Demise

I was surprised by Susan Spano's question ("Writers Who Have Gone Before Us Evoke Afghanistan's Past and Present," Her World, Jan. 6). She asks, "How much more dangerous, demoralized and dilapidated must it be now, after U.S. bombing, the exodus of millions of Afghans to neighboring countries and the demise of the Taliban?" Because of the demise of the Taliban, I would imagine that the women of Afghanistan would feel liberated, energized and full of hope for their future. ENO CLEVERINGA Newbury Park

Re "The Lure of Sex Can Drive Roaches to Their Deaths," Feb. 18: In a strange way, I viewed the article on using sex pheromones in the war on cockroaches with a degree of sadness. In a sense, using sex to draw the creature to its demise bothered me on a personal level. It's kind of unnerving to imagine a wonderful thing used in such a diabolic way. Further, I have rather counted on the hitherto unconquerable cockroach to survive and continue a life force on Earth after the demise of mankind.

I must have missed this year's Laker article by Jim Murray. After last year's gleeful burial, how about a similarly witty piece about their demise being greatly exaggerated. I guess it's easier to accept a Pulitzer than the realization that you are sometimes very wrong. TURTMAN WITT, Burbank

It is a shame that Cal State Northridge plans to drop football, but please get your sports section off its high horse, telling us how bad and sad the loss of football will be, when the L.A. Times has been a major factor in this demise. The Times ran 30 column inches on the demise of Matador football Wednesday, while the last 30 CSUN football games combined have been lucky to have as much coverage. Should a Bruin or Trojan sneeze, The Times is there with a story. When is the last time a preview story ran on any CSUN, Long Beach State or Cal State Fullerton sporting event?

When I noticed the headline "Japanese Subcompacts, With Room for Profit" (Feb. 14), I assumed The Times was rerunning an early 1970s story as a nostalgia stunt. Sadly, I was wrong. The first oil crisis was in 1973. If Detroit automakers still have not figured out that the market is huge for economical cars, they have earned their inevitable demise. RICHARD SHAFARMAN Saugus

Dan Neil's column on the demise of handwritten communication is clever, and the thought of a word-processed love letter curdles the soul ("Scribbling Rivalry," 800 Words, July 9). One can only equate processed words with processed cheese: They look like the real thing, but both are more redolent of plastic than anything resembling real flavor or emotional engagement. Carol Gwenn Beverly Hills

Quite a brouhaha, what with enraged letters and long features in Calendar about KFAC's demise. As a former symphony musician, I wonder about the taste of the various enraged nuts. First of all, who wants four--count them, four--commercials after every selection? There is an excellent alternative--KUSC, which offers 21 hours daily of the best in classical music and--heavenly delight--no commercials. JACK H. CHESNER North Hollywood