LETTERS

Unprepared for snow

I listened with great interest to the news one night, and all the comments by residents and city officials about the road conditions. Residents were justifiably upset about the lack of proper snow/ice removal from the roads; city officials gave mindless answers to those concerns.

I think what will drive a change is the economic impact on businesses in our area. Many residents sat at home for five days, shopping online, myself included. Businesses and city governments likely will, in the near future, be whining about loss of sales and tax revenue. Don’t want to hear it!

And the comment about waiting for midweek and the sun to shine is not an appropriate response to citizen concerns. If that’s the best you can offer, I’d rather my tax dollars, currently allocated for a salary, be spent on another snow plow.

Time to get with the program. This may happen infrequently, but it does happen.

CONNIE DOYLE Fayetteville

All y’all should know

Surely Ms. Alexandra Gladin, being a good fellow Arkie, must know that when you are speaking Arkansawese, “y’all” is singular. “All y’all” is plural.

Welcome to Arkansas, Alex.

JOHN G. VOWELL Little Rock Crews are appreciated

While the report of one local TV station was a slap in the face to the men that worked all day and night to clear the roads, I would like to thank them for doing the best they could.

The news anchor asked one why the roads were not clear, and I bet it was not because they were all sitting in a warm truck all night drinking coffee. Really, she might as well asked why they let ice fall in the first place. Better questions could have been how many miles of road are there to clear, how many equipped trucks are available and how many workers do you have.

So to our state, county and city workers: Thank you. I’m sure you’ve all done the best you could with what you have to work with and very little sleep. MICKIE LEWIS Rogers To dedicated workers

This was written for all the people who are working hard to make our roads safe during the bad weather.

With snow and ice around us, at home we should stay. But some people went to work, to God they did pray. They knew it would be a busy night, 12 hours they would stay. They prayed, “God bring us home safely, at the end of our day.” The crew worked through the night, the roads they did clear. Salt and gravel spread down, on hills they did fear. They paid close attention to bridges, the iciest of them all.

We thank God today for this crew and the dedication that we saw. God bless them.

YVONNE HUTCHINS Elm Springs

Neither sleet nor snow

I want to compliment you on your newspaper. The quality of news is as good as you get anywhere, and better than a lot of newspapers. I especially enjoy the opinion pages (even John Brummett, to keep me reminded of why I am conservative) and letters to the editor.

The reason I was “jogged” to write today is home delivery: Here it is, 25 degrees, ice covering the roads, and I have not missed a paper. I would like to thank our carrier for his service. I would also appreciate it if management could give him a pat on the back. Thanks to all of you who prepare and deliver this paper on a daily basis. I appreciate it.

DEAN HALEY Benton

Whose interests aided

I recall when I was in junior high school in the early 1930s. Living in the Snowbelt of Northern Michigan, a pair of high-top winter boots was an essential. One particular brand of boots, Buster Brown Boots, was popular among us kids because they came with a pocket sewn on the upper right boot with a knife enclosed.

A sight-unseen, jackknife-swapping fad persisted for a few years among my classmates. A person would approach another with a knife hidden in his outstretched fist, extending his other hand palm up. If you had a knife, you did likewise. Each would then drop his knife into the other’s hand. It was considered unsportsmanlike to complain if you got the worst of the deal. The fad didn’t last long. Kids learn fast.

I was reminded of this childish game when I heard that the House of Representatives, on October 30, passed HR992, titled Swaps Regulatory Improvement Act.

FDIC insurance coverage for derivatives swaps is banned under current law. HR992 approves FDIC coverage for these high-risk gambling transactions. The vote was 222 Republican and 70 Democrat “ayes.” All four Arkansas representatives voted “aye.”

Derivative swapping was a major contributor to the 2008 economic meltdown.

Were your representatives voting for your interests or for Wall Street banking interests? You draw your own conclusion.

ROBERT G. HALL Jacksonville He’s doing a great job

Just want to say, “Thank you, Mr. President. You are doing a great job.”

Thanks, also, for Obamacare. Once the haves get over sharing with the have-nots, it has the potential to be common cause for all sane politicians.

The problem of the rich getting richer while the rest live on trickle down is a toughie. In addition to greed, major causes are globalization and technology, which need to be part of the solution. If anyone has the imagination to tackle this one, I believe it is the Obama team. A minimum-wage hike, which GOPers will swallow as election castor oil, will help.

The anonymous voice vote on plastic guns says all we need to know about the current U.S. Congress. I wonder how his Bible told Sen. Mark Pryor to vote.

HOWELL MEDDERS Fayetteville

What did that mean?

In the recent editorial about municipal pension costs, the writer referred to Portland, Ore., as “The People’s Republic of Portland.” I just wondered what the basis for that comment was, and whether or not the writer has ever been to Portland.

I believe the reference did nothing to enhance the underlying point of the editorial and suggests an underlying bias of the writer.

Next time I visit the beautiful and friendly city of Portland, I’ll see if I can find the headquarters of the People’s Republic, and sign up.

FRANK ELLIOTT Little Rock