So State Farm and other companies want another hike in their rates.

If I recall, military retirees and Social Security recipients did not get a raise this year, and probably won't get one next year. If we have to do with less, then the insurance companies, which can easily afford it, can muddle along with the rest of us.

About 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln described our government as one "of the people, by the people for the people." He added that it would not perish from the Earth.

Last week five activist judges on the Supreme Court — including the two George W. Bush appointees — decided that corporations should now be able to spend their operating funds directly in political campaigns. In a bizarre move, these five justices actually requested that the case be sent to them in such as way as to apply as broadly as possible.

Whenever we celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday I wonder if the people celebrate remember that “Liberty and Justice for All” includes the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.  If one of us is not free none of us are truely free.

 

Reverend Robb Sanborn, South Pasadena

Why in world in 2010 is anyone sleeping on the ground? How hard can it be to come up with enough shelters so the homeless can come in at night and sleep without freezing or having acid thrown at them?

Bill  McClelland, Indian Rocks Beach

As the recent foiled act of terrorism suggests, America is unquestionably in the midst of a “real” war against religious fundamentalists who seek matyrdom through such acts.

I can assure you that people that wander into the Clearwater BP store are dirtier than the dog; not to mention the natural bugs that thrive in Florida!  Why not agree to keep the dog off the counter! 

If there’s anyone out there who’s worried about Tiger Woods, don’t bother. When this current situation passes, his populararity rating will go through the roof, or in the least, remain where it was before.

I saw the story of Cody the Dog who was a professional greeter at the BP Station near Nursery Road in Clearwater.  The Department of Agriculture has told the store owner and Cody’s steward that he can no longer allow Cody to greet customers because it is a violation of the code.

As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing to believe or disbelieve regarding Tiger Woods’ “transgressions” or any sports figure, for that matter. All human beings have weaknesses, also know as “foibles.”

Michael Bloomberg and Thomas Kean would have us believe that if
the FBI had access to gun records it "could have been critical" in the
case of Maj. Nidal Hasan. The FBI was well aware of the multiple
communications with the radical cleric Anwar-al-Aulaqi and they
concluded that this was "for professional reasons." The only profession

First they tell us ERT (Estrogen Replacement Therapy) is a good thing -- good for our heart and our bones.  Then they say no, ERT could cause breast cancer if used for more than 5 years! 

Time to legalize casino gambling throughout the state lottery and generate billions of dollars and thousands of jobs for Florida. The Indian Casino in Tampa is a disgrace, and they continuie to rip off Floridians. 

I am vastly concerned at the letters defaming Fox News, the only trustworthy news channel.  If Germany had  "freedom of speech" during WWII, as we supposedly have in our Country, and if they had men warning people of what Hitler was doing, perhaps the Holocaust would not have happened. 

Kudos to the St. Petersburg Times for the editorial criticizing the federal government for its stimulus grant of $2.3 million to train more hairstylists.

Both St. Petersburg mayoral candidates have said they would
bring any new stadium proposal to a public vote. There is no difference
in their actual positions. As in all the issues, one may act as a
cheerleader, while the other asks probing questions, but there is no
real difference in their stated positions.

To St. Petersburg City Council: What’s next? Are you going to give the Trop to the Rays? After all, they’re losing money, too.

Then keep it trickling on down. I’m losing money because my home isn’t worth what it once was. So how about giving me all the money I pay in real estate taxes? After all, what’s fair for one should be fair for all.

I must say I was appalled to read your article about Swiftmud
organizing a hunting program for young people to arm themselves and hunt feral pigs as a way of eliminating the pigs and as a way to get children outdoors.

Jordan Valdez's parents offer no sound reasoning in their argument for leniency.

Should she lose her Bright Futures scholarship as a result of being sentenced as an adult, then she winds up no worse off on funding her education than a mere average student would. This is a relatively mild consequence in light of the serious nature of her actions.

The candidate to beat Charlie Crist in the 2010 Florida senatorial campaign is Orlando Congressman Alan Grayson. Grayson’s recent behavior in the health reform debate has inspired democrats around the nation to substantially contribute their support to him as a result of his not being “meek” in taking on the republicans in Congress.

I have been on extended COBRA health insurance coverage - as I had to stop working when I went through a rigorous cancer treatment.  I knew in advance that my COBRA coverage would end before Medicare began, so I spent the last six months researching ways to cover the two month gap.  I learned about something called “guaranteed issue” which means if you have paid for COBRA coverage until it i

If we are to accept the argument
that the “cross” should be removed,
it could then be argued that
(all numerical dates) should be
removed from government property.
Because (in our calendar), the
number assigned to each day
memorializes the birth of Jesus,
without whom the mere symbol of
the cross would be meaningless.

Let me see if I’ve got this straight: A (then) 16-year-old driver hits and kills a pedestrian and leaves the scene, and she faces no jail-time under a plea deal. Is this not a slap in the face to the victim’s family?

I like many others are saddened by the number of mistreated animals and the number of abandoned animals that the SPCA has to put down.

The problem is ignorant, irresponsible and cruel people, not the animals.

I compliment Letitia Stein for her article enumerating the troubles our state and nation have in getting sufficient primary care physicians.

There are American men and women fighting in Afghanistan. They
are in harm's way while they wait for President Barack Obama to decide
whether or not to send more troops. Obama says, "I'll let you know in a
few weeks."

Hillsborough reaches $278,000 settlement in commissioner's sex bias suit

When President Barack Obama says "I've got to step up my game" by going on five networks and an unprecedented appearance for a sitting president on the David Letterman show to give his sales pitch for health care reform bills now in the House and Senate, he demonstrates a fear of being rebuked by leaving out one of the most popular yet critical networks, Fox.