Politicians working for or against us?

To the Editor:

In 1950, a gallon of gas cost 30 cents. Today, what cost 30 cents in 1950 cost $2.33. When inflation is taken into account, one can see, gas prices have been pretty cheap. In the U.K. gas is over $6 a gallon. After Hurricane Katrina flooded eight oil refineries, gas prices shot up almost a dollar a gallon overnight. Some ignorant people have called this price gouging, particularly since wholesalers and retailers were charging higher prices for gas already purchased and in their tanks prior to the disaster.

No one considers that wholesaler and retailers are concerned with what they will pay to resupply. This price spike has caused a 20 percent decrease in consumption. It is also a powerful incentive for producers to increase supply to reap big profits. Some Americans are demanding the government do something about gas prices. In 1979, the Carter administration instituted price controls on gas. This artificially low price resulted in shortages and rationing. This hair brained policy resulted in gas station fights and riots and long lines. California put price controls on utilities and it resulted in blackouts. New York imposed rent controls which have resulted in housing shortages.

Instead of pandering for votes by punishing producers, politicians should be encouraging increased drilling and exploration in places like Alaska, the gulf of Mexico and off the coast of California.

The latest study shows that your grandchildren's grandchildren will not run out of oil. Yet we have not built an oil refinery in America in 30 years. I wonder if the politicians are working for us or against us.

Warren Bowles, Chester

Hoax producer has real talent

To the Editor:

Jaimie Reynolds, aka Colleen Hastings of Marion, who apparently had a script entitled "Sandbox Prayers," and produced, directed and starred in the recent hoax, has real talent.

She did a fantastic acting job, including writing letters to Southern Illinois University's newspaper, the Daily Egyptian, that were supposed to be from 10-year-old Kodee Kennings, and doing little Kodee's voice when she was in telephone contact with the newspaper's editor and reporters.

Of course, to accomplish this, she had to have an accurate assessment of the local print and broadcast media and lots of luck.

Her downfall came when she took the Army Sergeant Dan Kennings, young Kodee's dad, out of the hoax, killed in action in Iraq, and a journalism professor called the Chicago Tribune who sent reporters down to do a human interest story on the orphan. The hoax fell apart as soon as those reporters began a routine background search for information on the fallen hero. If they had not come down, she could have made it through the local broadcast and print media. Maybe someone will do an actual documentary on the hoax with actual pay for the cast of characters, most of whom claimed to be duped.

The hoax stories were a welcome relief from the cultural war news of warring conservative and liberal groups that is taking up a lot of column inches in the print media and airtime in the broadcast media. Fortunately, The Southern Illinoisan has excellent local reporting that is also a welcome relief from the other news and opinions.

Ellis L. Melvin, Tamaroa

Breath of fresh air

To the Editor:

I thought there was a breath of fresh air on the Op Ed page the last couple of Sundays. No screeching from the extreme right, no name calling, no questioning the patriotism of those who dare question any actions of our current right wing occupant of our White House.

Keep Ann tucked away in whatever closet you can find and give us more Molly. I have always agreed that the news media should comfort the governed and discomfort the governors.

Mark Beard-Witherup, Cobden

Thanks for work on Apple Festival

To the Editor:

I write this letter of thanks on behalf of the nearly 45,000 people who attended the 2005 Murphysboro Apple Festival. I know there are countless volunteers and workers who spend hundreds of hours preparing for this annual event, but there is one man who stands alone when it comes to his dedication to the success of this festival: Mr. Chris Naegele.

Chris plans for the Apple Festival all year long to make sure that each event runs smoothly. He is involved in every aspect of the week-long celebration, from the Grand Parade and Miss Apple Festival pageant to the layout of the rides and the set up of the Appletime Stage. At each year's Contributor's Reception, Chris offers his praise and thanks to every involved committee member and all the corporations who give their sponsorships to make the events possible, but I truly believe the festival wouldn't enjoy such a huge success without his leadership and direction.

Chris, I thank you for everything you do to keep the Apple Festival tradition alive and well in Murphysboro. Our community is very lucky to have such a dedicated and hard-working individual who gives so much of himself year after year. Captain Applesauce may be our superhero, but the heart and soul of the Apple Festival lives in you.

Stephanie M. Drone, Murphysboro