PUBLIC FORUM : WARNINGS OF CHANNEL HAZARDS UNHEEDED.This is response to the article and pictures (``Close calls in Pacoima Wash; 4 pulled from swift water in 2 rescues,'' Daily News, April 17) about the two swift-water rescues April 16. How many times do people have to be told not to go near these culverts? Every time it rains, the media barrages viewers with warnings not to go near water channels, and every year the Fire Department has to go out and save some moron mo·ron n. A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education. who does not have the sense of a tennis shoe. The Los Angeles Fire Department The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), also known as the Los Angeles City Fire Department to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles. does a fantastic job saving these idiots. My hat goes off to members of that fine department for their courage. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what else can be done to keep people out of these channels. Maybe we should treat them as animals, too stupid to know what is dangerous, and put electrified wire around the channels to keep them out, just like we do horses. - Terri Mathis Tujunga ACLU ACLU: see American Civil Liberties Union. rebuked The American Civil Liberties Union American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), nonpartisan organization devoted to the preservation and extension of the basic rights set forth in the U.S. Constitution. is once again showing its colors and sticking its arrogant nose into something it knows nothing about (``Fair play? Girls' league sues city for field access,'' Daily News, April 17). I have been watching the West Hills Baseball League for 15 years, and if ever there was an example of a community putting its money where its mouth is, it has to be this one. It has, with parent interest, hard work and money, made a perfect example of what this country is all about. These people have the best and finest facilities because they have given their kids the best that hard work can produce. I don't want to hear that they lease a piece of property from the city for nothing, because you can go to every park in L.A. County and see what a mess these facilities, run by the bureaucrats, look like. Parents all over this city could do what the people of West Hills have done if they would get off their butts and just do it. But no, the ACLU and its cronies want everything to be on an even playing field, with or without dedication and work. If the ACLU hasn't learned that welfare and giveaways don't work, so be it. But for God's sake, leave the people alone who have had the will and desire to be independent of the bureaucratic bu·reau·crat n. 1. An official of a bureaucracy. 2. An official who is rigidly devoted to the details of administrative procedure. bu attitude ``that everyone deserves the same,'' no matter if they work for it or not. - Frank G. Carlisi Calabasas Won't accept raise I am writing to clear up the misimpressions made by your editorial on pay raises for the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. (``Pay heist,''
April 15). The editorial objects to the possibility that council members
will get a $9,000 pay raise and twice refers to all 15 members of the
council when talking about the raises.
The day before this editorial ran, I was mentioned in a Daily News article that made clear my intention to donate my pay raise to support police services should the council receive one this year. Not only did you fail to acknowledge that I had already gone on the record declining the raise, but in the editorial, you suggest that ``council members should refuse the raise.'' Well, I said I would - two days before your editorial appeared. In 1994, I also declined my raise and, in lieu of taking the increase, gave more than $10,000 to support police services and public safety efforts at each of the four police stations that serve my district in the Northeast Valley. I have not yet determined the specifics of how I would allocate my pay raise should the council receive one this year, but I assure you it will be dedicated to public safety efforts - not put into my pocket. - Richard Alarcon councilman, 7th District 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. When I read in the paper that the City Council might get an exorbitant raise, I thought it may be a delayed April Fools' Day April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day First day of April, named for the custom of playing practical jokes on that date. Though it has been observed for centuries in several countries, including France and Britain, its origin is unknown. joke. Our streets are full of chuckholes. It's not safe to walk at night. Our public transit is a joke. I could go on and on with problems that are not corrected. In the private sector, you do not get automatic raises unless you correct problems you are paid to correct. It appears the city, state and federal governments do not work by the same rules. - Edward J. Foss Sun Valley State pay raises Why is it that 134,000 state employees have not had a raise since 1995? Answer: It would be inflationary to give them a raise. Why then is it not inflationary for Gov. Pete Wilson For others named Pete Wilson, see . Peter Barton Wilson (born August 23, 1933) is an American Republican politician from California. Wilson served as the thirty-sixth Governor of California (1991–1999), the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that to get a 26 percent raise and legislators to get a 34 percent raise? Answer: They are more worthy because they understand the concept of ``class struggle.'' Through their elite network - because of its smaller size, it's always more efficient than that of the workers, wrote Adam Smith - they are better able to play hardball hard·ball n. 1. Baseball. 2. Informal The use of any means, however ruthless, to attain an objective. hardball Noun US & Canad 1. and win. Most state workers, on the other hand, don't even know the name of the game. As a result, come June many of them will probably be voting for Proposition 226 (requiring employers and labor unions labor union: see union, labor. to obtain employees' or members' permission before withholding wages or dues for political contributions), proving once again just how unworthy they really are. - John Trechak Pasadena `Bad teachers' In regard to bad teachers (``Spotting `bad teachers'; new book a must-read for parents concerned about education'' by Thomas Sowell Thomas Sowell (born June 30, 1930), is an American economist, political writer, and commentator. While often described as a "black conservative", he prefers not to be labeled, and considers himself more libertarian than conservative. , Opinions, April 17): Again it seems that there is a plethora of tools for parents to better the education of their children, such as a no-nonsense book dealing with identifying the ``bad teacher.'' Again parents have been notified that the tools to a better education are out there. My concern has always been with the simple things that seem to be so hard for many parents to do: spending time "Spending Time" is the first single released by Christian artist Stellar Kart. The lyrics describe the band members desire to spend "more time with God". "Sometimes it’s a real struggle to spend time with God. with their children, showing concern with their academic work. Nothing is more important to educational success than that relationship. Now, I know we are all busy and life sometimes gets hectic, but these are your children. The extra effort you put in now will pay off in the near future. Children who are performing well in school are much less likely to take drugs, join gangs and get into legal trouble. Look at ways to include your children in more of your time. Show them that schoolwork is so very important to their happiness. Your child should be the most important part of your life, and you need to make sure they would agree. - Robert C. Litwack North Hollywood In response to the column on ``bad teachers'': Let's look at some answers and solutions. The first suggestion is for everyone who has a question as to the schools to watch the Los Angeles Board of Education on KLCS-TV (Channel 58). To see this group of pompous pom·pous adj. 1. Characterized by excessive self-esteem or exaggerated dignity; pretentious: pompous officials who enjoy giving orders. 2. asses and politicians fuss, fume fume Occupational medicine A solid suspension resulting from condensation of the products of combustion. See Inhalant Vox populi verbTo be in the midst of a mental mini-meltdown. , bicker bick·er intr.v. bick·ered, bick·er·ing, bick·ers 1. To engage in a petty, bad-tempered quarrel; squabble. See Synonyms at argue. 2. and make decisions regarding education is nothing short of ludicrous. Next, I would invite every critic to spend at least two full days at a local school listening and watching to the teachers and especially the children. At the end of that time, when they discover that many teachers are truly dedicated and trying to do their utmost to educate and not just baby-sit, go home with those teachers and watch the hours and hours of preparation, correcting and grading of papers and then trying to figure out how to solve the inadequacies of their students. Then, and only then, ask to see the pay scale for teachers. As a retired LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) teacher, I watched it go from one of the finest and highest-rated school districts in the world to among the worst in the universe. I kept waiting for the pendulum to start its reverse swing and let those who knew the problems and the solutions be allowed to start the repair job so badly needed. But, no, the worse it got, the more bureaucratic and political meddling med·dle intr.v. med·dled, med·dling, med·dles 1. To intrude into other people's affairs or business; interfere. See Synonyms at interfere. 2. To handle something idly or ignorantly; tamper. was added to the fires of decline. - Don McGee 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, Prop. 227 debate In her letter (Public Forum, April 15) justifying her opposition to Proposition 227 (curtailing bilingual education bilingual education, the sanctioned use of more than one language in U.S. education. The Bilingual Education Act (1968), combined with a Supreme Court decision (1974) mandating help for students with limited English proficiency, requires instruction in the native ), Kathleen Villar Jacinto claims that instituting its provisions will somehow damage children's self-esteem, something that she claims any educator knows is ``the key to success.'' Well, this educator of 30 years, and a psychologist to boot, does not know this. Indeed, Jacinto certainly has it backward, for as we all know, rather than self-esteem being the key to success, success is in fact the key to self-esteem. Isn't it perfectly obvious that real satisfaction with ourselves comes only from our accomplishments? If arguments like this, based on the patent distortion of simple truths, are among the best that opponents can make against Proposition 227, it speaks strongly for the desirability of the proposition. It also suggests, again contrary to what Jacinto says, that rather than sitting down with some educators and experts on bilingual education, one would help children more by sitting down with Ron Unz Ron K. Unz, born 1961, is a former businessman and political activist, best known for an unsuccessful run for the governorship of California, and for sponsoring propositions promoting structured English immersion education. , for he seems to have the clearer picture. - Barry Lowenkron professor of psychology California State University, Los Angeles California State University, Los Angeles (also known as Cal State L.A., CSULA, or "'CSLA"') is a public university, part of the California State University system. Westside watches Valley Secession opponents on the western side of Los Angeles are now holding off, waiting to gauge the progress of similar efforts 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. (``Westside watches Valley, waits,'' Daily News, April 20). The key to this decision is the desire by some neighborhoods to ``pursue secession on their own.'' Most interesting to me were the comments of some Westside residents that at about 650,000 people, a proposed Westside city would be too large. If I am not mistaken, the proposed Valley city would have almost three times that number of residents. Isn't that a bit large as well? Valley secession is in the thinking and talking stages now. Let's add the option of more than one Valley city to the table. Just as it has been said that Chatsworth's needs might be different from San Pedro's, Northridge's needs may be something other than North Hollywood's. It might be better to carve the Valley into three or four ``Burbanks'' rather than one big junior version of Los Angeles. - Michael Higby North Hollywood CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO A firefighter is lowered into the wash to aid in the rescue of the stranded boy. David R. Crane/Daily News |
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