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Letter to the editor

Today's Letters: Forecasters jump gun on hurricanes

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published August 15, 2007

Re: First possible hurricane could form, story, Aug. 13

Like the ancient mariners peering through their telescopes while standing tall in their crow's nests atop their sailing ships, our modern weathermen are peering at their computer screens while sitting low in their chairs within their ivory towers.

The difference is, simply, that the ancients were looking for the safety of land, while our modern-day marvels are looking for the danger of storms.

The sailors really wanted to know that land was in sight. They were tired and hungry.

We, on the other hand, are rested and well fed (are we ever) and do not want to know that a storm - a possible storm, mind you - is 3,600 miles from Florida. (My son lives closer than that and he's a bigger problem.)

As if their life's purpose is to scare us, these forecasters add that similar systems are lined up behind this tropical disturbance.

Why, why, in the midst of suffocating heat and humidity, why are they telling us, effectively, "If you think your life is miserable now, just wait till this sucker comes roaring into town"?

You have to wonder what the mariners did to the bloke in the crow's nest who thought he saw land and land never appeared.

Ah, relish the thought.

Jack Bray, Dunedin

Don't disrupt kids unnecessarily

Under Pinellas' proposed new student assignment plan, children who are currently attending neighborhood schools can be shifted to other neighborhood schools, if the student lives outside the new school boundary.

This is a fact that may not be clear to many of your readers. Your recent stories covering this issue make it seem as though only students who are attending schools away from their neighborhoods would be shifted to schools close to home.

I have two children attending an elementary school that is less than two miles from my home. It was the school that my neighborhood was zoned for before the choice plan was implemented.

Under the proposed plan, my children would be forced to move to a different school located about the same distance from my home as our current school. This is unnecessarily disruptive to children and schools.

The connection that children and families have made in their schools is one of the keys to successful schools in our communities We hope the School Board will live up to its promise already made to us, and vote to grandfather current students into their schools so they will not be forced to move against their will.

Lorrie Kohli, Safety Harbor

Re: Vote costs hundreds of jobs, story, Aug. 7

State facts before giving handout

Your article regarding the anonymous credit counseling company that was asking Largo for tax relief of $90,000 lacks good sense.

Apparently, your reporters would give $90,000 to a company that wishes to remain anonymous.

How do we, the citizens and taxpayers of Largo, know if the "100 employees" even live in Largo - or for that matter, if this company does actually employ "100 employees"?

Can the St. Petersburg Times guarantee that there will be "hundreds of jobs" available in the future and the employees will be Largo taxpayers?

Given the low wage base in Florida, $40,000 does seem rather high for employees in a credit-counseling business. How do we know if this business is even legitimate and operates efficiently and within the law? Why can't the taxpayers verify this information?

Frances Druyor, Largo

Editor's note: Florida law permits companies that are asking for tax incentives to be anonymous during the process to avoid alerting potential competitors.

Re: 'Leave our parks open,' public says, story, Aug. 11

Don't use kids to sway commission

Watching the cute children paraded before the Largo City Commission at its meeting did not do what it was designed to do: charm and guilt me into giving their parents what they want.

The whole idea of getting children who do not vote or pay taxes to come to meetings and mimic their parents' latest demands is really anything but cute. Children would be better served to learn that everyone would want everything if that were possible. In the real world, we make choices and don't always get it all, even if we are charming and small.

Jayne Michael, Largo

Your voice counts

You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

[Last modified August 14, 2007, 21:57:23]