Like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole

There is not enough land at the proposed site to accommodate a stadium that requires many acres of parking space. That fact hasn't deterred Oceanside council members, or Mark Fabiani of the Chargers. Their response is to consider surrounding the stadium with office buildings, meaning even less parking area would be available. Fabiani stated the Chargers goal was to use the stadium 365 days a year, and having it sit there empty is a bad use of the land ("Big questions ahead for Oceanside, Chargers about possible stadium," Jan. 14). He has flip-flopped. Now he envisions moneymaking offices alongside the stadium with parking space used by office personnel during the week and fans parking there only on Sundays ("City planner gives stadium parking, office presentation," May 23).

An attempt to cobble together some Mickey Mouse arrangement with shared parking smacks of desperation and doesn't begin to solve the problem. This site is clearly unsuitable for this massive project. We would be asked to give a billionaire free land to build a short-lived stadium that would turn our town topsy-turvy. And if the Chargers benefit a city financially, explain to us why cash-strapped San Diego isn't pleading with them to stay there.

Harriett Bledsoe

Oceanside

Despicable cartoon!

The John Webster cartoon shown in today's (May 29) paper showing Condi Rice with a devil's tail speaking to Camp Pendleton Marines is in poor taste. And especially on this day, Memorial Day, no less! Even the Marines are pictured as ignorant doofuses (slang for ignorant, stupid and silly).?

Ms. Rice's visit to Camp Pendleton was viewed by the vast majority as uplifting and inspirational. Of course they knew she was referring to their place in history as being part of a long story (tale) not yet completed. To insinuate our Marines are too ignorant to understand that, and the difference between a "tale" and a "tail," is indeed condescending and despicable. Shame on you for printing such trash!

Lois Richmond

San Marcos

Enforce the laws already on the books

The immigration reform bill is no good for the country as a whole, or California in particular. How exactly do they plan to fund already stressed health, education and social programs and related infrastructure if the enrollment increases by 12 million to 20 million or more, not including foreign family members, who will inevitably elect to migrate here and join their currently illegal relatives once they are legalized.

"Bring them out of the shadow" was used in 1986. Twenty years later we are far worse off than we were before the last reform. We need our elected officials to enforce the laws that are already on the books. Close the borders and prosecute employers who hire the illegals, and the result will be self-deportation.

I came as a legal immigrant. The years of waiting to migrate here built a strong character in me and made me appreciate this country more. Please, Senators, vote against the Bush/McCain/Kennedy fiasco. Do your sworn duties. Our already staggered middle class depends on you.

Cecilia Leonard

Pauma Valley

Anonymous poster is wrong

An online anonymous comment about my last letter ("Remembering the American's creed," Letters, May 17) opined that people my age were "stuck in an age where only white, non-Jewish Americans mattered and to hell with everyone else." My Jewish sister-in-law got a good laugh at that, because without the sacrifices of people in our age group, Germany would have continued to spread their solution beyond Europe.

That anonymous poster is also wrong about my motives to oppose unrestrained illegal in-migration. Color/race has nothing to do with my views. Sheer numbers, rule of law, national sovereignty are just some of my reasons, but our educational system is perhaps the best example of the cost we all pay for this corrupt economic system. California attempts to educate one-third of the nation's English learners, at least one-half of whom are either illegal or offspring of illegals. We lead the nation in school dropouts and trail the nation in test scores. Immigration laws, policies and practices are also education laws. Ditto for environmental and cultural policies.

Barbara Vickroy

Escondido

Farewell, Jerry Falwell

We're going to miss Jerry. He was almost the last person in America who believed that the family of the "Father Knows Best" variety still prevails in the U.S.A. It doesn't. Two examples: 1. A great-niece sent me an invitation to her wedding ceremony. It read: "Ms. Jane Roe and Mr. John Doe request the honor of your presence at …" There is no family sponsorship, no hint of family cohesion, because the parents of both the bride and the groom are divorced and don't even speak to each other. 2. Not too long ago in the North County Times, a birth announcement disclosed the arrival of John Smith, son of Mary Smith. The infant was welcomed by maternal grandparents Jack Smith and Mary Ann Jones.

Jerry died too soon (or too cynical) and too ignorant. Rest in peace.

Pat McDonald

Oceanside

Time for someone else to resign

Let me help Jim Summers fill in missing data from his May 26 letter.

First, he said, "Jim Gibson's latest opinion piece has not taken his own educational accountability argument far enough." It's precisely Jim's personal accountability that makes him solid in his stance for education reform that would keep qualified teachers in the district and let underperforming ones go. He makes it his ongoing mission to express this message to other district leaders.

Second, if Jim Summers was actually following Gibson's watch he would know that, from the start, Jim has pushed English immersion. He recognized years ago that the bilingual approach was not successful in closing the achievement gap. The rest of the district is just now starting to embrace, however loosely, the immersion concept. Third, the 40 percent underfunding for California schools is more of a red herring than the notion of letting the lowest performing teachers go. Schools absolutely need adequate funding to function, but calibrate teachers' performances first!

Last, Jim Gibson's efforts to "apply his accountability logic to school board members" continually falls on a hearing-impaired board majority. It's time for someone else to resign. Hope this helps.

Eileen Fernandez

Vista

Offer viable solutions, not just criticism

Richard Crews' letter on May 9 was quite enlightening. Richard ended his letter by quoting, nearly verbatim, Karl Marx and the Communist Manifesto. Sounds like Richard wants communism. Is that true?

Fast forward to his letter of May 20, where he enlightens Don Dalphin with such invectives as: "incompetent and stupid … house of cards … he rats out … lousy … dead-enders … nailed to their seat … like an F student … like an alcoholic … Bushite cultists." Yada, yada. Just more squealing and whining. Other than to quote Karl Marx, when has Richard or his "crew" ever offered viable solutions?

There are those of us who believe Richard and his ilk should be nailed to their seats, like F students, and be forced to witness history. Can Richard name one, just one good thing that has come from socialism or its evil Big Brother, communism? Incessant ranting, raving and name-calling will never get Richard his way. Quoting Karl Marx and his dead religion is just that ññ dead. Richard can rant all he wants, but Marx, Engels, Castro, Chavez and their filthy religion are dead. May they rot in the dustbin of history.

Rob Edwards

San Marcos

Rosie O'Mouthful

Rosie says she won't speak with Elisabeth Hasselbeck ever again. Wow, big loss for Elisabeth. So much for Rosie's ideals of dialogue with rivals. She abandons all her principles over a small argument yet somehow thinks her way of solving things would work in far greater conflicts.

I think, in this case, "hypocrite" would apply. And who's the one reaching out to the other? It's the conservative. Elisabeth called after the argument but Rosie wouldn't speak to her. Funny how in real life these things play out.

Greg Howard

Vista

The Clinton record

Marcy Young (Letters, May 26) has concocted the strangest conspiracy theory yet, claiming the Clintons promote "a socialistic system with complete government control of our lives," although she cites no specific example of any Clinton statements or policy proposals to support this far-fetched fantasy. The actual record of Bill Clinton's presidency was a very pro-business model of economic prosperity, with free markets working within a framework of regulatory protections for workers, consumers and the environment.

Hillary is now running on a platform that would return us to this sound model of peace and prosperity. As for "complete government control of our lives," the Clintons have a long record of respecting private choices about personal behavior, while it is the extremist conservatives who promote government intrusion into our bedrooms and all manner of personal choices.

Thelma Dunn

Escondido

Give Bush a vote of no confidence

I understand that the Senate will shortly decide whether to declare no confidence in the continued performance by the U.S. attorney general. While Mr. Gonzales may have committed many wrongs, nobody died from his actions. However, President Bush has caused thousands of our finest troops to die in a war that he initiated by resorting to lies and deception. Therefore, I urge the Senate to also consider a no-confidence vote in the continued performance by President Bush. This action would constitute an acceptable alternative to impeachment that he so readily deserves.

I believe it possible that the U.S. House of Representatives might be able to vote a bill of impeachment, but such a bill would not be sustained in the Senate because of the large number of Republican senators in that body who are blind supporters of President Bush and his false war. … A no-confidence vote will give a measure of recognition to his criminal actions without need for an impeachment trial.

Former President Jimmy Carter correctly ranked the Bush administration as the worst in our nation's history. While Mr. Carter wasn't the ideal president, at least no troops died while he was in office!

Larry Falick

Oceanside

Hidden finances by cities, public sector agencies

Certificates of Participation is a financing system used by public sector agencies, example: Vista Unified schools (see http://www2.visalia.k12.ca.us/updates/2004-05/update_4-6-05.pdf). There is no specific rule of law or direct voter approval approving COPs, and this leaves open a method for funding Oceanside projects that might not otherwise be supported, or even known by the public.

My friend, foreman of a … California county grand jury, found $268 million funded without public scrutiny or vote. They are a politically expedient method of funding projects without explicit support by the public. San Diego grand jury could investigate this as well. Not only does this deficiency preclude the general public from registering opposition, but it also precludes them from participating as investors.

With current practice, it is possible that COPs could be used to override the will of the electorate. As residents of Oceanside you must demand from your representatives full disclosure of funding because you can be sure this City Council will not voluntarily provide you the details.

Edgar Towers

Oceanside

What can I do to save nation?

"I am only one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do!" Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909).

If there is one easy, effective, cost-free and timely way to keep up with this government-sanctioned invasion and destruction of our country it is by registering with www.NumbersUSA.com. You'll get immediate and easy-to-read reports of what is happening behind the scenes in Washington (and in legislatures around the country) as they happen. You'll get your own click-here bulletin board notices of actions you can take to save our nation: free faxes ññ all written out for you, telephone numbers of your senators and representatives ññ with suggestions for talking points, instant poll results and all congresspersons' voting records and score cards on immigration and the legal and illegal population explosion.

There are about 0.5 million patriotic Americans now subscribing to www.NumbersUSA.com, so I suggest you register now, if you care one whit about preserving what this great nation once was. And may God bless America!

Neil Turner

Carlsbad

Ideas for transit systems

The San Diego Association of Government's plans for transportation in the county are of the 21 century. First, they must recognize that transit systems have complete grade separation, subsurface, surface, elevated and air. Rail systems should be twin rails trenched; overhead would provide bicycle, walking, individual carts, like the Sprinter, now under construction. Trolleys [could be] elevated and installed on city streets to provide local circulation. Air is already separated. Surface [streets] with the necessary stop lights and stop signs need further regulation, such as 25 mile speed limits.

Streets should be user-friendly so that individuals would be safe in utilizing them; they are for public use, not the exclusive use of autos. Freeways are for rapid city-to-city use. I have some 30 years experience with REA Express middle management, which used rail, trucks, air to transport goods and people.

Douglas Spencer

Vista

Falwell hardly a beneficent influence

Richard and Gloria Jacobsen (Letters, May 22) would have us believe that Jerry Falwell made a lasting (beneficent) difference. To the contrary, Falwell contributed mightily to the dumbing down of our society.

He pushed creationism in the biology classes of his "university." He, along with Pat Robertson, loudly announced that the fall of the Twin Towers was God's visitation of vengeance upon the American people because of their wickedness, thereby reducing that horror and the suffering of the thousands affected by it to a brutal myth. Falwell purveyed this level of garbage continuously and was instrumental in supporting President Bush's diversion of tax funds to religious organizations under the rubric of service to the needy.

This is exactly what Jefferson was concerned about in his argument for the separation of church and state. The Church of England, which was what he had in mind, was supported by public taxes. People were forced to support the church regardless of their religious or nonreligious beliefs.

There was in Falwell the delusion, disdain for reason and total lack of intellectual honesty, which has infected everything that Christian fundamentalism has touched. With the deviousness so often found in religious fundamentalism, instead of declaring a state religion, Bush, with the support of those like Falwell, by fiat of presidential declaration began doling out our tax money to religious organizations.

This presidency, under the influence of Christian fundamentalists, including Falwell's self-declared, oxymoronic Moral Majority, has been one of the most corrupt and anti-democratic in our nation's history.

Robert Newhard

Murrieta

Amnesty bill will destroy America

If you believe as I do that our representatives in the U.S. Senate are destroying our country with their most recent immigration amnesty bill, it's time to get involved.

Illegal immigration is overwhelming our school systems, our hospitals and our highways, and it will only get worse if the proposed bill is passed and signed by President Bush.

In 1986, we gave amnesty to 3 million aliens and did nothing to improve border control. Now there are at least 20 million aliens, along with their entire families who will qualify for amnesty under the proposed bill, and everybody knows that border control will not be improved. How many will be offered amnesty in the future, 100 million?

We must do something now or it will be too late. Go the www.JohnandKenShow.com Web page and get the e-mail addresses and phone numbers of as many California politicians as you can and let them know that we put them in office and we can take them out of office if they support this bill. Also, contact John McCain and let him know he cannot win in California if he continues to sponsor this bill. John McCain is a great American hero, but he is dead wrong on this issue.

We must bury our representatives with e-mails and phone calls letting them know that they are tying their political futures to this bill, and the American public does not want amnesty!

We are a country of immigrants -- legal immigrants -- and it is not racist to believe that.

Leonard Handzlik

Aguanga

Murrieta coverage is lacking

I am a little miffed at the lack of coverage that your paper is giving the Murrieta Valley baseball program. I was looking forward to a nice article about our exciting come-from-behind win against Los Osos High, but was disappointed to find that our team didn't even get a blurb, just a menial slot in the box scores.

Even better, you follow it up with an article by Becky Freeman, "Three playoff E's," May 22, in playoff competition, once again snubbing us in favor of Vista Murrieta High and Temescal Canyon. Didn't we win also? Are you guys forgetting about the athletes who work hard and bust their butts west of the 15 freeway?

Our baseball players deserve better recognition. Remember that these are young high school athletes who have a small window of opportunity to do great things, a once-in-a-lifetime shot.

In my scorebook, the Californian gets a big "E," as in "error," in this matter.

Frank Castillon

Murrieta Valley varsity baseball assistant coach

Web Comments

UCAN: Power line more than San Diego needs

Readers respond to our June 1 story about an analysis the Utility Consumers' Action Network saying a new power line - the Sunrise Powerlink - isn't needed until 2018 to keep the lights on in San Diego County, and it's not needed at all to deliver electricity from the energy-rich Imperial Valley.

At any cost

It is all about empire building: "SDGE does not have to concern itself with the bottom line, so they can spend lavishly and build an empire, they will get paid regardless of how well the company is managed. If is like the Sheriff's department. They also have no incentive to rehabilitate prisoners, their prime goal is to build an empire. Remember when the Sheriff tried to shut down the honor camps (hugely successful camps) so that he could build more jails. It is all about empire building."

Psychic predictions

Tony: "Watch what happens if SDGE doesn't get their way - unscheduled 'maintenance and repair' of power stations resulting in rolling blackouts in the San Diego area. Then they will shrug and say that they should have listened. Enron made billions from manipulating the system after deregulation. Why should we expect SDGE to do anything less? They only care about their monopoly and profits."

Rolling out

Common Sense: "Does anyone remember the recent rolling blackouts? Why would we not plan ahead? Especially if it is true about using less fossil fuels. In a supply and demand market, they should not be able to get increases if they power supply is available?"

Think of the future

Once Again!: "Can't you see it coming? They'll put it off and put it off until we have a crisis looming, then SDGE will reap the benefit. How short-sighted must these bureaucrats be?"

New plaza would bring retail, offices to San Marcos

Readers respond to our June 1 story about plans for a 19 acre plaza near San Marcos City Hall that would feature the first drive-thru drug store in the city, as well as several retail shops and restaurants, coming to the City Council for approval June 12.

I like it

neighbor: "This project sounds good to this San Marcos resident. It is obvious that something will eventually go in at this valuable location and commercial, retail, professional all make sense. Is a three-story building tall enough?"

Open it up

Great: "More overcrowding on an already busy intersection. How about less buildings and instead open spaces - a small park. But wait, the city council just wants big business so they get money. Forget the people love the business."

Not impressed

Enough with suburbia-only development: "Wouldn't a mixed-use project be a lot more favorable to look at if you're trying to get rid of an ugly corner? At least something with shops on the street side and offices above them? Not only that, but why does the parking lot cover part of the creek in the map? If that constitutes 'impressive' landscaping, this city council is truly delusional."

Councilman looks at charter choice for Oceanside

Readers respond to our June 1 story about Oceanside Councilman Jack Feller, who over the years has opposed the idea of Oceanside's becoming a charter city, saying this week that because of growth and the number of projects in the pipeline, the time is right to re-examine the issue.

Worth considering

Why not look at the benefits before we say no: "Charter city status has never been discussed in Oceanside as a mechanism to save money by 'not having to pay prevailing wages' for big construction contracts. Union supporters, like Sanchez and Wood, want you to believe this is about raising taxes. A charter can be drafted that does not give the council any additional power to raise taxes."

Chart a new course

Jimmy the III: "I like the idea of city districts and I agree it is time for them sooner than later and can be done without an charter linkage. But we need to explore the charter thing. Lets pass the district proposal and examine the charter idea for flaws, deficits and benefits."

As is

Sam: "Feller, doesn't know what he is talking about. It is time he retired. Taxes are a license to steal. Keep our city as it is."

Metaphorically

Randy: "The only charter that Feller knows anything about is a half day or full day fishing boat out to sea without a paddle! This man is clearly out to lunch without his sandwich shop!"