Calendar letters: All that crime on TV? It’s criminal

Regarding “True Crime on a Major Spree” [Sept. 10], I am sure I am not the only reader who is concerned about the effect such content has on many viewers, especially children and younger people, some of whom are susceptible to psychological damage at witnessing violence and/or bizarre fare. I know that I still have nightmares about certain visuals and that my brain is still retaining some images of awful content from TV or films, no matter how “worthy” it is. No doubt, this topic will be discussed by those similarly troubled, and I look forward to that conversation.

Elaine Livesey-Fassel

Los Angeles

In a daze over bulldozed desert

Regarding “Fall Arts Pop Music: Desert Daze” [Sept. 11], I feel it is important for your urban readers to know that three3 acres of old-growth desert were bulldozed to create a parking lot for this event. The land is part of a corridor intended to allow free movement of wildlife from the Twentynine Palms Marine base to Joshua Tree National Park. Festival attendance estimates portend further insult to the surrounding desert ecosystem. For those of us who live here, we prefer our “desert scenery” au naturel.

Ellen E. Baird

Joshua Tree

The theme here: players credited

Regarding Carolyn Sherry’s letter [“Feedback: A Bonanza for Themes’ Players,” Sept. 11], her father, Gene Sherry, is credited numerous times in the 15-CD collection of “Star Trek” music released by La-La Land Records. Included in the liner notes are performer credits for almost every score from the series. Part of the deal in re-issuing classic film scores recorded with members of the American Federation of Musicians is that all the players get credited.

Neil S. Bulk

Culver City

Fab time with the Fab Two

I thoroughly enjoyed the piece on Ron Howard’s film about the Fab Four, “Eight Days a Week” [“A Beatles Journey Filled With Twists and Shouts,” Sept. 4]. Brilliant touch to be in the same room with Paul and Ringo.

Ivor Davis

Author of “The Beatles and Me on Tour”

Ventura

Vasquez Rocks in the Santa Clarita Valley.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times )

A trek out to Vasquez Rocks

I enjoyed your article on Vasquez Rocks as a shoot location [“Alien Life at Vasquez Rocks,” Sept. 8]. As a young boy, my escape was watching “Star Trek” on a crummy black and white TV. I remember the episode with the Gorn so well and believing that it was truly an alien world I was seeing. I’ve been to the Vasquez Rocks many times, and the otherworldly, harsh beauty still awes me. Thanks for the fun read.

Peter Rhodes

Silverlake

Jerry Lewis

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times )

Reeled in, hook, line and sinker

In your recent interview with Jerry Lewis [“Deep Questions for Jerry Lewis,” Sept. 9], he says people will never see “The Day the Clown Cried.” A 31-minute condensed version was released on YouTube two months ago. Lewis also released it to a German TV station five months before for a documentary (see “Der Clown” on the WorldCat website).

John Pierson

San Jacinto

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Back in the 1970s, when I was in school, if you wanted to see a particular movie, you had to wait for it to be shown on TV (unlike today with DVDs, Netflix and such).

One afternoon, a Jerry Lewis film — “Hook, Line & Sinker” — aired. I watched it, and I got in trouble because I didn’t do my homework because of it.

Mike Kirwan

Venice

Tlingit solution to Lochte mess

Regarding “2 Men Are Arrested During Ryan Lochte’s Debut on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ ” [Sept. 12, latimes.com], the protest against Lochte would not have been necessary if we followed the cultural traditions of the Tlingit people, who are native to Alaska. In that culture, a person who commits a shameful act is required to make a “shame totem pole” to show contrition.

We in the lower states do not have shame totem poles, but we still need a showing of contrition in order to move on. In the Tlingit culture, once the shame totem pole is accepted, society moves on. Ryan Lochte committed a shameful act, and until he shows satisfactory contrition, some people will not be moving on.

Dan Persoff

Los Angeles