Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, use this postmarks submission form, or email your letter directly to mail@austinchronicle.com. Thanks for your patience.

Dear Editor,
    Most of your readers will never have to visit Dr. Bayardo's office, so your article exposed us to the problems he deals with on a daily basis, such as outdated and inadequate equipment, shortages of supplies, and an overworked staff [“CSI: Travis County,” News, June 30]. Whether his fault or of our county commissioners, these issues were present before and have remained during his 30 years. I myself have been to the coroner's office and after reading your article I am more appreciative than before. My son Alex, 19, died in an auto accident in Jan. 2004. When I picked up his autopsy report, I sat to read it. I asked someone there to explain some of the conclusions in the report. I must admit I was still grieving and angry at the time, I told the person helping me I wanted to speak to someone else, someone who could answer my questions. They asked me to wait. After a few minutes Dr. Bayardo himself sat next to me. He carefully went over the report and answered all my questions. He shook my hand, offered his condolences, and excused himself. Who knows which one of its many problems his office faced that day, but he took time out for a grieving dad that day, and who knows how many times he's done that over 30 years? Thanks doc.

Dear Editor,
    Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn's current allegations should not come as a surprise to Texas officials [“Strayhorn Blasts Foster Care System,” News, June 30]. What is surprising is that she is still being stonewalled and her efforts are still being resisted after three years. Comptroller Strayhorn and her staff have been investigating the Texas foster care system and publishing their negative findings since 2003. In 2004, due to deficient services and inadequate oversight, a complete overhaul of the Texas foster care system was recommended by Strayhorn.
    At that time, Strayhorn called for greater accountability:
    1) Accountability for service providers: Strayhorn recommended that direct services be outsourced and that DPRS conduct unannounced site visits and financial audits.
    Direct services providers would be assessed based on:
    – Safety
    – Placement stability
    – Maintenance of familial connections
    – Shorter stays in foster care.
    2) Financial accountability: Money was to be directed toward funding programs for foster youth.
    3) Accountability for facilities: If a facility compromised the health and safety of foster youth through noncompliance to standards, their license was to be revoked.
    4) Accountability for Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (which is now Texas Department of Family and Protective Services):
    – Caseworker visits were to be thoroughly documented.
    – Comprehensive background checks were to be conducted.
    – Complaints were to be thoroughly reviewed.
    – Minimal number of foster placements.
    – Children were not be placed with peers who had a history of violent crimes and/or juvenile sexual predators.
    – A crisis management team was to be created, in order to decrease the number of child fatalities in foster care.
    5.) Accountability regarding the drugs being administered to foster children.
    Comptroller Strayhorn's 2004 investigation uncovered that:
    – 60% of children in the Texas foster care system were being given psychotropic drugs that were not approved for children.
    – Physicians had prescribed mind-altering drugs to children as young as 3 years old.
    – Two Texas doctors who weren't psychiatrists were prescribing mental health medications to foster children.
    – It was not uncommon for some foster children to have up to 14 different prescriptions.
    – Many of these drugs were labeled "not for use by children," and listed as having serious side effects, such as diabetes, cardiac arrhythmia, suicidal tendencies.
    In 2004, as is currently happening in 2006, Texas health officials cited "privacy concerns" and patient confidentiality as reasons for their reluctance to share information.

Dear Editor,
    Re: The controversy regarding atheist UT professor Robert Jensen joining St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is confusing to me [“Church Fight,” News, June 23]. I thought churches were in the business of saving souls. How can they do that if one of the prerequisites for joining is that your soul be already saved?

Dear Editor,
    Given the controversy surrounding new coal plants in Texas, readers might be interested in the work of Isaac Berzin at MIT. Berzin is developing a process to capture major portions of CO2 from coal-plant emissions by running the fumes through algae-filled pipes. It promises to become both an inexpensive emission-scrubbing technique and a major source of algae-derived biodiesel and ethanol. Perhaps Austin Energy could look into this process as a way of making its own fossil-fuel plants more ecologically friendly? Berzin is testing the process out currently with MIT and his startup company GreenFuel Technologies.

Dear Editor,
    Gary Liddy tells us [“Postmarks,” June 30] he “constantly promote[s] the advantages of the 'X-Auto' downtown lifestyle to [his] suburban friends,” while admitting “outside of the nighttime entertainment areas, it's deadsville.” He then insults his “friends” by dismissing them as unable to appreciate urban living. Gary, darlin', the fact that some of us don't want to live in an expensive downtown condo doesn't mean we don't understand the benefits of a walkable city. I lived in San Francisco for two years, and I didn't miss having a car at all because I didn't ever need one. Everything I required was within walking distance of my apartment. I wasn't ever stranded without a car – I could walk to a doctor's appointment or go shopping and make it back to work before my lunch break was over. And when I wanted to go someplace on the other side of town, it was a quick, cheap trip on the subway, bus, or an always-readily-available (and affordable) taxi. Have you tried taking a cab in Austin lately? You'd better have plenty of cash and the dispatcher's phone number to call well in advance. Taking one of Capital Metro's “Night Owl” routes home when the bars close at 2am? Be prepared to stand on a dark street corner with no bench for half an hour or more, and wear comfy shoes, because it's unlikely there's a stop close to your destination. For Austin to create urban density to increase the tax base, reduce traffic (including DWIs), and stop urban sprawl into environmentally sensitive areas, we must promote not only downtown and midtown development (don't get me started on the ridiculous “McMansion” ordinance) but frequent, extensive 24/7 public transportation covering the metropolitan area so we can get anywhere, anytime, quickly, cheaply, and safely.

“Postmarks,”
    Re: “Page Two,” June 30: Maybe Louis Black needs to move his holier-than-thou white ass down to the Rio Grande Valley and live and work there for eight years (like I did) to get a better understanding of the illegal immigration issue.
    First off Louis, Bush was elected because he was clearly the lesser of the two evils, illegal immigration notwithstanding. Further, bringing the “religious right” into the debate is an off-topic belly-up red herring, typical of a blabbering blatherskite liberal lacking real points to make. Black's take on illegal immigration couldn't be more moronic or wrong.
   1) Illegals don't pay the same property (i.e., school) taxes because they live like sardines in a can, sometimes three and four generations in one house, even sleeping in shifts. In Austin they just busted 13 of 'em (not related) in a one-bedroom house.
   2) Most illegals don't pay into Social Security or Medicare because they don't have valid Social Security numbers. Mind you, that doesn't stop exploitive employers from taking that money out of their “paycheck” and keeping it for themselves.
    And if Black thinks illegals are not a drain on our public schools or “an overburdened public-safety net” then he's more of a blind fool than I took him for. Yet Black and the left will harp for a livable wage while illegals saturate the labor market with their parasitic scab labor. Sorry Louis, but you can't have your cake and eat it too. Then Black seems to mock the fact that these illegals are, in fact, illegal, and that weeding them out of the U.S. would “suck the soul of decency right out; the United States would never recover!”
    Bullshit Louis. You conveniently ignore the sad fact that these illegals are fleeing despot governments that are using the U.S. as a dumping ground for their abject poverty. Mexico is a cancer in need of a cure, race-baiting bigotry be damned.
    But of course this is all the fault of the liberal left's favorite scapegoat, George W. Bush. What aphasic left-wing reprobate screed would be complete without blaming Bush for everything that's wrong in the world?!
    And last but not least, what Louis Black knows about the reality of prayer could easily dance on the business edge of a diamond knife. Clouding the issue with truth and facts have never been one of Black's strong suits.

Dear Editor,
    Re: Jordan Smith's article on the Travis County Medical Examiner's office for June 30 ["CSI: Travis County," News]. I have many issues with the examiner's office and other entities within Travis County, over their handling of the case of my son, Aiden Joe Perez. Their incompetence has caused a substantial amount of heartache for so many people (in and out of county). In many cases, the fraud committed by the ME's office has led to convictions of innocent people (ruining their family's lives and leaving the mourning without closure). Taking someone's organs, harvesting them, incinerating them, and disposing them in a dump may indeed be acceptable under Texas Health & Safety Codes or under Texas Administrative Codes. However, they both require the next of kin approval. As we know, the chief ME "skips" the step of approval from family or ignores their express written instructions on the autopsy request form (as they did with the case of my son).

Dear Editor,
    My unhip mind seems to have missed something in reading Barry Pineo's review of the Hyde Park Theatre's performance of A Brief History of Helen of Troy [Arts Listings, June 30]. After the usual trite, college sophomore rants about what a rotten, cruel, unfair world it is (merit doesn't really matter, the rich get richer, and the rest of us "poor schlubs get considerably poorer," "wage slaves" et. al.), he concludes that we shouldn't miss it because we'll miss: "a funny, sad, wise, ultimately human story. So strange to watch a play in which fellatio is performed on a young man who has just been assaulted; in which one person spits on another, not once, but twice; in which a daughter quite clearly propositions her father; in which an adolescent girl talks about the sexual act in the crudest of terms; and in the end to be left saying that the story is not so much about brutality as it is about caring, about connection, and, mostly, about love." So just where is all this "wisdom" and "love" Barry baby?
    Violence, teen lust substituting for lack of affection, incest, ugliness, the degradation of the human spirit – all of which true progressives know, I'm sure, is hidden behind the pleasant, materialist facade of every middle-class, suburban American, family. The review says more about the mind of Barry Pineo than anything else. That classy Lolitaish porno-like pic that accompanied the review revealed more truth about the play than any of Pineo's pretentious drivel.

Dear Editor,
    As part of the “anti-immigration crowd” Louis Black puts down [“Page Two,” June 30], let me partially explain my reasons for this stand. One is that I don't think our infrastructure can support millions more poor people when there are already lines waiting for health and mental care, jobs, and affordable housing.
    I've worked alongside blacks, Mexicans, and Asians, barely making it on $7 per hour. Many people here now are already forced to take jobs with no benefits, no unions, no organizing for rights. When millions of even poorer people come in, I fear employees will lose all the benefits workers ever fought for and won. There will be no more labor organizing, at least, not in my lifetime. How can workers fight effectively for a minimum wage when there are millions of people willing to work for less?
    Also, anyone with common sense knows that the more poverty there is, the more crime there is. Letting millions of poor people come here without enough jobs will foster an increase in crime. I'm not saying immigrants would be the perpetrators – just that there would be many more desperate, hungry humans.
    This is not the land of milk and honey or the welcoming sanctuary of freedom and opportunity. It's getting tougher every year to survive in the United States, both financially and as a free citizen. I feel that all immigration should be greatly restricted, except for political asylum, until all the workers here now are earning a living wage.
    Incidentally, don't you think since so many immigrants come from Mexico, it should open its borders? Not a chance! Mexico has very restrictive immigration and citizenship laws.

Dear Editor,
   In response to Ms. Babich I would just like to say, for the record, my car isn't smelly ["Postmarks," June 9]. Sure it is in dire need of a wash and its floorboards have become a repository for all manner of flotsam, but stink it does not.
   And for every irresponsible driver Ms. Babich encounters, I can provide an equal number of irresponsible bicyclists. A bicyclist is required to obey all applicable traffic laws, yet I have seen many who fly through red lights and stop signs. Or others who dart in and out of traffic without signaling, or who blow past pedestrians on the sidewalk along the Drag, mere inches away from hitting someone.
   Ms. Babich also says she makes transportation a major factor when choosing where to live and work. In an ideal world, everyone would live within walking or cycling distance from where they work and shop. Unfortunately, people don't always have that choice. Most people eke out a living when and where they can. One's level of education and availability of employment within his/her desired field dictates where a person works. And income level, housing availability, and affordability dictates where a person lives.
   Let's face it: Personally owned, engine-powered conveyances are here to stay, whether that engine is powered by gasoline or green beans. Great distances are unreachable by walking or bicycling in any practical sense. Technology will eventually conquer the fossil fuel issue, and an efficient, environmentally friendly solution will be found for personal vehicular transportation. Coupled with advances in mag-lev, light rail, and high-speed bullet trains, society will have an effective method for moving its people.

Dear Editor,
   When employers have an unlimited supply of labor what is the incentive to pay a decent wage ["Page Two: A Prayer Too Far," June 30]? Is labor a commodity that when the supply is high the price is low? What is the harm in protecting the standard of living for Americans? What is the chance that we can stop a natural migration of a populace intent on improving their standard of living?

Dear Editor,
    Re: Jaxon ["Page Two," June 16]: I try to think of death as just another piece of this perplexing puzzle, but lately my ghosts are complaining of overcrowding. Thanks for the notice.

Dear Editor,
    Is the environmental community serious about stopping AMD? If so, what would happen if a nationwide boycott was staged – not of AMD, as they sell to other companies – but of AMD's customers? These companies are the only ones who have any real leverage over AMD, as they're the ones who affect AMD's bottom line. Imagine the effect of somebody like Michael Dell picking up the phone and saying, “Hey, Hector, what in the world are you doing? You're costing me money. Maybe we should get our chips somewhere else." Now, imagine if Mr. Ruiz gets three or four of these calls from other CEOs. Do you think it might change his mind?

Dear Editor,
    After reading Mick Vann's review of the Lazy Fork [Food, June 23] I immediately set up a family gathering for Saturday the 24th. What drew me to the eatery was Mick's mentioning a "massive playground with strings of lights and all kinds of gizmos for the kiddos." I have a 10-year-old so any restaurant where he can act a fool in a space set aside for just that purpose is great by me. The massive playground amounted to basically a smallish dirt patch with some concrete animals for the kids to crawl on. I actually asked the hostess if there was another play area for the kids because the rinky-tinky dustiness out back in no way met Mick's description. She apologized and said she, too, had read The Austin Chronicle article and found Mr. Vann's prose to be misleading.
    In addition to finding Mick's description of the playground to be mildly deceptive, he either hit the Lazy Fork on a real good night or we on a bad one. The brisket was tough, the second round of chicken was raw on the inside, and the ribs were not as meaty as we'd like. I was also particularly saddened by the rolls, as they came out flat as pancakes and tasted of raw dough. The service, well, we'll just leave it that we were fairly well-ignored as all of the waitstaff and second servings of meats and sides were directed to the party table instead of ours.
    One high point: The sausage was incredible. Everyone at our table, seven of us total, thought the sausage to be the best in town. I asked our waiter, in one of his rare appearances, if it could be purchased retail through a local vendor. Much to our chagrin, nope; only available at Lazy Fork.
    We are willing to give the Lazy Fork another try as I usually agree with Mick Vann's reviews. I am truly hoping that my overall assessment of the place was tainted by my disappointment with the playground and service and that subsequent visits will live up to the hype.

   [Mick Vann responds: I'm not quite sure what you expected for a play area for your child, especially when very few restaurants have them in the first place. The play area seems larger in space than the back patio seating area, which handles a large number of people. My group all commented on how big the play area was, and I actually said that it should have been smaller to accommodate more diners: After all a restaurant is for dining, and not child diversion. The surface appeared to me to be decomposed granite (the material used on the hike and bike trail) and not dirt. All 20 or so kids that were out there when I checked it out were having a blast, and they were in a safe environment, in full view of their parents. I'm sorry you think I deceived you or if your son was disappointed in his play experience, but I stand by my comments on the play area and my dining experience.]

Dear Editor,
    Tom Davis was a "former Army officer"? Doing what, laundry? Mess hall? Trash pick-up? I was in the Army, and when I was in our officers had to have a brain, Tom proved he does not. Hey Tom, are you fucking joking me, you're really that stupid to think we started torturing people in Iraq? How dumb are you? You going to equate making people stand naked with bags over their heads with suicide bombings and beheadings of truly innocent men and women? Saddam cutting people's hands off was our fault? Tossing people off of roofs was something we taught? Cutting the ears off of soccer coaches who lost in 1995 was because of something we did? Daniel Pearl was beheaded before Saddam was overthrown, long before men we made to stand naked with bags over their heads, Tom. Maybe if you got your head out of your ass you wouldn't be so stupid, yeah?

Dear Editor,
    I sincerely hope that the Austin City Council has no intention of passing a law requiring adults on bicycles to wear crash helmets. There is no law requiring adults on motorcycles to wear helmets. Motorcycle helmets are much more effective than bicycle helmets, and motorcycling, even with a helmet, is much, much more dangerous than bicycling without a helmet. An absurd set of laws like this creates disrespect for the law. It can also lead the more reckless and helmet-loathing bicyclists to quit bicycling and start motorcycling. This makes the streets less safe and the air more polluted.
    There has not been a rash of deaths or severe injuries among adult unhelmeted bicyclists lately. In fact, most adult bicyclists in Austin wear helmets. The bicyclists killed by cars this year were wearing helmets. Many people, both cyclists and noncyclists, vastly overestimate the efficacy of bicycle helmets. This can cause trouble.
    The youth helmet law in Austin is no longer enforced, because almost all the tickets issued were to teenaged African-American males riding after dark. This is a very small subset of child cyclists. Helmet laws, when enforced, make laughingstocks of the police.
    It's legal for cars to park in bike lanes. It's legal for motorists to talk on cell phones while driving 2-ton cars. It's legal to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. To require all adult bicyclists to wear helmets seems very absurd in this context. I hope that Austin's City Council is intelligent enough to reject this ill-conceived idea.