Sale of Ukrop's Is Biggest Crisis of All
Editor, Times-Dispatch: We need a little perspective. We've got the economic crisis, the health care crisis, the Medicare and Social Security crisis, and the global warming crisis. But all of this pales in comparison to a possible sale of Ukrop's to Harris Teeter or whomever.
Think for a moment about the implications of all this. No more Ukrop's pound cakes. No more Ukrop's chocolate pies, lemon chess pies, or coconut cakes. No more Ukrop's fried chicken, chicken salad, or barbecue. And, if you got any Ukrop's fresh peaches this year, you can wipe that last drop of sweet nectar from your chin because there will be no more of them, either.
No more cheerful employees carrying all this stuff out to our cars, rain or shine, in return for nothing more than a simple "thank you" or "God bless." And speaking of carrying stuff, no more paper shopping bags with handles. No more low-cost cholesterol checks -- and, if there are no more Ukrop's stores, will there be no more people dressed in funny costumes running up and down Monument Avenue in the Ukrop's 10K foot races? Without the race, what's the point? It's just silly people running in and out of traffic.
This cannot be. Life simply would not be the same.
Congress Is Tinkering With Nation's Strength
Editor, Times-Dispatch: The Eskimos of long ago dealt with their aged and infirm by casting them adrift on an ice floe with a few rations. This practice was necessary -- the survival of the entire tribe was often at risk because of their inability to contribute. Today, we would consider such a practice barbaric.
We no longer live in such a primitive society. We have the capacity and compassion to treat our elderly and infirm with dignity and respect and to care for them when their health needs are the greatest.
To measure the amount of care we will offer to this group based upon a formulaic calculation, crafted under the guise of "comparative effectiveness research" (in which the cost of care provided is measured against the benefits to be derived by society), is even more barbaric given the resources we have today to combat pain and suffering.
We are a country that is neither willing nor prepared to withhold care to the most needy in our society. Our strength as a nation has been borne out of our compassion and protection for the most worthy of our strength -- those at the greatest risk of suffering and death.
Have we all gone insane? Do we honestly feel that our representatives in Congress are pursuing meaningful programs that will add value to our lives and strengthen the fabric of this nation? I fear not.
Congress must stop tinkering with the very underpinnings of our country's strength. We must speak out. For most assuredly, if we do not, there will not be enough ice floes to go around.
Baseball's Offerings Are Unbeatable
Editor, Times-Dispatch Regarding the letter from Charlie Price, "Forget About Baseball -- Its Time Has Passed": Baseball is the national pastime because it unites an area with a common rooting interest. In our case, it was the Braves, and hopefully next year it will be the Defenders or Rebels or whatever. I cannot wait for the first pitch.
As a bonus with minor league baseball, we get the best entertainment value for our money. For $20-$30, one can take the entire family to a game that is geared to families and kids, with fireworks, mascots, balloons -- the whole works. It's hard to beat.
Our Richmond Diamond is just fine for baseball now that the grounds have been repaired. A nice new facelift would be great and make it useable for other events.
Major League Baseball is attended by about 75 million fans yearly and were one to add minor league attendance, it would easily be two or three times that number. The 35 million or so that attend NFL football games pales by comparison, not to mention the $100 ticket prices.
Mark Twain said many years ago, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." The same can be said of baseball. Hopefully we will have our Richmond Rebels to cheer for next year. Maybe they will go on to win the AA championships like our Braves did.
Only God Knows Why We Must Suffer
Editor, Times-Dispatch: There is something very sad about the joint suicides of Sir Edward Downes and his devoted wife, Joan. Where is the joy in two wonderful people destroying themselves? Ailing animals are put down but God created us in His image and likeness. Can anyone imagine a God who is all-loving and omnipotent, who would not see in human suffering an echo of His suffering on the cross?
What is it about human suffering that is so terrible to the body but so meaningful to the soul? Is human suffering so bad that one can feel justified in ending an existence not earned by oneself but a gift of parents producing the body infused by God with a soul?
The soul, not being material matter in itself, must have an existence outside the body. What is the existence God has determined for our spirits and what part does suffering here on Earth play in preparing the soul for eternity? Because we are not exactly sure of the answer to "why endure suffering?" I would suggest that we trust in Him who put us here in the first place.
Joan Solari.
Richmond.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement