TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Letters to editor

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 6, 2008

Push TECO To Be Greener

After nearly three and a half hours of facts, figures, opinions and pleas, Tampa City Council members Charlie Miranda, Gwen Miller, Thomas Scott and Joseph Caetano voted against delaying approval of the 25-year franchise agreement with Tampa Electric Company. The delay would have given all of us time see and hear the changes sought by President-elect Barack Obama pertaining to energy generation and its effect on climate change as well as the effect the fiscal crises might have on jobs and other opportunities in the near future. The delay would have given concerned citizens and groups time to work with the city and TECO to solve the problems pointed out by the 40-plus people present and the hundreds who communicated with council members with letters and e-mails.

The failure of the delay to be approved means tree-trimming problems may go unresolved; the undergrounding of power lines is less likely to occur; old power poles may remain in place forever; Tampa may never get a first right of refusal should TECO ever decide to sell out and TECO may never have to commit itself to incorporate new technologies using clean, renewable, sustainable energy sources in spite of the mandate by the governor that 20 percent of Florida's energy be from renewable sources by 2020. The failure of the delay to pass the council effectively dooms Tampa and surrounding residents using TECO to be stuck with electrical generation methods from the 19th century.

The only hope is the mayor's decision to appoint a task force of citizens and city staff to work with TECO on a citywide energy conservation initiative
Let's hope this effort will include incentives to get TECO to break its coal habit and seriously consider renewably energies.

RICHARD FORMICA

Tampa

Online Ad Sales Strong

On the back page of Monday's sports section (now the business page) there was an AP story with a gloom-and-doom headline about the online ad sector. However, upon reading the article, it turns out that online ad sales are actually predicted to increase, but only 9 percent, instead of earlier predictions of 11 percent.

My gawd! If newspaper print advertising were forecast to increase at all over the next year there would be two-inch headlines on the front page proclaiming the turnaround. Still, I am delighted to read elsewhere that the Trib plans to better integrate print and online going forward. When the day finally comes that print revenues no longer cover the enormous fixed costs associated with printing and circulation, you will at least be in one growth industry: online.

FRED JACOBSEN

Apollo Beach

Require Smarter Voters

I don't usually agree with Kathleen Parker, but this time she has hit the nail right on the head. There should be more than just an age requirement to vote.

How many people knew the presidential candidates' running mates? How many people knew exactly what they stood for? It comes as no shock to me that voters scored so low on a civics test. After all these are the same people who complain about everything Congress does and keep reelecting the same old people anyway. Maybe we need to have people take a U.S. History test, have them serve at least a year in the service, and show knowledge of the candidates and the country before being eligible to vote.

KERRI BOWMAN

Trinity

EPA Costly, Worthless

Consider the accomplishments of the Environmental Protection Agency. Due to regulations, the prices of cars have increased dramatically. The seas are still rising, the carbon dioxide has increased and attorneys have made millions trying to prevent another snail darter incident from happening.

We cannot go back to the horse-and-buggy days because of methane gas emissions from the waste produced by the animals.

If we look at the accomplishments and the results, isn't it time to do away with the EPA? Nothing has been done in 38 years, yet it has cost billions in taxes and increased prices.

HARVEY E. BOUCHARD

Riverview

CEOs Discover Thrift

How refreshing it was to learn that Ford CEO Alan Mulally and GM's Rick Wagoner made their trek to Capitol Hill in two of today's most fuel-efficient, domestically produced automobiles. At just $102 in gas and tolls for the roundtrip journey, their humbled second bailout pitch to Congress may yield a favorable outcome. Of course, the situation naturally raises the following question: Couldn't they have carpooled?

JOSHUA L. PILLOCK

Tampa

Teach Children 'No'

According to the article "Toying With Emotions" (Nov. 30), parents are writing toy companies pleading with them not to advertise to children. One parent writes "...you are placing parents like me in the unenviable position of having to tell our children that we can't afford the toys you promote."

Welcome to parenthood.

Our job as parents is to teach children that we can't always get what we want or, if we work hard enough, we can achieve our goals.

However, few want to teach that lesson. We give our children whatever food they want, toys they don't appreciate, and trophies for everything, regardless of whether they win. We have forgotten the value of the word "no." We buy expensive items and even purchase homes we can't afford. Then, we expect someone else to fix our messes.

Teach children the value of working towards a goal, whether it be a new bicycle or straight A's. If we teach our children well, we may learn personal responsibility, young and old alike.

CAROL LUDDEN

Brandon

Where's My Bailout?

We have bailed out Wall Street, the banks and now maybe the car companies. We are helping people in foreclosure keep their homes even though they still cannot afford them (and never could). We are helping people with no homes have a happy holidays. We are helping women get by who are having child after child with no fathers. Have I missed anyone?

Uh, how about me? I am employed full-time. I have no children. No one gives me gift baskets. I am barely current on my mortgage. I skimp on luxuries. I pay taxes and try to be a good human being.

But when is someone going to help me? I work in the teaching profession and will see no steps, raises, increases, whatever you want to call them, for a long time. I have never asked for assistance, but I sure need it. I am having a really hard time being patient and caring right about now when I see bailouts, handouts, pick-me-ups right and left.

Look for me. I'll be standing on a corner near you with a sign very soon.

DARYL FURSKINS

Brandon

When Shoppers Kill

We hear it every day: If you are injured or lose a loved one, contact me and I will get you a settlement.

I feel sorry for the family of the man who lost his life by greedy individuals bent on getting a bargain on "Black Friday." My thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones of this person who was just doing his job.

Now a lawsuit is pending stating that the store was at fault for not having enough personal to prevent this from happening. What about all the people who trampled this person and continued to shop as if nothing happened? These hooligans who stampede through the stores for these one-day sales aren't concerned about lawsuits as long as it doesn't affect them.

Of course they can't be identified so why not go after the deep pockets and sue them?

I have an idea. Do away with this insane day and have the stores have sales every day until Christmas Eve.

JACK VERMEULEN

Zephyrhills

Protection At Sea

When during WWII German U-boats threatened to disrupt the Allied supply lines across the Atlantic Ocean because single freighters were very vulnerable, the Allies came up with a defensive plan: convoys. Rather than having each freighter fend for itself, they grouped a number of them in a convoy that was protected by Navy destroyers.

I do not understand why the shipping companies don't form groups of ships that can be shielded from pirates by the ever-present naval ships in that area.

LUDWIG E, ZAUBZER

Sun City Center

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT