Wilde about pole dancing
Dear ER:
I read “Pole dancing championships celebrate athletic movement” (ER Aug 13, 2015) over breakfast today and laughed so hard beer came out my nose. Comedian Chris Rock purportedly said that his only wish for his daughter was to get her through college without becoming a pole dancer. Wowzer! Now there’s pole sport competition with guys. I wonder who’ll be sitting in the bleachers for this “explosion” of pole positions? Nonetheless, as the old proverb goes, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander in La-La-Land. Perhaps, the words of Oscar Wilde are apropos: “Life is far too important to be taken seriously.”
Tom Kaminski
Redondo Beach
Better a dirty old man
Dear ER:
I just wanted to congratulate Bondo Wyszpolski on his awesome portrayal of the life of local poet and writer Charles Bukowski (“Wine, women and a gnarly old poet,” ER August 13, 20150. After being constantly bombarded by mainstream media over the train wreck of the Kardashians, it is nice to know that a journalist and his publication care enough to write about real people of substance.
Kevin Kump
Redondo Beach
Don’t El Segundo Redondo
Dear ER:
Jim Light consistently makes the apples to oranges comparison of Redondo Beach to El Segundo (“Recondo redux.” ER August 13, 2015). This is an unfair comparison. To start, Redondo Beach has a population of 67,700. El Segundo’s population is 16,800. A cursory glance at zoning maps of each city reveals that roughly;
— 30 percent of El Segundo is residential
— 80 percent of Redondo is residential.
— 50 percent of El Segundo is zoned for heavy/light industrial uses.
— 10 percent of Redondo Beach industrial.
— 20 percent of El Segundo is commercial.
— 10 percent of Redondo commercial.
The two cities have little in common.
Light says El Segundo balances residential, retail/restaurant, professional and industrial uses. That is why I live in Redondo. I like residential development. I do not want live in an industrial city. El Segundo has twice as many jobs as it does population. That’s lots of people driving into El Segundo every day. No thanks.
Paul Moses
Redondo Beach
Drop, cover, hold on
Dear ER:
Over the years I’ve enjoyed Robert Benz’s observations about life in Hermosa Beach. Sometimes I’ve agreed with him, other times not so much. This time I agree with him that the Emergency Preparedness Advisory Commission (EPAC) has not been as aggressive as it could be (“Small thinking for big problem,” ER Letters, August 7, 2015). But that’s changing.
The City recently hosted an EPAC workshop, attended by the Disaster Area Management Coordinator for Area G, a Battalion Chief from Manhattan Beach, EPAC Commissioners, the Hermosa Beach Fire Chief, a Lieutenant from HBPD, two city staff members and seven residents. We came away with specific action items assigned to specific people.
Benz’s letter paints a very good picture of what we face. But then he goes a bit astray, saying EPAC wants a web page to use during an emergency. We already have one on the city web site (http://www.hermosabch.org/index.aspx?page=798).
Our web page is only one of many that contain information about how to prepare for disaster. During an emergency, advisories are provided via Nixle (www.nixle.com), a reverse 911 system, that gives real-time updates via text message and/or email. And be assured, the City has taken, and continues to take, many steps, such as stockpiling water and maintaining emergency generators, toward being prepared for a disaster.
Benz’s derision of the Drop, Cover, Hold On campaign is unfortunate. Its mission is to save lives. Benz states that Drop, Cover, Hold On is “only good for foreplay.” That’s somewhat true if you’re talking about training for how to protect yourself when a high-magnitude earthquake occurs. I encourage everyone to learn more about this life saving measure at DropCoverHoldOn.org.
I would also like to invite Benz, and all residents to attend the next EPAC meeting on Monday, August 31at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers. All are also invited to the Whole Community workshop focused on updating the City’s Emergency Operating Plan. This workshop will be held in our Emergency Operating Center (above the museum in our Community Center) on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m..
Dave Buckland
Chairperson,Emergency Preparedness Advisory Commission
Hermosa Beach
Hold that thought
Dear ER,
This is a letter of intent to write a letter of response to Miyo Prassas‘ letter in September regarding Greg Breen’s letter in July (“Waiting to school, EasyReaderNews.com, August 13, 2015).
Matt Lovell
via email
Holster that idea
Dear Council:
I ask that the city council reconsider the decision to place a gun range in downtown Hermosa Beach until an environmental impact assessment can be completed, alternatives are thoroughly reviewed and the citizens of Hermosa Beach are properly notified.
With the extensive outcry over oil, one has to question the wisdom of placing a shipping crate next to residences – especially one that houses a shooting range. This effort to bring a shooting range to downtown was not transparent. The public notice mentioned only open space with no mention of a range.
Excessive overtime is a management issue, not a rationale for a shooting range. Other near-by facilities exist. Hermosa should explore using the Manhattan Beach range (less than a mile away).
If grant funds are the issue, there is no doubt they can be used for other projects that are far more useful that still fall under the grant guidelines.
I encourage you to put a halt to this before funds are expended so that impacts may be analyzed, alternatives are fully vetted and people are properly notified.
Matt Raymond
Hermosa Beach
Flying scavengers
Dear ER:
I am puzzled d by the hue and cry over the “Birdman” at the Manhattan Beach Pier. The latest letter ends with the sentence, “How sad and dull our world will be, when we never hear a bird’s song”. These birds are flying scavengers. They are not cooing Turtle Doves or Mocking Birds. Their cacophony of shrill cries will never be compared to a Meadowlark.
I have often watched the “Birdman” on his daily walk down the hill to the pier dressed in his ever present visor hat with a neck flap and his UV protected shirt. He seems like a nice person. Someone told me that he is a retired airline pilot who does not live in Manhattan Beach. I do believe that he personally and alone has increased the population of the flying scavengers at the Pier.
At approximately noon the scavengers would gather on the utility wire across the street. It reminded me of a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds.” They knew when their benefactor was arriving and would swarm all over the Pier blocking pedestrians. If you walked through the flock they could get aggressive. The “Birdman” would proceed to feed and water them, all the while taking up the width of the Pier.
An earlier supporter wrote that he feeds and provides water for his flock and cleans up after himself. Unfortunately, he has not trained the flying scavengers to do the same. He may be called the “Birdman’ but my name for him has been “the pigeon poop guy”.
I am surprised that Manhattan Beach officials ignored this nuisance for so many years but thank them for finally taking action.
Paul R. O’Connor
Redondo Beach
