The right to choose to be 'wired'

2/19/2007

It looks like the Health and Wholesomeness police are coming for us again. Still flush in the glow of their smoking-ban victory, it appears that now they've set their sights on caffeine! According to a recent Blade editorial, we're all "too wired."

Why can't these nosey busy-bodies ever just mind their own business?

However much they would wish it to be otherwise, this planet is not a pristine bubble and we all have a right to inhabit it, the schmucks among us as well as the ultra-purists. Anyone who does not believe this might want to line up their beliefs beside Nazi ideology and see how they compare.

Personally, I would not take kindly to anyone who would try to water down my Starbucks. If this statement indicates to some that I am a member of the "wired" camp, so be it. As far as I know, it is (still) my right to choose to be there.

JANET MILLER

Juhasz Street

Is minimum wage hike good for U.S.?

The Democratic-controlled Senate just voted to raise the minimum wage. Sounds good at first, right?

Well, good for the low-skilled laborers of America. But is it good for America as a whole?

When first passed in 1938, the minimum wage was designed to aid the unprotected, the unorganized, and the lowest paid of America's working population. Once deemed as a violation of freedom of contract in employment, it now keeps people off of welfare - or does it?

As businesses are forced to pay more to workers, so, too, is the expectation for those workers to produce more for the businesses.

With less workers producing more, do you think a business is likely to offer more jobs? Probably not.

And with higher wages comes higher prices for services or products that those businesses produce.

Do you think Americans will purchase as many higher-priced goods or services? Probably not. Which means layoffs or fewer jobs for low-skilled workers because of fewer purchases.

So, I leave with you the question: Is America better off with a higher minimum wage?

KEITH GORALSKE

Telegraph Road

The NFL is sending the wrong message

The Super Bowl is a great venue for advertisers and a nice getaway for corporate types, but what message does the NFL send out to young kids today?

It sounds a lot like the Warren Zevon song, "Lawyers, Guns, and Money."

What went on in Cincinnati last football season was a crime, literally and figuratively. No one should care how many games the Bengals win; they are losing in the community and with the young kids.

The Chicago Bears can be proud of their season but ashamed that they let Tank Johnson play in the Super Bowl.

Johnson had enough illegal guns and ammunition to attempt another military coup in Cuba. Even if a judge allowed Johnson to travel, the Bears should have emptied the Tank at home. But somehow I don't see an average citizen standing in front of a judge with the offenses Tank had saying, "Your honor, I have two tickets to the Super Bowl." He'd be in a jumpsuit faster than he could say Judge Judy.

And finally, the NFL has a lot of former players with serious medical conditions who cannot get help from this multibillion dollar corporation.

Maybe if more people took a hard look at the NFL, and the message it often sends out to young people, the pass this league has enjoyed might be revoked, and the NFL would have to be accountable to the young kids it markets to every day.

TOM COLE

Glencairn Avenue

Ask the voters about being 'hoodwinked'

"Hoodwinked" is a word not used very much any more. It was recently used in an article about a building next to Fifth Third Field.

This building and another building were sold to a local businessman for a mere $15,000 by the Lucas County commissioners in 2001. Now it appears that after one of those buildings was torn down and improvements were made to the other, the owner is selling the property for $375,000.

Now here comes the interesting part of all of this: A former commissioner, Harry Barlos, said that the owner should be ashamed of himself for his handling of the property and that he "hoodwinked" and "used" the county.

Well this matter is minute compared with what also took place in 2001, when 67 percent of Toledo voters approved an amendment to the city charter. This change in Section 79 would allow up to $8 million to be used for infrastructure for a new sports arena. The intent of all concerned at that time was that the location of the new arena would be in the Marina District in East Toledo.

Now the politicians can put whatever spin on this that they want. However, there are those of us who will always know the truth. The truth is that while the county may have been "hoodwinked" by this businessman, the voters are being "hoodwinked" to the tune of $80 million-plus for a new "arena" with virtually no say so as to the location or how it will be funded.

Paul J. Gibbs

Heffner Street

Ensure 'pop'-ularity of the dollar coin

Here is how to make dollar coins popular with the public.

First, you've got to make the kids like them. If the kids like them, everyone will be forced to use them in a few years. This is the same tactic McDonald's started with many years ago. All of its advertising focused on the kids. Look how fat and lazy our kids (and the rest of us) have gotten.

So, how do you make the kids use them? Take the dollar bill changers off all the pop and snack machines and make it so only the dollar coins are acceptable.

Once the kids realize the only way to buy pop and junk food is to use the coins, the U.S. Mint won't be able to make them fast enough.

When kids beg their parents for junk food money and it has to be a dollar coin, the parents will be forced to carry the coins as well. Problem solved!

Jim Brower

Oregon

Trustees think little of fire department

Recently a loved one was involved in a moderately serious car crash in Sylvania Township. Personally, as a firefighter/paramedic, I don't think there could be a more terrifying call than to find out someone you love is miles away and hurt, knowing all you could do was wait to find out where they would be going.

In the back of my mind I knew she would be taken care of by some of the highest trained firefighter/paramedics in the area. But then I remembered, there would be less of them and they wouldn't be transporting her in their new ambulance that sits idle. Fortunately she wasn't seriously hurt.

What amazes me is that there are two women in Sylvania Township who obviously think little of their fire department and less of the citizens it protects. They decided that they knew more about how the fire department should be staffed and equipped to save money. However, they gave up the one thing that generated revenue.

I know that soon I will be sending a check to some ambulance company, but I would much rather have sent my money to Sylvania Township for the wonderful service they provided that snowy night.

I hope that all the citizens who live, work, or simply travel through Sylvania and Sylvania Township realize what a tremendous fire department they have and how much they care about us. I only wish there were two trustees who cared about us, too.

Nathan D. Burtscher

Perrysburg

"Kids say the darndest things."

Many will remember Art Linkletter's book of this title. I was reminded of this book when I read in the Readers' Forum that a kid suggested that now that I'm 70, maybe I should give up my driving privileges.

I'm sure other readers of a certain age will have a chuckle as I did.

Jeanne Phillips-Hubay

Angola Road