Voice of the people

HOT's 'Romeo and Juliet' is great show

If you are like me, when you heard that Huntington Outdoor Theatre was doing "Romeo and Juliet" in the park you probably said, "Hmm, I don't know about that." Well, I hate Shakespeare, but I love our show.

It's "Romeo and Juliet," all right, costumes, language, balcony scene and all, but woven into this are songs and music, skillfully, carefully chosen by Mark Smith, the musical director. And there's dancing; not all minuets as you might expect, choreographed by Pat Freeman, a taskmaster at footwork with many moves.

And now we have a beautiful show, Mr. Shakespeare. No doubt if he were to see it, he'd say, "Why didn't I think of this?" It's a glorious melange of Renaissance tragedy, '80s music and modern dance. Bravo, Mrs. Freeman! Truly a "tour de force."

Helga Thorn

Huntington

Why put oil on Rose Garden wall?

I have one question for the Huntington Park Board. Why do you put oil and grease on the old beautiful stone wall around the Rose Garden?

As you are walking for exercise or just for a pleasant stroll around the park, you see a beautiful rose garden and then there's the wall with oil running down the side and in the front. Doesn't this make for a pleasing sight to visitors to our park. No.

It creates an eyesore. Not to mention when a bride and groom with guests happen to be renting your garden and the Room with a View for their wedding and what should happen, but the bride in her beautiful white gown happens to brush against the wall of the garden. Clothing is ruined because of the practice of soaking the wall with oil.

Surely the park board is aware because you have to walk by it. In a city where people are trying to beautify Harris Riverfront Park, pick up trash around town, build a new playground for the children and attract tourism to our city, why not stop putting oil on the wall at the Rose Garden?

I really think this is not a good environmental practice of putting oil on the wall for the rain to wash oil into the soil and into the creek. After all, garages and lube centers dispose of their oil in an environmentally friendly way. Maybe you should examine this practice and stop. Just a thought.

Jim Sebastian

Lavalette

Slowing population growth is a must

July 11 was World Population Day. The world's population is currently 6.7 billion people, and our numbers are likely to grow to between 7.8 billion and 10.8 billion by 2050, according to demographers at the United Nations. As an environmentalist and parent concerned about the future of the planet, I find these numbers alarming.

We know how to encourage slower population growth. We can do it through positive and cost-effective programs such as providing educational opportunities for girls, expanding economic opportunities for women and expanding access to comprehensive reproductive health and family planning services to the millions of women and couples around the world who already demand these services.

On June 26, the Bush Administration announced that, for the seventh straight year, it would withhold funding for the United Nations Population Fund. This announcement is appalling.

World Population Day reminds us that individuals have a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and timing of their children. When people can plan their families, they can plan their lives. They can plan to beat poverty. They can plan on healthier mothers, healthier children and a healthier planet.

Robert Sexton

South Point, Ohio