In Letters to the Editor on Saturday, two county fire chiefs offer thoughts on The Times' fire series.  P. Michael Freeman, L.A. County's chief, disputes the notion that those awe-inspiring firefighting tankers are just for show.  He writes:

We view our aircraft as a solid investment in public safety, never as a publicity show or a way of keeping up political appearances.  The only "show" is the one provided by Mother Nature's fury during a wind-driven fire.

Readers also chime in on prostate exams and stories -- one here and another here -- about the legacy of writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

*Photo: Orville Myers/AP