Dedicated Toledo Workforce

Its nice to see that not everyone is using the cold weather as an excuse not to head out to work. While closings are rampantly streaming across the bottom of our TV screens, the thieves of Toledo are hard at work.My truck was broken into yesterday, during work hours, in the Port Lawrence parking garage downtown. Toledo thieves, undeterred by weather, are out doing their best to stimulate the underbelly of the economy.

While I applaud the thief's dedication, I question his/her talent.First, I drive an old truck. "Old" in this context does not mean "classic" or "vintage," it means crappy. A rusted out 1991 Ford Ranger to be specific. However, because the prior owner was a young kid, it did have a kickin stereo, so the choice was not completely unreasonable.I must take issue, however, with how this citizen applies his craft. I naively still expect workers to know their trade, study the masters, and apply it with journeyman skill. My thief is either an apprentice, or is resting on his laurels.Gone are the days when a man took pride in his work, sought excellence, and the results were self evident.

My salvage technician obviously has not studied the masters. He surely has not watched: The Heist, Oceans 11, 12, or 13, or The Ref; as he clearly is unaware that the goal is to steal with such precision and finesse that the mark remains unaware that they have been had for days or even weeks.Clearly, the person who is re-using my stereo did not do their homework. They obviously did not study the dashboard schematics of the Ford Ranger, and must not have called upon a collegue or former UAW Ford plant "source" who could provide them detailed diagrams of the Ford truck interior, thereby allowing him to effortlessly release the dash and remove its contents with speed and minimal effort. My recycler brutishly pried my dash from its moorings, braking it in the process, leaving clear evidence of his presence through tool marks on the trim, and even destroying his tool, lazily leaving it on my floorboard.

Additionally, he lacked the attention to detail and thoroughness required to excel in any profession. He missed several premium CD's affixed to my sun visor, including Botchelli and Dave Mathews, BOTCHELLI FOR GOD'S SAKE! With even a cursory look behind the seat it would have been clear that my speakers were ripe as fresh apples for picking, as I had not actually mounted them and they were simply resting behind the seat held in place by their magnets. Finally, the briefest glance into the glove box (step #3 in "Auto Burglary for Dummies") would have shown the treasure hunter that his new stereo included a REMOTE.

So not everyone is using the weather as a reason to rest at home on the couch watching Regis and Kelly. Some "go getters" are out braving the elements to ply their craft and provide much needed, gently used electronics, to themselves or their pawn dealer. All is not lost, Toledo does have dedicated, hard working, citizens willing to get out there and profit.

TAHL

Federal Bureaucracy - Please handle my health care!!

I received this item from the U.S. Postal Service today. The envelope contained multiple pages of material that had been ripped in two, at least two, pieces.

The clear plastic sleeve it was returned in, "WE CARE," reads:

"We sincerely regret the damage to your mail during handling by the USPS. We hope this incident did not inconvenience you." * * *

And some people want a government bureaucracy controlling health care. Can you imagine waking up to find a clear plastic sleeve taped to your body, "We sincerely regret the damage to your tissues during handling, we hope this incident did not inconvenience you." !!!!?????!!!!!

No thanks. If its all the same, I will send my mail via private carrier, and keep my health care with Blue Cross! Of course for liberals its not "all the same." Big government is the solution, after all shouldn't we be willing to trade quality for "feeling good" that everyone in America has the same postal service as me?

TAHL

Toledo as a Corporation - Solutions From the Bailout Debate?

The City of Toledo is for all intents and purposes a large corporation. The problem is the corporation is out of money and the shareholders - THE CITIZENS - are not receiving any dividends.

We heard during the bailout talk related to the Big 3 auto makers, that we should allow them to fail, forcing them into bankruptcy which would EMPOWER them to re-negotiate contracts, cut the fat, and FORCE them to be more efficient. Should the same be allowed for the City of Toledo?

Take Back Toledo efforts aside, we have a Mayor/CEO who is not effective, a form of government that needs to be changed, and a council that is stuck on the same old ways. Recently an arbitrator held the City to its contract agreements with some of the labor unions while others refused to vote to pay a portion of their members' health care premiums, as little as $55.00 per month for family coverage. Could bankruptcy be the solution to a myriad of the City's problems?

The City is facing millions in deficit, a failure of basic services, engaging in improper layoffs and contract breaches, and there are few clear solutions visible in the near future. If the City were to declare bankruptcy the Federal Court would appoint a trustee who would oversee the re-organization and restructuring of the budget, EXERCISING POWER OVER THAT OF THE MAYOR.

The trustee would have the power to force re-negotiation of contracts, cease actions by the city in the private sector which are not profitable - including; the Erie St. Market, ambulance service, towing service, and mandate the sale of city property that may be available for revenue. A trustee could direct that basic services be funded first then IF AND AS NECESSARY secondary services or programs could be funded. It may even be possible for the trustee to force a change in the form of government back to a city manager style, or at a minimum, maintain an oversight function to monitor the progress of the City through the 5 year restructuring.

Tough times call for tough measures. The contracts which exist are enforceable, rightfully so, and the unions continue to hold the city hostage to concessions. The unions will not vote to carry a larger burden even though that may cost members jobs. Most importantly,the Mayor and council are stuck to the old method of make promises, raise fees, and disenfranchise businesses and taxpayers. Bankruptcy may be the solution the City needs.

TAHL