It Can Happen Here

Re: "Where are the Kids?" (MetroNews, June 14). Great article! Thank you so much for printing the truth about what's going on in our own backyard. Some people may not think this could happen in America, but it is and it needs to be corrected. I look forward to a follow up on Ms. McLean.

Harold Amoroso, Fremont

No Guts, Finally Glory

Re: "Peerless Gentility" (Film, April 5). My compliments to Richard von Busack on his article entitled, "Peerless Gentility." This beautifully written article conveyed the essence of Ronald Colman. It also peaked my interest enough, that if I could, I would have flown from NYC to Palo Alto just to see these films at the Stanford Theatre. When I read that a Colman retrospective was being presented, I was thrilled and amazed. For starters, I would imagine that many people today could trip over a Ronald Colman film and not even know his name. But I suspect anyone who reads Mr. von Busack's article would at least want to explore this "gentleman" actor further. I also imagine it might be an expensive and time-consuming project to assemble so many films, and some of them silent. I wish The Stanford much success with this run and hope that many will attend, especially people in their '20s and '30s.

As Mr. von Busack notes, Colman was no "gut-spiller." For me, he had a kind of stoicism about him, perhaps that Scottish blood, which hid a deep well of kindness. I'm not of his generation, but I love to watch his films. I always feel that somehow everything is going to be all right in the end. He has a comforting quality about him. He knew that confidence doesn't have to be advertised. In a time when so many actors come on screen as if to say "how can I shock you, how can I unnerve you," this man comes in as if to say, "for all we may go through, no matter how awful it might get, you and I, we'll be fine." What a breath of fresh air. I hope people run to the Stanford Theatre.

I know nothing about the Palo Alto cultural scene, just happened to read the article, but I admire a community that makes the effort to sponsor quality. Over the years I would have hoped that the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, here in NYC, would have compiled a comparable film series. There are a few other actors that come to mind who I hope some day will get their retrospective—Joel McCrea or John Gilbert among them—and maybe it will be in Palo Alto.

Thanks again for a wonderful article that brought back lovely memories for me. My father, an actor himself whose life was cut short in his 30s, never met Mr. Colman but admired him greatly. He held him up as an actor to emulate, and more importantly, as someone who led his life with integrity, something that Mr. von Busack underscores convincingly.

Suzanne Ross, New York, NY

How It Really Is

Re:"Where Are The Kids?". Thank you very much for telling it how it really is. This is a well-researched story. I hope this leads to positive changes that are needed to reform the county's DFCS.

Babes Hoffower, Executive Director, Citizens Commissions on Human Rights South Bay Chapter, San Jose

So Good, They'll Need to Name the City After Us

Re: "Sarcastic French Artists to the Rescue" (Silicon Alleys, June 14). In response to Gary Singh's column on June 14th, as a gay man, I have always had a problem living in and paying taxes to a county named after a Catholic saint—the patron saint of television, I might add. My inevitable solution: rename Santa Clara County after this very newspaper, branding this valley "Metropolis." High tech companies in the valley would jump aboard the name change for the sheer cool factor. Apple Computer is one step ahead of us. Look on any iPod under the contacts menu. The sample cities listed are Smallville and Metropolis, California. It's only a matter of time before the violation of church and state is contested and we might as well start a naming contest now!

Alex Oazar, Santa Clara

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