Criticism of critic went too far

Criticism of critic went too far

I was mildly disappointed and shocked to read the letter in last Sunday’s paper complaining about the review of the Youngstown Playhouse production of “Blithe Spirit” the prior weekend. Unless I’m mistaken, that was a very positive review. (Even the headline read: “’Blithe Spirit’ is Playhouse winner.”) It was easily the most enthusiastic Vindicator review supporting any Playhouse show all season.

The writer seemed to object to some minor constructive criticism of the show’s lead actor, seemingly forgetting that “criticism” and “review” of any show go hand in hand (or at least they should).

Surely anyone who took objection to such a positive review does not appreciate the role of a critic — to point out what is positive and what is not positive about any show. As such, I also question the Vindicator editorial department’s decision for running such a clearly biased letter against the critic in the first place.

Frank Ferguson, Brookfield

Say that again, please

We all are well aware to the fact that as we age we slowly lose a portion of our hearing. What many of us are not aware of is the fact that without taking the necessary precautions, those weekend chores or hobbies may be adding or accelerating that hearing loss.

For those of you who are currently employed you may be required to wear hearing protection at work. Loud machinery, constant industrial noise may require (OSHA) your employer to have a hearing conservation program in place. This would result in engineering out the noise, providing hearing personal protective equipment and performing annually audiometric testing. So at work you may be protected, but what about at home or during some of those weekend activities?

International Noise Awareness Day, founded by the Center for Hearing and Communication, set aside to promote awareness of the dangers of long-term exposure to noise, was Wednesday. But it’s not too late to make people aware of how loud things we encounter each day are. This exposure if not properly addressed can be very detrimental to our hearing and add to that slow reduction we experience through age.

Just go give you an idea as to how loud some things are, take a look at the following sources. Remember, noise is measured in decibels. Here is a guide to go by, normal conversation is right around 60 to 65 decibels. Anything over 85 decibels, which is referred to as the “Action Level” must be considered a concern.

Vacuum cleaner: 60 to 85 dba

Freeway traffic: 70 to 75 dba

Garbage disposal: 80 to 95 dba

Car horn: 110 dba

Lawn mower: 90 to 110 dba

Chain Saw: 90 to 110 dba

Leaf Blower: 90 to 110 dba

Rock band (local pub): 110 to 150 dba

Firearms: 140 dba

You can see that there are a number of noise sources out there which you may experience at any time.

So, how do you address these concerns and make sure that your chosen activity isn’t adding to your noise loss. Simple. Wear the proper hearing protection. Whether you chose the push in, soft molding ear plugs or the hard shell ear cups/muffs, both will provide you with the hearing protection you need. Cotton in your ears does not provide the needed protection. A good fitting ear plug or muff will reduce those dba readings by 20 to 32 dba. When purchasing ear plugs or muffs look for the NPR (Noise Reduction Rate) which should be posted on the package.

Enjoy the summer, enjoy those hobbies and chores and enjoy hearing the crack of the bat, the birds singing or your grandkids playing in the yard.

John P. Leseganich, Canfield

The writer is a Safety and Health Consultant

They were flying, flying, flying

My wife and I saw Peter Pan performed at Boardman High School recently, and we were amazed by the talent of the students and the brilliant choreography and direction of the production.

Congratulations to Director David Mullane and the other teachers and staff that put this production together. The musical was of a professional level in all aspects.

We couldn’t believe how gracefully the actors flew about on stage, and the excellent sound quality and other technical elements of the production. What amazing talent we have in our area. Great job, BHS theater department.

Jim Petuch, Boardman

Where was the MYCAP board

I am very much enlightened by the reporting done by your paper.

The MYCAP mess is just that — a mess. Where was the board prior to this mess? Why was the chairman so silent until conferring with an attorney? Was an attorney present when given the position? Was an attorney present when fulfilling the duties of the position? Many of these board members have been public servants and knew or should have known just what their responsibilities were. Where were they while all this has been going on?

My concern is just this: Who makes these appointments for these agencies? I know council positions are elected positions; yet, the voting public of the second ward needs to consider whether or not this is behavior they approve. We all need to know who and why appointments are made to persons incapable of governance. It would appear that some of these board members have no handle on governance.

We as the voting public need to keep our eyes open wide on those we elect and pay close scrutiny to any and all appointments.

DELORES T. WOMACK, Youngstown