A friend sent me a great article on Pearl Harbor, which brings back many memories.

I read with dismay the articles describing the ruling by Alameda Superior Court Judge Robert Freedman citing "equal protection" blocking California's ability to deny students their diplomas for not passing the California exit exam.

I am appalled with all of the hoopla and pandering to the Mexican population especially here in the Napa Valley and the state of California. I am married to a true Hispanic woman who is also appalled at all of the garbage. We all as Americans need to keep in mind that this, after all, is America! By the way, we are not as the media puts it lately "a nation of immigrants." I, for one, was born here, as was my father and mother. I personally am not an immigrant. I am an American.

They say there's no such thing as truth in advertising, but what about lawsuits brought by the government? Turns out that many of the cases prosecuted in the name of the public interest are not what they appear to be.

If ever a letter to the editor rang true to the saying "the kettle is calling the pot black," it was the recent letter accusing Republicans of "blindly believing Bush" while the writer piled on nonsense about watching Fox News. To prove her point, the writer ends up quoting partisan sources while adding the usual dogma of McCarthyism and Clinton impeachment. If that doesn't remind me of all those political science professors whose, 30 some years later, torturous egocentric prophesying proved be just as accurate as those predicting the moon was made of cheese, then there are no blind double standards when it comes to politicians. HoweverŠ.

We should be far more worried if our schools weren't trying to increase the level of academic rigor for all students. College prep is a nice "sound bite." When you look at the facts, the level of academic achievement that will be required is not really college prep. It should be called "basic real world prep."

We too, like Les Franco ("Proud of Luke, and his service," June 6), were dismayed by your staff writer's inflammatory front page article about Capt. Luke McConnell. Where were the facts concerning the incident that the article was about? Until you are privy to the true facts, you have no right to cast a shadow over the good name and record of Capt. McConnell.

When California became a state in 1850, its vast (153,693 square miles) and mostly unpopulated (under 100,000 non-native residents) lands were divided into 27 counties, two of which -- Mariposa and San Diego -- encompassed about half the state.

Dear editor,

Dear editor,

Dear editor,I have just read Cassandra Walker's defense of the Cinedome's departure from downtown Napa ("Why a thriving downtown is no place for a multi-plex," June 8) and I could not disagree with her more. At present, the Cinedome is a major draw for the downtown area. Just look at the parking lot when a good movie is showing. Do not underestimate how many people enjoy dinner before or after a movie downtown, nor how many people arrive early and linger in the nearby shops before going to a movie. What do we have downtown right now? Many new, exciting restaurants, a few good shops, some wine tasting venues and what else? Lots of empty storefronts. Look at downtown San Mateo, where a movie theater and housing have been major factors in its revival. We still do not have housing and will not have it for at least two years. So why are we discarding a successful movie theater at the risk of causing further blight in downtown Napa? I think Cassandra Walker is on a very wrong track but she's probably so far down the wrong path that it's too late for her to admit she's wrong. It's too bad for Napa.

Dear editor,

Dear editor,