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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 24, 2008

It's Cold Up Here

We were checking the temperature at Ruskin, near Kings Point where we spent some winters, and noted that on Dec. 20 at 12:50 pm, the temperature was 65 degrees F. The temperature in North York, Ontario, was just under 7 degrees. Oh lucky you!

GLEN CONNOLLY

North York, Ontario

Credit For Cheaper Gas

I paid $1.53 per gallon of gas (with a .03 discount) at Walmart the other day. When gas prices hit $3 a gallon and then $4 and even higher in some places, all we heard was President George Bush and his oil buddies are at it again: They are responsible for the high prices. We read angry letters and heard protesters.

Well, now that the price has dropped and the price per barrel of oil has dropped as well, I haven't heard any "Thank you President Bush for dropping the price of gas."

Just a thought.

RICK UNBEHAUN

Zephyrhills

Trillion-Dollar Quiz

On the front page of the Trib it was recently reported that banks we're bailing out are awarding their top executives $1.6 billion. Sometimes numbers can be confusing. For example, the war in Iraq is costing us $9 billion a month. And our national debt is about $10 trillion. Clinton left office with a budget surplus of $123 billion.

It's amazing how so few can tell the difference between millions, billions and trillions. So let's talk about time as a substitute. Here's a pop quiz:

If a million seconds equals approximately 11.5 days, then how much time do you think a billion seconds is equal to? Answer: 32 years.

And how about a trillion seconds? Answer: 32,000 years.

MALCOLM McDONALD

Tampa

Automotive Goose Dead

As General Motors salaried retirees, my father and I would like to thank President George Bush for throwing a lifeline to the company that provided us with a great living, including many benefits, when it could afford to do so. We also thank him for putting in place the stipulations that will force the UAW to give up its JOBS Bank demand and bring wages into line with the transplants by the end of 2009.

After reading UAW President Ron Gettelfinger's response, as well as the reaction of Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, it is clear it would have been impossible for the companies to put together by March 31 workable plans showing them becoming self-sufficient without these stipulations. Both Gettelfinger and Stabenow immediately chastised President Bush and pandered to their "constituencies" by stating their intentions of getting President-elect Barack Obama to remove these "unfair conditions" as soon as he takes office. Their reluctance to acknowledge the golden age of the 1960s-1980s is over for UAW auto workers in Michigan is simply baffling, except that it gets them re-elected to their positions as they tell the blue-collar Joe's what they want to hear.

President-Elect Obama should take close note of this reaction from the UAW leadership as he considers eventually signing pending legislation intended to make it easier for unions to force companies to allow unions to have membership elections. One never knows for certain just which action was the one which killed the goose that laid the golden eggs, but the fact is, the goose is dead, the eggs are spent, and the original UAW "sit-downers" of 1937 (of which my grandfather was one) must all be rolling over in their graves as they watch what endless greed has done to an entire way of life.

WILLIAM L. GROSS

Trinity

Tell Auto Union 'No'

First, the workers are not to blame for the auto mess. They did not negotiate their contracts. I wish I had that lucrative of a compensation package.

But when it comes time to loan the auto industry my tax money, I say no! Not when my tax money goes towards paying laid-off workers 90 percent of their earnings for two years. That is an insult!

Every person reading this knows that the compensation of United Auto Workers is rarely matched anywhere else in the United States, and rarely is anyone else paid 90 percent of their earnings for two years if they are laid off. Almost everyone else goes and stands in the unemployment line to apply for benefits.

If it is good enough for the rest of us, it is good enough for the UAW.

JOHN KENT

Tampa

What's Next For Storms?

I'm pleased to learn that Sen. Ronda Storms is in favor of eliminating the Dewey Decimal System as a cost-cutting measure. I applaud her foresight.

I assume her next budget reduction recommendation will be to eliminate the school systems. Having to teach students the alphabet and numbers can be so expensive and taxing. I'm sure the folks at Barnes & Noble or Borders can come up with a better system.

Are you kidding me? This woman is elected to public office? I assume that her inane comments enrage her constituents.

DAVE SCHULTZ

Valrico

JOIN DISCUSSION

The Tribune welcomes letters and e-mails from readers. The text should be original and no longer than 150 words. By making a submission, you agree the Tribune may edit the letter for length and clarity, and publish it in any medium.

Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Mail to: P.O. Box 191, Tampa, FL 33601-0191. Or e-mail without attachments: tribletters@tampatrib.com.

Also, read and participate in the Tribune editorial board's blog, "Thinking Out Loud," at www.tboblogs.com/index.php/thinkoutloud/categories....

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