Dogs in downtown L.A.; Santa Monica Airport’s busy skies; Floyd Landis

Going to the dogs?

Re “Downtown dogs bring growls,” May 23

Count me as a downtown resident (I live at the corner of Pee and Poo) who is sick of the dog population, which is emblematic of the selfish, trendy, inconsiderate human population.

Downtown is not dog friendly, and I am convinced that the typical downtown L.A. dog owner has less regard for animal rights than a fur trapper.

It’s all about being fashionable at the expense of a helpless creature. I live in a loft where lonely dogs can be heard barking at all hours of the day and night. I’m just waiting for my loft to get back to breakeven so I can move out.

Douglas Hall

Los Angeles

As a downtown resident for more than four years and a dog owner myself, I felt The Times painted an unfair picture of the majority of dog owners downtown. Most of us are hardworking professionals who ensure that our dogs conduct their “business” away from buildings, doorways and walkways.

I also object to the notion that owning a dog is trendy.

What makes downtown so appealing to dog owners is the ease of finding a place to live that allows dogs with little restrictions. Breed restrictions and absurd weight limits that face renters with pets are not found downtown as they are in other parts of the city.

The Downtown Center Business Improvement District has done a lot to help business owners and dog owners work together. Its dog etiquette program has only been in place for a few months and is already a success.

Sara Jones

Los Angeles

Frequent flights

Re “Flyovers have residents up in arms,” May 24

To the folks of Sunset Park: Welcome to our world.

We live in Venice, and the single-props traveling south from Santa Monica Airport cycle low over our house all day, every day, and are especially frequent on weekends.

We used to call the tower, but we don’t bother anymore. Noise? Safety? No one there can do anything about that.

But take comfort. Your problem is only when it’s foggy, and your traffic experiment will be over soon. Ours has gone on since … how long’s that airport been there?

Kelley S. Willis

Venice

The Times didn’t mention that residents under the Rose Avenue flight path in Venice have been struggling for years with these ongoing noise and pollution problems.

The Rose Avenue neighborhood is not just commercial and certainly not industrial. It’s largely a densely populated mixed neighborhood of homes, condos and churches.

But because we’re not part of the city of Santa Monica, we have neither a voice on the Santa Monica Airport Commission nor a vote to select Santa Monica City Council members, so our concerns remain unaddressed.

This is not a “them” (Sunset Park) versus “us” (Venice) issue. We all breathe the air that is polluted by this airport. We need to join forces to regulate the problems created by it.

Susan Stone

Venice

Since we moved into a house on a golf course, we are not surprised, angry or “up in arms” over the occasional golf ball hitting our house.

I’ll bet not one “up in arms” resident moved into their home before there was a Santa Monica Airport. Seriously — what did they expect?

Robert Tymczyszyn

Lake Arrowhead, Calif.

The right moves by UC

Re “Toward a leaner, smarter UC,” Editorial, May 24

As a member of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education and a frequent critic of some spending decisions at the University of California, I was pleased to read in The Times about proposed plans to reduce excessive costs at the university. I believe it is important to recognize and appreciate positive steps.

UC President Mark G. Yudof is taking a serious approach to eliminating waste and reducing costs and should be applauded for his willingness to tackle these difficult problems. Controls enacted for the expenditure of student registration fees are also welcome news.

These are challenging economic times, and we all must work together to sustain the high quality of the University of California and our commitment to California’s Master Plan for Higher Education.

I am encouraged by Yudof’s assurances that UC really is attempting to rein in costs and that he and his administration are committed to addressing these challenges.

Anthony Portantino

La Canada Flintridge

The writer represents the 44th Assembly District.

Cycling’s bad boy

Re “After long fall, Landis has crashed,” May 23

Kudos to Floyd Landis for his admission of doping.

How much longer can sports commissions and demanding fans force athletes to go bigger, faster and higher?

It’s time all involved admit their part in promoting drugs in sports, entertainment and all other venues where competitors seek fame, wealth and notoriety.

Deborah Hoyle-Lloyd

Palm Desert

I was at the Tour of California with a large number of other fans at the finish line, and not once did Landis’ name come up.

Oh wait — near the end of the race, some guys brought out some signs with a picture of a rat and Floyd’s name. Everyone laughed, because he is a joke and a lying, cheating … well … rat.

Don’t give him any more press.

Florence Woolery

Westlake Village

An interview but no answers

Re “The translator,” Opinion, May 22

Eager to learn more about misperceptions of the Muslim faith, I immersed myself in Patt Morrison’s excellent interview.

However, I came out of it as uninformed as before. I wonder if Salam Al-Marayati can dance the quick-step as expertly as he meandered around Morrison’s direct questions.

Christine Peterson

Woodland Hills

Writers we don’t know

Re “Ghost-busting,” Opinion, May 23

I write to defend my craft: ghostwriting for celebrities and others.

I’ve written seven national bestsellers and have collaborated with the likes of Dave Winfield, Pat Summerall, Doug Christie, FBI superagent Joaquin Garcia, Operation Hope founder John Hope Bryant, publicist Howard Bragman and many other A-level business leaders, broadcasters and athletes.

Just because you’re at the top of your field doesn’t mean you have the desire, the talent or the time to write your own book. The great ones are better off using their time to contribute to society than locking themselves away to craft a manuscript. That’s our job.

The “dirty little secret” of publishing is that virtually every nonfiction book “written” by a celebrity, an athlete, a business leader or a politician was written by or with someone else. An increasing number of novels are also ghostwritten.

A good ghost or co-writer captures the ideas of the client and expresses them in the client’s voice, bringing ideas to the world that otherwise would not have been shared.

It’s time for ghosts to come out of hiding and take pride in how we serve our clients and the reading public.

Michael Levin

Irvine

The writer is CEO of BusinessGhost Inc., a ghostwriting service.

Secrets of the spy trade

Re “Spy wars,” Editorial, May 25

The intelligence community does not need an “intelligence chief who gets it,” per The Times’ website headline.

It needs a leader with the legal authority to synchronize our national level human intelligence ( CIA), signals intelligence ( NSA) and geo-intelligence (NGA).

Correcting the situation could require politically sensitive moves, including moving the NSA and the NGA from the Department of Defense to the director of national intelligence, and subordinating the CIA under that office as well.

Until the director of national intelligence is given the authority to set priorities, allocate budgets and synchronize all-source intelligence from each of at least these three agencies, the president of the United States will continue to face “turf wars” and receive unsynchronized intelligence.

Eric M. Walthall

Long Beach

The writer is a major in the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.