Presidential primary article has conservative bias Though...

Presidential primary article has conservative bias

Though I was amazed and amused to finally see some coverage of

Democrats in your Republican rag, also known as the Daily Pilot, I

must take exception with the story “Iowa caucus results not

eye-opening.”

Though your reporters seem to consistently put their own opinions

in their articles, this reporter stepped over the line in writing the

sentence, “Some might think no Democrat can beat a sitting president

who brought the country through a war.”

You see many of us -- and we are not all Democrats -- don’t feel

President Bush brought us through a war; we feel he took us to a war.

There’s a big difference. And I hope many people wake up see the

difference and reflect it in their vote.

GAIL PERKINS

Costa Mesa

Public discourse needed on dolphin statue

In response to Friday’s cover story, “Centennial committee plans

dolphin statue,” on the proposed Wyland dolphin sculpture at

Inspiration Point in Corona del Mar:

Peggy Fort and her committee are to be commended for undertaking

the enormous task of planning the 2004 Corona del Mar Centennial

Celebration and for their impressive accomplishments to date.

There is, however, one aspect of their plan that many, from the

most enthusiastic and involved citizens to those who care far less,

believe needs more consideration. It is the proposed 12-foot-tall

Wyland dolphin sculpture, which I understand, will sit on a 3-foot

platform -- totaling 15 feet in height -- and it will be

approximately one-third as wide. This is what the committee has

chosen to commemorate the centennial.

Concerns have been raised regarding the artist, the placement of

such a large statue at Inspiration Point -- a public view park -- as

well as the upkeep of this monument in the years to come. Procedural

due process must be followed, in terms of full public outreach,

before such a decision is made. Ideally, that would include art

experts, as well as lay residents.

I would like to see a thorough exploration of some of our

word-class fine artists right here at home, in Newport Beach and more

specifically, Corona del Mar, before going outside the city; as well

as a more suitable site, which will not affect one of the world’s

most exquisite views, for which Corona del Mar is known.

Perhaps, the time capsule could be installed separately, with a

plaque at ground level, in time for the Centennial and a hold placed

on the sculpture, until a later date when all of the community’s

sensitivities have been properly addressed.

Few issues are more controversial than art in a public space. A

project of this magnitude, both literally and figuratively, requires

far more public input in order to arrive at a truly solid aesthetic

decision, which will impact the community for decades into the

future.

I believe Fort and her committee, in all their zeal, may have

taken the wrong road, for the right reasons.

WENDY BROOKS

Newport Beach

Alternative-fuel debate should stay energized

I read your article on the alternative fuel autos titled “UC

Irvine test-drives hydrogen SUVs” and it was very interesting. I hope

a solution is found for alternative-fuel transportation sooner, not

later, but it’s got a long way to go.

I have been watching alternative fuel cars going back probably 10

years, first with natural gas vehicles and buses, electric-only cars

like General Motor’s failed EV-1 project, and now the hybrid

gas-electric combo vehicles.

The natural gas cars lost their fancy with large fuel tanks that

took up most of the trunk in the car. Then the department of highways

took away the feature that if you had a natural gas car, you could

drive in the carpool lane, but now that is not allowed anymore.

As for the EV-1, General Motors put quite a few electric charge

stations around various points of the county. One place that comes to

mind is Costco. There are about three or four charging stations with

premium parking slots that stay empty from lack of use in Irvine. And

now, GM has cancelled that program and is taking back the cars. I

suspect it was not a favorable program.

As for the Hybrid models, Toyota Prius sold well and did pretty

well in the past, however, the Prius 1 is now out of production, and

the new Prius is available for 2004, but it is very limited

production. Dealers are asking from $2,000 to $5,000 mark up over a

window sticker that is really about $24,000. So that car now is

$26,000 to $28,000, unless you had put your order in six months ago,

or are willing to wait get on a four- to six-month waiting list at a

dealer.

In reading the news groups, there is a real long-term concern on

the car. One comment was if the battery has to be replaced, it costs

between $5,000 and $7,000, but there is no real confirmed replacement

cost. One guy commented that his battery went so far discharged that

the dealer had to charge it up. And that is a problem because it

takes a very special charger and there were only two in the East

Coast region, and there was a two-week backlog to get one.

You can you imagine a dealer telling you that you had to wait two

weeks before they can charge your battery on your $28,000 car? Ouch.

My nephew has the Honda Civic hybrid, and he actually likes it. He

gets about 44 miles per gallon, and it is a nice car, but again,

after warranty, how much will it cost to repair the hybrid section?

And better yet, how do you tell the perspective used car buyer that

to replace the batteries in a couple years could cost you more than

the used car is worth?

I actually looked at possibly purchasing one to run around in but

the additional cost for the car, over the standard gas model, is

$4,000 to 6,000 more depending on what model you get. And honestly,

the standard Civic gets about 38 miles per gallon and is sold for

about $13,000. Putting that up against the civic hybrid that costs

$20,000 is a no brainier.

I watched the Los Angeles and Detroit auto shows and releases, and

all the talk of alternative fuel SUVs, but the problem once again

will be cost to buy, costs to maintain and costs to repair in the

long term.

Ask any of the manufactures of autos if the $1.2 billion amount

that President Bush has set aside for alternative fuel cars excites

them: I think not. Factoring in the cost to purchase, repair and deal

with at the end of life, I think they have a pretty big hill to climb

to make it attractive.

Even the current tax incentives -- at $1,500 deduction credit on

your federal tax -- will not even touch the additional cost to

procure the car let alone the cost of repairs or reduction in value.

Now, if you could get Toyota to sell me a Prius at their so called

$19,995 and give me details on repair costs, we just might think

again about buying one, they look like really nice cars.

DAVE KIRKEY

Coto de Caza