WRONG NAME

A different Watts

Regarding a recent letter to the editor ("Dumb and Dumber," March 4), please note that there are several people in town named Don Watts.

This is to clarify that I am NOT the person who wrote that letter. If the original letter's author would be so kind as to add his middle name or initial the next time, then perhaps the phone calls and emails I am getting can go to the right person.

DONALD W. WATTS, Boise

HIGHER EDUCATION

Time to explore chancellor system

With the departure of Duane Nellis as president from the University of Idaho, the governor and the state Board of Education have an opportunity to reform higher education. Now is the time to establish a chancellor system.

A chancellor would oversee all of Idaho's public universities and would bring one voice, one vision, one point of accountability to our universities.

Why should our universities quarrel with policy makers over priorities and slogans like "the flagship university?" Answer: They shouldn't. It is unproductive and creates competition over limited state resources.

The University of Idaho cannot keep a president for long due to its many problems and Idaho State is in constant turmoil with its president. There is only one public university in Idaho with leadership stability and national reputation - Boise State, and perhaps it holds the key to the chancellor concept.

A chancellor system is a logical answer, and models exist nearby. Former University of Idaho President Tim White, for example, is the chancellor of the California higher education system.

If it works in a complex higher education organization there, it can surely work here.

The governor and state board should not miss this opportunity.

RUSSELL JOKI, Meridian

HEALTH CARE

Act has been drag on our economy

I literally laughed out loud reading the headline of the "pro/con" opinion piece of March 3: "Will the Affordable Care Act spur economic growth?"

Anyone with any understanding of economics can see that the uncertainty brought on by ACA has been a drag on economic recovery ever since it was passed so we could see what was in it (paraphrase of Nancy Pelosi). It is funny that Mr. Kusler should mention the young in his "Pro" article. It is the young who are paying the price for ACA through an anemic job market and increased medical costs.

One of the things our medical system desperately needed was a way for the young to secure affordable catastrophic medical coverage so they would not be bankrupted by an accident or sudden illness. With all the mandates the ACA has imposed, this is exactly what has not happened.

BARBARA DARCY, Boise

150 ICONS

Feature brings back pleasant memories

As a native Boisean I am enjoying the 150 Icons and reminiscing:

My paternal grandfather was a brick mason and helped landscape the "train depot" grounds. His daughter and husband owned the Boulevard Motel for many years.

My father was a landscape gardener for C.C. Anderson's property when I was 4. Baby sister and I had tea parties in Mrs. Anderson's tea house. Father later was a masseur in a location between the Rio and Rialto theaters and had a health food store just north of the "Ada" theater.

My maternal grandfather was a janitor at the Idaho Candy Co. "Alley Oop" was his nickname. The Idaho Spud is still my favorite bar.

My mother was a secretary for the first Ashley Sign Co. and later a corporate auditor for the IRS in "the" post office.

In '51 I walked from there across the "bridge" to BJC. Saw Bing Crosby at a cafe across from the Pinney theater once. I worked there, and at the Granada Theater.

We always stopped at Albertsons on State (Bobbi was my classmate) on our way home up Seaman's Gulch to the Lone Locust Ranch.

Keep those icons coming.

DARLINE ZIMMER KENDALL, Boise

TOM LUNA

Group seeks recall

Stop the Lunacy! On Nov. 6, 2012, Idahoans voted overwhelmingly to reject all three Luna laws. The ink has barely dried on the vote tally and Luna's minions (the Idaho School Board Association) are hard at work trying to sneak Luna law No. 1 in through the back door. They are too arrogant and disconnected to care what voters want.

On Aug. 7, 2012, a cabal of five formed to remove Mr. Luna from office with a recall election on Nov. 5, 2013. One of our guides is Sun Tzu's classic, "The Art of War." One of our favorite Sun Tzu quotes is: "It is best to win without fighting." We will use modern technology (the Internet) throughout the recall campaign. We have our Facebook page, recallluna.com, in place. We will soon add a website and blog (both named recallluna.com).

We plan a recall election for Nov. 5, 2013, which happens to be Guy Fawkes Day. Why should the Brits be the only ones to set off fireworks and enjoy huge bonfires in November? Our primary weapon is humor. It will permeate everything named recallluna.com. As Mark Twain wrote: "Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand."

PETE PETERSON, Boise

SOLICITATION CALLS

End pesky calls

Thought I'd put in my two cents' worth even though after taxes, my opinion has no value to politicians. About the phone solicitation bill, if passed, there will be many more such calls, to be sure.

So, why does anyone, company, corporation or entity, phone solicit? Because it is much easier to deceive when pushing an item that is only available when grouped with other goods or services you don't want or need. At least in print, the extra requirements are listed right there, even if it is written in tiny little letters. On the phone, these terms can be even more obscure, only being revealed somewhere near the point of sale. This is why I choose not to do business with computers who phone solicit. It isn't just because of the inconvenience of the unwanted phone call. What's worse, though, are the politicians who are trying to sell this idea. But they just want more money.

And, to the CEOs out there, offer the public something that is fair and reasonable for both the masses and your company. Too many of today's offerings are obviously only a good deal for your company and the CEO's personal bank account.

STEVE ANDERSON, Garden City