Mark Tucker

It's not the gun, stupid! Brisk sales shows how the average American responds to prohibition ("Impending National Ban Trigger Run on Firearms," May 13). It's a lose-lose situation. You newspaper will now write how there are many more guns on the street. Buyers and owners face higher costs, fines, prices, etc. Nobody won. MARK TUCKER Ventura

The Sulphur Mountain Road should remain open to tax-paying recreationalists of Ventura County, since we paid for it. Kim Bonsall, whose family owns land on the road, does not at all look like the happy camper in your photograph Oct. 17. Ms. Bonsall, who would cultivate poison oak and invite a landfill to lease this wonderful area, surely must be cooking up some new plan to ruin this road and surrounding land so that others may suffer. MARK TUCKER Ventura

The Sulphur Mountain Road should remain open to tax-paying recreationalists of Ventura County, since we paid for it. Kim Bonsall, whose family owns land on the road, does not at all look like the happy camper in your photograph Oct. 17. Ms. Bonsall, who would cultivate poison oak and invite a landfill to lease this wonderful area, surely must be cooking up some new plan to ruin this road and surrounding land so that others may suffer. MARK TUCKER Ventura

It's not the gun, stupid! Brisk sales shows how the average American responds to prohibition ("Impending National Ban Trigger Run on Firearms," May 13). It's a lose-lose situation. You newspaper will now write how there are many more guns on the street. Buyers and owners face higher costs, fines, prices, etc. Nobody won. MARK TUCKER Ventura

Mark Tucker might be the most dominant lineman in college football, but he never could have played for the University of Miami. He doesn't brag enough. He won't gloat about how good he is. Instead, the USC guard speaks of things some 270-pound, All-American football players would be too insecure to discuss--like his insecurities. Take his fear of lightning. "Back when I was living in Texas, when I was--what?

Mark Tucker was determined to conquer Mt. Everest, and if it meant serving as a cook to do it, then so be it. "I'd take whatever position was available, just to get on the team," he said. So when the Chinese government whittled back the number of Mt. Everest permits it would issue Tucker's climbing team, he volunteered for kitchen duty--a minor inconvenience, he said, for a chance to scale the 29,028-foot mountain in windy, subfreezing weather.

There are no Refrigerators, trash compactors or other appliances on The Times 1985 All-South Bay High School Football team, just 46 solid football players highlighted by legions of standout linebackers and running backs--so many good ones, in fact, that they can be found all over the team at various positions. In all, 15 schools are represented on the 23-man first team and 19 schools on the first and second teams. First team members, their parents and coaches will be guests of The Times at a Sunday awards brunch at the Anaheim Hilton, where the program's featured speakers will be Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott, superintendent of the Air Force Academy, and Bruce Johnson, the academy's defensive coordinator.

Six USC seniors will play in postseason all-star games. Flanker Gary Wellman and offensive guard Mark Tucker will play in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 19 at Mobile, Ala. The same day, linebacker Scott Ross and offensive tackle Pat Harlow will play in the Hula Bowl at Honolulu. Ross and tailback Ricky Ervins will play in the East-West Shrine Game Jan. 26 at Stanford. Harlow and defensive guard Don Gibson will play in the Japan Bowl Jan. 13 at Tokyo.

Compact discs are generally the gift of choice for the jazz enthusiast, but books and videos on jazz can be provocative and informative alternatives. Here are some of the year's top books and videos, as selected by members of The Times' jazz staff: "The Duke Ellington Reader," edited by Mark Tucker, Oxford University Press ($30).

Six USC seniors will play in postseason all-star games: --Linebacker Scott Ross, offensive tackle Pat Harlow and offensive guard Mark Tucker will play in the Hula Bowl Jan. 19. --On the same day, flanker Gary Wellman will play in the Senior Bowl at Mobile, Ala. --Harlow, tailback Ricky Ervins and defensive guard Don Gibson will play in the Japan Bowl Jan. 13 at Tokyo. --Gibson and Ross will play in the East-West Shrine game Jan. 26 at Stanford.

Mark Tucker might be the most dominant lineman in college football, but he never could have played for the University of Miami. He doesn't brag enough. He won't gloat about how good he is. Instead, the USC guard speaks of things some 270-pound, All-American football players would be too insecure to discuss--like his insecurities. Take his fear of lightning. "Back when I was living in Texas, when I was--what?

Mark Tucker was determined to conquer Mt. Everest, and if it meant serving as a cook to do it, then so be it. "I'd take whatever position was available, just to get on the team," he said. So when the Chinese government whittled back the number of Mt. Everest permits it would issue Tucker's climbing team, he volunteered for kitchen duty--a minor inconvenience, he said, for a chance to scale the 29,028-foot mountain in windy, subfreezing weather.

There are no Refrigerators, trash compactors or other appliances on The Times 1985 All-South Bay High School Football team, just 46 solid football players highlighted by legions of standout linebackers and running backs--so many good ones, in fact, that they can be found all over the team at various positions. In all, 15 schools are represented on the 23-man first team and 19 schools on the first and second teams. First team members, their parents and coaches will be guests of The Times at a Sunday awards brunch at the Anaheim Hilton, where the program's featured speakers will be Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott, superintendent of the Air Force Academy, and Bruce Johnson, the academy's defensive coordinator.

Saudi Arabian and Israeli children got together Sunday and made history of sorts. The scene was a baseball diamond at the Ramstein U.S. Air Force base. The event was the European Little League championships, featuring teams of 11- and 12-year-old boys. Saudi Arabia beat Israel 50-0. The match was believed to be the first of its kind between the two nations, which are officially at war with each other.

USC's Rodney Peete heads the coaches' All-Pacific 10 team announced Tuesday. Timm Rosenbach of Washington State was the second-team quarterback, and Troy Aikman was given honorable mention. The Trojans dominated the all-conference team, placing five players each on offense and defense. UCLA was next with four selections, followed by Arizona with three.