Anchorage Daily News

Cyclists need to warn others

Today another bicyclist side-swiped me as I rode up 15th, and knocked me over into the street. He had not made his presence known with a bell, horn or voice. He didn't stop or say anything once he had crashed into me. I could not believe another bicyclist had just done a hit and run!

Luckily, a really sweet woman with a canine unit stopped to check on me. She made a call to the cops, got out, helped me get my bike and baggage back together, and offered her first aid kit. I want to send a huge thanks out to this woman for her help and kind words! To the mean guy on the bicycle -- shame on you. I was hurt, my bike damaged, and my bag thrown off and you didn't even slow down.

-- Tapia Hansen

Anchorage

Begich hurt city, now state

I am in a state of shock! I could hardly believe my eyes and had to reread the editorial twice to be sure I was not imagining it. The Anchorage Daily News actually found fault with ex-mayor Mark Begich. I do think the editorial was right on and now needs to be followed up with holding Mr. Begich responsible for misleading the city and Assembly, and the Assembly members who blindly followed him should be voted off the Assembly.

We do not need Assembly members at all if they are going to not do their job and look into the proposals and why did they not question the state of the city? Kudos to Mr. Starr for bringing this out into the open and Mayor Sullivan for trying to right this affair and many others Mr. Begich has gotten us into.

It is nice to not have Mr. Begich as the mayor but too bad we now have him as a senator.

-- Pauline Potter

Anchorage

Enstar must pay for mistake

The article by James Halpin on the Enstar overcharge of $ 5.7 million failed to mention one aspect that I would like to know.

During the period 2003 through 2007 what performance bonuses were paid, if any? Whether to management or to employees.

It really does not change my opinion that if the company makes the mistake, the company pays.

That's similar to the municipal over-payment of overtime over an extended period of time. How many bonuses were given there also?

We are too casual in accountability.

-- Don Keil

Anchorage

Three cheers for 'Lion King'

Before they drop the curtain for the last time in Anchorage, I would like to personally thank the cast and crew of "The Lion King." They have brought talent to a community that enjoys its local artists but fully appreciates the talent of a professional production. We hope that cast and crew's memory of this stop will be positive, that the theater met their desires for the musical play and that we may see them again in another play or musical as they move forward in their careers. Good luck, and break a leg.

-- Jim Pound

Eagle River

Pets are not people

In light of all the horrendous challenges confronting humanity in this world, I found it ridiculous that our so-called "free press" wasted time and resources obsessing about Jessica Simpson's "pet" being eaten by a coyote.

People who get excessively warm and runny over their "pets" and dote on them as a normal person would a child are pathetic, overindulged hypocrites who gravitate to animals which are selectively-bred to look "cute," because they're unwilling to commit the time, thought, love, effort and money required to raise and nurture human children. Just as well. Such individuals should not be contributing to the human gene pool -- our species has enough problems as it is.

So it's hard for me to get weepy because a useless, ornamental "pet" belonging to an equally useless, ornamental "person" provided nourishment to a wild canine that lives by its own wits and striving. To the coyote I say: "Bon appetit!"

-- Al-Hajji Frederick H Minshall

Anchorage

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