PUBLIC FORUM.Stolen numbers Re ``Illegals subsidize Social Security'' (April 5): What this article misses is that illegal immigrants have no legal way to receive valid Social Security numbers. So they engage in identity theft. While they have taxes taken from their income - the person who actually owns the real Social Security number is often hit with huge tax penalties for underreporting income. I know. I live in California but got hit with tax bill for $22,000 income earned in Texas. I can barely walk - but supposedly, I earned this income in agricultural fields in Texas. It took me three years and $7,500 in lawyer fees to clear this. The USA does have procedures for legal immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. . - Walter D. Reed Tarzana Don't believe it Re ``Illegals subsidize Social Security'' (April 5): Frankly, my dear, I don't believe the college professor, the illegal immigrant, or their cockamamie Social Security statistics. - Ray Holm Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. Teachers too Re ``Illegals subsidize Social Security'' (April 5): The article made its point about illegal immigrants not collecting Social Security, but missed a much bigger one. Employees of the 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. and other state agencies involved with State Teachers Retirement System do not get Social Security. Even if they have many years working at other jobs, contributing to Social Security, they must lose all the money they put in. That's why Social Security will never go broke. Teachers and other state employees are financing it. - Al Spaet Woodland Hills Lollipop law Re ``Hearing set for boy cited for lollipop-licking on bus'' (April 5): I agree that a law is a law, and this boy should be fined. He knows the law, or certainly had heard it enough, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the bus driver. It's the fault of his father, who is now teaching him that laws are meant to be broken, and even dumping it out the window is breaking another law, which would be littering. What I find now disgusting is the waste of time and city funds by having this youngster face hearings. The father should 'fess up and pay the fine. - Lois Rochetti West Hills Weighing in Re ``An oracle for 'Idol''' (U, April 5): I am truly stunned. Seth Riggs Seth Riggs is an American vocal coach and founder of an advanced vocal technique known as "Speech Level Singing". He is considered by many to be the best and most successful voice teacher in the world and the man to whom vocal teacher Brett Manning credits much of his success. has a lot of nerve. What in the heck does weight have to do with anyone's singing talent and what business is it of his what someone weighs? Basically, I got the idea that he is saying that if you're a little overweight then you aren't going to make it in the music business for very long. Has he taken a look at performers such as Aretha Franklin and B.B. King lately? They aren't what you would call skinny but they have both had a loyal fan following of millions for several decades. It's no wonder that, with people like Riggs around, there are so many young people with eating disorders eating disorders, in psychology, disorders in eating patterns that comprise four categories: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, rumination disorder, and pica. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation to avoid obesity. . - Amy Salisbury Lancaster Marionette marionette: see puppet. marionette Puppet figure manipulated from above by strings attached to a wooden cross or control. The figure, also called a string puppet, is usually manipulated by nine strings, attached to each leg, hand, shoulder, and ear puppets Re ``Next planner key to how L.A. grows'' (April 5): City department managers, especially the planning director, are a lot like marionette puppets. It doesn't make any difference if the puppet is a horse, a cow or a jackass jackass: see ass. ; it's going to move in the direction its strings are pulled. Puppeteers in 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. are the attorneys, developers and city unions that provide the most campaign funds. Politically appointed planning commissioners will always be beholden be·hold·en adj. Owing something, such as gratitude, to another; indebted. [Middle English biholden, past participle of biholden, to observe; see behold. to special-interest groups. L.A.'s politicians would be wise to spend more time protecting the general plan rather than worrying about who they can hire to tweak it. The plan can only take so much more degradation before we start resembling Tijuana, Mexico. - Jerry England Chatsworth Build new freeways Re ``Missing link'' (Editorials, April 6): Congratulations for identifying the real issue regarding Caltrans' continuing Band-Aid approach to highway improvements. Until the voters step up to the plate and decide to cut through the bureaucracies and build new freeways, the problem will only continue to get worse. I have always recommended that surplus state property, including the useless scrub-brush fringe areas of open space, be traded for land for new freeway rights of way, thus eliminating the cost of land needed to correct the current state of affairs. The residents of this state should not be held hostage by liberals who forbid any development. - Philip D. Brooks Thousand Oaks Housing crisis Re ``Let's work to keep residents here'' (Their Opinions, April 6): Nate Brogin strangely omits illegal immigration "Illegal alien" and "Illegal aliens" redirect here. For other uses, see Illegal aliens (disambiguation). Illegal immigration refers to immigration across national borders in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destination country. as a cause of the housing crisis in Los Angeles, which is rapidly becoming a suburb of Mexico City Mexico City Spanish Ciudad de México City (pop., 2000: city, 8,605,239; 2003 metro. area est., 18,660,000), capital of Mexico. Located at an elevation of 7,350 ft (2,240 m), it is officially coterminous with the Federal District, which occupies 571 sq mi . Political correctness politically correct adj. Abbr. PC 1. Of, relating to, or supporting broad social, political, and educational change, especially to redress historical injustices in matters such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation. in this area is ruining California and other border states Border States The slave states of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri that were adjacent to the free states of the North during the Civil War. . Drastic measures are now the only ones which will work: ``Diseases desperate grown are cured by desperate measures - or not at all.'' - James F. Glass Chatsworth Civilized One of your readers described the tragic story of Terri Schiavo Theresa Marie "Terri" Schiavo (December 3, 1963 – March 31, 2005), from St. Petersburg, Florida, United States was a woman who suffered brain damage and became dependent on a feeding tube. as a ``media circus and the focus of every talk show host.'' How can we call ourselves a civilized nation if we permit an innocent person to die a slow, agonizing death simply on the words of a controlling and brutal husband? How do we appear to the world when we permit such atrocities to take place? Whatever happened to the concept of ``no cruel and unusual punishment Such punishment as would amount to torture or barbarity, any cruel and degrading punishment not known to the Common Law, or any fine, penalty, confinement, or treatment that is so disproportionate to the offense as to shock the moral sense of the community. ,'' even for serial killers and child molesters? - Jeanette Birnbaum Sherman Oaks Widen our vision Re ``Vocational training'' (Your Opinions, April 3): Jean Domine hit the nail on the head. To keep kids in school to graduate and ready them for life, we need to train them at the level they want or are best able to produce a successful life. We need to return the vocational subjects and training to our schools. Have the college, business and vocational courses like we had previously. We need to widen our vision so we see the whole picture of life. - Betty Jenkins Chatsworth Not baby sitters Rob Reiner, who would be governor of California The Governor of California is the highest executive authority in the state government, whose responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced. , allowed $164 million to be spent unknowingly on just advertising. Our schools are not baby sitters. We don't need to subject our 4-year-olds to school at that early age. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. how he got the voters to allow this travesty to happen. The cigarette tax moneys should be spent on medications for the people that are suffering the effects of smoking - not our schools. - Leada McKelvey Sunland Checks and balances The judiciary seem to think they are the absolute law of the land. Not according to the Constitution. There are the checks and balances. The judges would not make laws to suit their own views. - Paula Fagan Granada Hills What if? Who could possibly run for president in 2008? Let's see ... Hillary against Lady Bird Johnson or Elizabeth Dole. If she ran against a male candidate, would she automatically be at a disadvantage or hold the upper hand? Other possible candidates - Quayle against Gore, Bush senior could run for a second term and so could Carter ... each was a one-term president. Jane Fonda against Ted Turner, Minnie against Mickey ... that is, if they are still talking to each other after all these years. Do you have any other candidates in mind? - Joel Kaye Sherman Oaks |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion