In response to Paul Lockwood regarding his desire for a new senior center, do you even have a clue about what's going on with the economy across the country, let alone in Douglas County?
Are you aware that layoffs have already begun because of a $950,000 budgetary shortfall from decreased revenues? People are losing their jobs, yet here comes another letter from Paul Lockwood about how Douglas County is "not doing enough for seniors."
According to Mr. Lockwood, the reason for the "For Sale" and "For Rent" homes in the area is because seniors are driving over the mountain and straight to the senior center and saying "Look at this place Mabel ... We ain't movin' here". This has then caused all of the building permits to stop; local businesses to close; and the need to roll up the streets at night because the "Gray Wave" has ceased. It has nothing to do with the national debt; the mortgage crisis; state revenue projections; or gaming and room tax in major decline. It's entirely because Douglas County has an inadequate senior center.
He mentions that senior services "flourished" in "the latter years of the 20th century" and seniors "flocked to our county." Well, he's right there. During everyone's time of "flourish," people bought new cars, gambled, stayed in our hotels and purchased larger ticket luxury items. Did the seniors come? Yes they did. They "flocked" to Douglas County.
They sold their homes, drove right by the current senior center, and came here with buckets of money and paid cash for their new luxury homes. And now that they're here and situated, they want, want, want. It's easy to complain, but here's my solution for Mr. Lockwood. Deal with the current senior center until the economy "flourishes" again; put a donation jar at the front door of the senior center and pay for it yourselves; or simply move, and become just another statistic in the "For Sale" and "For Rent" home crisis. Whichever solution you choose, do me a favor and do your complaining into the mirror each day. People are losing their jobs.
GREG WORMS
Minden
Regarding Rick Van Alfen's Jan. 18 let ter: You think $12 billion a month is a high price for a war?
May I point out that had Bush not taken the fight to the enemy, we'd all be having a lot more to worry about than the auto industry " glass, steel, elec tronics or any other industry. We would probably be trying to figure out a way to stay alive.
Had the government stayed out of the auto, mortgage and banking busi ness we wouldn't be having these problems. Too many mentally challenged government politicians, and their cohorts, are trying to engage in some thing they obviously know squat about, including Al Gore, who thinks man is in charge of climate changes.
Then when the auto industry jets to Congress to request funds, Pelosi, et al, chastised them for jetting there. Really.
Perhaps Pelosi should set a good exam ple and quit jetting to and from work at the expense of the American people.
That makes as much sense as Con gress, in this time of tumultuous uncer tainty, giving itself a pay raise.
You want to talk foreign policy blun der? Had Clinton taken advantage of the offer to get his hands on Osama bin Laden, chances are 9/11 would have not transpired.
It was also Clinton, et al, who were responsible for telling the banking and mortgage industry they had to make mortgage loans to those not in a posi tion to pay back the loans, including illegal immigrants.
As for checking phone calls: If one does not know what the enemy is doing, one certainly cannot thwart what they are doing.
Another complaint is the Guan tanamo captives. There are those con cerned about the mistreatment of pris oners ... like, if the situation were reversed, the prisoners would really care about ... our opinion of the beheading of Pearl.
At least we can still go to bed expect ing to get up in the morning.
You think we've had problems?
Wait.You don't know what "prob lems" are.
MARY SANTOMAURO
Stagecoach