PUBLIC FORUM : SCANDALS: EX-NAVY LEADER `JUST DOESN'T GET IT'.Former Navy Secretary John Lehman laments the causes of the recent suicide of Chief of Naval Operations chief of naval operations n. pl. chiefs of naval operations Abbr. CNO The ranking officer of the U.S. Navy, responsible to the secretary of the Navy and to the President. Jeremy Boorda and the Tailhook scandals as being nothing more than gutter In typography, the space between two columns. reporting and character assassination character assassination n. A vicious personal verbal attack, especially one intended to destroy or damage a public figure's reputation. character assassin n. at the hands of an incompetent press (``Lehman lashes out in defense of Navy,'' Daily News, May 27). Lehman is another example of someone who just doesn't get it. If the Tailhook gauntlet gauntlet /gaunt·let/ (gawnt´let) a bandage covering the hand and fingers like a glove. had occurred at a schoolyard or with the wives and mothers of the ``patriotic kids, men, and admirals'' who have been ``ruined'' over bad press, I'm sure Lehman would have a different view of the incident. In the article, Tailhook was correctly referred to as a ``sexual assault.'' Later in the same article, Lehman says it should have been a ``minor story.'' The excuse given is the ``different attitude'' about what sailors could do when they go ashore or what they could do at Tailhook. Worse, there was implied acceptance that sexual assault was a way for sailors to ``relieve stress.'' Who made these rules? It's OK to sexually assault someone if you're patriotic? It's OK to sexually assault someone if you reach a certain rank? It's OK to sexually assault someone if you perform your missions well? It's OK to sexually assault someone if your military organization is undergoing cultural changes? It's not OK. I applaud the press coverage that has and will continue to expose crimes against women. - Kathy Schroeder Palmdale Minimum-wage questions Recent actions by members of Congress to vote to raise the minimum wage by 90 cents per hour were both bold and gutsy guts·y adj. guts·i·er, guts·i·est Slang 1. Marked by courage or daring; plucky. 2. Robust and uninhibited; lusty: "the gutsy . . . . It goes, though, not without traps and consequences, for which I must wave the warning flag. Unable to quantify the number of jobs to be lost by domestic workers as a result of the increased compensation gap between domestic and foreign workers' wages and the competitive cost of productivity associated with both, Congress has decided to move forward with dramatic wage increases. A number of questions must be asked, significant controls implemented, and temptations avoided. The anticipated results to increased minimum wages are twofold. First is to increase the buying power Buying Power The money an investor has available to buy securities. In a margin account, the buying power is the total cash held in the brokerage account plus maximum margin available. Also referred to as "Excess Equity. of those workers and hopefully increased domestic spending. Of course, a sudden rise in domestic spending could result in increased inflation and the cost of borrowing money, and if the newly founded money results in more spending on foreign goods, the trade deficit and national debt could widen more. The second anticipated result is to deal with the welfare situation in this country. By dramatically increasing the minimum wage, the results are expected to tempt tempt v. tempt·ed, tempt·ing, tempts v.tr. 1. To try to get (someone) to do wrong, especially by a promise of reward. 2. many welfare recipients away from the welfare rolls and into the work stream due to the greater disparity between welfare payments and the new minimum-wage structure. The potential downside to this, though, would be the resulting consideration that the minimum wage is an indicator of a need for a higher poverty level. Falling into the trap to raise the poverty level and the compensations associated with and due under welfare, will be counterproductive coun·ter·pro·duc·tive adj. Tending to hinder rather than serve one's purpose: "Violation of the court order would be counterproductive" Philip H. Lee. to all that could be achieved under the goals associated with increase in minimum wages or real spendable money. What would increasing wages alone really accomplish on a long-term basis other than a quick fix and to promote more unlawful immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. ? Currently, workers receive only 48 cents in money for each dollar in wages - not that workers are under-compensated when factoring in benefits packages. Having a consistent division of the same quantities of a bigger pie does nothing for anyone. Rather than blindly increasing minimum wages, comprehensive plans need to be evaluated and implemented to promote the reduction in the number of welfare recipients and increase the proportion in spendable money our workers receive and reinvest re·in·vest tr.v. re·in·vest·ed, re·in·vest·ing, re·in·vests To invest (capital or earnings) again, especially to invest (income from securities or funds) in additional shares. from each dollar. Through tax reductions, consumer domestic spending and investment credits and tort reform as starters, the goals and benefits expected as a result of increasing wages could be realized, not with smoke and mirrors or bigger pies, but rather with sound economic principles. - Nathan Brogin Sherman Oaks A chief executive officer in this country can make up to 800 times that of a minimum wage earner. To make things fair, Congress ought to seriously consider passing a maximum salary law. - Craig L. Kysar Sherman Oaks Many in favor of the minimum wage increase, speculate that the increase will serve as an intensifying, motivating factor for people to get off welfare and find work. I believe that this is not the case. When individuals have developed a habit-forming need to acquire funds, without participating in any physical or mental employment, they will obviously not feel the need to enter back into the labor force for a minimum wage increase from $4.25 to $5.15. Supporters fail to recognize the economic impact that the minimum wage increase will have on smaller businesses. Smaller businesses will absorb the negative economical impact. With the increase in minimum wage, smaller businesses must transfer the cost in the form of higher consumer product prices, making these businesses less competitive in a market where large corporations currently dominate. We are slowly allowing the abolition of small businesses in which the owners have worked so hard to build and maintain. Corporations are more apt to absorb the cost, providing them with more control in the market. Many supporters feel that the wage increase will allow for a better standard of living for employees who earn a minimum wage, but what about the families who will have to deal with possible job loss or the decreasing demand for employment? - Marybelle Doe Castaic A case for home rule Picture this: 51 percent 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 property owners get on the freeways at 9 a.m. June 4 and July 9, all headed for City Hall to protest new taxes for landscaping and lighting. This is just one more reason for secession from Big Brother L.A. We need our own city hall and council where it is more accessible. We need our own Valley citizens determining our rights and responsibilities. - Laverne J. Williams Van Nuys The City Council of 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. did it again: lighting, parks - what a good cause. Spending $200,000 for a mailing is stupid. The council should have used it on parks. - John E. Cooper Woodland Hills Why are reasons needed? The Community College District notice to property owners of the proposed parcel assessment calls for landowners to provide the reasons for any protests. I doubt that most of the affected property owners are familiar enough with the Streets and Highways Code and court interpretations of its provisions to state a lawful ground for protest. Interestingly, I note that the city of Los Angeles' assessment notice does not require a ``reason'' to protest its similar landscape and lighting district proposal. When I go to the polls on election day to vote, I do not have to give any reason for my choice of candidates or issues, or abstention ABSTENTION, French law. This is the tacit renunciation by an heir of a succession Merl. Rep. h.t. from voting on any matter. - James Eric Freedner Sun Valley West Hills defended I would suggest to Bill Brady
William "Bill" Brady, CM , LL.D (born 1932) is a Canadian print and radio journalist, manager and executive who has been involved with various local and national organizations. and Otto Gruber (``Canoga Park's image problem will fade away Verb 1. fade away - become weaker; "The sound faded out" dissolve, fade out change state, turn - undergo a transformation or a change of position or action; "We turned from Socialism to Capitalism"; "The people turned against the President when he stole the ,'' Public Forum, May 23) that they not be so quick to fling barbs barbs the primary, delicate filaments that are given off the shaft of a bird's contour feather. They project from the rachis and bear the barbules. at West Hills. How Gruber gallops from a name change to ``get away from a flood of immigrants'' is a kind of logic that is unfamiliar to me. ``West Hills'' is the name of a community not an ``escape.'' I am proud of my home. I love where I live and do not appreciate anyone trying to undermine that feeling. We all live in 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. , in Los Angeles County, in this beautiful state of California and are all neighbors. These kinds of remarks do nothing to advance community spirit. - Eileen O'Neill West Hills Curfew enforcement In my opinion, we have no need for more police officers on the streets of Los Angeles. Recently when a proposal was made to enforce curfews in high-crime areas, which would probably necessitate ne·ces·si·tate tr.v. ne·ces·si·tat·ed, ne·ces·si·tat·ing, ne·ces·si·tates 1. To make necessary or unavoidable. 2. To require or compel. additional officers, we heard cries of racial bias. If more officers translates into racial bias, it follows then that additional officers in certain areas to combat high crime can also be an argument of racial bias? If this is the case, then the solution is to distribute the police force on a per capita [Latin, By the heads or polls.] A term used in the Descent and Distribution of the estate of one who dies without a will. It means to share and share alike according to the number of individuals. basis and end the argument of racial bias once and for all, ergo, no additional officers are needed. - Dan Reitz Dan Reitz is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 116th District since 1997. External links
Northridge Journalistic standards Kimberly Crockett gave us a good hee-haw by chastising Janet Cooke Janet Cooke (born July 23,1954) was an American journalist who became infamous when she won a Pulitzer Prize for a fabricated story that she wrote for The Washington Post. for tarnishing journalistic standards of ``trust, integrity and credibility'' (``Sorry, Janet, liars are liabilities in the news business,'' Viewpoint, May 17). Crockett deplored the ``severe impact'' Cooke had on journalism. But where were those high standards when Republicans were falsely reported for wanting to starve starve v. 1. To suffer or die from extreme or prolonged lack of food. 2. To deprive of food so as to cause suffering or death. children, kill older people and cut the budget for health, education and welfare? Republicans are still suffering from the negative impact of that media barrage and they're still waiting for an apology of any kind for those lies. - Miriam Jaffe Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. Feuer rebutted Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Feuer claims to believe in self-determination but wants the entire population of Los Angeles to vote on secession. Why in the world would the vote of Los Angeles proper be welcomed when the whole issue is to get away from its influence? I don't recall the entire nation voting on statehood state·hood n. The status of being a state, especially of the United States, rather than being a territory or dependency. for Alaska or Hawaii. The territories voted themselves and determined their destiny. - Michael Hannin Woodland Hills CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1) John Lehman (2) Mike Feuer |
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