USS Thomas S. Gate, one ship under author's command.

What’s His Background?

I’m interested in the article, “Standing Orders: How Navy Culture May Have Caused the Fitzgerald Disaster” (cover story) by Kevin Eyer. He certainly has a lot of conjecture without having the facts. I am a retired naval officer. I’m interested in understanding what his background is.

He certainly had some facts, such as the Strait of Malacca, and other areas of the ocean around Japan.

But I’m curious what his background is to be drawing some of the conclusions he drew, without having the facts, and then, at the end, saying it’s all conjecture anyway, and doesn’t matter. I was a little disappointed with the content, because it was conjecture.

• Roger Roberts
• via voicemail

The author replies:

I spent 27 years in the Naval service as a surface warfare officer. I commanded three Aegis cruisers during that time, including USS Thomas S. Gate, USS Shiloh, and USS Chancellorsville.

No one knows what happened in the Fitzgerald accident yet, except for perhaps three or four persons, and they’re not speaking, pending conclusion of the investigations.

— Kevin Eyer

Avoid These Animals

Re: “Dig It: Clams Stake New Claim at Silver Strand.”

I am a retired oceanographer, and I would strongly advise the public — and public health officials — to avoid these animals. My guess (with no data to support this guess) would be that the continuing sewage spills from Tijuana are nutritionally supporting this “bloom” of larval clams.

The clams may do very well biologically, but if their food is improperly treated sewage from Tijuana, eating them could be seriously dangerous to human health. I would hope that, at a minimum, prominent signs would be posted about this possibility (in dire terms). More aggressive activities, such as inspection of what swimmers/divers might be bringing ashore, would be even better.

As a concerned and reasonably well-informed local citizen, I think this is a serious public health issue that merits more careful scrutiny.

• Stephen Smith
• Chula Vista

No Better Than the People You Write About

I’m calling about your reporting of Eric von Metzke and victim two, and even victim three (News Ticker, “Von Metzke ‘Groomed’ Underaged Girls by Texting”). I’m at a loss.

Von Metzke bio from Junior Theater website (now deleted)

Let’s just start with victim two. You know, she has a name, and she’s a person. She wasn’t a victim. You guys are trying to spout facts from 2014! She was adult [then], and she’s an adult now.

Your article keeps coming up among friends and in my circle here. You guys are causing so much hurt and so much damage by printing things that aren’t true. And you’re creating victims who aren’t victims. What that does is hurt young women. You write about them like they’re not here, like they’re not alive, like they’re not currently among you. And it’s the damage that you’re causing with your lack of facts. It’s just amazing.

I’m the mother of victim two. But she’s not a victim. She has a name; she’s a person. But you’re creating an environment where she is a victim. And you’re victimizing her. Do you understand your role in this? Your staff and your writers are no better than the person you think you’re writing about. You’re hurting people terribly.

• Name withheld
• via voicemail

Author replies:

As a famous judge said, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” Although the truth may hurt, it is meant to motivate the board of San Diego Junior Theatre into reforming the organization.

• Best,
• Don Bauder

Tecate Doesn’t Pair Well with Benches

Young 78-year-old me, after a 17-mile bike ride, choose to procure a Tecate Light and sit on a bench on Mission Bay on the busy 4th of July weekend. I got cited for an open container!

That same day, reading Beer News by Ian Anderson (“40 oz. of Alesmith”) is a photo of a 40-oz. AleSmith sitting in the sand, La Jolla in the background, with the caption, “The AleSmith Sublime 40 ounce trios well with sand and surf.”

Nuff said, I am a criminal.

• GG
• OB/Pt. Loma