Dear Editor:Too many complaints. Too many people talking about what they don't like and how life used to be so nice and the streets now have potholes and the billboards are in Spanish…Why doesn't everyone who have a complaint first do a little research, try to find out why these things are going on, and get involved with helping to change it? I read today's paper (Oct. 21, 2010) and I read "City Salaries" (Letters to the Editor). Not knowing is his fault. The Downey Patriot shouldn't have to print that information every week just in case he didn't read that week when they did print that information. I then read "Remember to Scoop." Really? Dog poop equates to water pollution? So he is saying our pollution problems in the water are due to dog waste? He has a lot more research to do before I, first, stop laughing and, second, believe we can help the water contamination problem by removing dog waste from our backyards and from our walks around the block. I read in previous Patriot issues how a few small-minded people feel we should change the laws with regards to advertising. We must advertise in English? Really? Did we not think for just a millisecond that maybe the advertising wasn't meant for those who speak English? I can't believe how the human race seems to be getting more and more caveman like than ever before. If you're that concerned, stop buying Japanese cars. Stop buying anything that says made in China. The comments I've been reading in this paper should be in the funnies. I'm sure the Patriot is weeding through those that they can't print, but are these really the ones that are left over? Downey needs to drink less coffee, exercise more, be more accepting of all cultures and other people's likes and dislikes. You can help change. Praise your kids or grandkids a little more. Help your neighbors if they're too old. Bring in their trash cans. Don't complain as to why there are trash cans left out on a day there is no trash pick-up. Stop complaining that your neighbor's grass shavings are flying onto your driveway when your pine tree is dropping 189,000 pine needles a month on his roof and porch. I'll even try to stop complaining about how my neighbor's dog barks with every breath. Do something positive instead of complaining that the sky is light-blue when you were sure it used to be powder blue. That kind of worrying is only going to make sure that your blood pressure meds are going to be raised in dosage every six months and that your headaches and backaches are going to come with more frequency. If you're single, date. If you're married, then enjoy your relationship. Get out of other people's business. Accept change. Accept difference. Accept the fact that hearing your complaining is making those of us that read it in the paper just laugh. Just chill. -- Ernesto Flores, Downey

********** Published: October 28, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 28