MAILBAG:

I am responding to Phillip Good’s letter (“Use the senior center we have,” Oct. 16). Good’s reference to some seniors as “decayed” is the height of insensitivity.

We all experience senescence; it is part of the life cycle. Are you wearing blinders, sir? Yes, the elderly live longer lives but still under the specter of “ageism” of which you are a proponent. It is this increased life span that requires extra assistance. These folks you see at the Senior Center are proud to say they live independently. I for one, would like to see them provided with a modern facility and treated with the compassion they deserve.

By the way, have you noticed the parking situation in the Senior Center lot?

There are many who hog the close up spaces while the infirm having inadequate handicapped parking shuffle along, struggling to maintain their independence and dignity, to the stairs. Oh yes, stairs! Why are there stairs when a ramp is needed?

No air conditioning is also a problem as windows and doors must be left open to get the breeze letting in all sorts of noises when our dear senior population strain to hear one another speak. Do we need a new building? You bet we do!

Best wishes for continued good health to you, your surfboard and your aging blond babe.

Elaine Krasnitz

Some support senior center, just not in park

This is in response to Ralph Bauer’s Sounding Off (“Elect senior center supporters,” Oct. 9).

Finally, one of the yes on T supporters has acknowledged what this dispute is all about. The Measure T vote was to authorize placement of the senior center in the park. Unfortunately, the rest of Bauer’s letter — and others like it — frame the argument thus: You either support the senior center or you oppose it.

But that black-and-white approach totally mischaracterizes the disagreement. The people who “oppose” the senior center do not oppose having a new center! They oppose putting one in central park. That’s an important distinction to make, one that has been totally overlooked until now.

The dispute is not about having a new center, but about where it should go. Measure T was not a vote about “should the city build a new senior center,” it was a vote on “should the city build in Central Park.”

There is a difference, and all future letters, articles, editorials, and yes, even headlines, need to remember this point.

Remember, it’s location, location, location!

Julie Bixby

Huntington Beach

Where is bailout relief for those who need it?

I was one of the suckers who worked hard, saved my money for retirement, made my house payments and lived within my means. I retired last year but now I will have to get a job to make it with all the rising costs and the value of my 401K taking a $50,000 loss and no real hope I won’t lose even more.

Now I read up to 75 of A.G. Edwards’ top executives are going on an all-expense paid trip with their spouses to the Greek Islands. This is on top of AIG paying more than $440,000 for a “company retreat” including nearly $200,000 for rooms, $150,000 for meals, $23,000 in spa charges and almost $7,000 for golf outings. AIG has another three-day event for 150 insurance brokers at the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay. Of course, this is all after taking hundreds of billions in taxpayer money to bail them out.

Don’t tell me about the trickle-down effect because my finances have already been flooded out by that myth.

I want to know what Congress is going to do about this.

It’s about time they started representing me and not the corporations.

Vincent Cirivello

Huntington Beach

Election’s effect on Ripcurl, Village projects

Just a stab in the dark, but I envision the present City Council deferring a vote on the Ripcurl and Village projects until after the election for obvious reasons for those who may gain. If the trend is correct then incumbent Councilmen Keith Bohr and Don Hansen will prevail and hold their seats, and Planning Commissioner Devin Dwyer will ride on the coat tails of Hansen (who appointed him to the Planning Commission. Do you see where this is going?) to the dais thus stacking the deck on a vote in favor of the Ripcurl and Village projects based on Dwyer’s voting record with the commission.

Just food for thought for you folks ready to cast your ballots.

Drew Kovacs

Huntington Beach

Where will these projects get extra water?

Seems to me what with Ripcurl and other proposals, no one has brought up where the water will come from to support all the added personnel and businesses. Just thought I’d mention it.

Fred Cordova