I want to thank Andrea Dorey for her recent senior column on depression in The Sun. I'm a psychiatrist in private practice in San Jose, and have a couple of constructive criticisms.

It surprised me that in the entire article, Dorey never brought up the topic of psychiatry, the medical specialty that deals with mental illnesses, including depression. Psychiatrists are the only mental health professionals trained to diagnose and treat depression, and rule out possible medical illnesses that could be masquerading as depression.

Also, I think it's misleading to devote an entire paragraph to the idea that chiropractors can help depression. I don't know any chiropractors who think of themselves as specialists in depression or other mental health issues. They aren't.

It's in the interest of the public to get the best possible information about this important topic.

Stuart Krigel, M.D.

San Jose

City overdue in sending
GreenTeam a fix-it notice

The median income for the residents of Sunnyvale is $90,000 per year. Half make more; half make less. For those who work a full 52 weeks a year that equates to $43.27 an hour.

For most people who get two weeks' vacation plus 10 holidays a year and thus only work 48 weeks a year, the hourly rate is $ 46.88 an hour. I don't know what the median income is in Mountain View or Palo Alto. I'm sure though that the median income in Palo Alto is a lot greater than the $90,000 a year.

The city of Sunnyvale has a contract with GreenTeam/Zanker to look through Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Palo Alto's garbage to see if there are any recyclables in the garbage that could be saved from the landfill.

The contract calls for GreenTeam/Zanker to pay their workers prevailing wages, which is estimated to be around $13.50 an hour. They actually pay their workers $8 an hour to do one of the nastiest jobs I can think of. I wonder what the hourly rate is for the CEO of GreenTeam/Zanker?

The city of Sunnyvale is overdue in sending GreenTeam/Zanker a fix-it notice. If GreenTeam/Zanker doesn't act within in a reasonable period of time, then the city should go out for bid to find a new contractor who will comply with all the provisions of the contract.

That may end up raising the garbage rates slightly in Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Palo Alto. So be it. At least I'll be able to look myself in the mirror when I shave in the morning. I do not want to live off the backs of the workers who do this hard, dangerous and smelly work.

Werner Gans

Sunnyvale

Christmas story left out
Lakewood lights contest

I was very pleased to see The Sun's Dec. 22 cover story about the holiday lights at 666 Lakefair in the Lakewood Village neighborhood of Sunnyvale. However, I was surprised that the story didn't mention that Lakewood Village has a holiday lighting contest that was first held in 1958, and that many houses throughout the village have displays, though none so elaborate as 666 Lakefair.

More information, including links to photos of recent winners, can be found at www.lvna.net/Activities/Lighting/lighting.html.

Brian Smithson,

Editor of 'The Villager'
Lakewood Village, Sunnyvale

DeCinzo is simply mean;
his cartoon is not funny

I need to comment on the DeCinzo's Jan. 5 cartoon about Don Johnson. It was just mean, not funny.

I would think that you could find something more important to focus on.

Debbie Dobyns

Sunnyvale

Local Don Johnson is a
great person; actor isn't

Here are my thoughts on DeCinzo's Jan. 5 cartoon about Don Johnson, the new chief of public safety.

First of all, the actor Don Johnson is not worth having fantasies about, and the "real" Don Johnson is a great person.

The cartoon might have been funny if the ending wasn't so horrific. We have too much devastation in our world right now to be making fun in this way.

Hopefully DeCinzo can make a cartoon that is actually funny.

Kim Verbrugge

Sunnyvale

Chief Don Johnson is a
very beautiful person

To the editor of The Sun regarding the Jan. 5 cartoon that DeCinzo thinks is funny.

I for one being the loan manager of a federal credit union in the city of Sunnyvale find this cartoon about Don Johnson very offensive and in bad taste.

Chief Johnson deserves more respect than that. And obviously DeCinzo does not know Chief Johnson as he is a very beautiful person.

Toni DeHerrera

Sunnyvale

Johnson is nice-looking
man and kind hearted

Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, but I felt DeCinzo's Jan. 5 cartoon in The Sun was really in bad taste.

This was totally uncalled for and very mean spirited. I have known "our" Don Johnson for many years, and besides being a nice looking man he is also a kind-hearted and intelligent person. I believe that he will be a great chief of police for Sunnyvale, and this was not a very good way to welcome him.

Take it back, DeCinzo.

Joyce Dorchak

Sunnyvale