Last summer my husband invested in home solar energy. I thought this was going to be another one of his engineering toys, but little did I know. I am excited to have solar power running our home. It looks like a set of bleachers, but it's actually a chip board of solar panels. I am so glad we are able to supply our own energy and give back some to PG&E.

I thought I'd pass along our experience with solar power, and I can't say enough about it. We, my husband and I, went to Akeena Solar on University Avenue and they were so helpful and knowledgeable. When you walk into their shop you feel the energy of the excitement of future power. I advise you to just go in and get some information. You will feel the energy in that place.

Solar is still so new, but coming up very fast in our environment. Until you experience the sun rays and solar power, you'll wonder what took so long to start using it. Every day is a new day—when the sun comes up my solar energy comes up, too.

Gigi LaBouff

Los Gatos

Counselor helps
Pease choose
the right path

As my son, Bobby Pease, approaches graduation from Los Gatos High School and gets ready to go on to Stanford in the fall, I look back and there is one thing that stands out as a turning point in his life.

As a freshman, Bobby was not making great choices. After the wrestling season came to end, he had no spring sport which gave him too much free time. We had the opportunity to send him to Foothill College so that he could lift and workout with his coach, Arno Domingues. (As it turns out, Mr. Domingues as a mentor was an incredible person.)

I went to Teri Zappacosta to see if there was any way to allow Bobby to fulfill his PE requirement outside of LGHS. She looked at his situation and understood that she could fulfill the school rules while doing what was in Bobby's best interest. She stepped "out of the box" and made the decision to let him go to Foothill College. I believe that this decision was a pivotal point in Bobby's development. He now is going to wrestle for Stanford and is one of the Central Coast Section scholar athletes. I believe her choice sent him on his way.

She made a difference in his life. The world needs more people who care like she does. I feel that it is important for you to know what a great counselor we have at Los Gatos High School. I can't thank her enough.

BJ Serwitz

Los Gatos

This war is no
different than
any other

In the May 19 edition, Carl Heintze's patriotism is challenged based on inaccurate historical facts. It is well established that Roosevelt knew of the impending attack at Pearl Harbor but allowed it to happen so as to get the American people charged up to fight a war. I hardly call that farsighted and articulate—politically considered a good move, but hardly honest.

We declared war on Germany, not the other way around. Once we were attacked, patriotism was not an issue. We were all gung-ho to go. Clarity and truth never was the sustaining unification.

The question remains, why aren't we now after 9/11? Are we losing the spirit of patriotism? Or have the liberals convinced us we are not at war?

We had better wake up and accept the fact that we were attacked and we are in a war. We had better ignite the patriotic fervor quickly or we will suffer the unretractable consequences. This "ain't like no war we ever had before," but believe me, it is a war.

William E. Sirvatka

Saratoga

Special thanks
to the Los Gatos
community

A message from Vic Collord, thanks to his sister, Margaret Collord-Brady:

Greetings from the Milky Way! Thanks to those who came to my "celebration," told my story and said farewell. All of you were important to my many happy years in Los Gatos. One of God's greatest gifts to me was caring people like you.

Tonight, Jan and I will be dancing among the stars. So long, and "Happy Trails to You!"

Bobbi Fries

Los Gatos