September 22, 2007

Letters to the editor

Pursue alternatives

Re "Power couple," editorial, Sept. 17

The editorial states, "Solar panels are usually made out of silicon, and the world is running out of it." Silicon is the second-most abundant element in the Earth's crust; the world is not about to run out of it. What has in fact recently occurred in the solar photovoltaic power industry is a temporary shortage of the solar-grade polysilicon feedstock that is used to make silicon wafer-based solar cells. The industry is addressing this shortage by bringing additional polysilicon feedstock production capacity on line in the next year or two, whereupon silicon prices can be expected to drop.

Although there are compelling reasons to explore alternatives to silicon-based cells for solar energy, a fundamental shortage of silicon is not one of them.

Harry Atwater

South Pasadena

The writer is a professor of applied physics and materials science at Caltech.

The Times mischaracterizes the conclusion of the National Academy of Sciences' report on wind energy. It explains the lack of evidence of bird mortality on inadequate information from wind-farm sites, not on exaggerated risks by "narrow interest groups." The Audubon Society and other environmental organizations joined wind-farm developers in a yearlong process to create guidelines on siting and monitoring of projects to minimize the effect on birds and bats because there is a problem. These guidelines are due to be adopted Sept. 26 in Sacramento by the California Energy and Fish and Game commissions.

Your call to "streamline the approval process" and protect wildlife at the same time is for county planners, permitting agencies and wind developers to consult and follow these guidelines, which are voluntary. Let's see if they take that step.

Garry George

Executive director L.A. Audubon Society

West Hollywood

California's growing population and our state's efforts to be a global leader in greenhouse-gas reductions require a robust wind and solar energy industry. Increasing the generation of these technologies will be wasted if California's governmental agencies stand in the way of new transmission lines that will bring the electricity to the growing population. For example, the California Public Utilities Commission recently delayed by nearly half a year the approval process for the Sunrise Powerlink, a project that would bring 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy from the Imperial Valley to the state's power grid, helping meet state mandates to use more renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

California's government needs to be a partner -- not an adversary -- in the construction of new transmission lines.

Allan Zaremberg

Co-chair Californians for Clean and Reliable Energy

Sacramento

The writer is also president of the California Chamber of Commerce.

In this editorial, I was disappointed to read the assertion, "Neither coal nor nuclear power is a practical solution to global warming." Nuclear plants do not produce any greenhouse gases. There is no silver bullet to solving climate change. However, nuclear power already produces more than 70% of the nation's carbon-free electricity -- more electricity than solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower combined.

California and the nation should take full advantage of energy efficiency and conservation, and develop renewable energy.

But renewables cannot yet produce the abundant baseload power an advanced economy needs to survive and thrive.

Seventeen companies are preparing federal license applications for advanced reactor designs, in part because of nuclear energy's clean air benefits.

Scott Peterson

Vice president Nuclear Energy Institute

Washington

To study or not to study

Re "The school ate my homework," Opinion, Sept. 16

I never did homework in elementary, middle or high school. Instead, I started secretly doing my homework in class when the teacher was not looking. I graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a 3.45 grade-point average and an architecture degree.

I spent the time I was supposed to spend doing homework reading and just thinking about things. Of course I have not turned out to be the automaton that our industrialized, materialistic society wanted me to be. I can actually think for myself, and I find American popular culture lowbrow and our unsustainable "way of life" a farce.

Lawrence Turner

Glendora

Homework assignment to elementary school teachers: Give your students at least two hours of homework during the week and three to six hours over the weekend, ensuring that time for play, exercise and family interaction are kept to a minimum. Assign repetitive, highly complex or inane projects that stifle creativity and inspiration and instill a sense of incompetence because a young child cannot possibly complete it alone. Provide little classroom time and explanation. Ignore all scientific evidence that assigning lots of homework doesn't improve academic achievement. Grade: A+.

Heike Rau

Irvine

It's a little frightening to know Randye Hoder is so happy that her son doesn't have to do homework. I hope other parents feel differently. Homework helps kids learn how to work independently, gives them a sense of accomplishment and teaches them responsibility.

Yes, doing homework is tough for kids and their parents, but the hard work generally pays off.

Lynn Balsamo

Santa Monica

Stop hounding Kucinich

Re "Do hard labor with Edwards, for a fee," Sept. 16

This piece discussed several presidential candidates. One, Dennis Kucinich, was referred to as "the six-term Ohio congressman, who seems to be perennially campaigning for president."

Why is it that the mainstream media continually hound Kucinich about being in his second campaign for the presidency but never say the same thing about former Sen. John Edwards or Sens. John McCain and Joseph Biden, who also are in their second runs?

Or why is it OK to criticize Kucinich because he's in his second run, while at the same time urging former Vice President Al Gore to get into the race -- for the second time?

Among all the candidates, Kucinich is the leader when it comes to providing real healthcare, getting out of Iraq, rebuilding our infrastructure, making America respected in the world again and defending the Constitution.

There are a bunch of candidates offering us the same old same old. And then there's Kucinich, offering real leadership and vision.

If it takes some people twice to figure out that he's the one who represents what they want, that's fine with me.

David Bright

Dixmont, Maine

Payroll problems are inexcusable

Re "Monitor to oversee school payroll repair," Sept. 17

How did the Los Angeles Unified School District get into this payroll fiasco? It's not easy to get the facts because everyone in the decision-making process to purchase the payroll software has left the district.

Bringing a monitor onboard is much too little and too late. Sinking another $10 million into this failed system will not fix it. Anyone who believes that the system will be repaired in a few months is not dealing with reality. It is logistically impossible to organize a team and have that team drill down to the root causes of failure and to complete repairs of such a massive system in such a short time frame.

It is important, right now, that the LAUSD begin dealing with the reality of putting in work-arounds, manual if necessary, to get payroll records corrected before W-2s are due out Jan. 31. As it stands now, those W-2s will be produced by the failed software that is in place.

James Russell Robinson

Signal Hill

LAUSD board member Richard Vladovic said, "I am losing confidence in our ability to do what we need to do for our people on the front line." Those of us on the front line -- teachers -- have already lost confidence. Vladovic is too late.

Tales teachers can tell about the payroll debacle are harrowing. What is astonishing to us is that after all this time, there are still people who are not getting paid. The district knows who they are; they've been yelling and shouting down at the Beaudry offices. If it's known who they are, why can't the problem be fixed? And these are the people who lecture teachers about accountability and rigor?

It would be funny if it weren't so painful to people who deserve to be paid properly.

Phil Brimble

Los Angeles

Re "Wanted -- payroll Mr. Fix-It for L.A. schools," column, Sept. 19

As a quality-assurance engineer for a large insurance company (now retired), we tested new software and changes to existing software.

No new software or changes to existing systems were implemented until proved to be free of flaws in the dummy system in which they were tested.

Programmers generally do not produce a perfect system on their first try. The testers identify problems and work with the programmers until all problems have been corrected. Only then should a system be implemented.

It seems that either someone in a management position created an arbitrary date by which the payroll system must be put into production, whether working properly or not, or the testing department is either nonexistent or sadly lacking in knowledge of testing methods, procedures and verification standards.

If consultants must be brought in to fix the mess, it would behoove someone to evaluate the entire LAUSD information technology department to see where the weaknesses and inabilities are.

Norma Mason

Glendale

Unfair question

Re "What about Larry?" Opinion, Sept. 19

David E. Bernstein's Op-Ed on threats to academic freedom sure struck home. I recently earned a doctorate and am looking for jobs in California's university systems. The public universities (UC San Diego, UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton) invite the applicant to include "contributions to diversity" in his or her cover letter.

As a white female of conservative leanings, I haven't the faintest idea how to respond to what appears to be an ideological litmus test to screen applicants.

Sue Cuthbertson

Yucaipa

No 'vision'

Re "Village at Playa Vista put on hold," Sept. 14

Playa Vista is not a "vision" but a gold mine for developers and an environmental tragedy for us. With 3,200 new homes in place, the last thing we need is 2,600 more. Have you tried to drive on Lincoln Boulevard lately?

Cheryl Kohr

Redondo Beach