PUBLIC FORUM.

Counting our votes

Re ``Hacker to test out voting machines'' (Nov. 28):

Secretary of State Bruce McPherson has given until Monday for comments on voting equipment. The Diebold equipment should be rejected unless and until they correct serious security flaws that have been found by Avi Rubin, Herbert Thompson and Harry Hursti. Even his own tech staff has advised him to investigate the software further, and recommended withholding certification, due to flaws in the software, which have become apparent and may indicate other yet unrecognized flaws.

A further concern is that the company can provide a paper receipt as it does for ATM machines, but does not provide them in their voting machines. To allow these machines to count our votes is to make a travesty of our democracy.

- Theresa Brady

Chatsworth

Different jobs

Re ``Engineers, architects union's workers seek deal on par with DWP'' (Nov. 28):

While I understand the Engineers and Architects Association's frustration with L.A.'s failure over the last 15 months to negotiate in good faith, these folks don't do work equal to the workers at DWP. EAA members can't fall to their death from power poles, transmission towers or substation electrical racks as can the members of IBEW.

The EAA members claim if the city can afford to give DWP a raise, then the city can afford one for them. The DWP pays its employees from water and power sales and therefore is a revenue-independent city department. The city departments employing the EAA are not revenue-independent and must raise taxes to pay these folks. Please, EAA, no more stretching the truth.

- Rod Luedke

West Hills

Taxing hybrid miles

Re ``Hybrid tax considered to fund highways'' (Nov. 26):

What kind of lame-brained idea is it to tax hybrids and fuel-efficient cars for miles driven when we are trying to get public support for conserving and being less dependent on foreign oil to run our economy?

It is certainly clear that we need more money to maintain and construct the nation's highways, but this solution is preposterous. This idea could only be bought by an administration that is politically and economically stupid (or worse). So I guess it will probably happen.

- George J. Kramer

Northridge

Money and time

Re ``Two killed, dozens injured as bus rolls'' (Nov. 28):

After reading of the bus crash, I wonder if buses should not be policed more carefully and thoroughly. In traveling along the roads, it is not uncommon to have those monstrous buses go by you, even though you are doing 70 mph.

I think the California Highway Patrol and law enforcement should watch the buses more closely, look the vehicles over more thoroughly for brakes, lights and the drivers' books. Seems like money and time are the big factors in all of these cases, and we need to review how things are done.

- John Adams

Camarillo

Bus seat belts

Re ``Two killed, dozens injured as bus rolls'' (Nov. 28):

I hope the recent bus crash in Santa Maria, Calif., serves as a wake-up call to the legislators and Congress on the need for seat belts for passenger buses, especially those on the national highways, but also local transportation, most especially school buses. Seat belts save lives and they should be worn in all passenger vehicles on our roads and highways.

- Robert Matano

Redlands

L.A.'s animal woes

Re ``Mayor's broken pledge hurting city's animals'' (Their Opinions, Nov. 28):

So Mayor Villaraigosa and L.A. Animal Services Manager (Guerdon) Stuckey failed to collaborate with a small, self-proclaimed ``humane community'' which threatens, terrorizes and spends its time ``shouting at every public event.'' It appears this particular ``community'' has a very myopic agenda, focusing on politics and power. Where is their list of solutions to the animal problems they allege?

Shelters that claim ``no adoptable animal is killed'' are private SPCAs that take in only selected, desirable animals and publish their 100 percent adoption rate. This still leaves the public shelters with thousands of aggressive dogs and stray/wild cats. Are activists proposing that city shelters release these unsuitable and dangerous animals into the streets?

- Denise A. Justin

Los Angeles 

Crying Mary statue

Re ``Crying Mary draws crowds'' (Nov. 27):

Virgin Mary is crying because of the removal of the Ten Commandments and the cross from public institutions and for passing laws in favor of same-sex marriage, escalating immorality, attacks against church and religion, etc., and the general deterioration of all that is good.

- Aprim K. Abraham

North Hills

Bus service not cut

Re ``Orange still has appeal'' (Nov. 29):

Bart Reed of the Transit Coalition is wrong when he says that Metro has cut service on north-south bus service in order to operate the Metro Orange Line. A comparison of schedules from one year ago with those presently in effect shows precisely the opposite. None of the north-south lines between North Hollywood station and Warner Center has any less service today.

The Tampa Avenue service, which Reed singled out, now has six more weekday northbound trips and eight more southbound trips since service was restructured in June. And the Tampa Avenue bus has never run on Sundays, although there is service to Northridge Fashion Center via the Nordhoff Street bus, which does.

- Kymberleigh Richards

Vice-Chair

Metro San Fernando Valley Governance Council

Smith responds

Re ``Just say no'' (Editorial, Nov. 25):

The county of Los Angeles has nurtured the expansion of the Sunshine dump at every opportunity, permitting a 100-million-ton residential landfill while threatening to lock out city trash for resisting BFI's expansion into the city side.

It was, in fact, my motion calling for a moratorium on any county approval of a replacement conditional use permit that would jeopardize restrictions or conditions placed on the dump by the city of Los Angeles that forced a ``no'' vote by the Regional Planning Commission. BFI had sought an end run around these conditions through the county, which would have allowed them to dump 12,100 tons per day in the city rather than the permitted 5,500. My RENEW LA action plan contains specific deadlines for ending the need for all landfills in Los Angeles by creating an environmental-industrial sector to recover up to 93 percent of all trash through recycling, reuse or conversion to clean energy and fuels.

- Greig Smith

Los Angeles city councilman

Same God

Re ``The Gospel'' (Your Opinions, Nov. 28):

Denis F. Cremins apparently thinks there are two Gods in the Bible, Old and New Testament. There is only one God. People who use the Bible to support any social policy are generally out to force other people to adhere to their particular social ideology.

I believe that all Americans should support their beloved causes, and use any logic they wish to support their ideas. But, please, don't presume to speak (for me) with the authority of God. The words of Christ: ``My kingdom is not of this world.'' And I'm afraid ``oxymorons'' is not in the Sermon on the Mount.

- John S. Green

Northridge

Other covenants

Re ``The Gospel'' (Your Opinions, Nov. 28):

I was disappointed in Denis Cremins' retort to the letter, ``The entire Bible.'' While Cremins claims to understand the New Testament, the New Covenant, there is a lack of understanding of other covenants. Does Cremins not know Jesus confirmed the books of Moses? Human government and the death penalty are in Genesis 9, the Noahic Covenant.

We have a government that makes a distinction between those ``presumed innocent,'' like babies, and those ``found guilty,'' like Death Row inmates. Cremins' position treats the guilty as innocent and the innocent guilty. Now that's oxymoronic.

- Lyndell Brown

Lancaster