"A Few Good Men," First Punch, November 14
Almost anywhere but here will do: I'm not surprised that Cleveland has become a prime recruiting ground for employers throughout the country. A nearly lifelong Northeast Ohioan, I left for South Dakota a couple of years ago and have no intention of ever returning. When South Dakota is economically, politically, and socially more attractive than Ohio (particularly Northeast Ohio), you know you have a problem.
When there are no jobs, or the only jobs available truly suck and there's no security, and you spend your days getting far more calls from creditors and the bloodsucking collection agencies (who couldn't care less that you don't have a job and absolutely no money; they just want to make their cut off your misery and misfortune) than you do potential employers, and when you see no changes to that situation anytime in even the distant future, and when there's a pervasive, consuming, and negative attitude and malaise in the area, why bother to stick around anymore?
People wonder if I still feel guilty about leaving or if I miss Ohio, and the truth is no. So I don't blame anyone for wanting to leave and taking steps to leave. The only industries that are going to see any kind of growth in Northeast Ohio are collection agencies and the repo men. Oh, yes, and the real-estate ghouls who are making a killing off taking people's foreclosed houses. Mustn't forget those vultures.
I love it here in South Dakota. Fresh, clean air; wide-open prairies with a sky that you can actually see, since it isn't covered up by pollution and industry; lower traffic, congestion, and crime; much lower cost of living; thriving job markets and economies; much lower tolerance for corruption, incompetence, and ineptitude in leaders and officials; much more positive, upbeat people, etc., etc., etc.
Lisa Lynott Carroll
McLaughlin, South Dakota
Sterile Environments
He can't conceive of worse health facilities: I think the article was well written, and it shows how the medical profession can escape responsibility and ruin a decent family's life.
Hillcrest Hospital and Cleveland Clinic need to step up and take responsibility here. I cannot believe that Breckenridge Village Nursing Home in Willoughby can do what they did with all the laws to protect pregnant working females. Why aren't the politicians who put those laws in effect coming to their rescue? It shows how the laws protect only a chosen few.
Breckenridge is a rotten organization. They could have kept her on the books, at least, and let her return after the baby was born. I will never allow my loved ones to live there, as I was considering sending my mother there. And Dr. Rao is wrong and needs to pay for the Cleveland Clinic's screwup. This family is in need right now.
The reporter did an excellent job. Wake up, Cleveland Clinic and Breckenridge. You did a horrible thing.
William Jennings
Mayfield Heights
"Pragmatic Racism," November 28
Not in My Hood
Tower City targets adults as well as kids: I was in Tower City yesterday. It looks like a ghost town now. I'm 43 years old and used to relax there after seeing my 17-year-old off to school. He isn't one of the kids that Tower City is talking about, thank God. Every time he goes in there, I'm with him.
Tower City has something new now: You can't wear hoods. I was standing in McDonald's line, and a mountain climber — that's what my mom and I call the security guards — asked me to remove my hood. Now they are targeting the adults.
I'm a black woman, and I kind of figure it this way: When the wind blows, 90 percent of black people put on their hats or hoods. So that's the reason for the hood rule.
True, the kids are sometimes loud and in big groups, but I would have asked them nicely to please try to keep the talking down a little bit — there's older people here — and you kids have a nice day.
Hopefully, Tower City's sales won't be what they used to be; then maybe they will have a change of heart. Black kids spend a fortune on shoes, clothes, cell phones, and jewelry. That's where Tower City is getting about 50 percent of its money.
Joan Moore
Cleveland
"Hunting the White Buffalo," October 24
Bah-Bahd Press
Can't pull the wool over his eyes: What kind of B.S. are you dumb-asses trying to make the sheep believe? Hitler was dead long before anhydrous ammonia was synthesized. That in itself makes your whole story a loser.
Steve Haffke
Buena Park, California
"Celebrity Fantasy Leagues," November 28
Reese Cupcake
Where Witherspoon goes, Jake will follow — maybe: I just read your article mentioning Jake Gyllenhaal. As someone who grew up in Cleveland and now resides in New Mexico, I need to tell you that Amy Porach (of Cleveland) just called me and said that Jake was checkin' her out on the set of Brothers.
She is doing a scene with Jake, and she has the Reese look, so maybe he just likes blondes who look a little like Reese. However, maybe the Hollywood hype is at work because of the movie Reese and he did in South Africa, and they are really not together, as the publicity wants us to think. Otherwise, why would he be checking out Amy?
Donna Novak-Martin
Albuquerque
