Conduct Unbecoming

I take issue with Charles Solomon's remarks about Irwin Kostal and the so-called "pick-up" orchestra ("'Fantastic 'Fantasia'," Aug. 26). First, while Leopold Stokowski was a world-class symphony orchestra conductor-and one of the best-Kostal is a world-class film conductor, composer and arranger. The two kinds of conducting are not necessarily the same. While I am an admirer of Stokowski, I doubt that he could have done as fine a job as Kostal did in synchronizing music to a film already finished.

It's one thing to leave your heart in San Francisco, quite another to lose your mind there like Don Mattingly . Has there ever been a more ridiculous comment offered by a Dodgers manager, and take into account Tom Lasorda said a lot of ridiculous stuff while on the job, than what Mattingly said Sunday? The Dodgers lost three straight to the Giants, whom they will probably have to beat if they are to win a division title. And Mattingly said: "I feel better about our club walking out of here than I did walking in. " My apologies to Mike D'Antoni for thinking he was the most clueless coach in town.

' Conduct Unbecoming" could not be more timely. Randy Shilts' epic about gays in the military will hit the bookstores in mid-April, smack in the middle of the six-month period President Clinton gave the Department of Defense to come up with a plan to end discrimination in the armed forces against homosexuals. Senate Armed Services Committee hearings on the issue begin today.

The Justice Department won't retry the first commissioned officer to be court-martialed for refusing to go to Iraq. Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada contended that the war is illegal and that he would be a party to war crimes if he served there. His first court-martial ended in a mistrial in February 2007. A federal judge ruled last fall that the Army could not try him again on key charges, including missing troop movement, because it would violate his constitutional right to be free of double jeopardy.

In 1978, several gay crew members of the Nathaniel Greene lived, as did their fellow sailors, in an apartment complex the Navy had rented for them. The gay roommates had fixed up their house in "high House & Garden style, and took turns preparing gourmet meals for one another." They got used to unannounced visits around mealtime from their unmarried, straight shipmates, who lived student-style and ate frozen dinners.

The failed law firm of Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Heine, Underberg, Manley, Myerson & Casey has now inspired a third book-length post-mortem. But this is only befitting of its monstrous size and Gargantuan sense of self-importance. When "Conduct Unbecoming" arrived in the mail, I groaned out loud. What more is left to say about a law practice built on and destroyed by ambition, ego and greed? As it turns out, Steven J. Kumble has a lot to say.

There are two reasons why Randy Shilts says he shouldn't be talking. First, he must conserve his strength while recovering from a collapsed lung, a complication of AIDS. Second, the publishers of his next book, "Conduct Unbecoming," threaten that "there will be no book" if the author doesn't close his mouth until late April when the volume hits stores. St. Martin's Press understandably wants interest pumped up when it will translate into sales, and not a week before.

A colonel accused of simultaneously romancing scores of women has been reprimanded and penalized $7,000 in pay. Col. Kassem Saleh, 50, was found guilty of violating military regulations by disclosing sensitive information, committing adultery and engaging in conduct unbecoming an officer. The Army announced the results of the nonjudicial disciplinary proceeding at Ft. Bragg. Saleh has been in the Army for 29 years. He returned to Ft.

Re "Spelling Out Why Gays in Uniform Live in Fear (March 9): Anent the hoopla about Randy Shilts' about-to-be-published book "Conduct Unbecoming" (a lovely title), the real issue isn't should gays and lesbians be openly admitted into the armed forces. The real issue is should gays and lesbians be granted first-class citizenship, with all its protections and privileges, one of which is the privilege of being welcome to join the Armed Forces--should I be so inclined. HARRY HAY, Founder 1st Mattachine Society Los Angeles

A colonel accused of simultaneously romancing scores of women has been reprimanded and penalized $7,000 in pay. Col. Kassem Saleh, 50, was found guilty of violating military regulations by disclosing sensitive information, committing adultery and engaging in conduct unbecoming an officer. The Army announced the results of the nonjudicial disciplinary proceeding at Ft. Bragg. Saleh has been in the Army for 29 years. He returned to Ft.

An Air Force lieutenant who had a baby by a married superior officer and then sent sexually explicit letters to the man's wife was reprimanded Monday and ordered to forfeit $2,000 in pay. The punishment came one week after Lt. Crista Davis' case was heard in a nonjudicial administrative hearing. The Air Force decided against a court-martial, citing the possible ill effect it would have on morale. Davis was accused of conduct unbecoming an officer for her letters to the now ex-wife of Maj.

I am completely baffled by all the uproar about gays in the military ("Conduct Unbecoming," by Randy Shilts, April 25). They've been there for hundreds of years, and by no means were Rome, the United States and England known for having wimpy armies. Julius Caesar's legions were said to have affectionately called their leader "every woman's husband and every man's wife." The leader of the Third Crusade, Richard the Lionhearted, King of England, was a documented homosexual. And those Roman legions who conquered an empire and the awesome English crusaders were certainly not a demoralized, limp-wristed lot. Yet, as our laws stand now, we would deprive our military of much talent and perhaps even genius.

In 1978, several gay crew members of the Nathaniel Greene lived, as did their fellow sailors, in an apartment complex the Navy had rented for them. The gay roommates had fixed up their house in "high House & Garden style, and took turns preparing gourmet meals for one another." They got used to unannounced visits around mealtime from their unmarried, straight shipmates, who lived student-style and ate frozen dinners.

Re "Spelling Out Why Gays in Uniform Live in Fear (March 9): Anent the hoopla about Randy Shilts' about-to-be-published book "Conduct Unbecoming" (a lovely title), the real issue isn't should gays and lesbians be openly admitted into the armed forces. The real issue is should gays and lesbians be granted first-class citizenship, with all its protections and privileges, one of which is the privilege of being welcome to join the Armed Forces--should I be so inclined. HARRY HAY, Founder 1st Mattachine Society Los Angeles

The Justice Department won't retry the first commissioned officer to be court-martialed for refusing to go to Iraq. Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada contended that the war is illegal and that he would be a party to war crimes if he served there. His first court-martial ended in a mistrial in February 2007. A federal judge ruled last fall that the Army could not try him again on key charges, including missing troop movement, because it would violate his constitutional right to be free of double jeopardy.

I am completely baffled by all the uproar about gays in the military ("Conduct Unbecoming," by Randy Shilts, April 25). They've been there for hundreds of years, and by no means were Rome, the United States and England known for having wimpy armies. Julius Caesar's legions were said to have affectionately called their leader "every woman's husband and every man's wife." The leader of the Third Crusade, Richard the Lionhearted, King of England, was a documented homosexual. And those Roman legions who conquered an empire and the awesome English crusaders were certainly not a demoralized, limp-wristed lot. Yet, as our laws stand now, we would deprive our military of much talent and perhaps even genius.

' Conduct Unbecoming" could not be more timely. Randy Shilts' epic about gays in the military will hit the bookstores in mid-April, smack in the middle of the six-month period President Clinton gave the Department of Defense to come up with a plan to end discrimination in the armed forces against homosexuals. Senate Armed Services Committee hearings on the issue begin today.

There are two reasons why Randy Shilts says he shouldn't be talking. First, he must conserve his strength while recovering from a collapsed lung, a complication of AIDS. Second, the publishers of his next book, "Conduct Unbecoming," threaten that "there will be no book" if the author doesn't close his mouth until late April when the volume hits stores. St. Martin's Press understandably wants interest pumped up when it will translate into sales, and not a week before.