Hails Local Bookstore

To The Editor:

As I have mentioned in the press, I have been in contact with several companies to bring a large bookstore- such as Borders or Barnes and Noble- to serve the neighborhoods of Astoria. I undertook this project due to dozens of constituent calls asking me for such an establishment. These larger bookstores offer many services and selections that would certainly add value to our community and provide an additional resource for our educated population.

However, I want to ensure that no one overlooks a jewel that already exists in Astoria, Seaburn Books, an independent bookstore located at 33-18 Broadway. This store has a 15-year track record providing great literature to the people in our communities, even supplying many local schools with the books they need to educate our children. Patrons can choose from over 50,000 titles, including a wide selection of ethnic books that address Greek, Italian and other cultures.

I believe there is ample demand in Astoria for an independent bookstore to coexist with a larger chain. I will continue my work to give Astoria all the resources and advantages of any neighborhood in the city, while at the same time, promoting the businesses that are already flourishing here. Sincerely, Councilman Peter F. Vallone Jr. 22nd Council District

Astoria

Parking Calendar Has Error To The Editor:

Many of my constituents throughout the 12th Senate District recently requested copies of a free New York City parking calendar that I offer each year and advertise in my December newsletter. Unfortunately, due to a printer's error, some of the information in the 2007 calendar, which has already been mailed out to many constituents, is incorrect.

I am having the calendars reprinted to correct the mistakes, and I urge my constituents to contact my Albany office to request a new calendar. They may call my district office at 1-718-545-9706 and ask to be transferred to extension 7907 in Albany. I deeply regret the inconvenience, and will provide the new calendars as quickly as possible. Sincerely, George Onorato State Senator, 12th District

GOP Leaders Lack Vision To The Editor:

As civic life begins to stir again---the Congress assembles tomorrow [January 4]--- voters remain full of anticipation as a new, promising team takes the helm in Albany, already pledged to maintain the momentum on overdue reforms.

Yet it is dispiriting to read in recent successive dispatches (December 21, 22, 2006) by the trio Danny Hakim, Patrick Healy, and Mike McIntire in the Metro Section of the New York Times that the storied Republican Party of New York State---heir to the successful legacy decades of the '50s, '60s, and '70s---is being managed by political Lilliputians of the narrowest outlook, and rife with the stench of scandal (pathologies amply shared on a bipartisan basis).

Consider the case of state Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno. Under intense inquiry for allegedly pursuing self-interest while ostensibly serving the public domain, he has refused to voluntarily step aside until the ethical cloud over his dealings is dissipated. Instead, he had the temerity to foist as chairman of my NYS Republican organization the perennially politically suspect Nassau County Party Chairman Joseph N. Mondello! The latter, has amassed an impressive string of electoral defeats, and still he advances instead of being unceremoniously dumped! (I am both a former long-term Committeeman and once the Republican- Liberal candidate for Assemblyman.)

A Hudson Valley district state senator, John Bonacic, has been the sole Republican to call for Joe Bruno to step down as majority leader. It will not be writing profiles in courage, but only recording the decent route, were more of his colleagues [to] rush to take the high ground in initiating a change in senate leader. Immediately, the next step must be to strip Joe Mondello of his undeserved promotion.

The decks now clear, our own 9th S.D. candidate, in recent years Deputy Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos, can ascend to become Senate [Majority] Leader! The time would have been signaled for a new politics in the key legislative chamber, the source of much gridlock. A would be Majority Leader Skelos can then reach out to newly installed, mandate-driven, Governor Eliot Spitzer to jointly tackle the enormous issues we face--- stricter oversight of lobbies, health care for uninsured, tax relief, school district consolidation, creating compact, contiguous districts and ending gerrymandering, to list a few, and not in priority order.

The NYS Republican Party has a tradition of reform going back to Teddy Roosevelt; even the unjustly much-maligned Herbert Hoover can be so counted, as were the legendary latter-day giants Rockefeller-Javits- Lefkowitz. Let us shed xenophobia, immigrant bashing, while we relegate religion to the church, mosque, and synagogue, not the political arena. We need to get back on the road to moderation, tolerance and progress. Messrs. Bruno and Mondello are not it. Sincerely, and with fraternal affection, Asher J. Matathias Woodmere, New York

Looking Back & Ahead To The Editor:

As we begin a brand new year full of aspirations and dreams, I would like to share my thoughts concerning several items that I consider either the fulfillment of dreams from the past year or the dreams that will be fulfilled during this upcoming year.

I am glad to hear that the New York State Minimum Wage has been raised to $7.15 an hour, which will enable hourly workers to improve themselves financially. To me, this is not a true living wage, in that costs of living, food, housing, medication, health insurance etc. are sky high.

I am impressed at our new governor's goals for the future.

I truly consider medical care for the uninsured an issue that must be considered. Health care is not a privilege, but a right. In a democracy, the health of each citizen, rich or poor, is important.

I applaud Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. for his concern to rid pit bulls from the streets of our city. They are dangerous, more dangerous than guns, automobiles and inflict blight, serious injury and death to innocent people.

Lastly, I applaud that everyday hero, construction worker [Wesley Autrey] who jumped onto the subway tracks to save the young student who was having a seizure. To me, this is true heroism. He fulfills all of the commands that God has instructed us to follow. He is a shining example, an inspiration and a marvelous New Yorker. May we only hear good news during this year of 2007 and may the pages of our Gazette continue to report good news to inspire us, to improve our quality of life, etc. Cynthia Groopman Long Island City

It Worked In 1898 To The Editor:

President [George W.] Bush may be going to increase troops in Iraq in the hope of crushing the insurgency before we withdraw from that country. Many people may not know that we used that same strategy in the Philippine- American War, our nation's first twentiethcentury conflict. But, to gain victory in that war, we did quite a bit more than just adding soldiers.

On August 14, 1898, 11,000 American ground troops were sent to occupy the Philippines. They met stiff resistance from insurgents but they were successful in defeating a Philippine Army that vastly outnumbered them in just over three years' time. Here's how they accomplished this.

More American soldiers were brought into the fighting (126,000 were eventually needed to conquer the country). They began taking no prisoners, burning whole villages and torturing the enemy. (The water cure was a popular form of torment. Dirty water was dumped into bamboo sections that were forced down the throats of prisoners. Soldiers would then jump on a prisoner's stomach to force the water out. This procedure would be repeated until the victim either informed or died.) They also established concentration camps that civilians were forced into, after being suspected of being guerrilla sympathizers.

Our military's harsh tactics led the Filipino insurgent leaders to throw in the towel and on July 4, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt declared the Philippines "pacified." More troops and a callous disregard for human life and rights had beaten the insurgency. Would we be willing to use that "winning" combination today in Iraq? I suspect not. And I, for one, am glad of that. Sincerely, Martin H. Levinson Forest Hills