Letters for April 30, 2009

Unfair review

Re “For the dogs” (FoodFinds, April 23):

As someone who works in a family owned fine-dining restaurant in Reno and who graduated with a degree in writing and journalism from UNR, I can honestly say this was one of the most reckless and damaging reviews a journalist can write.

As we all know, the economy is hurting nearly every business (including RN&R), and it is noble to open a new restaurant in these tough times. All it takes is one irresponsible review to crush the business of a brand new family-owned restaurant.

Freeman’s is a hotdog restaurant and to complain that all they have is hotdogs is ridiculous. It is the customer’s responsibility to tell whoever served their hotdog that the bun is stale, and it will be graciously replaced. They can’t taste every bun. If someone wants celery salt, rather than bash the restaurant in a review, let the owner know and within 20 minutes he or she will run to the grocery store and get you celery salt. All you have to do is suggest this condiment. A food critic has a responsibility to both the reader and the owner of the establishment.

This review seriously damaged the potential for success that Freeman’s Natural Hotdogs had. Isn’t this the “biggest little city”? Shouldn’t we support small business and encourage their growth? I have written restaurant reviews myself, and the most important responsibility of a food critic is to go into a restaurant with an open mind. In my mind, the review was already unreliable when I read that they went in there in a “salty” mood and enjoyed the unrelenting bashing of food reviews.

Freeman’s Natural Hotdogs definitely deserves a second chance or at least a fair review from an unbiased writer.

Laurel Winterbourne
Reno

Your dollar at work

Thank you very much to Congressman Dean Heller. He is a co-sponsor of HR1207, which will audit the Federal Reserve. We would be most appreciative if Congresswomen Berkley and Titus would co-sign, too. We feel so strongly about HR1207 because in addition to our $11 trillion national debt, Congress, the Treasury Department, and the Federal Reserve have put us on the hook for almost $10 trillion in bailouts and loans. Yet, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke recently flat out said “no” to Congress when asked to name which financial institutions have received trillions of dollars in these loans from the Fed. The Federal Reserve, the unelected central bank of the United States, refuses to fully disclose its operations and agreements to Congress, including details of its deals with foreign central banks and governments. To end this secrecy and deliver answers to the American people, Congressman Ron Paul has introduced HR 1207, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act. HR 1207 will require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to perform a complete audit of the Fed by the end of 2010, reveal the details of agreements the Fed has made with foreign central banks and governments and show which banks and Wall Street firms have received our money from the Fed.

This is the most important bill currently in committee. Come election time, we will remember who supported it. We must audit the Fed!

Cynthia Kennedy
Virginia City

Abort torture

President Obama has said that America lost its moral compass because “torture” was used to obtain information that saved the lives of citizens.

Where is the president’s moral compass regarding abortion? Is a terrorist’s discomfort more important than the life of an innocent fetus? So it seems.

Bruce Feher
Las Vegas

Moral Cabela’s

Re “Cabela’s choice” (Editor’s note, March 26):

I admire Cabela’s for standing up for what they believe in.

The pressure is great in these times to conform to someone else’s morals, and if you do not, you are generally ostracized for it.

Your morals are your own. Publish your paper, believe in what you believe in, and reap your profits on Earth. That is your choice, but do not try to tell someone else that they are wrong if they do not want to support your beliefs.

If jobs are so hard to come by now, then an employee should be very careful to follow the rules and requirements of their employment. There are many others waiting in line for that same job.

Diane Centric
via www.newsreview.com

Protest everything

Last year, it was downright patriotic to protest the war, the administration and the country at large. Judging from recent comments on blogs and elsewhere, it is now an act of sedition. CNN, covering an anti-tax rally, pronounced it “anti-government” and the report “unsuitable for children” by the reporter covering the story. Can you say fascist?

In fact, Janet Napolitano, the new head of Homeland Security, released a DHS report advising law enforcement to be on the lookout for “returning soldiers” and single issue citizens like those who are pro-gun, pro-life and anti-illegal immigration as a “possible threat risk.” No evidence, of course, but just in case. Remember how outraged we were when Bush targeted anti-war protestors?

The disheartening part is that many who consider themselves “liberal/progressive” agree and don’t even see the hypocrisy. So if you’re a Faithful Farley Follower, you’ll dutifully vote the party line and not think for yourself. Or go Republican, which is now “Democrat lite.” Thomas Jefferson is believed to have said, “A revolution every 20 to 30 years was necessary to maintain the proper balance of power between The People and the government.” Who really runs this nation?

Bill Thibault
Sparks

Easy being green

Re “The Growth of Green Marketing” (Advertising supplement, April 16):

Absolutely great ad! My company, Green Home, has three great projects just about anybody can do. The idea is that it’s time to take going green to the next level! Please take a look at what we’ve done by visiting www.greenhome.com. Learn how to 1) catch rainwater, 2) start composting, and 3) plant an eco-friendly vegetable garden.

Lawrence Comras
San Francisco