Faulty holiday decorations, dim bulbs I felt annoyed last holiday season when driving up and down Torrey Pines Road daily. At least two out of three tinsel star decorations did not have working lights. I could not believe when, again this year, the same shabby, malfunctioning decorations (I use the term loosely) were once again used. The time, cost and effort expended putting these up without checking to see if they, in fact, work is incomprehensible to me. It’s embarrassing. This is our town, folks. Susan Mooradian, La Jolla  Tide Lines make a mark Have been meaning to drop a note just to let you know how much I enjoy the “Tide Lines” articles. I know newspapers are always evaluating what coverage to include, so thought it would be important for you to hear that I really love reading about the ocean biology. The articles are really well done, combining the science with the personal reflection. The pictures this week in particular were really clear! I am always a bit worried about what’s left unsaid —this week on the “sargo” as an introduced species opens to the door to a much wider discussion on the implications of that, but in any case, I hope you’ll continue to cover what’s happening out in the ocean in the context of the seasons … when the whales will be migrating by, why we only see them going south and not on the return … when the fishing boats are seasonally concentrated off Wind & Sea at night what are they catching …  is there really a green flash… etc. So, thanks! Gina Rogers, La Jolla The Grinch who almost stole the city’s fire pits Whose bright idea was it to remove all the fire pits in San Diego? Why? What is the problem that is so big that they have to resort to this? Was it a drinking problem? No. There were already curfews in place even before the new prohibition. Is it a pollution issue? No, although perhaps it should have been. No, it is to “save money.” For what, pray tell? Given that nothing has changed, why all of a sudden does the city need to “save money”? What’s next? Why not pull all the trash cans? Certainly people can take out what they brought in. That makes sense. How about we quit mowing and watering the park lawns? We can all play on dirt and weeds just as well as grass. Another small sacrifice so the city can save even more money. That should save lots of money. Hey, let’s quit grooming the beach sand. And who needs lifeguards with all their expensive toys? If ya can’t handle the water, stay out of it. What a rational concept. Why not have the firemen maintain the fire pits during their majority of down time? I can think of lots of [absurd and unreasonable] ways to save money. How about a pay-per-fire plan? Have little lock-boxes that you squish dollar bills into slots like the parking lots, or at campgrounds. Pfff. So now that the city has saved all this money by eliminating fire rings, ending yet another form of family fun like some kind of tea-totaling grinch, what is their plan for it? A tax reprieve? Highly doubtful. America’s Finest City. No fun allowed. — Footnote from letter writer: Just a couple of days after this was written, an anonymous donor supplied enough funds to support the fire pits for 18 months. Fantastic! The question is, what happens after that? Furthermore, why can’t the city afford the measly $173K a year to keep them? Fire a city councilman or two and use their salary to cover it. Preferably in particular the Grinch, whose best thinking was to take the fire pits from our kids. Ben Harness, Point Loma