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Sunday's letters: An outsider looks into Pokemon

 
Published Aug. 12, 2016

Pokestops raise ire, legal considerations | Aug. 7

An outsider looks into Pokemon

After reading about how Pokemon Go is infiltrating public spaces, I decided to give in to our kids' incessant pleas to download the app. We then headed to Ballast Point Park one night last week to see what the hubbub was all about. I have visited Ballast Point dozens of time over the years at all hours, but the crowds this night were larger than I had ever seen.

While my two boys and our 13-year-old guest from Spain frantically ran around the park "spawning," "luring" and "hatching" Pokemon, I looked in awe at this latest craze. After about 30 minutes I asked if we had caught enough creatures, to which my 10-year-old son proclaimed, "Why would I want to leave? I'm having the best time of my life!"

I was relegated to sitting on a park bench to observe the crowds and tried to identify what these people had in common. They were males and females between the ages of 7 and 50 who spoke English or Spanish or an Asian language. They appeared to be nerdy techies, high school jocks, blue- or white-collar and they liked to travel in packs of one to five people. Some appeared to be on dates. Marketing reps for AARP and homebuilders for Sun City Center can sit this one out, but ad agencies should be salivating at this marketing opportunity.

Overall, as someone who views many recent technological innovations as a hindrance to the art of real-world human interaction, I came away thinking that this new fad has its benefits. As my Spanish guest pointed to a particularly adept multitasker with a fishing rod in one hand who was catching a Pokemon in the other, I thought that this sure beats being a couch potato.

Lyle B. Fogarty, Tampa

Boy handcuffed for making clock sues Aug. 9

Teacher was alert to threat

Ahmed Mohamed, better known as "clock boy," is the Texas high school teen who was charged with bringing a hoax bomb to school last September. The device turned out to be a homemade clock, but it resembled a potential concealed explosive device. After an investigation, criminal charges were dropped. President Barack Obama seemed to undermine the seriousness of the situation and treated the teen and his family as special guests at the White House.

Nearly a year after the incident, the family of the teen has filed a lawsuit on his behalf saying the student's civil rights were violated. Demand letters issued by Mohamed's attorneys are seeking $5 million from the Irving Independent School District and $10 million from the city of Irving, in addition to written apologies from the school district, mayor and police chief.

The reporting teacher did her job. There is a public FBI document that talks about what to look for, and many experts say that this clock resembled other dangerous explosive devices. In previous attacks, we've seen terrorists use homemade objects concealed in a similar manner, along with simpler devices such as cellphones, to create destruction.

With domestic terror attacks on the rise, there is a justified sense of alertness for any potential risk.

Michael Scott Hollash, Brandon

Economic fantasies | Aug. 10, commentary

Live within our means

A New York Times editorial appeared in Wednesday's paper. The subject was Donald Trump's tax plan and the article criticized the fact that the significant tax cuts in his plan would exact very real costs. And according to the Tax Policy Center, if elected, Trump would have to slash government spending — as though that's a bad thing. Excuse me, but the government's policy of spending of money that it doesn't have is a big part of why we are $19 trillion in debt.

It's time for someone to take charge and actually try to live within a budget by slashing expenses rather than adding to them. Real families have to do this and it's time Washington starts living the real life instead of pretending that how we're doing things can go on forever without dire financial consequences.

Marilyn Messina, Tampa

Florida Aug. 30 primary

Voters need long memories

Many of the problems in our nation, state and local communities come from poor decisions made by politicians and elected officials. The outcry from the general public is usually swift. The media is quick to identify these abuses of power and our newspapers editorial sections are kept busy with endless letters of disapproval from concerned citizens.

Unfortunately, the general public has a short memory and as time passes, we usually forget about who made these poor decisions. One terribly obtuse decision was made last year by the Hillsborough County School Board when four of the seven members on the board decided to fire superintendent MaryEllen Elia. She wasn't fired because of misconduct. She wasn't fired for mismanagement. To the contrary, Elia was highly qualified, named Florida Superintendent of the Year and was one of four finalists for the highest national award given by the School Superintendent Association in Washington, D.C. She was fired because some board members thought it was difficult to work with her.

This poor decision cost taxpayers $1.1 million, not including the headhunter fee paid to find Elia in the first place. During the primary election, let's not forget that April Griffin, Susan Valdes, Cindy Stuart and Sally Harris were the board members who were responsible for this poor decision.

Anthony Edl, Odessa

Campaign 2016

Trump's three-point plan

Donald Trump should not even be considered for president until he does three things:

• Releases his tax information;

• Brings his overseas businesses back to the United States and hires U.S. citizens;

• And learns and uses the following phrase: "Be sure brain is engaged before putting mouth in gear."

Judith Burfeindt, Port Richey