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By Times Staff
Published October 7, 2007

Pieces of Wiki keep zipping off into the sunset Sept. 26

Time to reflect, Tampa Bay area

The announcement that the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that runs Wikipedia, is moving its offices to San Francisco seemed to register barely a ripple here in the Tampa Bay area. No surprise to some, it still is a significant loss, despite the fact that only six full-time employees are in the downtown St. Petersburg offices.

Jimmy Wales' pronouncement that "you go where the talent is" eerily tracks what professor Richard Florida wrote of in his bookThe Rise of the Creative Class, when he noted that the Pittsburgh-founded Lycos was moving its offices to Boston. So Tampa Bay has had its Lycos moment, and it becomes a good point upon which to reflect.

I believe the loss of Wikimedia is far greater than six jobs. They would barely show up on our traditional measures of economic development and job growth. But Wikipedia is a major movement and a model for open-source technology and community development. The company is a worldwide player, and it will be missed.

So what does Tampa Bay do to attract and, more important, retain its talented people and innovative companies? Some would argue for more tax incentives and corporate programs, while others would argue for Tampa Bay to become more like the hip, tech communities of San Francisco or Boston in order to attract talent. Both should be part of the toolbox, but neither is the key point. Let's focus on being an authentic Tampa Bay, not a southeastern version of Boston or Silicon Valley.

Tampa Bay has many unique assets and characteristics that make it an attractive destination for talent. We are an open community because we have so many newcomers and transplants here. You can get dialed into this community far easier than in more traditional, established places such as the older Northeast. We remain a fast-growing state, and with growth there is an optimism places that are losing population can only dream of. Let's build around those strengths and find ways to encourage the next Wikipedias that are here in our community to not only stay, but to inspire other innovative people to come and be part of our unique community.

Peter Kageyama, St. Petersburg

President, Creative TampaBay

Rest not part of its recipe Oct. 4

Prices are too high at Sweetbay stores

The article by Mark Albright sounds like a regurgitation of a press release by Sweetbay and, in my opinion, does not reflect what has happened at Sweetbay when he states the company has cut prices on 1,000 items.

I have shopped Sweetbay (formerly Kash n' Karry) as well as Publix for the past 30 years. The prices at KnK were always lower than Publix and resulted in my spending approximately 75 percent of my food budget in their stores while Publix received approximately 15 percent.

When KnK changed its name to Sweetbay, not only were there slick new storefronts, but the prices at Sweetbay increased across the board. Increased so much that now I spend 75 percent of my food budget at Publix and 15 percent at Sweetbay - a complete reversal.

While Sweetbay may have one of the most attractive presidents and CEOs in the business, attractive CEOs do not low prices make.

Douglas Robb, Tampa

Allstate wants increase Sept. 29

Glad that good hands people dropped me

I just wanted to thank Allstate Floridian Co. for canceling my homeowners insurance effective last month.

I went with the state-run Citizens Property Insurance and received a new policy costing $2,292. Allstate's expired policy cost $2,200 last year. If you add on the requested rate hike of 42 percent, my estimated new premium cost with Allstate would probably have been $3,125, plus any added home value adjustment.

Bottom line: I just saved $833 by switching to Citizens!

I attended the My Safe Florida Home fair at the Harborview Center in Clearwater and stopped by the Citizens Insurance booth. I confirmed that due to the hurricane window/door shutter discount of $308, my premiums will be $2,292. I also stopped by the My Safe Florida Home booth and thanked them for their 50 percent matching improvement grant, which allowed me to purchase the hurricane window/door shutters and garage door and to also thank them for this new yearly shutter savings of $308.

Henry Russell, Palm Harbor

GOP is losing business

Bush policy fallout will be felt for decades

The Oct. 2 Wall Street Journal says the GOP is losing support from businesses because they see the war in Iraq and the growing federal debt as an anchor around the necks of Republican politicians.

More Republicans want help from government to pay for rising health care costs in U.S. manufacturing such as the auto industry. They also want government to pay attention to global warming, which might encourage new industries in the United States.

Alan Greenspan says he does not recognize the current Republican Party because of the out-of-control spending and borrowing.

The Asia Times on Sept. 30 says 20 percent of Europeans refuse to buy U.S. products as a protest against Bush foreign policies. Europeans are moving away from Marlboro cigarettes, McDonald's, American Airlines, Exxon and others.

Let's face it: The Bush policies will haunt Americans for decades to come, and there is not much we can do about it. Sorry, folks.

Robert Wesolowski, The Villages

Hardee's agrees to animal guidelines Sept. 27

PETA doesn't know farming

The article on the agreement by Hardee's restaurants to use guidelines dictated by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is ludicrous. These extremists have no idea what they are talking about. They say not to use "gestation" crates? Better known as farrowing crates, the use of these crates is to protect baby pigs. If you do not use these you are constantly disposing of dead, smashed baby pigs. The sows lay on the piglets unintentionally, but nevertheless the results are very high mortality rates. I say to PETA: Leave the farming to the people who know what is going on.

Danny Schoonover, Spring Hill

Greenspan is right about Bush, letter Sept. 30

Letter had the facts wrong

It seems to me that the Times has a responsibility to print letters from informed readers based on facts vs. inaccurate opinions, as is the case with this letter.

Instead of facts, we were subjected to incorrect information relative to current financial conditions in the country. It serves no useful purpose to allow letters of this nature to appear when the objective is to express the hatred and vitriol some uninformed people have for a politician - any politician. A simple fact check would have revealed all the deliberate misinformation that appeared in the subject letter.

Perhaps in the future the Times will adhere to the principle of printing letters that are based on facts as opposed to opinion.

Dan Calabria, South Pasadena

Finance tip, Personal Finance page Sept. 30

Credit procedures help thieves succeed

What is the matter with the banks and credit cards, which make it easy for thieves to use stolen credit cards? With all the new systems, you don't even have to show any identification for even large amounts of money. Why sign a card when it does not even get looked at?

Recently my wallet was stolen and even the police can't do anything to catch these thieves. Why get these cards? They are making it easier for thieves to use them.

Heather P. Degray, Largo

[Last modified October 5, 2007, 23:27:28]