Past time Mets honor Koosman
Great Neck, L.I.: I am very happy to see Mike Piazza’s number finally retired, and agree with Anthony McCarron that it is long overdue (“31 belongs to Mike forever,” Jan. 26). But there are at least four other former Mets who are even longer overdue, and not all of them were named in The News’ poll of whose number should be retired next. Jerry Koosman (36) and John Franco (45) would top my list. Mookie Wilson (1) and Ed Kranepool (7) also deserve consideration for all they brought to the team during their long Mets careers. Finally, even though Gary Carter (8) and Keith Hernandez (17) did not play for as many years in Flushing, 1986 would not have happened without them, nor would the Mets have been as competitive in the late ’80s. Both are an integral part of Mets history.
Bob Rutan New Windsor, N.Y.: While I am thrilled to see Mike Piazza’s 31 retired at CitiField this summer, a long-time Met pitcher deserves to have his number in the outfield as well. That’s Jerry Koosman, 36. Although Seaver is the greatest Met ever, Koosman was the pressure pitcher, going 4-0 in the 1969 and 1973 postseasons and overall collecting 140 of his 222 victories as a Met. He was as integral a part of the team as Seaver during that era. Yes, Hernandez and Carter and eventually David Wright should have their numbers retired as well, but 36 comes first. Todd Schuster
Pot and kettle
Jackson Heights: So President Obama says voters see Bernie Sanders as “a bright shiny object.” Funny, that’s just what he was in 2008. Billy Kuntz
Bedrock conservatism
Oakland Gardens: Despite what Voicer Carmine Masucci wrote, conservatism is a far cry from radicalism. This country was built on conservative principles, as stated in our Constitution. Our forefathers knew what it was like to be ruled by a king and so they gave us the greatest document in the history of the world to live by. The freedom to worship as we please, to work hard and realize the American dream make us citizens of the greatest nation on Earth! Now, our future is threatened by the so-called new wave of progressivism, whose siren call of inequality, social division and political correctness is destroying the very soul of our great nation. We submit to Masucci that that is the real definition of radicalism. This nation ignores it and stays the course at its own risk.
Constance and Thomas Dowd
One more thing
Queens Village: To Voicer Mike Bassalay: You forgot to mention that the President is left-handed.
Bernard Beaver
American all the way
Manhattan: There should not be a Black History Month, but only an American History Month, to encourage learning the contributions to creating America made by each race, color and creed, and to celebrate each in its own way. Academia is concerned about the ebbing focus on teaching American history at all levels. As to parades, let there be only one, if one is needed at all given the disruption, cost and sometimes violence that accompanies them. And no hyphenated citizen descriptions — just be American. I salute only one flag: The stars and stripes. Enough is enough.
Alice F. La Brie
Three questions
Brooklyn: If crime keeps going down, then why was it necessary to hire 1,300 additional officers? When counting homeless people, we should ask each one: How long have you resided in New York City? Many community boards have rejected the mayor’s affordable housing plan, and he seems to have accepted their verdict. So why, when communities reject broken-windows policing, does that mayor nonetheless insist on implementing it?
Cy Grossman
This modern world
Bronx: Your editorial on the Pakistani boy who lopped off his own hand highlights why we are losing the war against radical Islam (“The boy who believed,” Jan. 25). The boy’s “primitive village” is not “a universe away from the developed world,” as the Daily News describes it. Rather, it’s connected to the global jihad through the cell phone he used to illuminate his self-mutilation. His fanaticism was as likely inspired by an imam in Paris, Riyadh or even New York City as it was in his local mosque.
Damian McShane
End of the road
Far Rockaway: We are the forgotten people in the forgotten borough. This year’s snow removal seems better than last year’s so far, but that’s not saying much. Instead of suspending the work on the sewers until the snow is clear, we are being detoured down semi-plowed two-way streets, ones where the cars can barely pass each other in good weather. I understand I live on a dead-end street, but if the garbage trucks can get through to collect, surely they can come down the street to plow. Cheryl Ceder
Bloomberg’s New York
Rego Park: Voicer Sherrel Cox seems to remember Mike Bloomberg having winter storms under control. I remember the blizzard of 2006, when Bloomberg had the streets plowed in Manhattan but the outer boroughs were largely ignored until days later. In 2010, Bloomberg had it so completely under control, he ignored the weather reports and left the city. He was in Bermuda when the snowstorm hit. Ernest C. Dietz
Putting pieces together
Williston Park, L.I.: A thought on the mayor’s failure to get snow plows to residents of Middle Village, Maspeth and other parts of Queens: That was the perfect occasion to put a bunch of the Central Park carriage horses whom the mayor loves so much in vans and transport them to these areas. At least some residents would have been able to get around, albeit by horseback.
Bill Viggiano
Get smart, Sanitation
Kew Gardens: Wouldn’t it be smart if the Sanitation Department didn’t pile snow over the storm drains on the corners? If these were cleared, the water could run down them as the snow melts on warmer days, and pedestrians wouldn’t have to wade through muck. Leslie Duzant
Time and prayer
Bronx: Years ago, the Sanitation Department put big piles of snow on corners or carted it to beaches until Mother Nature melted it. Now, it seems there is no place to put the snow. If you try to clean your car, Sanitation plows bury it again, through no fault of their own. They are just doing their job. What’s the solution? Give people more time, especially if they are seniors and have no help. Also, pray it doesn’t snow like this again. Catherine Santarpia
We did it to ourselves
Maspeth: My block doesn’t deserve to be cleaned by the city. Too many people cleaned their cars by dumping snow in the street, causing other cars to get stuck so the plow couldn’t get through. Watching the news, I noticed clean cars on impassable streets. People throwing snow in the street are to blame, not the Sanitation Department.
Melody Mendolia
All shapes and sizes
Brooklyn: With the MTA trying out new trains, I beg them: Get wider seats. Spitting passengers aside, New Yorkers are large people who wear bulky clothing. We have suffered through the debacle of narrow seats made for tiny people for much too long.
LaTonya Bernard
Diversity deficit
Wallington, N.J.: I am boycotting the Oscars as there are no Polish people nominated in any category. So there.
Ronnie Partyka Deckert
Think first, Voicer
Bronxville, N.Y.: Voicer Ed Rosario has it all wrong. It’s true that plants are alive, but they have a very short life span, not to mention that they have no brain or sense of fear. Does Rosario not own anything made from wood? Does he use paper? Does he have a leather belt? He should think before he speaks — otherwise he does not make any sense! P.S. As a 50-year-plus reader, I say you have the best newspaper ever!
Mony Moy
Setting the way
Brooklyn: Thank you, Daily News, for dropping your price. If only the utility companies would follow your lead! Rose M. Walsh