Car manufacturers need to go bankrupt

Let Ford and GM go bankrupt. Why give them another $39 billion?

Going bankrupt will make them leaner and meaner and more competitive, rid them of union control and rid them of excessive costs.

Stimulus plan is rewarding irresponsible people

So, this week the largest stimulus bill in world history was signed into law. I get $5 to $10 more per paycheck, and what am I supposed to do with that?

This will stimulate the economy? Also, a $75 billion mortgage relief plan was also announced that will help people avoid foreclosure.

These are the same irresponsible people who agreed to accept mortgages they knew they couldn't afford in the first place.

Why should they be getting help from the federal government? Granted, some of the people in foreclosure are victims due to no fault of their own, i.e. they were laid off and cannot afford to pay their mortgage any longer, but what about the majority of those foreclosures that were the result of greedy banks and mortgage brokers granting mortgages to unqualified and irresponsible individuals?

They get bailed out like the greedy banks on Wall Street and the responsible homeowner who pays their mortgage on time every month gets nothing.

I guess, like in real life, you don't get rewarded for acting responsibly and doing what you are supposed to do, i.e. pay your debts on time, but you do get rewarded for being irresponsible and a burden on society. Someone out there, please help me to understand how this country is moving in the right direction.

Why should everyone pay for smokers' healthcare?

Why should the rest of us have to pay for the expensive health care for these people that are smoking cigarettes that are very harmful to themselves and cause cancer? It's great that people can afford to buy big screen TV's and expensive cars. That's good for the economy. That's good for everyone involved. Cigarettes don't do that. There is nothing positive that they generate except expensive health care.

Reader can't believe adulations for ex-president

I continue to be bewildered by the adulations for ex-president George W. Bush in various media forums.

I've not been able to glean anything in eight years during his reign except for incompetent cronyism, a tanking economy without a clue, absent without leave, etc.

Recently, a panel of historians rated "Stay the course" George as No. 34 in leadership comparisons to other presidents. There is an old country song "Thank God and greyhound she's gone" and it should be appropriate to put King George on that bus out of the political arena forever so that this country may heal from years of neglect.

Fast drivers should take to the track

Concerning the issue of road rage caused by slower drivers. It seems to me that the majority of the persons getting enraged by slower drivers are speeding excessively to begin with. Often times the "slower drivers" are also exceeding the speed limit, just not as much as the road rager. If you feel a need to drive that fast, get a sponsor and a race car and do it on the track. Do not sacrifice the safety of me and my family.

Country needs to remain united

What is $5 trillion? This is the approximate amount that the Bush administration and the Republicans added to the national debt.

We spent billions on Iraq, but now, when the United States is in trouble, the same Republicans cannot do anything more than to tell us how high money stacks and how bad it is to add to the debt.

Are we Americans worth less than Iraqis? Are our neighbors not worthy of the same help the U.S.A. has given to so many other countries? We can stand united or remain divided and fall.

Thanks to a Good Samaritan

About three weeks ago, on a Saturday, I returned home from Port Orange Rehab.

The floor and windowsills of my home were covered in mud. Our beagle dog was gone. She had gone out her doggie door and had dug under the fenced back yard, returning several times inside leaving quite a mess.

I called our neighbors. They had heard her crying, but had not seen her. I was devastated.

The dog had ID tags on her collar, a kind man named George had found her and taken her to the police station. From there he took her to the veterinarian on Nova Road. She had been found on Clyde Morris Boulevard. I am sure she was headed to rehab to visit her master.

She traveled a busy road during rush hour and could have been killed. How wonderful it was to know that someone cared and took their time and their gas to get her to a safe place. He is a wonderful man. He refused the gift card I purchased, but I do want him to know he is appreciated.

In response to 'Traffic lights need to be timed better'

Many years ago, I learned that the traffic lights on many of our roadways are not controlled in the same manner that many of us are used to, particularly if we moved here from another area.

The traffic lights are controlled by induction coils under the pavement and should be located under the doublewide white strips at the intersection. When a vehicle is stopped for a traffic light and the front wheels rest over the doublewide white strip, the induction coil senses it and activates the timer at that location. As a result, traffic from side roads intersecting a major roadway, such as Dunlawton Avenue, will prompt the timer to change from red to green more frequently.

I agree with the writer of last week's rant, the timing needs to change. A roadway with a 50-mph speed limit should allow traffic to flow so it should not be stopped at each intersection because the lights are not in sync as they should be. The present timing is wasteful of gasoline and time.

Unassuming church leaves lasting impression

I saw no steeple or stained glass. I saw no fancy hats, no shiny shoes as I pulled into a parking space at the City Island Recreational Center. I walked in and was greeted by a young couple who smiled at me and introduced themselves. I asked if this was Rivercrest Church service and they said yes.

At 41 years of age, I can recount only a handful of times that I left a church service truly feeling "wowed". I've experienced the large mega churches, the fancy ornate traditional holy places, the glorious choirs, and the most eloquent preachers. What was it, in that humble rec room with no musical instruments, no choir robes, no pews and no formal altar, that days later, I am still saying "wow"?

What I saw were real people. Kind people, genuine, caring people, people who wanted to be there. They greeted me. They looked me in the eyes. They cared to ask my name. They gently said "welcome". They offered me food and drink. I was offered a chair and a place at a table. They were not too busy for me. I was a stranger and they welcomed me into their "home" and gave me their best. I felt warmth and acceptance.

With no pretenses, the pastor spoke from his soul. He preached with kindness in his voice. He spoke truth. I enjoyed his light-hearted sense of humor, and I admired his humility. It was evident that this man genuinely cared for his family in that room. I found myself hanging on to every word.

I saw God that day. Through the eyes, the smiles, the hands and voices of strangers.