PUBLIC FORUM : POWER TO THE POLLS.I'm deafened deaf·en v. deaf·ened, deaf·en·ing, deaf·ens v.tr. 1. To make deaf, especially momentarily by a loud noise. 2. To make soundproof. v.intr. by the din of those trumpeted polls. I guess confusion is both inevitable and intended. Apparently we are expected to just accept the concept that this is a democracy. So I went back to the Federalist Papers Federalist papers formally The Federalist Eighty-five essays on the proposed Constitution of the United States and the nature of republican government, published in 1787–88 by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in an effort to persuade used to persuade the voters to adopt our Constitution. There Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay used ``republic'' or related words 123 times in 32 of the 85 papers, each time with approval. They used ``democracy'' or related words 15 times in five of the papers, each time with disapproval. So it's no surprise to find Article 4, Section 4, of the Constitution guarantees to every state in the Union a republican form of government, and neither ``democratic'' nor any related word appears in it. So why are polls now used as news? Is the intent to degrade our republican government of law into, first, the type of government of men called a democracy and, then, into a ``pollocracy?'' Who stands to gain from this misrepresentation misrepresentation In law, any false or misleading expression of fact, usually with the intent to deceive or defraud. It most commonly occurs in insurance and real-estate contracts. False advertising may also constitute misrepresentation. ? - Jack Schlicht North Hills No target in sight Clinton and NATO NATO: see North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO in full North Atlantic Treaty Organization International military alliance created to defend western Europe against a possible Soviet invasion. are telling the combatants in Kosovo that there will be military action against them if the talks outside Paris fail to produce a permanent cease-fire. OK, we know that one target is Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Where do we bomb the rebels? Is it Tirana, Albania, the source of their munitions mu·ni·tion n. War materiel, especially weapons and ammunition. Often used in the plural. tr.v. mu·ni·tioned, mu·ni·tion·ing, mu·ni·tions To supply with munitions. and supplies? Unclear, isn't it? - Louis Innerarity 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. Feuer delivered I am a resident of Sherman Oaks whose home abuts the Deervale Canyon property. My neighbors and I are quite pleased with the purchase of the canyon and with Councilman Mike Feuer's role in the process. Contrary to your statement that ``residents are upset to learn'' all the property was not purchased, the property purchased with our Proposition K funds matches, exactly, the map of the proposed development that was received at a neighborhood meeting in the spring of 1996. The parkland purchase delivered the complete victory that our neighborhood was promised. Again, contrary to your statement about ``continued alienation from government,'' the parkland purchase proved to our neighborhood that government follows through on its promises and that Feuer is true to his word. Unlike Richard Close and the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, which refuses to allow open debate and clouds the facts to achieve its own goals, Feuer is always honest, accessible and willing to listen. - Rabbi Donald Goor Tarzana Raises won't work LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) school board member Julie Korenstein thinks paying teachers a higher salary will attract better teachers (``Zacarias blasts deal for teacher pay raises,'' Feb. 18). That's debatable. But how will a pay raise improve the performance of the teachers? Is Korenstein telling us that if we raise their salary they will then do a better job? I think not. - Hal Netkin Van Nuys Wet weather warning Re driving in wet weather: I still remember vividly the first time I drove in the rain. I was a high school senior, driving my mother's 8-year-old '55 Chevy Bel Air Bel Air may refer to: Places in the United States:
Then my parents told me how to brake on wet pavement. I had learned to drive in the summer, and neither my parents nor the driver training instructor at school had prepared me for driving in the rain. Remember that every time it rains it will be the very first time for somebody driving a car in the rain. It could be a young person who grew up in a dry climate or an older person who just learned to drive or even an experienced driver with an unfamiliar vehicle that handles differently in the rain. Be careful and courteous. - Nancy Martsch Sherman Oaks Cloud over cloud over Verb 1. (of the sky or weather) to become cloudy: it was clouding over and we thought it would rain 2. Sunshine Canyon The Valley is about to get the shaft again. The city plan is to put a 500-acre dump in Sunshine Canyon. Browning-Ferris Industries Browning-Ferris Industries, or "BFI", is a licensed trademark of Allied Waste Industries, a North America waste collection company. Many local units of Allied Waste are still known as BFI in the markets they serve. officials seem to be in collusion with the city zoning administration in this tragic fiasco. BFI BFI - brute force and ignorance officials cannot be trusted. They have broken promise after promise and as yet have not fulfilled their obligation to reclaim the land from the previous dump for public use. The proposal for a change of zoning - from agricultural to heavy industrial use, complete with a toxic waste toxic waste is waste material, often in chemical form, that can cause death or injury to living creatures. It usually is the product of industry or commerce, but comes also from residential use, agriculture, the military, medical facilities, radioactive sources, and operation in such close proximity to the community and water-treatment plant - is hazardous and foolhardy fool·har·dy adj. fool·har·di·er, fool·har·di·est Unwisely bold or venturesome; rash. See Synonyms at reckless. [Middle English folhardi, from Old French fol hardi : . More than 1,100 trucks will make trips in and out of the dump per day. This is a no-brainer. We cannot allow this to happen. Modern technology in Europe has eliminated open-pit waste. It must be done in this case. As usual, it just boils down to big business getting big dollars and citizens getting the big shaft. Please attend the zoning hearing at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, at Airtel Hotel, 7277 Valjean St., Van Nuys. - John Hendricks Granada Hills Eat it anyway Thank you for an article on Feb. 15, ``Ethnic dishes in America lack authenticity, chefs say.'' An American, as most of us living in America are, I was horrified hor·ri·fy tr.v. hor·ri·fied, hor·ri·fy·ing, hor·ri·fies 1. To cause to feel horror. See Synonyms at dismay. 2. To cause unpleasant surprise to; shock. to find out that restaurant food here is adjusted to our tastes. To think, that restaurants may cross a dish off their menu ``simply because Americans won't eat it.'' I am shocked and appalled to find that I can't find food I don't like when I go out to eat. I demand live fish be served in every McDonald's. And let's not Let's Not is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It was first published in Boston University Graduate Journal in December 1954. It was written for no payment as a favour to the journal, and later appeared in the collection Buy Jupiter. stop at food. Bring back the Pinto, eight-tracks and ``Ishtar'' because we should also have cars we won't drive, music we can't listen to and movies we won't watch. And when they get here, call me, because I'll be outside eating dirt. I may not like it, but I shouldn't let that stop me. - Jack Saslavsky Northridge Shelters no havens An article in the Daily News on Jan. 30 about the heartwarming heart·warm·ing or heart-warm·ing adj. 1. Causing gladness and pleasure. 2. Eliciting sympathy and tender feelings: a heartwarming tale. Adj. 1. reunion of the disabled man with his helper dog unfortunately underscores the preacvalent feeling of animal lovers in Los Angeles. The people who found the dog said they could have taken him to the pound but wanted to find the owner. That the dog had no tags is inexcusable. But why didn't they take the dog to the North Hollywood shelter right away, confident that he would be well cared for until the owner came? Because the general perception that it is a fate worse than death to bring a dog there is the reality of anyone who has had contact with the pound and its reputation for killing our beloved companions too soon, housing them in overcrowded o·ver·crowd v. o·ver·crowd·ed, o·ver·crowd·ing, o·ver·crowds v.tr. To cause to be excessively crowded: a system of consolidation that only overcrowded the classrooms. runs and having phone lines that are impossible to navigate. Just try to get a live person to speak with. How sad that the shelter, which should be the first place to search for a lost dog, is often the last place an animal lover will take a lost soul, making it even harder for lost pets to be found. The hundreds if animals rescued in Los Angeles are a testament to the city's grand-scale failure to assist our animal population more effectively. - Evelyn Goldman Chatsworth Up in the air After reading Homeowners of Encino President Gerald Silver's comments regarding the jet crash at Van Nuys Airport Van Nuys Airport (IATA: VNY, ICAO: KVNY, FAA LID: VNY) is a public airport located in Van Nuys, California in the San Fernando Valley, within the Los Angeles city limits. , I feel I must respond to such silly statements. Commercial aviation is the lifeblood of any airport and provides an important link to the city's business community. It is both convenient and practical. Silver is correct when he points out the urban environment that has developed around this airport. That same environment exists around Burbank and Los Angeles International airports. Those residents must endure their noise levels for the greater good of the entire community. Silver and his supporters decided that this segment of commercial aviation is impractical because it affects his quality of life. Van Nuys Aiport has been a taxpaying part of this community for more than 70 years and has an excellent safety record overall. In response to community concerns, aircraft and airport operations have been modified to aclower noise levels. Those in the aviation community in general want to be good neighbors and to cooperate with all practical solutions to mutual problems. - Brett Papworth Brett Papworth (born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) played first grade rugby league for the Eastern Suburbs Roosters in the New South Wales Rugby League competition. He had formerly been an Australian rugby union international. His position of choice was usually at centre. Palmdale Clinton career change Being a stand-up stand·up or stand-up adj. 1. Standing erect; upright: a standup collar. 2. Taken, done, or used while standing: a standup supper; a standup bar. comedian, I had a great laugh at your front-page headline on Feb. 7 referring to Monica Lewinsky, ``Both sides try to make her a star.'' A star of what? X-rated films? While Ronald Reagan went from movies to politics, Bill Clinton can go from politics to movies. - Bob Shannon Van Nuys And the answer is Speaking of Hillary Rodham Rodham is an English surname which may refer to a number of persons or places. People Family of Hillary Rodham Clinton
New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of to represent the citizens of that diverse state in the U.S. Senate. From New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. to Buffalo and from Plattsburg to Binghamton, I don't think it compares with either of her prior home states. I imagine in today's celebrity-driven society it does not matter that she is not one of them or of them. What matters to many voters is star power. Some of the questions that should be asked of her by New Yorkers are: What's an egg cream, and how many eggs are used? What do you put on your bagel? Which city has better pizza, New York City or Chicago? How many Belly Bombers can you eat at White Castle? Please pronounce the word ``coffee.'' Which one was Gunther and which one was Tootie? Who was better: Mays, Mantle or Snider? Please use the term ``fahgit aboud it'' in a sentence. If the candidate can answer those questions in a satisfactory manner, then and only then should the candidacy be taken seriously. - L.A. Calabro Northridge |
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