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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 17, 2009

Slow Down For Cranes

We live off Cross Creek Boulevard between Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and Morris Bridge Road. In the last month we have seen three dead sandhill cranes along the road.

Please encourage motorists when they see these beautiful birds to slow down when the birds are near the road.

We moved to Tampa in 1969 and this was all swamp land. We moved in on all the wildlife territory.

If this speeding and nonsense keeps up, we will not have these beautiful birds alive to appreciate.

DIANE DWORNIK

Tampa

A Captive Population
Is it possible for the Palestinians to get a fair shake in the U.S. media? I know all about the moral anguish of the Israelis having to savage all those kids between their humanitarian aid runs. And I am very aware of the sound bite mantra: "No civilized country would allow rockets to be fired on its own citizens."

But how about this: "No civilized country would hold a people under years of blockade, starve their children, jail thousands of them in perpetuity without charges, breach their territories with impunity to carry out targeted assassinations, close down their schools and businesses, shut down their electricity and medical services - and expect them not to fire rockets at them."

And what number of dead children will it take for we civilized Americans to give a damn about supporting a country that brutalizes a captive population in what is now one of the longest occupations in modern times?

JOHN SHELLY

Tampa

Israel Broke Ceasefire

As I read the news, I see that many innocent people are dying in Gaza, and more than half are civilians. I also know that about one-third of those dead are children.

Today I saw that most Americans think Israel is justified in what it is doing. While the local media have done a good job reporting the facts on the ground, everyone seems to believe that Hamas broke the ceasefire. This is not true, as reported by CNN in a recent investigative report.

Israel broke the ceasefire on Nov. 4 by killing six Palestinians. Hamas has consistently said that they want peace if Israel will end the blockade which was began long before November.

This situation in the Middle East is so dangerous for the world that the facts regarding the causes of the current situation need to be reported. It is especially relevant here since American tax dollars are funding the Israeli offensive. If Americans don't have accurate facts, they can't be expected to make good decisions.

I hope to see more accurate information in my local newspapers.

MELVA UNDERBAKKE

Temple Terrace

Israel No Bully

The idea of Israel as a bully is as strange a notion as one can imagine. To see the problem as Israel vs. Gaza, as opposed to Israel vs. the entire Arab world, is myopic.

Hamas/Gaza is a surrogate. Please recall how the U.S. reacted to rockets being based in Cuba. If only one had been launched, this country would, no doubt, have risked appearing to be a bully. The Soviet Union, fortunately, did not see the advantage of choosing sites in populated areas.

IRWIN SCHUSTER

Tampa

Success For Beagles

The Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue is proud to announce its success in 2008 and continued success starting 2009. There were more than 305 dogs adopted from the organization in 2008. The final adoption event on Saturday, Dec. 13, yielded over 15 adoptions in a little over four hours. The rescue also expects their 1,000th adoption sometime in 2009 since the start of the organization in 2003.

A big thanks to all foster parents and volunteers. Special congratulations go out to all new beagle owners. The rescue wishes them the best of luck with their newfound friends.

The next adoption event will take place today at Al Lopez Park in Tampa. If you are interested in adopting please visit tampabaybeaglerescue.org.

JACK NOVOSELSKI

Tampa

Cleaning Up For Visitors

I take the historically unattractive Dale Mabry Highway to work a few days a week, and have noticed workers there during light and dark hours of the day. They seem to be diligently working to give the highway a facelift.

I know why. The Super Bowl. What about us Tampa residents who have lived here our entire lives?

It takes a bunch of wealthy out-of-towners to convince the county that our city needs some shining up.

It is a pity that $85,000 can be spent on sod for our stadium, yet local schools go wanting and funding is being cut.

We need to get our priorities in line here, authorities.

SARAH TORRENS

Tampa

Pay Cuts Needed At Top

Cuts here and there, but nowhere have we read that big people are taking a cut in their salary.

It's OK to have other workers take a cut or get laid off.?

I think it should start at the top. Let them take a big pay cut, and let's see how much we could save.

P. LAMB

Tampa

Profit & Health Don't Mix

Thomas Sowell ("Health Care Frauds, Jan 10) suggests we read a book by Sally Pipes, "Ten Myths of Health Care."

I read 181 pages printed online to better understand the right-wing view of health care. Pipes contends that people shouldn't have to pay for other people's health care or education. I suspect most of us would prefer not to live in countries that follow that philosophy.

For brevity, let's concentrate on the most important. Myth No. 1: Government health care is more efficient. Pipes says no, and brings up examples of inefficiencies in Canadian health care, but her examples could just as well have happened here.

The most important argument against private care is that it is a business with an inherent conflict of interest, and as health decisions are made with profit in mind, quality of care suffers. Patients undergo needless surgeries and invasive tests that are profitable for doctors and hospitals.

Health care in nonprofit clinics where doctors are paid salaries is better and much more cost effective.

If care is substandard in some government clinics, that can be remedied, but the conflict of interest in profit-centered institutions cannot.

The best compromise might be to let people choose between a system of government-run clinics similar to Kaiser-Permanente, a very successful nonprofit California foundation, and private for-profit care, with private patients compensated with tax credits. Comparisons and competition between the two groups might improve the quality of each.

YOLANDE KERSEY

Tampa

Bush's Missing Words

It is almost comical to hear a man who refuses to admit his mistakes, even when they are as colossal and destructive as those of George W. Bush. He could have shortened his last speech to three sentences" "I don't get it. I never will get it. I refuse to get it." Bush's insistence on living in denial to the very end is a sad final chapter to his stick-in-the-eye approach to anyone who did not see things his way.

The man who gave us 9/11, Iraq, faith-based accounting, a politicized Justice Department and, finally, an oncoming depression has passed up one last chance to heal the country. All that were needed were three simple words: "I screwed up." Or maybe "I am sorry." Instead, he defiantly rallied the far-right base with one last set of lame excuses.

Bush's real objective has always been consolidating wealth and power in the hands of a few elite millionaires. Every measurement available has shown a sharp concentration of income for the top one percent, a shrinking middle class and less opportunity for the average American.

Mission accomplished, Mr. President.

SCOTT COCHRAN

Tampa

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....

The writer is president of Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that rescues, rehabilitates and finds new homes for pure-bred beagles and beagle-mixed dogs.

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