In the Nov. 26 Courier the cover story "Where's Thanksgiving" confirmed some general observations I've had for the last few months about our American holidays. Halloween has grown in media hype with accompanying ugliness, and the Christmas media hype has started earlier and is weird and different this year.

Thanksgiving, the article says, has become "low profile" in the media and only a short stop between Halloween and Xma$. What I have been noticing is that the Xma$ TV ads are more and more about bad Santa, stupid Santa and Santa as a less-than-noble ideal.

What is this all about?

I have been taken aback by these references to Santa as a subject of ridicule and disrespect to the extreme. By doing this, the media diminishes the real meaning of Christmas—a time of heartfelt giving, compassion, high ideals, love, family togetherness, the Birth of Christ and the great importance of an enlightened society that cares for all its members.

The media storm of advertising impacts our whole society and this year for some unknown reason that storm is extremely negative. Its impact on children and the sensitive among us will be real and observable. It is as if there is an effort to coarsen our beautiful American spirit of loving kindness and replace it with ugliness.

Thanksgiving is a unique holiday for Americans, one of sharing and gratitude, and this is one of the most important reminders we have as Americans to help us remember and appreciate our great common blessings as citizens of this great free Democracy.

I suggest we keep our eyes open and pay attention as citizens and not let the con$umer in us lead us to become negatively manipulated and coarsened. These times we live in today are bad enough, and a struggle enough to endure without the media bombarding us with more and more negative images.

My hope and prayer for all Americans this holiday season is that we not be subliminally dragged down by these broadcasted negative images. Still wondering why.

—David Anderer, Cupertino


No place for surfaced trail in nature preserve

As gardeners at McClellan Ranch since 1989, we agree with the recent letter written by Ralph Eddy.

There is no place for a wide, hard-surfaced, multiuse trail in this nature preserve. Many of us participated in the development of the long-range plan for McClellan Ranch. This type of trail, and the activities it will encourage, are not consistent with a nature preserve and were never envisioned in the plan.

Bicyclists and skaters have many other venues for their recreation.

—Roxanne Beverstein, Ralph Riddle, Cupertino


Are we seeing the 'San Jose-ing' of Cupertino?

San Jose perpetrated the destructive "canyonization" of its downtown.

Then the merchants complained that nobody came.

Now, with the intrusion of the obtrusive Cypress Hotel, destruction of De Anza College arboreal landscape, the recent attempt to raise height limits along Stevens Creek Boulevard and now the proposal for condos to replace the Oaks Shopping Center, are we witnessing the onset of the intentional but ill-conceived "San Jose-ing" of Cupertino by the planning commission?

With no approved zoning change to the General Plan and Heart of the City Plan, such approval of development by Regis Homes is probably illegal.

Is this "uglification" how Cupertino will die, not with a bang but with a despairing whimper?

—Burt Schmitz, Cupertino


Planning commission disregards citizens

Having attended the planning commission meeting of Nov. 11, I want to express my outrage at the tactics employed by the commission placing this major item (the Oaks plan)at the bottom of the agenda.

The meeting started promptly at 6:45 p.m., and the first speaker did not take the podium till 10:40 p.m., with the meeting finally closing at 12:15 a.m.

I hope that the agenda for the meeting of Dec. 15 will place this item at the top and not repeat the gerrymandering of the past.

The planning commission has repeatedly shown disregard for the opinion of the local population and seems to work on the basis: "We have done our duty by listening to you, but we'll do it our way anyway."

Maybe a recall is in order.

—Jan Black, Cupertino


Three ducks stuck while water drains from pond

The Santa Clara Valley Water District is draining the pond at the corner of McClellan and Bubb roads.

This pond is the home of Miss Goosie, Whitie the one-legged duck and Blackie, none of whom can fly. They have no place to go for safety as the water disappears.

Whitie cannot even walk the 30 feet from the little water in the pond to the fence for food that the children offer.

All three will eat cracked corn or any type of bird food.

Can you help out?

—Donald E. Ewing, Cupertino