PUBLIC FORUM.

Gutsy decision

Re ``U.S. military deaths reach 2,000 in Iraq'' (Oct. 26):

I applaud your gutsy, brilliant decision to re-create the front page of the paper Wednesday on behalf of the men and women who have sacrificed their lives for our country. I hope someone sends a copy to the administrators of this country and I hope within the network of your competitors, others follow suit. If your paper's intention was to infer our country's misdirected energy, I congratulate your bravado.

- Alison Mailes

Woodland Hills

They died for us

Re ``U.S. military deaths reach 2,000 in Iraq'' (Oct. 26):

The casualties in any war are truly heartbreaking. I can't imagine living with the knowledge of my own sons' deaths on a battlefield, or anywhere else for that matter. But remember what these heroic men and women died for - they died for us.

To print the names of those murdered on 9-11 would have required another half page of your newspaper. If our brave and dedicated fighting men and women do not succeed in their mission to protect this country from Islamic terrorists and a nuclear device is detonated in an American city, printing that casualty list will take many editions of your newspaper printed in exceedingly fine print.

- David E. Mertens

Granada Hills

Brave men and women

Re ``U.S. military deaths reach 2,000 in Iraq'' (Oct. 26):

Thank you for honoring our brave men and women who have lost their lives, on the front page today. I am sure those in the White House would not be happy with your front page. The White House as always would rather cover up how bad things really are.

- Sami Sadri

Calabasas

Front page

Your front page Wednesday makes you a world class newspaper.

- Natalie F. Holtzman

Chatsworth

Disgraceful

I want to thank you for showing the people of Los Angeles that you are completely controlled by and supporting al-Qaida and the insurgents in Iraq with your front page today. To call the deaths of 2,000 members of the U.S. military a milestone is disgraceful. I am a former member of the U.S. military and consider your front page an insult to those who gave their lives to protect you and your families.

- Allan L. Griffith

Stevenson Ranch 

Miers demise

The conservative movement has not done itself proud by what it has done to Harriet Miers. The woman was no more or no less qualified than those who were appointed to the bench in the past and perhaps more in many ways. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that a candidate be an expert in constitutional law or that he or she has been a sitting judge.

What conservatives have done is to become the ideologues they accuse the liberals of being. They wanted guarantees on how she would vote on certain matters brought before the court, a litmus test for the far right and she rightly would not provide them with one.

Conservatives may come to regret what they have done. You knew what you had; you don't know what you're going to get. If you are looking for ways to shoot yourselves in the foot, you've just found one.

- Lawrence A. Calabro

Northridge

More LAPD officers

Re ``Mayor to double city housing fund, back bond issue'' (Oct. 27):

One of Mayor Villaraigosa's campaign promises was to find more money to hire more police officers. It amazes me he has found $50 million to help with the homeless issue. Public safety should be the No. 1 priority in this city and the mayor should be putting all his efforts and diligence toward fulfilling his promise to help our Police Department.

How many more years will LAPD lag behind New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Boston, having fewer officers per capita? Do we need a crisis in L.A. before our politicians ``Get it''?

- Monica Harmon

Los Angeles

Bush's word

Re ``Prosecutor confers with chief judge on leak case'' (Oct. 27):

George W. Bush once said that he would fire anyone in his administration ``involved'' in the outing of Valerie Plame as an undercover CIA operative. Since we now know that Cheney is at the heart of the effort to retaliate against her husband, Joseph Wilson, for criticizing the reasoning behind attacking Iraq, Bush would have to fire not only his own vice president, but Cheney's chief of staff, ``Scooter'' Libby, and Karl Rove as well. If only Bush would stick to his word - just once.

- Bradley Kayl

North Hollywood

Traffic guidelines

If the politicians and others insist on the Orange Line and other bus lines copying the actions of a fixed-rail system, perhaps they should consider implementing the same guidelines as rail traffic, such as crossing gates and proper signaling at crossings.

It's much easier to ``hear'' the bus than to decipher all the signals (bus and car traffic signals) at the crossings. It can be confusing. A better solution would have been to simply fix the rail line that previously existed along the new ``busway'' and have a viable route that could service passengers as well as commerce.

- Carolyn Whitehead

Canyon Country

Orange Line art

Re ``Looking back in time'' (Oct. 26):

Readers may have been intrigued by the ``secret'' of the Orange Line landscaping planting mentioned. One of the members of the landscape design team was Southern California artist Jud Fine, who collaborated with the landscape architect to develop landscaping artwork and plantings integrated throughout the Orange Line route.

In addition to seven landscape art areas, designed specifically to reflect local conditions, Fine selected the double lines of Aleppo and Torrey Pines, which run the length of the project and are spaced to approximate the sense of movement of a vehicle on the transit way. Sculpted markers, to be placed in the landscaping, will also be installed in the upcoming months. Fine has titled the work ``Seven Spots and a Path.''

- Maya Emsden

Metro Art

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Murder machines

Re ``Bad rap on pit bulls'' (Your Opinions, Oct. 21):

In response to Sidney Cooke's letter regarding pit bull dogs, how about a state and federal law requiring pit bull and other known vicious breeds to be muzzled at all times? I have personally witnessed the havoc these four-legged murder machines can cause when improperly supervised.

These animals will turn on their owners or their children in a heartbeat. It's not the dumb animals' fault; it's the owners. If I owned an animal that could kill something with just one bite, I would have it destroyed.

- Rhonda Bartulski

West Hills

Why so anxious?

Why are the unions so anxious to defeat Proposition 74? If the teachers are all excellent - then there are no issues. If the teachers are ill-suited for the job, then why are we protecting them?

They still would end up with more protections than any private marketplace employee? Am I missing something?

- Mike Hawkins

Camarillo

Speak softly ...

Let's hope, since praying seems to be disparaged these days, that California does not suffer one of Mother Nature's disasters since we already are suffering live disasters in the form of two Democratic senators who antagonize, make fun of and seldom support this president in his daily efforts - a workload that would smother most of us.

President Bush is the one who decides what disaster relief aid we might get, if any, so these two women might do well to humanize and soften what passes through their lips rather than terrorize us with the venom of their poorly chosen words.

- Paul Vaughn

Van Nuys