Bathing beauty

I feel I must respond to the essay on “What I Really Know About Bathing Suit Season” [In the Know, June]. I do believe that every woman, regardless of age, still wants to look good in a bathing suit, and we do give a darn about the way we look! Please do not perpetuate the stereotype that a healthy, trim body is not possible to maintain as we get older. With daily exercise and proper diet, we can still wear any bathing suit we desire. P.S. I’m still looking good in my two-piece bathing suit!—Rosemary Garro Tanfani,  Fair Oaks, Calif.

The bathing suit essay couldn’t have been better said or come at a more appropriate time. My thanks to the author. She made my day!—Regina Chapman, Higden, Ark.

An old problem?

For an organization that professes to be for senior citizens, it is appalling that you would print “Too Old to Be President?” to try to diminish John McCain for his age. His age and experience are a plus for him, rather than the negative portrayed in the article. —Warren Caldwell, Richardson, Texas

“Too Old to Be President?” was a thinly veiled commercial for John McCain.—Hazel Heller, Talent, Ore.

Clinical trial limitations

Had a chuckle over the article on the shortages of older people in clinical medical trials [Opinion, “Clinical Trials Need Your Help”]. I am 76 years old, in excellent health, no medications, weight good. When I call to enter a clinical trial, they tell me that I’m too old and that my health doesn’t meet their criteria. Maybe if they raised their age limits they would get more applicants.—Dick Haskins, West Park, Fla.

Marrying then, and now

Saying “I do” may not have changed as much as implied by the raw numbers of “Something Old, Something New” [Power of 50]. When the various expenses and income levels are compared, costs haven’t grown so much over 50 years. For example, while your figures show that gasoline has increased 1,166 percent, the combined incomes of the bride and groom have increased 1,535 percent. The “getaway” car is relatively much cheaper—at only 588 percent more than in 1958. Some of the income gain can likely be attributed to the older ages of current brides and grooms, but in real terms they are starting off at least as well as we did. My mother, married in 1929, often said that these are the “good old days.” She’s still right. —Chris Hudson, Scottsville, Va.

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