In my last blog I discussed the federally mandated switch from flashing red to flashing yellow traffic signals.

I challenged you to read the original story, which ran Sunday, May 22 and draw some conclusions of your own. Then, compare them to the analysis The Oakland Press did in its editorial.

The date that this editorial is scheduled to run is Thursday, June 2. Even though this is only two days away, I have to caution you that this is a tentative date.
One aspect of the Opinion Page is that sometimes we have to substitute scheduled editorials for last minute ones because of breaking news.

For example, last week we substituted an editorial on Thursday, May 26, about Gov. Rick Snyder’s tax plan because the governor signed it on Wednesday, May 25. His signing of the bill into law was the current news event that prompted the editorial.
Also last week, we substituted the originally scheduled editorial for Friday to discuss the Chrysler Corporation’s repayment of its government loans.

As with any good organization, we plan our editorials ahead of time but being in the news gathering business, we have to be flexible to accommodate breaking news.
Last week’s two substitute editorials were unusual. Normally, we have one a week and of course some weeks, we can plan a head and not make any changes.

But it doesn’t matter. The most important thing is to get you the news and editorial comments in as timely a fashion as possible.

The main purpose of this blog is to give you a behind scenes look at The Oakland Press Opinion Page.

Usually, that means explaining why we ran a particular editorial or why or why not we ran a guest opinion or letter to the editor.

Most of the topics of this blog are in the past tense, particularly when it comes to editorials. However, there’s one editorial coming up in the next week or two (I haven’t set a specific run date) that I want to discuss today. It concerns the switch from flashing red traffic signals to flashing yellow.

We ran a story in Sunday's paper. In the editorial I will review the change over and offer some comments and perspective about the switch.

The federal government is mandating change and of course, is leaving most of the cost of the switch to local road commissions.

Unfortunately, there’s a big difference between a flashing red and a flashing yellow.
With a flashing red left-turn signal, motorists are allowed to complete their turns during breaks in oncoming traffic, which has a green light while the left-turn signal blinks red.The flashing red then turns to green to allow an uninterrupted left turn, then becomes yellow before turning to a solid red to stop motorists while traffic in the opposing lanes goes through its own cycle.

With a flashing yellow arrow signal, the cycle is reversed.
Motorists in the left-turn lane are given a green arrow to complete their turn uninterrupted at the start of the cycle. The light then blinks yellow while oncoming traffic is given a green light, still allowing motorists turning left to make their turn during breaks in oncoming traffic. It then stops blinking and turns red for the left-turn lanes, stopping motorists so traffic in opposing lanes can go through its own cycle.

I can almost guess your response but I'd like to know more specifically. Please, read the story (or reread it), which appeared on the front page of last Sunday’s paper (May 22). Then, take a look at the editorial when it runs. I’ll let you know exactly when in a blog in the next few days.

Most of our editorials are based on topics that have had news stories written about them. So, let’s have some fun. After reading the Monday story, let’s pretend you have to write an editorial. In it, what conclusions would you reach and observations would you make about the change over?

Let me know in a comment at the end of this blog or even in a letter to the editor. My email address is allan.adler@oakpress.com.

Let’s see if your conclusions are the same or similar to The Oakland Press editorial.

It should come as no surprise to you that this weekend is Memorial Day weekend. It’s the unofficial start of summer but more important, it’s a time to honor our military veterans.

Yes, the three-day celebration includes picnics, summer outings and barbecues but it also includes parades and ceremonies, most on Monday, that pay tribute to our fallen heroes.

Every year we do a Memorial Day editorial. Some times we run it on Memorial Day, other times we pick the Sunday before. This year the editorial is running on Sunday, May 29.
It talks about the history of the holiday and its purpose is to urge you to remember our veterans.

The editorial is a bit redundant. We try to update it yearly but it basically says the same thing. Normally in journalism, we try to avoid redundancies but sometimes it’s important to repeat a message and this case, also give thanks.

We believe you can’t thank our veterans enough for keeping America free and allowing us to celebrate picnics, cookouts, etc..

So, we’re going to be redundant in this blog, too.

Take a minute during this weekend and attend a special service honoring our veterans. There are numerous ones planned, mostly on Monday, and the Oakland Press will be running throughout this week a calendar of events.

If you can’t attend one of these programs in person, then at least take a moment during the weekend, as you celebrate summer and all of the activities that accompany it, and give thanks to our veterans for keeping us free.

Gasoline prices have topped $4 a gallon and while the skyrocketing surge seems to have slowed, at least for now, there’s no guarantee that the budget-busting cost explosion won’t take off again — for who knows what reason.

The sticker shock at the pump has many average income citizens reeling — the prices are just horribly high for most drivers.

Those writing letters to the editor aren’t afraid to say that and they are also questioning some of the reasons oil industry experts are using to justify the rapid increases.

Logic does make you wonder if the oil companies are trying to cover up what many readers see as the real reason for the hikes — greed?

There is justification for such skepticism. One of the many excuses given for the price increases is the rising cost of a barrel of oil. But often the cost of a barrel of oil and the price at the pump don’t coordinate very well. For example, when the barrel price rises a dollar or two, that same day the pump cost can jump as much as 10 or 20 cents. However, when the barrel price plummets — such as it did recently, going down $10 to $12 a barrel — the per gallon price didn't move.

To some, it seems the oil companies are defying that old physics theory of what goes up, must come down.

Although angry, consumers are stuck with buying gasoline for their vehicles. Alternative modes of transportation, such as the electric car, are too expensive for most people. Sure, there’s also bicycles and other vehicles but nothing has been developed yet that is as efficient as the internal combustion engine.

What is particularly galling to many readers is that when the experts don’t have the price of a barrel of oil to blame, they seem to find a myriad of other excuses. A potential, not real hurricane in the gulf; the unstable political conditions in the Middle East; the list goes on.

Many readers seem to want to scream “stop, just tell the truth, oil company executives want to throw a party in Cancun and so they need some extra cash.”

Average citizens, of course, don't know exactly why gas prices rise, they just see the results in what they pay at the pump. And the media is only as good as it sources. In this case, the oil experts.

The free enterprise system has made America great and no doubt will help us prosper in the future. But when it comes to the price of gasoline, many people are wondering what really is at work here. Is it the basic law of “supply and demand” or is the more selfish rule of “greed and gouge?”

What do you think?

In answer to a probing question from an inquisitive blog reader, you see letters to the editor from the same individuals over and over again because readers are entitled to one letter per month.

The blog comment was “why do we see letters (voice of the people) from the same people over and over? I see Bob Frick’s name on a weekly basis. Surely you have other letters from other people you could print...”

I seriously doubt that the person commenting sees a letter a week from Mr. Frick, although he is a one of our regular writers.

The Oakland Press Opinion Page, as I’ve previously stated, is meant to be a forum for its readers. Admittedly, many readers would love to get two or three or more letters in during any one month.

So, we’ve established the policy, which has been in effect for many years, of giving each reader one letter per month. To make it easier on us, we make that a calendar month. Consequently, someone could have a letter on April 30 and one on May 1 and be within the policy. Of course, we would not run any more letters from that individual for the rest of May.

Sometimes, yes, when we get a flood of letters, some one may get in earlier than he or she should. We try to avoid this but we’re only human.

I’m back.

And no, that’s not reference to the scary Hollywood movie, although readers have said my blog may be a little frightening, sometimes.

After being on a medical leave for several weeks because of hand surgery, I have resumed my full range of duties, including giving you these behind the scenes looks at The Oakland Press Opinion Page. I had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand, which, obviously, made it difficult to type and use a mouse.

In my absence, Editorial Assistant Chris Laine did a yeomen’s job of handling the letters to the editor, guest opinions and laying out the Opinion Pages. The time-consuming jobs involved not only editing the letters and processing them for publication but also contacting the authors to ensure they indeed, sent in the correspondence.

Meanwhile, reporter Jerry Wolffe handled many of the editorial writing duties although this function is often shared by others in the editorial department, including Executive Editor Glenn Gilbert, political reporter Charlie Crumm, Presentation Editor Roger Wingelaar and Automotive Editor Joe Szczesny.

Good backup is always key to the success of any organization. The Oakland Press is blessed with many quality personnel who have had to, from time to time, take on extra duties and functions that in the past were normally not even part of their job descriptions.

As with many businesses today, versatility has become a primary job skill at The Oakland Press.