Robin Rudd a true visual artist and more letters to the editors


Robin Rudd a true visual artist

We continue to be amazed by and appreciative of the photographic artistry of TFP photographer Robin Rudd.

While we were skeptical of the conversion of the TFP from paper to iPad, we are pleased to discover that we are able see even more of Rudd's nature and scenic images online.

A recent image of a hummingbird reminds us that their summer sojourn is coming to an end and that soon they will begin their arduous journey south over the Gulf of Mexico. We hope that we have been welcoming hosts and that they will return next year and that we will continue to have the pleasure of the products of Rudd's lens.

Dick Gossett


Provisions hurting ex-federal workers

I am a retired federal law enforcement officer (CSRS-LE) writing to raise awareness of the devastating effects of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) experienced by nearly 2 million people. This policy reduces the earned Social Security benefits of local, state and federal retirees who worked in Social.

Security-covered private-sector employment, and who also earned an annuity from their non-Social Security covered government employment. The WEP can result in a monthly Social Security benefit that is $512-$1,700 lower than deserved, causing undue financial distress.

Why should employees who entered federal service before December 1983 be penalized for working hard for our country?

Additionally, spouses are feeling the burden of the Government Pension Offset (GPO), a similar penalty, which prevents them from collecting the Social Security benefits their spouses earned from private-sector jobs due to their public service. The GPO affects 723,970 beneficiaries, 48% of which are widows or widowers, and 52% of whom are spouses.

I am inviting other retirees affected by the WEP and GPO to join me in calling on Congress to repeal these unfair provisions. Furthermore, I am writing to urge lawmakers to support H.R. 82 (295 co-sponsors)/S. 1302.

Don Gala

Hixson


'Tomatina' returns refreshing news

Thank you for including an encouraging, refreshing piece of news in a recent edition (Sept. 1, page A3, "Spain's 'Tomatina' battle returns after pandemic hiatus").

It seems like every news story that is deemed important enough to publish deals with the negative and often frightening details of the pandemic, war, threats of war, and so on.

This story about such a fun cultural aspect of Spain provided an interesting and positive perspective on how Spain is recovering from the pandemic. This was the perfect story to inform readers that Spain is starting up public, non-social distanced events and is encouraging tourism again.

I believe that observing a country's method of recovering from the pandemic provides insight to their political attitudes and agenda. Through this story we can see that, at least in the village of Bunol, people are stressing the importance of returning to normal activities and kick starting tourism.

Jordaine Broyer


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