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Letters to the Editor

Author Mike McFadden.
Jim Hufnagel protesting the governor.
Pat Scrufari, a man greatly beloved.
Kevin Orsmby.

Author Rebuts Secondhand Smoke 'Dangers'

Your article on casino smoking opens with the opinion that the Seneca casino "reeks like an ashtray" and then goes on, much later, to complain that other casinos, not exempt from the ban, would "operate under a disadvantage from the start."

So which is it? Are you saying that most casino-goers like a place that "reeks like an ashtray?" Or are you perhaps exaggerating the conditions at the Seneca casino out of the simple reflex of having that phrase and image pumped into your head a thousand times over by the 500 million dollars a year the MSA pumps into the tobacco control industry?

You talk about the employees "forced to work" at the casino. I think the police should be called in to free those workers and send their captors to jail. Slavery is unconstitutional in this country, particularly if, as you note in the article, "the majority of (them) are not Indians." I guess if they fired all their non-Indian workers and hired only Indians you feel your argument would be weaker?

Yes, New York allows smoking in the casinos because of the millions pouring into the state coffers. No, the "losers" are “not" the employees -- they'd be the losers if the ban was enforced (to the casino's disadvantage -- as you freely admitted) and they were out of a job altogether. Of course they'd then be spared breathing secondhand smoke, but more significantly, they'd be spared breathing all the airborne germs and viruses they are "forced to endure" from all those customers. They could safely join the ranks of those sitting home after the State ban law closed down hundreds (thousands?) of bars because the little bar owners and workers didn't have the same political and monetary clout as the casinos.

There's no sound reason for smoking bans in establishments with decent ventilation and air filtration. The air in such places could actually be made safer, overall, than the air in nonsmoking venues with poor ventilation that passes unnoticed because there's no smoke in the air. Claims to the contrary are almost always based upon studies using unrealistically high smoke concentrations or upon statistics based in the smoky 1940s through 1980s before "air quality concerns" were given any real attention.

Michael J. McFadden

Author of "TobakkoNacht -- The Antismoking Endgame"

http://TobakkoNacht.com

*****

Your Secondhand Smoke Article was BS

Someday, I'm going to wake up to a world without bullshit, but

apparently not on this planet.

In it 1992 report the EPA classified secondhand smoke, a Class

A carcinogen, but you failed to mention that Judge Osteen tore

the report to shreds and showed it up for the crap it was.

Or how about this?:

Anti-smoking crusader Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, a world-class epidemiologist (Harvard/Yale), president of the American Council on Science and Health, said at the time the New York City smoking ban went into effect (speaking for herself and her Council of 380 scientists): "There is simply no convincing evidence linking secondhand smoke to lung cancer and heart disease;" "there is no evidence that any New Yorker -- patron or employee -- has ever died as a result of exposure to smoke in a bar or restaurant;" and "the link between secondhand smoke and premature death is a real stretch." Moreover, Dr. Phillippe Even, a world-renowned pulmonologist and past president of the prestigious Research Institute Necker, stated flatly that bans on smoking in public places the psychosis, he calls it are based on "Absolutely nothing!"

All of which (and there's much, much more, because, believe it

or not, there really are a few knowledgeable, honest people around)

makes you either a dupe or a propagandist. Which is it, sir?

Harry O'Brien

*****

Hufnagel, Very Far, Way too Far to the Zany, Crazy Left

You have a columnist writing for your paper, James (Jim) Hufnagel, who is an extreme liberal member of the Green Party supporting gay rights/marriage, bizarre environmental issues and animal rights over people's rights. Check out his Facebook page and posts. In his mind President Obama and the government can do no wrong and, to him, big government, and reliance on it by people, is great.

I would advertise, along with several of my business associates in the community (we all talk and I know of other businesses with the same thought), but will not even consider it with your use of such a bizarre individual acting as a columnist for your paper.

It reflects directly upon you.

Anonymous

[Editor's Note: At least he signs his name to his work.]

*****

Picture in Bad Taste

You have published what had no bearing on this election. The picture that was on your October 29-November 6 edition, Vol. 14, No. 43 last week came as a great shock and with great sadness. I had never looked at any pictures like that of my best friend, best man of my wedding and God Father to my son - Pat Scrufari - being pulled out of Hyde Park Lake dead. Not only was my whole family devastated by Pat's drowning, this horrific incident was then used for political trash!!

The firemen who tried to save my friend are beyond heroes to risk their lives as they did and honor is not even good enough to express what I feel for them. They were the last to see my friend alive and they tried so hard to save him.

Picking up the Reporter, seeing my friends' face - glasses still on - laying on his back and two heroes in the water with him - the look on Chloe's face holding her masters glove knowing it was her master in trouble trying to save her -just ripped me apart!

It's with a great deal of saddened disappointment that I would ask you to please refrain from using such a horrible accident to set some kind of point. There are people that have now been hurt again and don't deserve to be for political purposes...are there no ground rules, how low can politics and news get? Enough is enough!

As for a great man and my best friend, Pat Scrufari: Rest in Peace my friend... We miss you.

With Saddened Disappointment,

Bruce G. Stenzel Lewiston, NY

*****

Just Me

Good article on the (Niagara County Jail) inmate phones. LOVE the part where the mummy was whining about the cost (of county jail phones) and then compared it to the cost of the State prison phone rates... Her boys sure have her educated on the system costs! I really am ROTFLMAO!* What a GOOD mummy!

FUBAR

i_am_fubar@aol.com

(Editor's note: * ROTFLMAO is an acronym for: Rolling On the Floor Laughing My Ass Off.

*****

NTCC Infomercial an embarrassment

Today I had the pleasure, or I thought, to watch an infomercial on Niagara USA. My home town. The half-hour piece ran on a Columbus, Oh., channel on Sunday.

To say I was embarrassed would be an understatement. It was 1/2 hour of garbage.

This piece was so unprofessional it was unbelievable. If the producers believed that what they produced would bring one person or family to Niagara, they are mistaken.

To denigrate this work would be wrong, but to praise it stupid. I am not going to get into the mistakes as there were too many. A rank amateur could have done a much better job. But if tax dollars were spent on this project someone was short changed. And to top it all off, the producers actually did a promo at the end about themselves, telling their audience how great they are.

I would hope that the Editors of the Reporter, as well City Council and Mayor review this piece and have it done properly before it goes out again.

I guess the biggest concern was why would you spend this many dollars to lure families to Niagara Falls when school has begun and families are finished with their vacations.

Will things ever change in Niagara Falls? Unfortunately, I don't believe so. Too bad.

Bill Doody

Columbus, Ohio

*****

Subject of City Hall Article Discusses Gender Bias

I want to thank the Reporter for addressing the issue of alleged gender bias in their November 12 edition. There are several key facts that the Reporter didn't mention, facts they were unaware of.

In 2008 I was fortunate to serve as chairman of the Niagara Falls Democratic Committee, and as brief as my tenure was, it allowed me to publicly demonstrate my commitment to gender equality.

As chairman I moved to endorse Diane Vitello for City Court Judge. I then coordinated an event that was long overdue: a fundraiser to demonstrate appreciation for Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. The fundraiser was a success in spite of the fact that some disgruntled committee members refused to participate. An action aimed at the chairman, an action that only served to demonstrate a lack of political maturity on the part of the discontented.

I then worked to endorse Cindy Lou Joyce for Niagara County Coroner. I felt it was important - in view of the fact that Cindy Lou was the best qualified Democratic candidate -for the committee to endorse and elect the first female coroner in the history of Niagara County.

Powerful interests on the city committee demanded that I abandon Cindy Lou and support their preferred male coroner candidate. Surprisingly, many women on the committee (one of them being the spouse of a local elected official) demonstrably preferred the male candidate over Cindy Lou Joyce and vigorously let me know that. The end of this story is that Cindy Lou was endorsed and became the county's first female coroner. I was vilified by the powers that be and my term as chairman was cut short for daring to challenge the status quo. I have never regretted endorsing Cindy Lou Joyce.

So, anyone that wishes to portray me as the beneficiary (beneficiary by accident or design) of gender bias is simply wrong. My public record demonstrates a personal commitment to equality, be it gender equality, or other.

Kevin J. Ormsby

Secretary to the Niagara Falls City Council

(Editor's note: With the election of a new council majority, it will come as no surprise to the Niagara Falls Reporter if a new council secretary is hired and Ormsby is fired. If that is the case, Ormsby will not be unemployed long. The Reporter would welcome Ormsby on board as a full time editor and reporter and assign to him a city hall beat. With his writing ability, experience and knowledge of this city, his services would be more valuable as a reporter to the people of this community about what is going on at city hall than it might be as an unappreciated, underpaid and underutilized talent at city hall.)

 

 

Niagara Falls Reporter - Publisher Frank Parlato Jr. www.niagarafallsreporter.com

Nov 12, 2013