Letters to the Editor 10/8

His first Apple

About 30 years ago, before the Internet, I was talking on the phone to our grandson, Joel, who was 8. I asked what he wanted for Christmas. He said “An apple to eat.”

I thought, that’s a mighty great kid who asks just for something you can get at the grocery every day. Then his father, Charlie, a computer engineer, explained that Joel was talking about an Apple IIe, which is what Charlie used in his work. 

Today Joel is a computer engineer as well and has all Apple products.

This was the first time I had heard of Apple. Now almost everyone in the world has, thanks to Steve Jobs.

Roy Berger

Arroyo Grande

Enough smoke

What’s happening to once-bucolic San Luis Obispo (“Barbecue stampede to hit county,” Sept. 29)? Don’t we have enough fire pits to make everyone happily sick? Should we import more pit-smoking joints to fulfill our redneck nutritional requirements? What is the necessary ratio of reduced oxygen/increased soot to establish a baseline of generic bliss?  Who will pay the cost of frolicking through the cancer wards?

Maybe this new BBQ will be large-hearted enough to foot the bill for the harm they will cause.

M. Power Giacoletti

San Simeon

Disturbing headline

Although I am generally a happy Tribune reader, I found the headline “Wheelchair vs. GMC Yukon” and the accompanying picture (Sept. 29) insensitive and disturbing.

One could take the headline to suggest a contest, and the picture of a wheelchair smashed under the huge truck was bad enough. Adding to that, the information that the 68-year-old man had “critical injuries ... (and) was later pronounced dead” suggests the need for more mindfulness and perhaps copy desk focus.

Thank you, though, for The Tribune, which I very much appreciate.

Selima Bond

San Luis Obispo

On trial for lifestyle

The country was glued to their TV sets awaiting the Amanda Knox verdict from Italy. Meanwhile one of us rots in jail, the victim of an overzealous prosecutor. In this instance, the rush to judgment is in our own county.

Kaylee Ann Weisenberg was convicted (or should I say railroaded?) of second-degree murder for the killing of a CHP officer.

Weisenberg was traveling on a county road when she accidentally hit a CHP officer. I will say it again: accidentally. The officer was standing in the middle of the road, performing his duties, a dangerous job to be sure. Weisenberg did not attempt to leave the scene of the accident and was arrested. She was subsequently charged with DUI, speeding and second-degree murder.

Meth residue was found in her system. This by no means proves driving under the influence. The residue could have been days old. If Ms. Weisenberg were speeding, wouldn’t a speeding ticket be more appropriate than second-degree murder?

Ms. Weisenberg was on trial for her lifestyle, not for what happened out on that road. I would like to see a high-profile competent attorney take Weisenberg’s appeal.

Mike Morgan

Los Osos