Best-quality tree use
Re Scott Rowland’s letter on trees and pellets: I am the daughter and mother of building contractors and the mother of another son in construction management for many years.
Quality wood products are always the primary factor in all construction. It makes me sad to see all the particle board used now in construction, assembled with glue. It’s a source of allergies, I believe. Why aren’t all the wonderful, fine, wood trees harvested for best-quality products? It is not a true cost savings when substitutes are used.
Years ago we had a home built in Sheridan and the oak flooring came from the mill right in town. Beautiful floors and easy to maintain.
Several relatives in Wisconsin used the pellet products for additional heating in their homes in the winter, a little more work but a savings to them.
Bottom line, let us return to using God-given trees, well-maintained for the best-quality items for home and commercial use. It will provide many jobs sorely needed in our state. Only God can make a tree!
ANITA C. GATZKE
Little Rock
Strong voice for race
By pure luck I clicked on C-SPAN to see and hear Bill Clinton, who was speaking at Fairfield Middle School in Winnsboro, S.C. There was a huge crowd assembled and he was telling them why Hillary would be their best vote for president. He’s still got it! There was an electric response from the crowd to his stirring and heartfelt speech. Hillary has a strong voice on her side and I feel it will surely translate into a landslide of votes.
I voted for Hillary on the first day of early voting but after hearing Bill Clinton’s moving speech I wanted to go vote for her again.
MARION BAKER
Conway
WASPs deserve honor
I am a retired U.S. Army chief warrant officer pilot. I served honorably as a member of the military for 20 years with tours of service in Vietnam. As such, I am entitled to be buried at Arlington Cemetery when my time comes. My wife has the same entitlement. So, two places should be available to us. We earned them. They are ours.
We firmly believe that the women who served WASPs (Women’s Airforce Service Pilots) should be accorded the same respect and privileges given any other person who served their country so well, and especially in time of war. It is with that belief in mind that we wish to donate our places in Arlington to the WASPs.
The fact that WASPs are denied burial at Arlington National Cemetery is both mean-spirited and embarrassing. We applaud the efforts of Rep. Martha McSally on behalf of this brave and underappreciated corps of women. The truth is that in a just and fair world, the WASPs’ entitlement to be buried at Arlington would never have been an issue.
If the government, which owes the WASPs so much, won’t give them a place of final rest, they can have ours.
GLEN MELDAHL
Sherwood
Meaning of freedom
Lord Asa Hutchinson seems to say that not buying health insurance is an American freedom, which is one of his main reasons to oppose Obamacare.
The rest of us can then say we have the American freedom not to pay for the health care of those who’d be irresponsible and not get health insurance. Why should we have to pay for the health care of those who’d be irresponsible and not get health insurance? Why should we have to pay for the willfully improvident? Obamacare was to compel every citizen who could be to be insured, and we could subsidize those who could not, not would not!
Premiums of all who were insured were raised to pay for the uninsured, but who federal law compelled caregivers to treat. If everyone pays what they can, then it would cost each of us less. But Asa, like other Republicans I’ve known, apparently wants what he wants as long as others pay for it.
The cycle-helmet law was repealed so they could be free to feel wind in their hair. Fine with me as long as motorcycle riders are compelled to pay their own bills when they crack their skulls on a lay-down. Don’t bill taxpayers for their life support due to their selfish choices, or to satisfy some religious nut’s beliefs. Privileges carry responsibilities, and one requires assumption of the other.
Check out Bob Jones University, which is Asa’s real alma mater, and find out where he’s coming from in his lawmaking agenda.
KARL HANSEN
Hensley
On our poor choices
Sad times for we the people living in, I believe, the greatest country in the world. We are witness to more evidence of lost leader status of the world with the antics of the choices we have for the office of the president of our United States. Where do we go from here?
Kinda spooky, huh? Just sayin’.
RONALD BRANCH
Greenbrier
Apple’s cooperation
A recently reprinted Washington Post opinion piece on Apple’s tangle with the FBI leaves part of the story out. Apparently, Apple has no such hesitancy to cooperate with the Chinese government.
Apple’s position on this issue sounds much more like public relations than any sincere attempt to protect the privacy of its customers. Or perhaps it doesn’t consider Chinese citizens to be customers.
JERRY W. BRADSHAW
North Little Rock
The birth of a sucker
I’ve been watching the Republican debates. All I heard was them tearing each other down and bashing Hillary and Obama and wanting to start wars with the whole world. Not a great debate, if that’s what you want to call it.
These candidates are great magicians. You mention Social Security, equal pay for women or minimum wage, and watch them all do a disappearing act.
P.T. Barnum would have loved this group.
BOB MASSERY
Little Rock