What’s perplexing about Bubank

As many of you know, Burbank is celebrating 100 years of its incorporation as a city. There are many things to admire about Burbank, my hometown and the place I’ve lived in nearly all of my life.

However, a few things perplex me.

For example, recently opened on Lake Street is the new façade to the Burbank Water and Power building. Have you seen it? Its gleam and sheen would make any private company proud, only this is a public utility.

Then there’s the extensive maintenance work being done on the police and fire headquarters on Third Street. Repair work continues on a building little more than 10 years old when right across the street the nearly 40-year-old central branch library remains a dinosaur, an aging embarrassment to city visitors. How many Burbankers visit the newer, nicer Buena Vista branch instead?

Oh, and don’t forget Burbank Unified School District’s shining star, its flagship child care center, Horace Mann. I put both my boys through Horace Mann, and what a surprise I had back in December when I donated items and noticed that the place hasn’t changed a bit.

Still the same drab looking hallway, and the same wall air conditioners (remember, these kids are here through the summer months). When all of Burbank’s schools got a much needed facelift a few years back, Horace Mann did not.

So, Burbank city officials, please get your priorities straight in these tight economic times and put what precious resources you have into your greatest asset, your citizens.

Brian Crosby

Burbank

Thank you for the Sunday op-ed in the News-Press & Leader by Mark Satterlee (“Op-Ed: Gay history is everyone’s history,” July 31) regarding the teaching of gay and lesbian history.

If schools are to not teach about the accomplishments of gays and lesbians in history, then we must destroy the Sistine Chapel; and any other works created by Michelangelo Buonarroti during the reign of the seven popes.

The works of Leonardo Da Vinci must be removed from all museums, including the Louvre. La Gioconda knew Leonardo was gay, and smiled about it.

Benvenuto Cellini was “pal” to a couple of cardinals, who helped him escape from prisons when he was charged with sodomy and theft. Do not visit Florence under any circumstances. Cellini’s work is all over that town.

Sandro Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” must be removed from view, as well as any other of Sandro’s works. Did he have a thing for Fra Filippo Lippi, his teacher?

What the heck, here’s a list of some people that we must ignore, if not condemn:

Alexander the Great

*Macedonian Ruler, 300 B.C.

Socrates

*Greek Philosopher, 400 B.C.

Walt Whitman

*U.S. poet, author, 19th c.

Oscar Wilde

*Irish author, 19th c.

Andy Warhol

*U.S. artist, 20th c.

Michelangelo

*Italian artist, 15th c.

Leonardo Da Vinci

*Ital. Artist, scientist, 15th c.

Harvey Milk

*U.S. politician, 20th c.

Elton John

*English Rock Star, 20th c.

*U.S. tennis star, 20th c.

Greg Louganis

*U.S. Olympic swimmer, 20th c.

Billie Jean King

*U.S. tennis star, 20th c.

Rock Hudson

*U.S. actor, 20th c.

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

*Mexican author, 16th c.

...There may be a few others I might have left out. My memory goes back only so far.

John De Salvio

Burbank