In a refreshing departure, Wednesday's letters eschew election news for fresher fare. 

Three readers respond to state Senate Republican leader David Cogdill (R-Modesto) and his Op-Ed about the ongoing budget brouhaha.  Cogdill says his party is not obstructionist.  Others aren't so sure.  Writes Werner Wassileff, of San Diego:

Cogdill's Op-Ed article is written in newspeak, but even I, an ongoing ESL student, can provide a translation that is easy to understand for the common folk.

"[Freeing] school districts from burdensome mandates" means cutting more funding from schools.  "Providing workers with flexible workweeks" means turning full-time jobs with benefits into part-time jobs without...

Perhaps obstructionism isn't the Republicans' problem, but obfuscation is.

A scholar's take on the early history of Lakewood, Calif., the tragic murder of a good Mexican cop, and paying kids to learn, too.

*Photo of Sen. David Cogdill from Robert Durell of the Los Angeles Times.