Letters

True blood

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

Last week, I wrote a little bit about my problems with trying to go on statins at my doctor’s request. Statins are supposed to reduce blood fats and cholesterol. As I’ve written many times, I also have elevated blood glucose levels, which pushed me toward diabetes.

Well, it didn’t take long for some of my readers to comment on my diet choices. I’m basically a carnivore. I’ve written about the low-carb lifestyle more times than I can remember. People who’ve actually seen me eat a meat lunch have often remarked on it. “Ah ha!” a few claimed after my Editor’s Note came out, oozing schadenfreude. “This is proof your immoral, animal-based diet is killing you.”

I don’t believe so, and I’m putting it to the test. I believe that it was my slacking off from my disciplined diet that elevated my triglyceride numbers. So, I’m going hard-core meat diet for the month. I’m supposed to see my doc in the first week of April, to schedule my anal probe, and we’ll see the numbers then.

Here’s my theory in a nutshell. I believe that people who have a certain genetic predisposition toward certain diseases must have a restricted diet. Some people should restrict animal flesh, getting 95 percent of their nutrition from veggies and fruits. Some people, like me and the Inuit, should primarily eat meat. And I’m not altogether uncertain that people shouldn’t eat meat in the winter and spring and fruits and veggies in the summer and fall. I’ve never put it to the test.

Some people have a different metabolism that favors a mix, never getting fat, never suffering the effects if they do get overweight. I’d imagine if they tried a restricted diet, they’d have problems. In fact, some vegetarians come to mind who are clearly off the ratio.

Nobody should eat processed fats, sugars or grains.

Anyway, we’ll see. I promise to put the new numbers up as soon as I get them. Should be around tax day. But I should note, I’ve lost five pounds in the eight days since I quit the statin.

Out of their league

Reno strives to provide “major league” attractions for the community and for its visitors. The Reno Chamber Orchestra (RCO) does just that for in addition to its concert season, it now runs the nationallyrecognized Nevada Chamber Music Festival every December. For 25 years, the RCO has presented “Derby Day” to the community as its major annual fund-raising event. Held the day of the Kentucky Derby, the event features mint juleps, a luncheon, a silent and live auction, a hat contest, and large-screen television viewing of the race. When I learned that the Junior League of Reno was considering having its own “Derby Day” fundraiser, I immediately telephoned the chair of the committee to voice my concern over the League having an identical event in competition with that of the RCO. I was dismissively told that the League appealed to a different audience, totally ignoring the fact that both events would be in direct competition for the silent auction items that are their “bread-and-butter.” I have always admired the work of the Junior League, but in this instance it is behaving more like a “bush league” in that it should be supporting the efforts of the RCO and the real “Derby Day” rather than entering into head-to-head competition with it. James R. Kidder Reno

World games

Re “Poor spelling is a sign of ignorance” (Apply Liberally, March 1):

Before Casey O’Lear slams the state for its grammatical errors, she might want to try proofreading her own column. Here’s a quote from her March 1 posting in the RN&R: “One of four signs leading the way into Carson City misspelled the world “capital.”

What the “L” was she writing here? Did she mean the “word” capital, or is she of the mind that Carson City is the world capital? Beth Perry via email

Editor’s note: Dennis Myers, Brad Bynum, Ashley Hennefer and I all get to share responsibility for that one since we all read everything. Complaining about other people’s writing in print is a guarantee karma will be served.

Break a leg

This evening I attended Love Letters at the Good Luck Macbeth theater here in Reno. To tell the truth, I only went because I had been given free tickets. Wow, was that ever a stroke of fortune. Love Letters is a play by A.R. Gurney, and this production is directed by Tony DeGeiso. The twoperson cast rotates, so you may see different actors if you choose to attend, and I encourage you to do so. The actors tonight were Scott Rankin and Juli Fair, and they plied their craft splendidly. Fair, as Melissa, was wonderfully communicative from the outset, while at first I had the feeling that Rankin was not telling us much about his character, Andrew. That was wrong; Andrew is just a somewhat reserved character, and it takes some time for him to let us—and Melissa—get to know him. The play lets us see deeply into the lives of two friends, one male and one female, who by play’s end have known each other all their lives by means of the letters they have written to each other. Go see it. You won’t regret it.

Bob Clevenger Reno

Poets can stay

Re “Poor spelling is a sign of ignorance” (Apply Liberally, March 1):

Funny how the folks who are always a-hollerin’’bout the need for English Only educashun are usually the self-same lowbrow chumps who can neither read nor write in their native language. Perhaps we can institute a policy whereby Nevadans who can’t pass a basic literacy and citizenship test by high school graduation are deported.

Who on Earth would want these homegrown cretins remains to be seen, but it seems like a modest solution to an enormous problem in this state.

And of course, it would make us a blue state in perpetuity. C. Rosamond Reno

Hot down there

Re “Getting on and getting it on” (Feature story, March 1):

Those horny oldsters better watch out, lest they start a house fire with all that friction on dry bushes. Leslie White Reno

Move for political benefit

Re “Sheila Leslie: carpetbagger” (Right to Your Head, Feb. 23):

It is sad that Valerie P. Cohen attacked Sean Cary and falsely defined “carpetbaggers.” Whether she likes it or not, “carpetbaggers” was in fact a derogatory term applied to northerners who mostly came to the post Civil War South in order to profit from the poverty and defeat of southerners. No doubt some of the people who came south were as she described them in her letter to the editor, but she should have at least looked up the definition of the word rather than applying her own definition. Fred Speckmann Reno

Angle’s switch

Re “Angle shocked by party switching” (Upfront, March 1):

Sharron Angle’s party switching is a far cry different than what Steve Welch did and continues to do. Welch switched parties so he could vote for Barack Obama and that is a matter of public record. He also openly holds fundraisers at his house for Democrat liberals like Joe Sestak. Believe me, Sharron Angle did not switch parties to vote for Obama, and she absolutely does not openly support or finance Democrats as a Republican. Richard LaRossa Ewing, N.J.

Statin alert

Re “New age, old age” (Editor’s note,March 1):

My mother had heart disease. At 60 she was on statins. She had fiveway bypass at 65. She had a stroke three years later, then one more. Still on statins. At 75, she lost the ability to walk. Statins were the cause. Oh yes she lived to be in her 90s but in a wheelchair. Look around you; people in their 50s are shuffling when they walk. People are aging faster. Read the article, www.wellbeingjournal.com. Go online and read any article about statins, they are all the same. My pharmacist friend told me once that doctors have to protect themselves from being sued. Don’t join the statin cult. The only time a doctor is going to try to save your life is when you are in the emergency room. You had your warnings. Start a change by learning about your body. I did at the age of 50. I was diagnosed with 60 percent blocked arteries.

When I was younger, I was the weakest and sickest of the family. I am now 63. I did a 180 with the diet, cleaned out my arteries from the transfats with chelation. Had a MRI and the arteries are clean. I am by far healthier than I was in my 20s. I eat only fresh produce, mainly organic, and wild fish. People cringe at the price. How much does it cost to buy the packages and bottles imitating food? Cash for restaurants? Having a good time? Think smart. It will cost to repair the damage.

I naturally have cholesterol in the 250 range, but my ratio is only 2.5. High triglycerides are telling you how sticky your blood is. The stickier it is, then plaque builds. This comes from sugar. You have been building since you were on the bottle. Look at the amount of sugar being put in milk, so kids and adults get hooked. The white stuff is the other cocaine. So, if your think your dear doctor is going to save your life, think smart, and take control of your own life.

Change can be made, although it’s not easy to make in this fast food world.

Ginevra Ragan via email

Our Mission To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages people to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor/Publisher D. Brian Burghart News Editor Dennis Myers Arts Editor Brad Bynum Special Projects Editor Ashley Hennefer Calendar Editor Kelley Lang Photographer Amy Beck Contributors Amy Alkon, Megan Berner, Sharon Black, Sean Cary, Carol Cizauskas, Matthew Craggs, Mark Dunagan, Bob Grimm, Michael Grimm, Audrey Love, Casey O’Lear, Jessica Santina, K.J. Sullivan, Bruce Van Dyke Design Manager Kate Murphy Art Director Priscilla Garcia Associate Art Director Hayley Doshay Editorial Designer India Curry Design Brennan Collins, Marianne Mancina, Mary Key, Skyler Smith, Melissa Arendt Art Director at Large Don Button, Andrea Diaz-Vaughn Advertising Consultants Gina Odegard, Kelly Funderburk, Matt Odegard, Bev Savage Classified Advertising Consultant Olla Ubay Office/Distribution Manager/ Ad Coordinator Karen Brooke Executive Assistant/Operations Coordinator Nanette Harker Assistant Distribution Manager Ron Neill Distribution Drivers Sandra Chhina, Jesse Pike, John Miller, Martin Troye, David Richards, Warren Tucker, Matthew Veach, Neil Lemerise, Daniel Golightly General Manager/Publisher John D. Murphy President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Chief Operations Officer Deborah Redmond Human Resource Manager Tanja Poley Senior Accountant Kevin Driskill Credit and Collections Manager Renee Briscoe Business Zahida Mehirdel, Shannon McKenna Systems Manager Jonathan Schultz Systems Support Specialist Joe Kakacek Web Developer/Support Specialist John Bisignano 708 North Center Street Reno, NV 89501 Phone (775) 324-4440 Fax (775) 324-4572 Classified Fax (916) 498-7940 Mail Classifieds & Talking Personals to N&R Classifieds, Reno Edition, 1015 20th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 or e-mail classifieds@newsreview.com Web site www.newsreview.com Printed by Paradise Post The RN&R is printed using recycled newsprint whenever available. Editorial Policies Opinions expressed in the RN&Rare those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permission to reprint articles, cartoons or other portions of the paper. The RN&Ris not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. All letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form. Cover design: Priscilla Garcia Feature story design: Priscilla Garcia

THIS MODERN WORLD BY TOM TOMORROW

Book report

Getchell Library on the University of Nevada, Reno campus has been empty since the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center opened in 2008. Some older students and faculty members recall Getchell’s awkward charm and reminisce about it—but most have embraced the shiny, brightly lit Knowledge Center. Or the KC, as the hip kids call it.

The transition from Getchell’s outdated facility to the KC’s buzzing atmosphere is demonstrative of Nevada’s evolution in literacy. It comes at a time when different generations are at odds with what it means to be literate. Once it defined proficiency at reading and writing, and many hold firm to that definition, but that ignores the skills inherent in visual or auditory learning. It’s why smartphones, tablets and e-readers are still seen as inferior ways to consume media, and this mentality is what drives our entire education system.

But many educators of the 21st century define literacy as critical thinking and proficiency at reading, writing, science, mathematics, conversation, computer usage, logic and spatial reasoning. It also includes financial literacy, digital literacy and eco-literacy.

Technologists argue that technology has the potential to make everyone in the world a literate person because it takes into account different learning styles. The ability to carry around 1,000 books on a device that can fit in a jacket pocket is astounding, and studies have shown that many people read more when they have an e-reader. People like touching a screen to turn a page. They like the images and videos embedded in the text. They can share their favorite quotes and spark discussions on social networking sites. It makes reading into a responsive, communal activity—one in which people who normally would have struggled with traditional reading and writing skills can now participate.

It’s possible to embrace both physical media and digital media. Heck, we’re newspaper journalists, if that’s any indication. Some of our readers like to read the printed issue of the RN&R each week, while others read it online. Some write us letters that we find in our mailbox; others email us. It takes a certain type of literacy to do both.

As a state with one of the lowest literacy rates in the country and a reputation for devaluing education, Nevadans have to make a choice. Will we embrace the future and its innovation to produce students with a diverse set of skills? Or will we continue to squabble about spelling and grammar as indications of what constitutes literacy? The way we judge our peers and colleagues based on just their ability to write and read is what lets people fall through the cracks. It’s a privileged way of thinking.

Literacy is a societal issue. Education doesn’t stop once a student graduates from high school or college. If anything, life beyond school is when a real education begins. Humans are social beings, and our language, knowledge and technology evolves based on that. It’s why libraries and classrooms begin to resemble cafés rather than storage facilities. Some experts anticipate a transition away from structured learning environments altogether. People can use their technology to explore, discuss and create. The world serves as a source for knowledge.

But even with the KC’s e-reader bar, computer labs and extensive digital databases, not all things have changed that much—students still need help finding the books. Ω

Is there a war on women this primary?

Asked at Bibo, 680 Mount Rose St.

Patrick Connolly

Marketer I work for Planned Parenthood for an internship, so it’s actually an issue near and dear to my heart. Very much so. I believe that when people don’t have a strong concrete thing to make them a good presidential candidate, they turn to social issues and things that will incite blind rage. None of the Republican candidates have strong qualifications, so they’re going after social issues.

Launie Gardner

Teacher Without a doubt, yes. I’ve never ever heard talk like this before—just hateful and mean, as though women don’t have a right to do anything with their bodies. Rush Limbaugh is the least of it. He’s an idiot. And then there’s Foster Friess saying, “In my day, women put a nickel between their knees.” It’s ridiculous.

Anne Marie Utter

Retired teacher/appraiser I don’t know if I would call it a war on women. I would call it an ignorance about women. I’m so confused as to why this is even in the political arena. It’s the woman’s body, and she has the choice to do what she wants with it. I know a lot of it has to do with economic and financial backing, etc., but it’s so frustrating that these decisions are being made by men. I feel as though we are 200 years ago.

Neal Ferguson

Professor There’s always a war on women, irrespective of the election cycle. Our history really is predicated on that, and women fight—like say for the Equal Rights Amendment—without seeming to ever get very far with it. It came up three states short. That amendment failed. And every time that something comes up, it’s a convenient way to whip up somebody.

Peter Goin

Professor I think that what is happening is we have a retroactive period where people fear change. And when women get equal rights, that represents change. That makes many people prefer an era when women were subjugated to a more paternalistic society. The reality is, it’s inevitable. It can’t be changed. But I do believe there are efforts to subjugate women politically, socially and in the market.

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