To the editor:

A headline in Thursday’s Journal-World stated that Westar Energy Inc.’s former chief executive officer David Wittig was to “earn” nearly $10 million in 2002. The definition of the word “earn” is to receive in return for services or labor. This sum amounts to more than $27,000 per day (including weekends) or, about $1,141 for every hour in the year. Thus, he would get over $9,000 every time he slept for eight hours. Assuming Mr. Wittig “worked” an average of 50 hours per week (questionable) he would receive more than $3,800 per hour. In less than four hours, he would get more than a full-time minimum wage laborer would earn in a year. Instead of saying Mr. Wittig earned this salary, a more correct headline would state that he had the chutzpah to request said sum; he surely did not earn it.

John Frydman,

Lawrence