PUBLIC FORUM.Parkinson's Law Re ``Vote for Measure R to restore integrity'' (Their Opinions, Nov. 2): Richard Riordan, a downtown pseudo-lobbyist himself, pleading for extending the pampered pam·per tr.v. pam·pered, pam·per·ing, pam·pers 1. To treat with excessive indulgence: pampered their child. 2. City Council pols' time strikes me as self-serving. The daily courting of the City Council by lobbyists is just salesmanship 101. Get to know your prospect and intertwine yourself in his/her concerns. Be there for them when they need your help (campaign time) and expect their support in turn when you need to make a sale. Riordan's mischaracterization of ``constant change'' that he deplores in City Council membership has in fact helped with the rebirth of urban democracy, giving more citizens participation in their city's politics. If Richard Riordan still thinks the City Council needs more time to solve city problems, he should study Parkinson's Law: Work expands to fill the time allocated for it. -- Michael N. Cohen cohen or kohen (Hebrew: “priest”) Jewish priest descended from Zadok (a descendant of Aaron), priest at the First Temple of Jerusalem. The biblical priesthood was hereditary and male. Reseda George said no on `R' I understand that the people wanted George Washington to be king. He said, ``No.'' Never before in the history of the world had a person granted such power given it up willingly. Two terms seemed fair to him. Of course, no one on the City Council is a George Washington! -- Jean Fleming Studio City See the illusionist Watch his left hand! Watch him deftly deflect the verbal barb meant for him into an insult to our American troops in Iraq, as he hides with his right hand the failures of his postwar Iraq strategy, the increasing deaths of American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the use of ``nontorture'' torture, the abandonment of habeas corpus habeas corpus (hā`bēəs kôr`pəs) [Lat.,=you should have the body], writ directed by a judge to some person who is detaining another, commanding him to bring the body of the person in his custody at a specified time to a , the perils of global warming, a shaky economy, corruption and abuse of power amongst Republican congressmen, alienation of our allies, the incompetence of FEMA FEMA, n.pr See Federal Emergency Management Agency. , spying on citizens without judicial oversight, etc., etc. Ahhh, the illusionist ... he is the ``Master of Misdirection MISDIRECTION, practice. An error made by a judge in charging the jury in a special case. 2. Such misdirection is either in relation to matters of law or matters of fact. 3.-1. .'' -- Gilbert H. Skopp Calabasas John Kerry Thus far, the world has survived bird flu bird flu: see influenza. bird flu or avian influenza viral respiratory disease, mainly of birds including poultry and waterbirds but also transmissible to humans. , the country has survived spinach E. coli E. coli: see Escherichia coli. E. coli in full Escherichia coli Species of bacterium that inhabits the stomach and intestines. E. coli can be transmitted by water, milk, food, or flies and other insects. , and the state has survived the West Nile virus West Nile virus, microorganism and the infection resulting from it, which typically produces no symptoms or a flulike condition. The virus is a flavivirus and is related to a number of viruses that cause encephalitis. . The question now is, can the Democrats survive typhoid typhoid or typhoid fever Acute infectious disease resembling typhus (and distinguished from it only in the 19th century). Salmonella typhi, usually ingested in food or water, multiplies in the intestinal wall and then enters the bloodstream, causing Kerry? -- Marshall Barth Encino Easy does it Re ``A Democrat if ...'' (Your Opinions, Nov. 2): As a combat veteran, I knew that John Kerry was talking about the commander in chief of the troops, not the troops. You know you're stupid if you thought otherwise. You know you're stupid if you think we're in Iraq fighting terrorists. You know you're stupid if you think a terrorist could kill you before you're hit by an asteroid. Is Bush stupid? Well, stupid is as stupid does. -- Dick Denne Toluca Lake Recorded election calls Is there anything much more annoying these pre-election days than the recorded phone calls from candidates and those shilling for propositions? I'm a caregiver with few enough hours in the day to accomplish my duties without having as many as five calls to interrupt us ... some while my wife and I are attempting to enjoy a quiet dinner. Most of us have already made up our minds and have no desire to be bombarded with biased ``facts.'' Can the incompetents running the various campaigns actually believe people will sit and listen to this drivel driv·el v. driv·eled or driv·elled, driv·el·ing or driv·el·ling, driv·els v.intr. 1. To slobber; drool. 2. To flow like spittle or saliva. 3. , after being pulled away from important house or office duties? To paraphrase Dale Carnegie: How to aggravate people and lose votes. -- Phillip Barton Burbank While he's at it Re ``Brewer's millions'' (Our Opinions, Nov. 1): I hope the incoming superintendent can get by on his $300,000 base salary while he is busy cutting the bloated LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) bureaucracy and righting the ship while he's at it. -- Jeanine D'Elia Granada Hills |
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