PUBLIC FORUM.

Community politics

Re ``MTA agrees to the name `Expo Line''' (Aug. 25):

Councilman Bernard Parks is worried about involving the community, yet has not asked the community newspapers like the Wave and Sentinel or the neighborhood councils in on the discussion and have them weigh in on it.

It is amazing that Parks is so stubborn about the color of this line and worries about ``the poorer communities it runs through could gain economic benefits by having a rail line that brands their area.'' Wouldn't having a Trader Joe's, tree-lined streets and safer streets help the community and gain economic benefits? Methinks this is a diversion to ensure his re- election next year.

-- Deric Harris

Los Angeles

Under the ruse

Re ``L.A. sues to force Kern County to take waste'' (Aug. 25):

Kern County is upset with L.A. for dumping our sewage sludge on them. I agree. The concept of trucking thousands of tons of human waste 100 miles over a 4,100-foot mountain pass is ludicrous, especially when done under the ruse of environmentalism. I've driven behind those poop trucks, and they stink badly.

The vile odor lingers in the Sepulveda Pass long after the caravans travel up the 405 in the evening. Furthermore, is the waste of fuel and the exhaust pollution ``environmentally friendly''? I bet that the cost of diesel fuel to move the sludge to date is more than it would have cost to extend the El Segundo ocean-treated sewage discharge pipe all the way to Guam. Bureaucracy at its finest.

-- Charles L. Murray

Santa Clarita

Cell-phone fines

Re ``Hang up phone or be fined'' (Aug. 26):

Our legislators in Sacramento are a bunch of idiots. This bill about cell phones and talking while driving, if passed, is not to start till '08. What about all the other bills that, when passed, started right away?

Those idiots are not out to protect the public. We should get people in Sacramento who are for us and not special interests.

-- Bernard E. Beiner

Sylmar

Not in vain

Re ``Necropsy on Los Angeles Zoo elephant Gita is inconclusive'' (Aug. 25):

The necropsy report on the L.A. Zoo elephant Gita documents the zoo's failure to provide timely medical care and the extent of Gita's severe arthritis and foot disease that might have been prevented had the zoo relocated her years ago from the zoo's inadequate space and hard surfaces to a sanctuary.

Hopefully, the necropsy will play an important role in the future life of the zoo's two surviving elephants, Ruby and Billy. May Gita's death not be in vain.

-- Bill Dyer

Venice

Not choosing Cruise

Re ``Paramount cuts Tom Cruise loose'' (Aug. 23):

I was jumping on my couch for joy at the news of Tom Cruise not being renewed by Paramount. I have boycotted his movies for years. I am sick of celebrities flaunting their lifestyles and lack of morals, then expecting the public to run and see their latest film.

If celebrities choose to live their life so all the world can see, then it is about time we take a stand and not go to their films. Kudos to Paramount for taking a stand.

-- Teri Thompson

La Crescenta

Propaganda pundit

Re ``Time for the U.S. to adopt a workable Iraq policy'' (Aug. 27):

The propaganda-plagued pundit Bill O'Reilly repeats the myth that American forces attacked Iraq to depose Saddam Hussein -- conveniently forgetting the reason Americans were told for this nation's first-ever pre-emptive attack: to pursue the terrorists who attacked us. But terrorists had no foothold in Iraq -- at least not until we got rid of Saddam and destroyed any semblance of order there.

O'Reilly misquotes Rep. John Murtha, who hasn't called for the U.S. military to ``pull out quickly.'' He's advocated redeployment of our forces to nearby bases, so we can ``pull back in'' quickly if need be. O'Reilly offers a definition of ``winning'' that is tortured beyond credibility. ``Not defeating'' the enemy isn't ``winning.'' We ``didn't defeat'' the communists -- they chased us out of Vietnam and took over.

-- Marcy Rothenberg

Porter Ranch

Sowell's analysis

Re ``Zealots can't be bought off'' (Their Opinions, Aug. 25):

The Daily News always prints negative comments about Thomas Sowell's articles. Maybe I can sneak in a positive one. Sowell's analysis of the Islamic terrorist mind was chilling. His logic was inescapable to all but the most brainwashed liberal idealogue.

Wake up, America! These people are indoctrinated to believe they will be given the ultimate reward for slaughtering as many infidels as possible.

-- Doug Fraser

North Hollywood

Of chickens and eggs

Re ``No Reason to gripe'' (Aug. 24):

Kymberleigh Richards' letter reminds me of the old chicken/egg conundrum. She says the ``ridership demand'' in the Valley falls short of that in the ``central core.'' If she bases that statement on boarding statistics, of course the Valley will fall short, because Metro provides fewer buses with longer headway times. The demand is there, but the service is not when many local routes have headways of as much as 75 minutes between buses and no effort is made to ensure that connections are coordinated.

Based on Orange Line boardings during 2004 (none, because it did not exist), clearly under Richards' reasoning, Metro had no reason to start service on the Orange Line in 2005 because there was no demand.

-- Walter W. Tuthill

Tarzana

Defending Cardenas

Re ``Distracted councilman'' (Your Opinions, Aug. 25):

As a former president of the West Van Nuys/Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council, I take exception to Candido Marez's claim of a ``downward spiral'' in the quality of life in the 6th Council District. In just the last year, Councilman Tony Cardenas and his office have worked closely and effectively with our neighborhood council on issues including illegal vendors at our elementary schools, street racing, odors from the water reclamation plant, street parking and graffiti.

Downward spiral? Hardly. However, if our results are an example of a City Council member being distracted due to fundraising, then I hope Cardenas raises twice as much for his officeholder account next year.

-- Bill Haller

Van Nuys

Theft of city property

Re ``Trashy stories'' (Your Opinions, Aug. 25):

Although I feel that we do need more police, I am in agreement with Eleanor Brooks: if the fee were truly going to add more police and not to the discretionary will of some of our spendthrift council members that see another source of funds to do with other than what it was originally for.

I see another problem that is not addressed -- the theft of aluminum, etc., from the blue bins by people using stolen grocery carts to steal from city property. What's with this? No one seems to care that thousands of dollars worth of recyclables are being stolen daily.

-- Don Nigherbon

Winnetka

Only a handful?

The Proposition 86 ad states that only a handful of Californians smoke. If that is really the case, why do all the Indian casinos have a very small area for nonsmokers and a great big area for smokers, and at Pechanga they have two carousels of slots with ashtrays right next to the nonsmoking section.

As a sufferer of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), I would like to see a nonsmoking section that I don't have to go through all the smoke and have more breathing problems. I would also like the casinos to advertise that they have nonsmoking sections so I didn't have to call every time my church group is going on a trip.

-- Suzie Thompson

Saugus