PUBLIC FORUM.

Long-term trend

Re "Forget milk - got gas?" (May 4):

For a century, excess supply of crude oil has kept the price of gasoline low. Even at $3.25 per gallon, gasoline costs only 20 cents per cup. Where can you buy a cup of coffee that cheap? Today, global oil production can barely keep up with growing consumption in the U.S. and Asia.

The last year the world discovered as much oil as it consumed was 1982 despite massive investments of capital and technology. We built our economy and lifestyle on cheap oil, but the long-term trend for the price of oil (and gasoline) is up. We need to get prepared.

- David Fleck

Granada Hills

Gas theory

Re "Forget milk - got gas?" (May 4):

I'm not at all surprised gas prices have soared. Remember that top-secret meeting Vice President Cheney conducted with the oil company executives at the beginning of Bush's first term?

My theory - he asked them to keep prices down for the first term and then, if Bush got re-elected, to feel free to raise them as much as they wanted. Of course, we'll never know for sure since the meetings remain a secret, but what else could they have possibly talked about - the weather?

- John Blumenthal

Westlake Village

Public apathy

Public apathy about high gas prices is amazing. Sure, there is a lot of grumbling at the gas pumps, and the media is doing a good job reporting and digging out facts. However, little of this influences the politicians, who are the only ones who can adequately address the issues. Where are the massive demonstrations?

The illegals were smart enough to realize that the only way their dilemma can be resolved is to demonstrate. What is wrong with the American public?

- Sion Colvin

Woodland Hills

Live with his thoughts

Re "Moussaoui's life spared in Sept. 11 trial" (May 4):

What is worse than death is to spend the rest of his life in confinement with no chance for parole. If I had my way I would just turn him loose with the other inmates and let him take care of himself. This would be worse than death as long as he can live. He is supposed to be confined to his cell 23 hours a day and I would give him nothing but food to keep him alive.

Certainly I would not give him any religious books to pray to his God or even a television set. Not harm him in any way but make him sit in jail for the rest of his life and think what he did to himself and, most important, what he did to so many other individuals. He can live with the thought he will go to hell when he dies.

- Frank Jacobs

Sylmar

Collateral damage 

Re "Condo projects ousting renters" (April 30):

As I write, I and my fellow residents of a modest but beautifully landscaped mid-1950s apartment on Laurelwood Drive in Studio City nervously await eviction notices. I've lived here 16 years, others 30-40 years. This is not the future I expected and it's also happening on a vast scale in Valley Village, North Hollywood and all over the city of Los Angeles.

Lovely older buildings with mature trees, flowers and other vegetation are vanishing, block by block, forever. No renters in an older rent-controlled apartment can rest peacefully any more. Our elected city officials must solve this crisis.

- Valerie Yaros

Studio City

What about cats?

Re "County approves spay, neuter ordinance" (May 3):

I am all for the spaying and neutering of dogs that are not show dogs or purebreds, etc. But what about spaying and neutering of cats? The feral cats in our neighborhood and everywhere in the Valley are horrendous. They roam wherever they want, go into people's yards and even homes, kill birds and defecate wherever they please, including the back patio.

They eat whatever they find and snarl at you if you approach them. They scratch screens, go after dogs and all kinds of unacceptable things. Oh, yes, they leave kittens everywhere they go. They have no home, but for some unknown reason cannot be taken in by animal control. Where is the responsibility? Please get these cats spayed and neutered and off the streets and out of my neighborhood.

- Betty Jenkins

Chatsworth

Beloved equestrian

Re "Pony business owner killed by heart attack" (May 2):

I am outraged by Josh Kleinbaum's insensitive story about Linda Menary. Linda was one of the most beloved equestrians in Chatsworth, and would always be there for anyone who needed help. Linda's pony ride business had so many supporters that she was able to stay in business in spite of people like Kleinbaum who don't understand animals and are quick to rush to judgment.

Linda Menary's passing is another piece of the Old West lost forever. I know she'll be greeted with warm nickers when she reaches the other side of the Great Divide.

- Jerry England

Chatsworth

Many benefit

Re "Corporate welfare" (Your Opinions, May 2):

Laurien DuTremble has the misconception that corporations are the only benefactors of illegal immigration. There are plenty of private individuals who benefit from breaking the law and employing illegals. Who is hiring at day labor centers and in front of Home Depot?

If Wal-Mart paid $20 an hour and offered health and retirement benefits, what would be the price of their merchandise? How much would our weekly salary have to be in order to buy their products if corporations were forced to pay, say 50 percent of profits in taxes? Since it appears that the benefits of employing illegals (low-wage employees) are so widely distributed, why should any one entity or individual be penalized?

- Eric Dresser

Burbank

Unlicensed drivers

With the light traffic and fast-moving freeways on May 1, it is obvious our traffic problems are impacted directly by illegal immigrants operating vehicles on our roads and highways. But Gil Cedillo has not been successful in getting the Legislature to allow them to have driver's licenses.

So what does that show us? Are there that many unlicensed drivers out on our roads? And if they don't have licenses, they don't have insurance either. Wake up, Los Angeles, you are in grave danger.

- Jim Szabo

Santa Clarita

Dream Act

I believe people forget the children who have been brought over to the United States by their parents. Many of these children become proper members of the society and graduate from college. But there is little or no hope for them to go into the work force simply because they lack a Social Security number.

The DREAM Act allows students who have grown up in the U.S., graduated from a U.S. high school, proven attendance in college and have good moral character to earn permanent residency. These children deserve the same opportunity as their peers. They shouldn't be punished for a crime they didn't commit.

- Lourdes Valdez

Northridge

An insufferable bore

Re "Rush still defiant, but accepts deal" (News Lite May 2):

Here are two quotes attributed to Rush Limbaugh, "Too many whites are getting away with drug use. The answer is to ... find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them, and send them up the river." "If people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up."

Rush Limbaugh may be "not guilty" of a crime but in my opinion he is guilty of being a liar, a hypocrite and an insufferable bore.

- Robert Matano

Redlands

Bring back Bush

Now that Reggie Bush is in New Orleans, can we move New Orleans to L.A.?

- Fred Dunn

Oak Park