Mailbag - July 17, 2001

The only logical answer to Balboa Island boat issue

Follow King Solomon’s suggestion: Cut the boat in half (“Yacht

controversy washes out pier policy discussion,” Thursday).

This issue is a reflection on the selfishness of the residents on

Balboa Island -- live and let live. You can’t change laws as you go along

and at every whim to satisfy individuals.

EVA KREUDER

Newport Beach

Sounds of silence just don’t exist

Randy Seton hits the mark regarding the old in mind, stodgy inlanders

who moved to Newport Beach with a fat wallet or a double-dipped pension

that allowed them to inhabit the land of milk and honeys (“Just accept

that the world’s full of noise,” Thursday).

Randy remembers, as I do, the Easter Week multitudes scattered around

apartments, like lily pads across a pond. Empty beer cans stacked almost

to the ceiling and high against one wall, with sleeping bags and blankets

filled with bumper-to-bumper bodies.

Noise? These people nowadays have no concept of what the “Seeds” and

“Country Joe and the Fish” blasting at 8 on the hi-fi machine sounded

like at 4 a.m. on 25th Street. Back then, the neighbors didn’t complain,

they just came by to see how much fun they were missing.

Sure, they can pick on poor Dennis Rodman, while leaf blowers and

trash trucks interrupt their normal home routine or businesses, as well

as all those important cell phone calls all day. Forget about the auto

horns blasting or the early morning flyover traffic jam out of John Wayne

Airport and the screeching tires of people leaving, late to work.

What about the delivery trucks, the endless carpet cleaners, plumbers,

scheduled maid service and don’t forget UPS and Federal Express? Yes,

noise can be downright “inconvenient,” especially when kids run outside

with glee or are splashing in the pool playing Marco Polo. What, someone

is having fun? There ought to be a law.

Face it, it’s literally hell to live in Newport Beach. Only old souls

like Seton and I that have lived through more than these “noise ordinance

idiots” can ever know. One thing for sure: The Newport Grouch is alive

and well -- look out the window. Hey, there goes one now.

RON WINSHIPNewport Beach

Columnist made a great lynching analogy

I was just taken with the “Between the Lines” column that I just read

by Byron de Arakal (“Better for Steel to resign with honor than be hanged

by it,” July 4). As he had mentioned, I remember “Tom Horn,” the movie,

and McQueen. I was really disappointed that old Tom Horn, the character,

wouldn’t take up the staff of truth.

But you know, de Arakal is right about Chris Steel.

It’s the same situation in that they’re going to hang him either way.

I think that he’s right, in the by-and-large and in the overall, those of

us who’ve been watching this, not even voters of the city of Costa Mesa,

realize that Steel’s running uphill against the current.

I think that’s a smart mention by de Arakal to Steel. And I hope Steel

considers doing that because I think we all realize he’s a good man. He

just goofed. Anyway, good article, good piece by de Arakal.

MONTY SNYDER

Newport Beach