Opinion
A recent resident of Friendship Shelter has lots of gratitude

    Editor: I was referred to Friendship Shelter by the Orange County Mental Health agency. I was apprehensive - my fear was almost immediately alleviated by the competence and nurturing of their excellent staff. As I was adjusting to various psych meds, their help became invaluable. The environment was so conducive to growth and progress. Full Story
600 plastic bags are used in California - every second!

    Editor: I am pleased to read in the front page of The Indy that we may soon be reaching a decision on whether to continue the use of single-use plastic carrier bags in Laguna Beach or not [ Plastic Bags 8-1-08]. We can ban them entirely or charge 20 cents more or less per plastic bag as Seattle voted to do last week. Full Story
Buddhism article

    Editor: I really like the article [ Modern Buddhism -8/1] by Jen Erickson. It's well written, informative, balanced, and explains better than most articles I've seen on the topic how Buddhism is embraced by so called "normal" people. Full Story
Hocus pocus of storm drain-to-wastewater diversions

    Editor: Knowing the Indy's usual high standards and reputation for investigative journalism, I think that Andrea Adelson was the unsuspecting conduit of both "mis" and "dis" information [ Polluted Aliso 8-1-08]. Full Story
How do you really feel Kurt

    Editor: 'Three Course Meal' Appetizer: I was sorry to see that Chris Hoy's wonderful 'wild' animal day was moved from its annual Sunday at the Festival grounds, to a Wednesday late morning/ early afternoon at the Sawdust. This was definitely not taking advantage of a great event (I surely couldn't go then), but it's not nearly the only scheduling miscue at the Sawdust. Full Story
Changing - or not

    Editor: Change. It's the flavor of the month. We live with change. Once we had a traffic-congestion season, every weekend during the Festivals. Now it's 365 days a year. Once we had a fire season. Now it's every day. Change can be beneficial. It can also be pernicious. I like the French version: "The more things change, the more they remain the same. Full Story
The fire season

    Editor: As the fire season continues, I have seen some improvement in people's awareness of the need for getting rid of dead vegetation and highly flammable plants such as eucalyptus and pine and planting more native and Mediterranean plants. (Pampas grass is still a scourge and hard to get rid of. Full Story
As spoken to the City Council Tuesday…

    Editor: I spoke at public input asking the City Council members two questions: •During the twentieth century, there was a significant rise of temperature and of the ocean's sea level, what impacts did it have on Laguna Beach? Full Story
Yes on Prop 5

    Editor: On Thursday, July 31, federal Drug Enforcement (D.E.A.) agents raided a Culver City medical marijuana dispensary, tearing thru furniture, cabinets, cash drawers and an outdoor garden in search of evidence. Agents wore chest gear, black sunglasses and guns in leg holsters and arrived in several black SUVs. Full Story
In this case, it isn't the price at the pump

    Editor: Four dollars a gallon! Can you believe four dollars a gallon? That's what I'm paying for milk at the local food emporium! I don't know about other folks but milk is the fuel that makes my engine run. If I can't tank up once a week I'm in trouble. Full Story
In this case, it is the price at the pump

    Editor: All this talk on drilling offshore, in order to help gas prices in the US is so much BS. I mean, the oil companies and the Administration are just plain lying to us. Oil exports from the United States are up, I don't have the exact numbers but the US Oil companies are exporting more US oil at world market rates, making record profits. Full Story
Doctors can destroy your medical records at anytime

    Editor: I have two important questions to ask my fellow citizens: #1) Are your medical records important to you? #2) When is your doctor going to destroy your records? Full Story
Baltic travels

    Editor: Nancy and I just returned from the Baltic. In Estonia gas is $11.50 per gallon; in Denmark only $10.50. However, in Denmark you pay an excise tax of 180% of the purchase price for the privilege of purchasing the car! (Don't know if this applies to used car purchases. Full Story
Highly successful Palestinian propaganda

    Editor: I am going to give Matt Smith (letter of 7/29/08) the benefit of the doubt. I am going to assume that he has been misinformed rather than that he is deliberately lying. Smith is the victim of a highly successful and lucrative propaganda industry by the Palestinian Arab leadership. Full Story
Unitarian shooting

    Editor: "The inherent worth and dignity of every person." — The first principle of the Unitarian Universalist faith. Full Story