The Cupertino Courier Letters It's not the engineers, it's the company Tony DiLeonardo complained in a letter to the editor that the volume of TV commercials was too loud. I was one of the "engineers responsible"; and I can tell him where to complain. Disney/ABC locked out 24,00 engineers, camera people, editors and writers Nov. 2, 1998. For 19 months of negotiations their attitude has been "take it or leave it." They have locked us out and have taken away our health care. The volume levels on KGO-TV vary from inaudible to ear-splitting because the scabs that replaced us don't know what they are doing. See the NABET/CWA Local 51 web site for more information. Phillip P. Pflager Cupertino Lions Club sends a hearty thank you The De Anza Lions Club of Cupertino, would like to thank the management of the Sunnyvale Pak-N-Save food store and all their patrons who contributed so generously with money and food donations at the stores doors, during the Thanksgiving Holiday on Nov. 21 and 22. Our Club collected enough food and money to fill 79 baskets of food for local needy families. Of course, each basket included a nice turkey. We thank you all. You all can be proud of your generous donations, which made this possible. Thank you! Don Lang Cupertino Happy holidays--to people of all cultures Well, it's time to come out of the closet, and just say it...I'm an immigrant. We came here over 30 years ago from the land of the Blue Bloods and Ivy Leagues to the land of hot tubs and protests at 'Bezerkley.' Like other immigrants, we left our friends and extended families over 3,000 miles and cultural light years away to start a new life. The other day on Bubb Road, I pulled up at a corner next to a construction worker's truck sporting a highly legible bumper sticker. It said "Welcome to California--now go home!" I didn't see a gun rack, but you never know. If I had been able to read the company name--it was mud-spattered and illegible--I would certainly have called to let them know I would not be doing business with them, and why. Waiting for the light to change, I wondered just how I might feel if I were in fact a different kind of immigrant. What if, being proud of newly acquired skills born of ESL classes, I had puzzled out the words and then tried to puzzle out their meaning? How would I have felt if my fleeting glance had been met not with an inviting leer, (it was a very fleeting glance!) but with a menacing gaze? I was relieved when the light finally changed--two drivers who were most definitely going in different directions. As I headed home, I found myself reflecting on the season, and how happy I am that our children have grown up in this place of such dynamic diversity. Their friends come from literally all over the world, and yet live just around the corner. I want to take this moment to wish all of them, and their very brave and wonderful families, a most Joyous Yule, Feliz Navidad, Festive Kwanzaa, and Happy Chanukah. May Saint Nicholas, Santa Kurohsu, Sinterklaas and their various jolly elves be good to you and yours, and may you enjoy good health and every happiness following your Tet, Norouz, or New Year's celebrations. Bright blessings, everyone! Carroll McNeill Cupertino Parents should take note when kids bring home other's items About a month ago, I read in the opinion section about the boy who had his Halloween candy stolen from him and I thought that was bad. Just a few weeks after that, my two grandsons, who, with their mother and sister, have been living with us for over a year and a half, had their bikes stolen. Since these boys practically lived on their bikes, it was quite a blow to them. I have always said that if parents question where and how their children get things they know do not belong to them, it might make things better in this world. I know it is hard for parents to see all that their kids do as they have to work, but they should make an effort to notice. Since these boys' father contributes nothing to their welfare and their mother just got laid off her job, it really does hurt. If anyone that reads The Courier knows anything about these bikes it would be appreciated if they would give a call. Betty Cardinali Sunnyvale To contact Ms. Cardinali, please call Maggie Benson at 255-7500. --Editor Airlines need to provide more than peanuts Air travelers in our area should be alerted to the fact that American Airlines is planning a buyout of Reno Air. We have not fared well in the past with such situations. It should be remembered that US Air bought out our great local airline, Pacific Southwest (PSA), and then replaced all their McDonnell-Douglas MD-80s with inferior Boeing 737s. Then US Air abandoned this area completely, leaving us with nothing. And don't forget Hughes Air-West. Same thing. Reno Air features in-flight meals, advanced seat reservations and boarding passes, first-class seating, and flies only the comfortable and incredibly beautiful McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 and MD-90. The competing airline features none of the above, and stacks you up like cord-wood in 737s. Personally, I do not like the idea of waiting at the gate with a large crowd and then rushing up the ramp to see if I can find a decent seat. Then it's peanuts for all in-flight. Therefore, it behooves us to hold American Airlines responsible for upholding the high standards of Reno Air, both in equipment and in services. Robert L. Smith San Jose [ Back to Contents Page | Cupertino Courier Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Cupertino Courier, December 16, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.