PUBLIC FORUM DIVIDE AND CONQUER.The arrogance required to propose a phony borough system of running the city is quite remarkable. Where are the studies? What is the impact? What are the details? The politicians and insiders have been decrying the secession effort as ``too soon'' or ``not thoroughly evaluated'' and ``premature'' for several years now. But presto, they can come up with a totally new idea in a few weeks and foist foist tr.v. foist·ed, foist·ing, foists 1. To pass off as genuine, valuable, or worthy: "I can usually tell whether a poet . . . it on the rest of us overnight. It is simply a tactic to divide and conquer. The attitude that must pervade per·vade tr.v. per·vad·ed, per·vad·ing, per·vades To be present throughout; permeate. See Synonyms at charge. [Latin perv the downtown power brokers to propose a cockamamie scheme which quadruples the number of politicians running this town has put them out of touch not just with the citizens, but reality. If, as some claim, a split would end life as we know it Life As We Know It is an American television drama on the ABC network during the 2004-2005 season. It was created by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah. The series was based on the novel Doing It by British writer Melvin Burgess. , just ask yourself one question: Why? - Bob Driscoll Woodland Hills Power grab In its June 7 editorial, the Daily News asserts that an ``insider culture'' of L.A. developers, professional politicians and influence peddlers is trying to ``crush secession.'' Maybe so. But let's be realistic, a similar cadre of insiders - of developers, politicians and influence peddlers - is trying to sell us secession. If secession occurs, that cadre can exercise power as bigger fish in a smaller sea. The same editorial says that voters are ``rightly skeptical'' of whether Valley VOTE and its leaders have ``a real plan.'' I am indeed skeptical, but I do think they have a real and deceptively simple plan: Get power first, figure out what to do with it later. 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. fall for it. Power brokers are no different on our side of the hill. - Jeremy Williams Jeremy Williams may refer to:
Encino You would think With major portions 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. breaking away, one would think that someone like our Mayor James Hahn For the Iowa politician, see . James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn (born July 3, 1950) is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He was the Deputy City Attorney (1975-1979), City Controller (1981-1985), City Attorney (1985-2001) and Mayor of Los Angeles, California would be out fixing sidewalks, repairing streets and doing something about failing schools around 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. . You would think he would make the City Council more attentive to the people's needs in the Valley, Hollywood and the other areas thinking of seceding. But not our mayor. His only interest is to stop us with lawsuits and million-dollar campaigns. I pray that the people of the Valley remember all of this during the November elections. Let's break from L.A. Vote yes on secession. - Michael C. Hines West Hills Delaying tactic Re ``VA study could bring vets changes in health care'' (June 6): After interrupting ongoing services and care to needy veterans once again, another study to take two years is to be implemented. It's another delaying tactic, but as Phil Budahn, VA director of media relations, states, this is a realignment re·a·lign tr.v. re·a·ligned, re·a·lign·ing, re·a·ligns 1. To put back into proper order or alignment. 2. To make new groupings of or working arrangements between. study, not a closure study, as VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi would focus on continuing decentralization de·cen·tral·ize v. de·cen·tral·ized, de·cen·tral·iz·ing, de·cen·tral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To distribute the administrative functions or powers of (a central authority) among several local authorities. of health care services. He also said that these changes are not expected to result in job losses. He says nothing of the concern for those veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam who would continue to suffer and die by the thousands as decentralization puts their best interest last. So many changes planned to increase services - to believe is to dream. - Jack Brukman Van Nuys Same standards In your May 22 article about Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. headquarters needing $26 million more for their office space, they should use the standard that we teachers have to follow: When there are insufficient classrooms for each teacher, we put our stuff on a cart and we ``travel'' from one temporarily vacant classroom to another. Department heads are lucky if they can use a storage room between classrooms as their department office. Even our National Board chemistry teacher has to use the science book room/women's bathroom foyer as her office, and she has to travel, too. If good teachers have to scrounge scrounge v. scrounged, scroung·ing, scroung·es Slang v.tr. 1. To obtain (something) by begging or borrowing with no intention of reparation: for office space, then the administrative staff downtown can tough it out, too. - Richard Moore Simi Valley Running amok
Running amok, sometimes referred to as simply amok (also spelled amuck or amuk Dennis McCarthy's June 6 column about the misunderstood dog misses the point. Mike Casey is a bad owner, and his dog is a free-running biter. Casey should have spent more time training his dog. Rather, he spent his time plotting his dog's escape. Animal Control worked out a reasonable solution. Casey apparently felt otherwise. Casey is the bad guy. Taking the dog from the shelter is the same as stealing your car from the police impound impound v. 1) to collect funds, in addition to installment payments, from a person who owes a debt secured by property, and place them in a special account to pay property taxes and insurance when due. yard. He belongs in jail, and his dogs belong in better homes. I hope he is found soon before he and his dog run amok Amok (ā`mŏk), in the Bible, post-Exilic Jewish family. again. - Marty Miller Oxnard Easy to see now Regarding the current congressional investigations and Monday morning quarterbacking about who's to blame for 9-11, maybe all the 20/20 hindsight could have been avoidable if only our elected and law enforcement officials had recently undergone Lasik eye surgery. - Stephen Wagner Castaic Estate tax repeal The drive to repeal the estate tax is another attempt by the wealthy to keep from contributing their share to the upkeep of our nation. If the Congress gives in, it will add still further to the growing gulf between the rich and the rest of us. We are rapidly approaching the relationship that existed in pre-revolutionary France between the nobility and the populace. - Ira Skutch Sherman Oaks Gun show security Right now, any terrorist can buy any gun at a gun show in the U.S. without any background check at all. After 9-11, that is crazy. So is National Rifle Association National Rifle Association (NRA) Governing organization for the sport of shooting with rifles and pistols. It was founded in Britain in 1860. The U.S. organization, formed in 1871, has a membership of some four million. Both the British and the U.S. and White House opposition to a bipartisan law in Congress now to make anybody who buys a gun at a gun show go through a background check. Do the NRA NRA (National Rifle Association of America) organization that encourages sharpshooting and use of firearms for hunting. [Am. Pop. Culture: NCE, 1895] See : Hunting and the White House want to let terrorists buy guns at gun shows without a background check after 9-11? I strongly believe in the right to own guns, but we need background checks on gun buyers to stop terrorists, crooks and wife beaters from getting guns at gun shows. - Robert J. Baker Pacific Palisades Palisades, cliffs along the west bank of the Hudson River, NE N.J. and SE N.Y., extending from N of Jersey City, N.J., to the vicinity of Piermont, N.Y., with a general altitude of from 350 ft to 550 ft (107–168 m). Vehicle registration fees Re ``Fees to register car may double next year'' (Business, June 4): Gov. Gray Davis' proposed budget for the 2002-03 fiscal year does not call for an end to the vehicle registration fee rebate. In fact, the governor's balanced and responsible budget provides a 25 percent discount on the cost California drivers will pay to register their cars next year. While this is not as great a discount as is currently offered - 67.5 percent - it will still provide significant savings to California motorists. Assemblymen Tony Strickland and George Runner say they oppose increasing registration fees, yet offer no proposals of their own to close a nearly $24 billion budget shortfall. So far, it is the only detailed plan on the table. Rather than lobbing criticism, these Republican Assembly members should participate in finding solutions that work. - Hilary McLean Chief deputy press secretary For Gov. Gray Davis Thrashing trash cans I have had two of my three trash bins fixed and everyone else in my block has had to fix one at least once. Having been in the hydraulics business for years, I know that the speed of the trucks' lifting arm, up and down, has been altered. The bin should come back down quickly and then, about a foot from the ground, a valve should be tripped to slowly set down the bin. This ``slow down'' function has obviously been bypassed as the bins hit the ground and bounce all over. - Walter Esser Van Nuys Tense times What's all the hubbub about cashmere cashmere Animal-hair fibre forming the downy undercoat of the Kashmir goat. The fibre became known for its use in beautiful shawls and other handmade items produced in Kashmir, India. The fibres have diameters finer than those of the best wools. sweaters? Good thing our man President George W. Bush is on it. It's going to be a hot summer. - John Petersen Northridge |
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