May 8, 2008 Issue
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Classified Chestnut Hill Local Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or Winner of Two |
From our readersLUPZ performs sheepishly Sheepish would be the proper term to describe the LUPZ’s performance last Thursday, when it met to consider the variances sought by Sanjiv Jain’s Mommybar. They sheepishly listened to a presentation lacking in details, specifics and candor without objection. They sheepishly avoided asking specific questions about the nature of the liquor license sought, whether it was for beer and wine only, or for hard liquor as well (yes it is), whether a take out component was sought (yes it is), or its time of operation (8 a.m.). They were sheepishly surprised when members of the audience took it upon themselves to ask the applicant these specific questions, and sheepishly surprised when I read the official application for all these variances, including one for the building’s demolition that was included in a loose-leaf presentation booklet available for them to read. The only passion exhibited was in response to my prediction that, just like Commerce Bank, Sanjiv could demolish the building, then work from a position of strength, leaving the Hill with a hole in its middle if he didn’t get everything he wanted. This got the chairlady to go Mary Poppins ballistic, gaveling me down with an umbrella, the only percussive item at hand, but perfectly in character with the sensibilities of the committee. But the most shamefully sheepish non-act by this committee was its inability to offer any guidance to Sanjiv’s co-applicant, Rachel [Williams]. Three separate times she said she was willing to discuss the parameters of the liquor license. She said she was seeking guidance. The committee offered none. If a committee can’t offer guidance, what is its purpose? To sheepishly approve the “use,” of course, without mentioning alcohol, childcare or acknowledgement of the crowds’ objections. And so it goes, those with nerve, like Sanjiv, or Richard, or Dina steamroll us all, while the passionless, the sheepish, the ones sleepwalking through life are co-opted by their own weakness. Architects minus passion equals Symphony House. Ed (Lloyd) Feldman
Tired of Feldman Please! Do we really need a weekly dose of vituperative prose from the pen of Mr. Feldman? While the “Opinion” column is open to all, I do not think it was ever meant to serve as a permanent soap box for anyone’s acid, destructive ramblings. Instead of boring us, I would suggest that Mr. Feldman go a-blogging on the Internet. There he will undoubtedly find a kindred spirit with whom to exchange diatribes about those iniquitous Hillers. By the way, what about a moratorium on Bambi. I am running out of Kleenex. Helen M. Hayes
Congratulations new board I wish to congratulate all the new board members during this recent election. I wish you all the best of luck and I am sure you will all represent the community, their wishes and their needs. The community does need new blood and I believe that has happened when you all were selected as new board members. The very best to you during the coming three years you have inherited. Lou Aiello ll
New uniforms won’t cut it on Philly mean streets There has been talk for at least a month now about Police Commissioner Ramsey’s plans to change the uniform of the Philadelphia Police Department, especially a plan to have Sergeants wear white shirts instead of blue shirts. In light of the horrific events of this past weekend with the murder of Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski by assault weapons wielding thugs, maybe the Commissioner would consider seeing that our first response Officers are better equipped to meet this type of threat. Other major Police Departments in the country have trained and then given their officers assault rifles and shotguns in their vehicles (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, just to name a few). All of these Departments have SWAT Units, as does Philadelphia, but everyone in the Law Enforcement Community knows that it’s not SWAT that encounters these situations first, it’s the responding District Patrol Officers, and they need to be able to 1) protect themselves better, and 2) be able to better contain these situations until the arrival of SWAT, etc. This probably would not have made a difference in the ambush of Sergeant Liczbinski, but it would in many other situations. I think officer safety is more important than officer appearance in these dangerous times.
Phil Bowdren
Cheap Dummy I am offended by Mike Todd’s journalistic attempts in his April 24 column ”Over the Top” [“Doggedly determined not to be a ‘Dummy American’”]. In describing his own self-help efforts, he discovers the “For Dummies” series of books. Unfortunately, he makes the assumption that his fellow countrymen are also “dummies,” i.e. Dummy Americans. Perhaps these books are read in other countries also. What would Mr. Todd say then? Dummy French? Dummy Italians? Dummy Chinese? Having spent significant time in the academic world where there is a need to find information, one tends to go to published sources. This series “For Dummies” is often helpful in order to obtain a basic working knowledge of a variety of subjects. However, Mr. Todd goes on to postulate that there is a numerical equivalent between people who use these books and Fat Americans. This analogy exceeds the bounds of attempted humor, and in my opinion is quite offensive. Dummy American? Is he referring to mentally-challenged individuals? Check the dictionary — “dummy” means “stupid.” Is he equating this population to “Fat Americans”? Fat is a dangerous term for obesity. Obesity is a significant health issue in this country. Does the Chestnut Hill Local condone such disrespectful remarks aimed at a population with significant risk of developing life-threatening medical problems? Will Mr. Todd be making fun of people in wheelchairs next? The only dummy I see here is Mr. Todd, whose inability to find a basic dog care book, despite an afternoon of searching, is incomprehensible to anyone who spends any time at book stores. Unfortunately, this article is representative of the tone of much of Mr. Todd’s writing. You would almost certainly improve the quality of the writing in the Chestnut Hill Local by replacing him. David W. Banov, M.D.
I have to come to the defense of Jim Harris, who criticized the killing of most of the deer in the Wissahickon. In your current issue, Jim Bondelid justifies the killing, claiming that the deer would otherwise starve to death. Would Mr. Bondelid also support the killing of human beings in Africa and Asia who are literally starving to death? Furthermore, I happen to live near the park and before the killing started about five years ago, I used to see deer regularly near my house, a couple times even in my own backyard. I was thrilled to see them, and I can assure you I never saw one that was undernourished. When they were leaping and running, they looked quite healthy indeed. Many FOW types have also complained that bird populations were declining because the deer were allegedly eating food that birds would otherwise be eating. Using that logic, we should start killing all of the feral cats in the area and the pet cats who are allowed to be outdoors. Studies in England have shown that just one housecat in the wild will kill a staggering number of birds, mice, chipmunks, etc. in one year, far more than are (allegedly) deprived of food by a family of deer. Jim Harris is absolutely right. The reason the FOW uses euphemisms like “cull” and “remove” is that they are ashamed to use the accurate words like “kill.” They have taken a page from the book of the gambling industry, which always calls itself the “gaming” industry. Neither one wants to admit the ugliness of what they are really doing, so they use fake words to tell the “big lie.” Right on, Jim Harris. Doris Wagner
[RE: the May 1 speciesistic, homocentric un-deer letters from Jim Miller and Jim Bondelid] What’s in a word? Using the word “cull” to describe deer killing rather than murder, slaughter, massacre, or genocide would still denote the forced taking of life from sentient beings. Killing by any name remains most foul. It is the human animal that inflicts the most rapacious assault on the environment. Enticed by dollar signs more than necessity, humans have decimated myriad acres of trees and plant growth to build more houses, shopping centers and offices. The growth of these buildings has spawned additional traffic congestion and more tree-chopping to enlarge roads. This is lauded as progress. However, when deer and other non-human animals damage plant growth to a far lesser degree for survival — not profit — in areas that are also theirs, they are considered barbarian hordes. This is somewhat reminiscent of what was thought of the American Indians when foreigners landed on American soil and claimed the land as theirs. The Indians were rounded up and ghettoized in reservations. Those of us whose morals transcend “slaughter everything that’s in my way or that inconveniences me” know that it is not wildlife that regularly invade and destroy bucolic land; it is almost invariably the other way around. Gloria S. Feldscher
Article good for young dancers The article in this week’s paper [“Cancer can’t conquer Mt. Airy dancer/choreographer,” May 1] is great, and it always helps to boost ticket sales. I love when you put photos of the dancers in because it really helps them with college applications to have something tangible that can be viewed of all the hard work they put into their dancing. Joy Capponi, director
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