MAILBAG:

Congratulations to the Wyndham Orange County Hotel and its general manager for acknowledging and supporting gay couples’ rights to civil unions and domestic partnerships.

While it may be a smart business decision to provide access for public ceremonies, why does the pastor of Beacon Church need to condemn and trivialize what can be the most important event in many people’s lives? Isn’t passing judgment something only his “god� is supposed to do?

PAM LAWRENCE

Newport Beach

JWA flight path wasteful, too noisy

The article on John Wayne Airport noise reports that noise did not increase much this year although more passengers were served, (“JWA: Noise boost minor,� Jan. 6).

This clearly is an example of “death by the incremental.� The article focuses on noise within the noise contours, but does not mention the increase in insults where people can hear the noise that extends south of the airport, in the shape of a fan.

Preferred takeoffs from John Wayne Airport are big fuel wasters, requiring flying in the wrong direction before to their destinations.

When the airplanes stop flying over Newport Beach, from this airport that is six miles from the coast, there can be peace, harmony, justice and equity, and there will be a big savings in energy.

DONALD NYRE

Newport Beach

Scientific methods important in class

It was welcome news in the Sunday Daily Pilot that the National Academy of Sciences is opposed to the teaching of creationism in high school science classes (“Report: Save class for science,� Jan. 6).

In voicing an opposing opinion, Councilwoman Wendy Leece makes the common mistake of thinking that science is a body of information. Science is, rather, a process of investigation used to test ideas and theories about how life develops and changes. Through testing, the body of knowledge grows, with ever increasing power to explain.

It wasn’t so long ago when our ancestors could not understand lightning and thunder, and so they created myths to explain how they were caused by actions of gods in the sky. Today, as a result of scientific investigations, we understand the physical basis of lightning and no longer need to rely on myths. A similar situation exists in understanding how the Earth has become populated with its amazing diversity of life. Evolution presents scientifically testable hypotheses, without the need of invoking untestable miracles of creation or intelligent design.

To continue to advance our understanding of life, we must use the scientific method and train students in the scientific process.

Ideas about creationism and intelligent design might be welcomed in a philosophy class, but they simply do not meet the standards of science and have no place in science education.

RICHARD T. ROBERTSON

Costa Mesa

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