Netlets for Tuesday, July 8

I want to thank Scott County for opting out of the two new transit taxes ("Starting Tuesday, you'll pay more to boost transit in five counties," June 29).

My home is in Scott County and borders Dakota County. I work in Hennepin County. I will now do all of my shopping in Scott County.

To those of you on your high horse laugh who say it's only a penny tax on a $4 purchase: I have been hearing the same argument from all of you for decades every time a tax is raised or imposed. Those pennies have added up to thousands over the years, and with the rise in gas prices and every product that gets transported to stores, I am at the end of my rope for tolerance of any new or increased tax.

TORI EIDE, SAVAGE

Consider, for a moment, the most likely reason for the Bush administration's curious inconsistency regarding negotiations with the three countries previously identified as belonging to the Axis of Evil.

The dismissal of diplomatic approaches to dealing with Iraq is now the stuff of history. The White House has just proudly claimed success in the talks with North Korea, while it categorically refuses to even consider serious talks with Iran. What explains this rather dramatic inconsistency? The answer is a single word: oil.

Iraq has the fourth-largest known reserves in the world. Iran has the third-largest. North Korea is not on the CIA's 2007 list of the world's 201 countries that have known oil reserves. That's right, North Korea has no oil! We've already had the Iraq War, and our resulting control of that country, result in numerous signed agreements involving U.S. oil companies for the future production of Iraqi oil.

Always remember the famous advice from Deep Throat during the Watergate Era: "Follow the money."

BURTON EWING, NEW BRIGHTON

As a former volunteer and (low-income) contributor to Sen. Amy Klobuchar's campaign, I am shocked and disappointed at her support of the recent Senate Resolution 580 which would pave the way for possible U.S. incursion into Iran. Frankly, given the history of lies and war crimes of the Bush administration, I can't believe that Klobuchar is acquiescing to political pressure. A naval blockade indeed!

I am not a politician and I do not have much money, but I think every day of a brother who fought with honor in Vietnam only to come home and commit suicide a year after discharge. That was 36 years ago. Stop the cynicism and political pandering of war and start to work for peace.

ELLEN M. RUFFIN, MINNEAPOLIS

JOHN HANSON, RED WING, MINN.

The media regularly report Americans as unhappy, worried, dissatisfied and overly concerned with the nation's economy. There are indeed economic problems, compounded by energy costs, the Mideast War, food inflation, etc. However, the media, for reasons unclear to me, choose to portray everything negative, without any mention of our very high living standards. Indeed, the baby boomer generation has unrealistic expectations of living standards, certainly contributing to the national malaise.

Boomers purchase four-bedroom, 3 1/2 bath homes in the suburbs. Every house must have a two- or three-car garage to house the several family cars. Boomers eat out two or three times a week and attend rock or other concerts at huge admission costs. Their kids attend private elementary schools.

In my day ( I am 78) we had a single family car, a single busy bathroom, lived in the city and the kids went to public schools, and we usually ate meals at home. Our expectations of a living standard were moderate and realistic and we were reasonably happy with our lot. The boomer generation need a sense of history and perhaps they would be less unhappy.