Mailbag - March 14, 2002

Newport Harbor cheer wannabes have talent

After seeing the cheerleaders for Rick Dee’s KIIS-FM (102.7)

Deestroyers perform at Dana Terry’s KIIS-FM sponsored Super Bowl party,

I’m convinced that there was some underhanded business going on at the

high school tryouts (“A Super Sunday,” Feb. 4).

Those girls are beautiful and extremely talented athletes. It’s

Newport Harbor High’s loss not to have them on the cheerleading squad.

MIKE NEWTON

Newport Beach

Yellowstone too precious for snowmobile exploits

This is in response to the Travel Tales (“Snowmobiling through

Yellowstone Park,” Feb. 24).

Your happy contributors actually seemed to be pleased and proud of

their recent snowmobile exploits in Yellowstone. They blithely relate

logging up to 160 miles a day on their infernal machines.

All of the time that they were slashing up the snow, they were

polluting the air, stressing wildlife already on seasonal tightropes of

survival and destroying the sublime experience of that national shrine

for anyone within hearing of the penetrating, extremely loud screaming of

their engines. Way to go, what fun.

Why a selfish, antisocial minority of snowmobile drivers is allowed to

create such havoc and inflict such punishment on fellow humans and

helpless wildlife alike is beyond me. Why go all the way to Yellowstone

National Park to pollute the air and make loud noises? Why destroy the

profound silence, which is an integral part of the winter grandeur of

Yellowstone?

I have been in Yellowstone in winter. I have experienced the

snowmobiles. One day, I had had enough and shook my head and pointed to

my ears, at which several circled us, revving their engines and one

screamed, “That loud enough?” as they left laughing. Nice folks.

WALLACE W. WOOD

Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa doesn’t need another law

It would be hard put to disagree more with your recent editorial

regarding the proposed eviction ordinance (“City took the right steps in

gang ordinance,” March 7). I regard it as foolish and completely

unnecessary.

This ordinance, if passed, would summarily ignore the wisdom and

farsightedness of the property owner. Most of these landlords spent years

in acquiring income property, and the bulk of rental property in Costa

Mesa is well-maintained and obviously cared for.

Do the Daily Pilot and our City Council truly believe they are better

qualified to manage this property than its rightful owners? I heartily

disagree.

Additionally, I may be under a misapprehension, but I thought most of

the felony violators of drug laws spent some time in incarceration. What

landlord in his/her right mind would keep a property vacant for the

duration of the felon’s sentence? Consequently, I think this is an

unnecessary ordinance. Further, just because another community has and

uses such an ordinance is not a proper justification for doing it here.

I empathize with law enforcement. The present drug laws are difficult

to enforce; but, rather than add more laws, maybe we should think about

getting rid of non-victim crimes altogether.

Now, this is not a good law. This is another nail in the coffin of

individual freedom and hard-won liberty that is being pounded in by our

local demagogues.

SAMUEL HORTON

Costa Mesa