It's been too long since I've been to the Dawn and this story has me thinking it's time to remedy that -- and soon! Every meal I've ever had there was delicious and the service was exceptional. My favorite dish there -- and I know this isn't what they're famous for and will make most people go "ewww!" (and think I'm nuts) -- is their liver and onions.
If they did shut their doors over something that's already been in place in several states without all this hoo-hah (it's just now being taken nationwide) that would show that they're commitment to those they serve isn't as great as a silly and outdated practice that many of their faithful ignore.
I highly doubt they'd close up their hospitals -- they're too big of a cash cow for them. Look around and you won't see many new Catholic churches being built -- if anything, they're closing and consolidating them -- but they sure do spend a lot of dough on new hospital wings (and new hospitals... St. E's in Boardman, for example). They wouldn't be doing that unless they were making some good money from them.
"Seperation of Church and State gives the Church freedom to practice its beliefs even if the government disagrees with those beliefs."
On this point, I agree totally, but I'd add that it also gives individuals the right and freedom to *not* practice those beliefs. I can see where a church has the right to dictate certain things to *direct* employees as a condition of employment (i.e. church secretary, choir director, church daycare employment) because those employees most likely are there because they share the beliefs and mission the church stands for and play an active part in sharing those beliefs. But in a church-owned quasi-business that employs people of various faiths (or no faith) to perform essentially secular tasks -- an accountant, a doctor, a nurse -- and serves a public made up of various faiths, a public whose tax money makes up a significant portion of that hospital or university (or whatever's) revenues through Medicare/Medicaid, property tax abatements, and so forth -- then I believe the church has to play by the same rules as strictly secular businesses. Otherwise, all you have to do is slap a religious symbol on the front door of your business, then declare your business is church-affiliated and therefore exempt from whatever government mandated rules and guidelines you disagree with.
If churches are going to conduct business in the secular world -- and compete with secular businesses -- they need to follow the same rules. They can preach all they want, but they should have to offer the same benefits and rules secular firms are required to comply with.
What about women who are prescribed "the pill" for medical reasons aside from preventing pregnancy, such as regulating menstrual cycles or treating hormonal imbalances? Are they to be denied prescribed medication because that medication also happens to prevent pregnancy?
I just love it how a bunch of supposedly celibate old men in the Vatican can use a questionable interpretation of Bible verse to tell that they're not permitted to practice contraception. Most Christian denominations have no such "laws" regarding contraception. A recent poll showed 99% of women in general and 98% of Catholic women have no problem with the pill or with contraception in general. The poll is not implying that 99% or 98% of women actually *take* the pill -- just that they believe women should have access to it.
As for the men who are against the pill on religious grounds, you're going to have to stop playing with your privates because "spilling your seed" is specifically mentioned as a no-no according to the Bible. And here's another church law to consider: according to Catholic doctrine, sexual intercourse is ONLY to be engaged in by married couples for the express purpose of procreation. I find it very hard to believe there are many people who have lived up to that requirement. Spouses engaging in sex just for fun? Those old farts in Rome say you better stop it and get your butt to confession or you'll be in for a *very* hot time when kick the bucket.
I'd also point out that the headline reads SOME, not ALL business owners say the hike is forcing cuts. I'd imagine *most* if not all business owners would rather see the minimum wage rolled back to $5.35 or whatever it was (or eliminated altogether), but they've accepted it as an inevitable business expense and carry on.
How can the cost of doing business in Ohio be rising faster than the cost of living? Don't blame the minimum wage, because the minimum wage is directly tied to the cost of living. Feel free to blame taxes. Or blame rising transportation costs -- how much more is a gallon of gas today than a year ago? Did you ever stop to think that *employees* are *also* having to deal with rising costs?
I work for myself and my costs of doing business have shot up year after year and it's most definitely *not* because of rising minimum wages. It's because lumber costs more. Advertising costs more. Gas costs more. Utilities cost more. Office supplies, tools, steel-toed boots, you name it -- everything costs more. I can't think of a single thing that costs less.
Businesses may be feeling the pain of higher costs, but so are their employees. You want someone to show up for work when they can't afford to put gas in their car? Assuming they can afford to insure and maintain a car? Let alone own a car?
And maybe people don't want to pay $5.00 for a plate of spaghetti because they could make that same plate at home for $0.50 (and probably better). Or maybe it's because their employer is too cheap to pay them a fair wage for an honest day's work, so they can't afford to take the family out and spend $5.00/plate (plus $1.50 for each soft drink, plus tax and tip and the gas to get there -- and that's assuming they didn't order a salad).
I'm sorry, but sometimes the "logic" used here just amazes me.
I can understand the plight of small business owners (I have a *very* small business with three employees -- me, myself and I) and know very well that costs are very important and I do my best to keep them as low as possible. But I also know that more important than costs are the quality of your product or service, the ability to market your business well, and how well you provide customer service.
There are lots of pizza shops in this area that do very well (at least from outside appearances). If they're able to do well in this economy, what's the matter with this particular shop? I've never eaten there, so I can't speak to the quality of food or service, the "ambience" or whether their pricing is competitive, but I highly doubt it's the minimum wage bringing them down. Sure, it can be a contributing factor, but if they're running a business based solely on containing costs, they probably shouldn't be running a business.
Just my two cents. Now back to work for me -- I have a business to run. :-)
@Freeatlast... trust me, this ain't my first rodeo. ;-)
I wouldn't go so far as to call anyone "stupid" though. I think it's more productive (and conducive to civil discourse) to attack positions, not people. Of course, not everyone practices that, but I've got pretty thick skin.
Jessie, I almost always take my own advice (for good or bad) because when I take the advice of others, it's usually to their benefit, not mine. Whatever your bone to pick with Hagan is your bone to pick. Pick away. I don't have any problem with him and until he does something that pi$$es me off, I won't have a problem. As for the "kiss my union a$$"... just remember that if it weren't for the unions, we'd all be serfs indentured to the Carnegies and Rockefellers and other barons/tycoons/monopolists of their sort. If you want to live in a company house in a company town and shop at company stores, that's your business.
If my a$$ was union, I'd be more than happy to tell folks to kiss it. In fact, I'd love to unionize and tell my boss to kiss it, but I'm self-employed and not that limber.
But back to the brine wells and fracking... from what I saw of Hagan on the news today, he's not proposing an end to the practice, but a moratorium *until* we know the facts about its environmental impact. Emphasis on "until". Not an end to the practice. Just a pause. And a much needed and necessary pause, in my opinion.
As far as I'm concerned, everyone here (including me) doesn't have a clue FOR SURE whether the quakes are due to the injection well or not. We all have our suspicions and opinions (it's the wells or it's not the wells). But I'm not a geologist or seismologist (and I'll bet you're not either), so all the "science" being bandied about here is irrelevant and mostly baseless.
My argument is that D&L *and* the state need to put the brakes on this, take a step back and let actual *geologists* figure out what's causing the quakes -- using science, not opinion or hunches or conjecture. Is it the wells? Is it just nature running its course? Is it a combination of the two? Is it something else entirely? I'm not qualified to definitively answer those questions and neither are you, so please quit acting like you are.
In the meantime, if you fancy yourself an armchair geologist or seismologist, it would be most useful and honest if you would preface any comments with "I don't know jack, but this is what I think". And please stop using this as an excuse to bash either Democrats/Liberals or Republicans/Conservatives. That's counterproductive and childish. Grow up or shut up. This is an issue that affects all of us who live here -- Dems and Republicans and Independents alike -- so please leave your party affiliations and canned vitriol at the door.
I think it's safe to say that every one of us in this community would like to see the prosperity this industry could bring to our Valley become manifest, but not all of us are willing to just let the industry run rampant over us and our environment for the sake of a few jobs and unknown tax revenue. And for the record, I'm no "tree hugger". I'm a woodworker. I cut up trees and use them to make things, but I recognize and respect the value of our natural resources -- because without trees I'd be out of business.
No matter where you happen to sit on the political spectrum, I think we all just want the TRUTH. Not third-hand rumors or "I Googled it", or "I saw it on CNN or Fox or whatever so it must be so". Do you honestly think you can get all the answers with a few clicks of the mouse when people literally spend their lifetimes studying this stuff and *still* don't have all the answers?
If you want to do something positive, pressure D&L and the state to bring in INDEPENDENT, accredited, above-the-fray-and-the-bias geologists and seismologists and others with related expertise so that we can get a true account of what exactly the problem is and what can be done to remedy it -- as in how we can extract the fuel without destroying ourselves and our environment.
Golden Dawn still glitters on the North Side
It's been too long since I've been to the Dawn and this story has me thinking it's time to remedy that -- and soon! Every meal I've ever had there was delicious and the service was exceptional. My favorite dish there -- and I know this isn't what they're famous for and will make most people go "ewww!" (and think I'm nuts) -- is their liver and onions.
April 29, 2012 at 8:32 a.m. permalink suggest removal
First Amendment freedoms don’t place churches above the law
If they did shut their doors over something that's already been in place in several states without all this hoo-hah (it's just now being taken nationwide) that would show that they're commitment to those they serve isn't as great as a silly and outdated practice that many of their faithful ignore.
I highly doubt they'd close up their hospitals -- they're too big of a cash cow for them. Look around and you won't see many new Catholic churches being built -- if anything, they're closing and consolidating them -- but they sure do spend a lot of dough on new hospital wings (and new hospitals... St. E's in Boardman, for example). They wouldn't be doing that unless they were making some good money from them.
February 20, 2012 at 5:49 p.m. permalink suggest removal
First Amendment freedoms don’t place churches above the law
"Seperation of Church and State gives the Church freedom to practice its beliefs even if the government disagrees with those beliefs."
On this point, I agree totally, but I'd add that it also gives individuals the right and freedom to *not* practice those beliefs. I can see where a church has the right to dictate certain things to *direct* employees as a condition of employment (i.e. church secretary, choir director, church daycare employment) because those employees most likely are there because they share the beliefs and mission the church stands for and play an active part in sharing those beliefs. But in a church-owned quasi-business that employs people of various faiths (or no faith) to perform essentially secular tasks -- an accountant, a doctor, a nurse -- and serves a public made up of various faiths, a public whose tax money makes up a significant portion of that hospital or university (or whatever's) revenues through Medicare/Medicaid, property tax abatements, and so forth -- then I believe the church has to play by the same rules as strictly secular businesses. Otherwise, all you have to do is slap a religious symbol on the front door of your business, then declare your business is church-affiliated and therefore exempt from whatever government mandated rules and guidelines you disagree with.
If churches are going to conduct business in the secular world -- and compete with secular businesses -- they need to follow the same rules. They can preach all they want, but they should have to offer the same benefits and rules secular firms are required to comply with.
February 20, 2012 at 4:19 p.m. permalink suggest removal
First Amendment freedoms don’t place churches above the law
What about women who are prescribed "the pill" for medical reasons aside from preventing pregnancy, such as regulating menstrual cycles or treating hormonal imbalances? Are they to be denied prescribed medication because that medication also happens to prevent pregnancy?
I just love it how a bunch of supposedly celibate old men in the Vatican can use a questionable interpretation of Bible verse to tell that they're not permitted to practice contraception. Most Christian denominations have no such "laws" regarding contraception. A recent poll showed 99% of women in general and 98% of Catholic women have no problem with the pill or with contraception in general. The poll is not implying that 99% or 98% of women actually *take* the pill -- just that they believe women should have access to it.
As for the men who are against the pill on religious grounds, you're going to have to stop playing with your privates because "spilling your seed" is specifically mentioned as a no-no according to the Bible. And here's another church law to consider: according to Catholic doctrine, sexual intercourse is ONLY to be engaged in by married couples for the express purpose of procreation. I find it very hard to believe there are many people who have lived up to that requirement. Spouses engaging in sex just for fun? Those old farts in Rome say you better stop it and get your butt to confession or you'll be in for a *very* hot time when kick the bucket.
February 20, 2012 at 1:18 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Some business owners say minimum wage hike forcing cuts
I'd also point out that the headline reads SOME, not ALL business owners say the hike is forcing cuts. I'd imagine *most* if not all business owners would rather see the minimum wage rolled back to $5.35 or whatever it was (or eliminated altogether), but they've accepted it as an inevitable business expense and carry on.
January 21, 2012 at 11:17 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Some business owners say minimum wage hike forcing cuts
How can the cost of doing business in Ohio be rising faster than the cost of living? Don't blame the minimum wage, because the minimum wage is directly tied to the cost of living. Feel free to blame taxes. Or blame rising transportation costs -- how much more is a gallon of gas today than a year ago? Did you ever stop to think that *employees* are *also* having to deal with rising costs?
I work for myself and my costs of doing business have shot up year after year and it's most definitely *not* because of rising minimum wages. It's because lumber costs more. Advertising costs more. Gas costs more. Utilities cost more. Office supplies, tools, steel-toed boots, you name it -- everything costs more. I can't think of a single thing that costs less.
Businesses may be feeling the pain of higher costs, but so are their employees. You want someone to show up for work when they can't afford to put gas in their car? Assuming they can afford to insure and maintain a car? Let alone own a car?
And maybe people don't want to pay $5.00 for a plate of spaghetti because they could make that same plate at home for $0.50 (and probably better). Or maybe it's because their employer is too cheap to pay them a fair wage for an honest day's work, so they can't afford to take the family out and spend $5.00/plate (plus $1.50 for each soft drink, plus tax and tip and the gas to get there -- and that's assuming they didn't order a salad).
I'm sorry, but sometimes the "logic" used here just amazes me.
January 20, 2012 at 3:05 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Some business owners say minimum wage hike forcing cuts
I can understand the plight of small business owners (I have a *very* small business with three employees -- me, myself and I) and know very well that costs are very important and I do my best to keep them as low as possible. But I also know that more important than costs are the quality of your product or service, the ability to market your business well, and how well you provide customer service.
There are lots of pizza shops in this area that do very well (at least from outside appearances). If they're able to do well in this economy, what's the matter with this particular shop? I've never eaten there, so I can't speak to the quality of food or service, the "ambience" or whether their pricing is competitive, but I highly doubt it's the minimum wage bringing them down. Sure, it can be a contributing factor, but if they're running a business based solely on containing costs, they probably shouldn't be running a business.
Just my two cents. Now back to work for me -- I have a business to run. :-)
January 20, 2012 at 12:40 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Ohio bans injection wells near D&L site in Youngstown
@Freeatlast... trust me, this ain't my first rodeo. ;-)
I wouldn't go so far as to call anyone "stupid" though. I think it's more productive (and conducive to civil discourse) to attack positions, not people. Of course, not everyone practices that, but I've got pretty thick skin.
January 2, 2012 at 10 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Ohio bans injection wells near D&L site in Youngstown
"So please take some of your own good advice."
Jessie, I almost always take my own advice (for good or bad) because when I take the advice of others, it's usually to their benefit, not mine. Whatever your bone to pick with Hagan is your bone to pick. Pick away. I don't have any problem with him and until he does something that pi$$es me off, I won't have a problem. As for the "kiss my union a$$"... just remember that if it weren't for the unions, we'd all be serfs indentured to the Carnegies and Rockefellers and other barons/tycoons/monopolists of their sort. If you want to live in a company house in a company town and shop at company stores, that's your business.
If my a$$ was union, I'd be more than happy to tell folks to kiss it. In fact, I'd love to unionize and tell my boss to kiss it, but I'm self-employed and not that limber.
But back to the brine wells and fracking... from what I saw of Hagan on the news today, he's not proposing an end to the practice, but a moratorium *until* we know the facts about its environmental impact. Emphasis on "until". Not an end to the practice. Just a pause. And a much needed and necessary pause, in my opinion.
January 1, 2012 at 6:56 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Ohio bans injection wells near D&L site in Youngstown
As far as I'm concerned, everyone here (including me) doesn't have a clue FOR SURE whether the quakes are due to the injection well or not. We all have our suspicions and opinions (it's the wells or it's not the wells). But I'm not a geologist or seismologist (and I'll bet you're not either), so all the "science" being bandied about here is irrelevant and mostly baseless.
My argument is that D&L *and* the state need to put the brakes on this, take a step back and let actual *geologists* figure out what's causing the quakes -- using science, not opinion or hunches or conjecture. Is it the wells? Is it just nature running its course? Is it a combination of the two? Is it something else entirely? I'm not qualified to definitively answer those questions and neither are you, so please quit acting like you are.
In the meantime, if you fancy yourself an armchair geologist or seismologist, it would be most useful and honest if you would preface any comments with "I don't know jack, but this is what I think". And please stop using this as an excuse to bash either Democrats/Liberals or Republicans/Conservatives. That's counterproductive and childish. Grow up or shut up. This is an issue that affects all of us who live here -- Dems and Republicans and Independents alike -- so please leave your party affiliations and canned vitriol at the door.
I think it's safe to say that every one of us in this community would like to see the prosperity this industry could bring to our Valley become manifest, but not all of us are willing to just let the industry run rampant over us and our environment for the sake of a few jobs and unknown tax revenue. And for the record, I'm no "tree hugger". I'm a woodworker. I cut up trees and use them to make things, but I recognize and respect the value of our natural resources -- because without trees I'd be out of business.
No matter where you happen to sit on the political spectrum, I think we all just want the TRUTH. Not third-hand rumors or "I Googled it", or "I saw it on CNN or Fox or whatever so it must be so". Do you honestly think you can get all the answers with a few clicks of the mouse when people literally spend their lifetimes studying this stuff and *still* don't have all the answers?
If you want to do something positive, pressure D&L and the state to bring in INDEPENDENT, accredited, above-the-fray-and-the-bias geologists and seismologists and others with related expertise so that we can get a true account of what exactly the problem is and what can be done to remedy it -- as in how we can extract the fuel without destroying ourselves and our environment.
January 1, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. permalink suggest removal