Enforce the rules now

Weeki Wachee rules deserve some respect | Editorial, May 11

My wife and I just returned to the Weeki Wachee River for at least our 12th canoe trip through paradise. After pushing off from Rodgers Park, we headed up our beloved river for the first time since the pandemic began. At first, it appeared that not much had changed. But within the first hour of travel, the reported damage to the shoreline and the tree canopy changes quickly and sadly appeared. Large fallen trees have been cut (some with the “ladders” still intact); people were mooring and disembarking on the shoreline and “beach” areas; men were still diving from the one remaining tree top; and motor boats were crowding out the narrow passage ways that still have some depth; and there was no presence of anyone enforcing the rules. Nor did we see any signs stating the rules. When we returned to dock and we were enjoying lunch at The Upper Deck, we did see a sheriff on a wave runner moving downstream, but there was no evidence of enforcement upstream where he should have been. This little paradise is being destroyed. Action must be taken now to enforce the rules to impede further damage by violators and motor boats within the non-residential areas.

Carl vom Eigen, Tarpon Springs

The real deal on climate

Climate catastrophists need to chill | Column, May 10

Columnist Mona Charen’s absurd take on the existential threat presented by climate change is mind-boggling. To say that because it is not an extinction-level event too many people are overreacting to it, is like saying that because cancer doesn’t kill everyone it touches there is no need to eradicate it.

To elucidate her point, she cites Robert Pindyk’s forthcoming book Climate Future, from which she gets her ludicrous claims, such as there is uncertainty about how the environment will respond to increasing amounts of greenhouse gases. We are seeing just the tip of the proverbial iceberg with climate change effects, and they are already wreaking extensive damage, from lost crops to water shortages, from billions of dollars in forest and property damage to storms that seem almost apocalyptic. And we know this for sure; continuing on our current path this will get exponentially worse.

According to this book, reducing emissions will be just too difficult, therefore we must concentrate more on adaptation. Using the cancer metaphor, in their minds curing cancer would be just too difficult so we must instead focus on keeping people comfortable. When it comes to my body, I opt for finding the cause of the problem and curing it. I feel the same about our planet; find the cause of the problem and cure it. Don’t waste time just keeping us comfortable.

Terri Benincasa, Palm Harbor.

‘Temporary inflation’

Inflation retreats some but is still causing pain | May 12

Eight months ago President Joe Biden said inflation was only temporary. This week, wholesale price were up a staggering 11 percent from this time last year, and gas set another record at $4.47 a gallon. I guess it all depends on how you define the word temporary.

John Spengler, Spring Hill