services of the city, then maybe there will not be the urge to secede. Charles E. Gremer West Hills Minimum wage increase Nowhere in Maggie Gallagher's article, ``Minimum wage myth,'' April 30, did I read any concern about the idea that everyone, including teen-agers, is entitled to a fair wage for a fair day's work (Naut.) the account or reckoning of a ship's course for twenty-four hours, from noon to noon. See also: Day . There is no question that $4.25 an hour is far below the poverty level. Gallagher says that according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Heritage Foundation (hardly biased toward working people), ``only'' about one quarter of minimum wage workers are the sole breadwinners. This means that, according to Gallagher's figure of 3.7 million minimum-wage workers, over 900,000 families dependent on these workers live far below the poverty level. In my opinion, the minimum wage should be doubled. I'm sure the corporations raking in all-time-high profits and their millionaire CEOs can afford it. Sol Londe, M.D. Northridge To all economic conservatives: I'll make a deal with you. When the streets are flooded with hordes of working poor, carrying picket signs in protest of the proposed increases in the national and state minimum wage; when the Public Forum column is deluged with letters from low-wage workers pleading for continued low wages so their jobs will be preserved; when welfare mothers hold a press conference declaring that a higher wage floor will only serve to keep them from getting off the dole - then I will change my views and join my voice with yours in opposition to raising the minimum wage. - Mary Benedict Sherman Oaks Burbank Airport terminal Your question (Public Forum, May 4) of whether to build a new Burbank Airport terminal for safety reasons, or whether existing noise and traffic impacts should be addressed, should both be answered affirmatively. Unfortunately, the Airport Authority majority from Glendale and Pasadena has chosen to ignore the possibility of a nighttime curfew and have not addressed the noise and traffic concerns of the nearby densely populated residential communities. Airports with nearby residential neighbors like San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. International, John Wayne and Long Beach limit their hours of operation with curfews. The authority had the opportunity to impose a mandatory curfew prior to 1990. Not only is it unfair to impose the current level of impacts on the surrounding community, but it is unconscionable Unusually harsh and shocking to the conscience; that which is so grossly unfair that a court will proscribe it. When a court uses the word unconscionable to describe conduct, it means that the conduct does not conform to the dictates of conscience. to increase the impacts without addressing such issues as a mandatory curfew and limiting the number of daily flights. Instead the Airport Authority majority wants to build a replacement terminal significantly larger with far greater impacts than the current terminal. The plan adds five new gates to bring the total gates to 19 as soon as possible and add eight gates later for a total of 27 gates. The plan projects 894 flights daily - commercial and general aviation - with 10 million annual passengers. To give your readers a comparison of these impacts, in 1990 there were only 144 commercial and general aviation flights each day. There will remain only the two existing intersecting runways, which was the problem recently with the Las Vegas-to-Burbank flight that was diverted to Ontario. The Southwest Airlines This article is about the American airline. For the former Japanese airline, see Japan Transocean Air. For the British airline, see Air Southwest. Southwest Airlines Co. pilot made a judgment call that he wanted a longer runway than either of the two Burbank runways and he chose a less densely populated area to bring the aircraft down safely. - Philip E. Berlin Burbank Airport Commissioner Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport The emergency landing of Southwest Airline's plane points up the fact that an 8,000-foot runway was needed to land safely. The Burbank Airport runway is approximately 7,000 feet long. Therefore, a serious safety problem exists due to the short runway. The proposed three-times-larger terminal does not address itself to the runway safety issue. Also, 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. City lawsuit challenging the certification of the environmental impact statement is appropriate. The FAA took premature action to sabotage the city of Burbank's attempt to use the mediation process to develop growth controls. We fully support the growth-control conditions developed by the city of Burbank. - Lori Dinkin President Valley Village Homeowners Association Valley Village Dole and abortion So far, Bob Dole seems determined to drive pro-choice voters away from the Republican Party. Not only has he continued to insist on an extremely anti-choice plank in the GOP party platform, but it also is widely reported that his staff has promised the religious right that his nominee for vice president will be anti-choice. How can pro-choice voters be expected to stay in the GOP when the party continues to act as if pro-choice Americans are unworthy of participation or representation? Thomas Klem Los Angeles CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Audie Murphy in 1952. |
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