Letters for May 20, 2004

I was a little disappointed in your review of Nu Yalk Pizza.

I think it’s the best pizza I have ever tasted, but I’ve never been to New York. I’m a sauce guy, not a crust guy.

I hope N.Y.P. comes out with a $7 off coupon soon. You get what you pay for.

I loved your sentence, “Everyone surmised that under normal circumstances, i.e., fresh out of the oven, it might taste better.” That’s like saying, “Honey, the steak is great, but can you cook it next time?”

Have your co-workers try it hot out of the oven next time and see what their response is.

I guess the fact that they have been there since 1978 should account for something. Like Yogi Berra once said, “No one goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”

P.S. I love soggy crust.

John Geyer
Reno

Exercise is a panacea
The cure for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is exercise. Kids of any activity level need to tune or detune to a level that is normal. People have always had different active levels. In the past, overactive kids took two more laps around the block on their tricycles. It was common for my generation to walk home from school, play three hours of unsupervised sports, have dinner, and go play three more hours. Today, kids are driven to school, eat snacks and watch or play the TV.

This has created a new medical industry. The current treatment for ADHD is a pill and some behavior modification. Drug companies are the leading profiteers with doctors, pharmacists, psychiatrists, schools, teachers and parents all in collusion. The downside of this industry is child drug abuse. I have seen the comatose state of a healthy child who has been given a stimulant drug and then been made to sit still. When I am over- or underactive, a walk or run sets me straight. Are there case studies that can back this up? No, it’s just too simple. Allow your child the freedom to burn his natural energy freely; it is the cure. Exercise is a wonderful tool. Perhaps it’s the cure-all.

Michael Ahles
Reno

Little help for anorexics
Re “The end result is death” (RN&R, News, April 8):

We were upset by the claim that there are “many places” where teens can go for help in Reno. Though many of the listed resources are proficient in assisting other teen-related issues, we contacted the listed resources and others and were unable to gain much helpful information regarding eating disorders. Our extensive research found that there are, contrary to what your article said, very few local resources. There are only about two specialists in town, who charge $100-150 per 45-minute session, and the few support groups available are mainly geared toward older women and women who over-eat, which excludes teens and anorexics.

We were also upset to see that a defunct Web site was listed. UNR’s Teen On-Line Directory (TOLD) appears to be inactive, and we weren’t able to find the list of resources it claimed to have, even through multiple links. When we contacted the local Crisis Call Center, we were given the name of an expensive specialist and a national Web site that offers no resources in our community. In an attempt to research beyond your article’s list, we were mortified to find that even our local mental hospital, West Hills, fails to provide inpatient care for struggling anorexics and bulimics. Because 20 percent of people with a serious eating disorder die, this is not an issue that should be regarded lightly and given little research. The pain, obsession and guilt associated with these diseases require lengthy treatment, and we call out to our community to offer more to assist in this growing problem.

Daelynn Ogden and Amy Spitzer
via e-mail

Equal pay for equal competition
Recently the differences in pay between male and female employees, especially in Nevada, have been big news. It seems this is also the case with athletes, in Nevada again. On May 15-16 at the Reno River Festival, $2,000 was awarded for top male and $1,500 for top female in the freestyle competition. Second and third prizes were adjusted the same. This aggravates me. Who awards the prize money? The sport, competition requirements, and audience are all the same, so why the difference? I’m sure the female athletes try as hard, if not harder, than the males, and yet they are not compensated the same. This is sexual discrimination. Both male and female competitors were invited to participate, but the females may think twice before returning to Reno if given a better opportunity elsewhere.

Ann Bollinger
via e-mail