This is Peggy from Bordentown. I just wanted to bring to the people’s attention that on page 15 of the March 2 issue of People Magazine there is a coupon for Milkbone Dog Biscuits. I would just like to ask people to donate that coupon or the box of Milkbone Dog Biscuits to your nearest animal shelter.

Peggy

That’s a nice idea, Peggy.— Ed. Note

I see where the acting business administrator of the city of Trenton has proposed doubling the parking violation fees and adding four more parking enforcement officers to the staff. This will generate more tickets to be inputted by the municipal clerk’s office. But, they have recently laid off three data entry clerks and paper work at the municipal court is already three or four weeks behind. They could process more tickets and make more money for the city if they would rehire those clerks.

Municipal Court Employee

Well that just makes too much sense. Next!— Ed. Note

My family has been in business in the Trenton area for over 100 years. We don’t get a pay raise on our anniversary or any other time. We are cold in the winter and sweatin’ in the summer because we can’t afford to pay our PSE&G bill. We pay our own health insurance, and our own benefits. We keep our place clean, with no crumbs and litter allowed. Don’t cry to me state workers. Open your own business and see how much money you make.

Tough Job

We all make our own beds, we all have to lie in them. But yeah. Enough of the whining.— Ed. Note

I am a worker at the Department of Health on Quakerbridge Road. We have all the servers for the state health department here. The owner is offering us a 15-year lease with no increase. We have invested thousands of dollars for a call center and have all the wiring installed here. We are being told that we have to move downtown to the Voorhees building, which just happens to be owned by a big supporter of the governor. What’s with that?

Mover

That sounds ... fishy. Anyone care to give us a call at 989-7800 x 229 and explain this further?— Ed. Note

I’m a corrections officer. Inmates are getting between $6 and $7 an hour working in the prison. Talk about saving money you should cut their wages first, millions and millions of dollars could be saved. Inmates should work for free.

Guard

What what what? Inmates are making $6 and $7 an hour? Someone please call in and tell me this is not true. Please. Please!— Ed. Note

I used to enjoy reading Jeff’s pages. But I must say that if you have never walked in the shoes of a state worker, you have no right to be running off at the mouth. As for Gov. Corzine he had better get in touch with some of his Wall Street friends, cause he is going to be looking for a job.

No Jeff

All he’s saying is we all need to take our medicine. And I agree with him. Miracles do happen!— Ed. Note

I heard that Gov. Corzine is thinking of doing away with Lincoln’s birthday as a holiday for the New Jersey state workers. I think they should do away with all these presidents’ birthdays, famous people’s birthdays, and that includes Dr. Martin Luther King.

Enough

I always wondered what would happen in 1,000 years, when every day would be a holiday. Know what I mean?— Ed. Note

You got it all wrong. The crazy monkey cartoon only means that the stimulus package was written by crazy monkeys. Doesn’t anyone remember the old saying that if you sat monkeys down at typewriters they could write the Bible? The cartoonist is the only person who is not a racist, because he does not know about the old racial slurs. It is the people like you who print the cartoon that are the racists, shame on you.

Say What?

Well that makes no sense. The whole cartoon was a bad idea. I think most of us can agree on this.— Ed. Note

President Obama, you want to know how to run your office. Do not, repeat not, have Bill Clinton trying to tell you how to run your administration. He was one of the worst presidents I have known in 85 years. He did not have a clean White House.

Cleaner

Who cares about clean? I just want someone who gets us back on track. Let the Mafia run things, as long as I keep my job and pay my bills.— Ed Note

In regards to the attorney general’s comment. I believe we spend far too much time on talk of racism in this country. Slavery happened, it ended. It’s time to move on with our lives. You work together all week and then you go home to spend time with your family and friends. There is nothing wrong with you if you don’t have an African-American friend. People just need to be people. You get the respect you deserve.

Respect

Sooner or later, the idea of “race” will fall by the wayside, and we’ll be able to get on as humans. Until then, it still needs to be addressed. Simple as that.— Ed. Note

I just want to say thank you to Eye Styles in Ewing. I took my mother (who has Alzheimer’s disease) there and the people in the shop were very kind to her and helped her to find the right glasses.

See

Always glad to give a shout-out to those who do good work.— Ed. Note

If Gov. Corzine wants to save a lot of money he should not let state workers take their cars home. You would save a lot of gas that way. Even though they do pay $3 a day, it is not worth it when you add on maintenance.

Vroom

Seems reasonable to me. Besides, aren’t those cars “for state use only”? Just sayin’.— Ed. Note

In response to “Danger, wrecking crew at work” and why you let Mr. Fisher have one-quarter of the editorial page to print his ideas, most of which have already been debunked. The Acorn is not getting a single penny from the stimulus. Nationalizing health care like the system they have in Canada doesn’t seem to cause problems for my Canadian friends. They seem to love it.

Toronto

I don’t know what would happen if we nationalize health care, but it would be a relief to most people not to worry about health insurance. Let’s hope they could still get a decent emergency triple bypass.— Ed Note

The New Jersey Devils beat the best team in the Western Conference recently. Still you guys put up some dumb stuff about the Flyers and the Rangers. No pictures or anything about the Devils. The Trentonian is in New Jersey, HELLO, the Devils are in New Jersey, HELLO.

Chico Resch

Point taken, but if you took a straw poll, you’ll find there are a lot more Rangers and Flyers fans than Devils fans. That’s just the facts. Though we’ll try harder for you, Mr. Resch.— Ed. Note

It is illegal to collect unemployment and food stamps along with welfare. If they find out, and they will, the food stamps will be reduced, you will be eliminated from eligibility for welfare and you will have to pay back all the money you collected from unemployment before you will be considered to be eligible to receive welfare again. Don’t do it, and if you are doing it, stop.

Spend

Well, there ya go.— Ed. Note

Where were you, Vinnie, when Gilmore got us millions of dollars in debt and bought big SUVs for his directors? Don’t be a such a phony, you just like to get your name in the newspaper.

Hammy

Reminds me of that old Simon and Garfunkel tune... “Where have you gone Vinnie Capodanno, Hamilton turns its lonely eyes to you... woo-woo-woo.” Or something like that...— Ed. Note

I am a state worker. I say don’t let the union rule. The state workers are all stupid if they aren’t willing to forfeit their lousy little 3 percent raise. They know that by the time everyone takes out their share the amount you get will only be enough to buy a loaf of bread at Halo Farms. Help your state out, forfeit your raise, and keep your jobs.

Worker

Seems like the right attitude to us. The more and more I hear about it, the more and more it seems the union heads are not doing their jobs, which is to listen to their rank and file.— Ed. Note

This is for poor old Jeff Edelstein and his heating problem: I think it is his great-grandmother’s revenge for snubbing her. This is from a brand new great-grandmother.

Great!

Sounds about right. That Edelstein is a snubber, all right.— Ed. Note

I’m surprised, you being a Republican and not liking Obama, that you and L.A. Parker there don’t get into heated battles. I don’t like that you never wrote anything negative about Bush, and ever since Obama got in office you have done nothing but make fun of him. You know, nothing against Mr. Parker, I am sure he has a good heart, it’s just that half the people he would like to see achieve something are walking around with guns. Let’s get tough and pick up a couple of thousand of these kids and maybe Trenton will start making a turnaround.

Obamafan

I try to stay apolitical in this space. I am not Republican or Democrat; if anything, I’m a Libertarian. Don’t tread on me and stuff.— Ed Note

A reader complained that we are giving Israel $10 million dollars a month to spend. We also give almost $30 million a month to Planned Parenthood to fix someone else’s mistakes. Hey Ed, why don’t you and I get in on this gravy train.

I’m broke

Seriously. I’d convert religion and stop having sex (for a spell) in order to get a few million bucks.— Ed Note

Tell Mr. Parker that I had trouble walking around Warren Street. There is no difference. Nobody wanted anybody in those neighborhoods. Ask the Polish if they could go into the ’Burg, they couldn’t go their either.

Walker

Consider him told.— Ed Note

About these teams that are not participating in the state playoffs in basketball and wrestling because the athletic directors didn’t know the rules that 70 percent of their games must be played against New Jersey state teams: These athletic directors should be fired, they are just hurting the kids.

Fire

Well, I’m always all for firing people that are dumb. Fire away!— Ed Note

What is the matter with the high school coaches in the local area, I mean Trenton, are they going brain dead? The Trenton Catholic girls team can’t go to the state tournament because they did not play enough games locally. Who the hell was dumb enough to screw that up? Trenton High School boys can’t make it because they used an ineligible player. It starts at the top with the coaches. These guys are just out and out dumb. They owe these kids — I mean they really owe them.

Player

You ask me, high school sports are a little too intense for my tastes. I mean, these are kids. So many rules and regs concerning this. Local games, ineligible players ... really. Who cares? Just let them play.— Ed Note

Why are the Page Six girls all from Los Angeles? This is The Trentonian, after all, don’t we have any local girls to put in our hometown paper?

Shoot

Please send all photo application to The Trentonian c/o Ed Note. I’ll surf though the applicants.— Ed Note

I was very pleased by the fast response to the problem of the potholes on Route 206 near Bordentown. They were patched within 24 hours of the item appearing in Back Talk. Nice job, Ed, maybe we should let you fix the economy.

Potholer

I get response. Forget the economy, though; that’s a losing prop. I should be made president of the world, and we should just get on with it.— Ed Note

What’s that burning oil smell around Klockner Road? We have been wondering about it for the last month.

Smelly

Oh, that smell? That’s burning oil, probably. Sorry about that. Anyone with insight here?— Ed Note

What is Mayor Palmer thinking? He wants to close down Route 29. I remember when they built that in 1966 to make the traffic flow easier in and out of Trenton. He wants to build a museum down at the old wharf. If I remember, he ordered the historic 100-year-old marine cranes taken down from the waterfront around Duck Island.

Driver

I say we ban all cars from Trenton. Make it a bicycle city. Go green!— Ed Note

Ed, I live on the Island section of West Trenton. Please ask the mayor if any of that stimulus money is going to be used for flood control or to buy the people out. I would like to have an answer.

Fantasy Island

Now everybody wants a buyout.—Ed. Note

Ed, years ago my mother came to this country as an immigrant, after taking 45 days to sail across the ocean, she started to work at age 13 in the Cigar Factory. All the immigrants that came to this country back then sacrificed a lot. Many of them settled in Chambersburg. Now I see in your paper they have violence, killings, and robberies in the ’Burg. I think the original immigrants would turn over in their graves if they saw how little respect there is for that area now.

The Way We Were

Times change.—Ed. Note

Ed, “Worry Free Contract with PSE&G.” What does that mean? Surprise, it means it will cost me $900 for a new water heater installed by PSE&G. I’m going to be calling the Better Business Bureau. I think it’s a scam. How do those people get away with ripping everybody off?

Hot Water

Say no to the deal if you want, but how is it a scam for them to try to sell you a water heater?—Ed. Note

Ed, what a shame Jack Lacy has resigned. This was uncalled for. There are so many jokes going around the world. Just forget it. This whole township is going crazy.

Stop the Insanity

Perhaps if you were the subject of the jokes you might have a different feeling.—Ed. Note

Ed, Jack Lacy’s resignation could not have happened to a nicer guy. When he was on township council he thought he was Lord God almighty. He would holler and scream and not treat people with dignity. He thought he was king, and now the king is dead.

Grave Dancer

Good of you to be so gracious in victory.—Ed. Note

Ed, rap music’s offensive lyrics are accepted; they are fine and they are heard by millions. Jack Lacy’s offensive comments reached only hundreds and he gets negative criticism. You call that fair? I don’t.

No Fair

You’ve never heard any criticism of rap lyrics? There have been summits on the subject.—Ed. Note

Ed, all the money they have spent investigating Barry Bonds. This is ridiculous. I would lose my job for ever doing drugs. They have no intention of cleaning up sports. It’s just a way for the players to keep their names in the paper. This is a big joke. If he did drugs and he is guilty get him out of there and stop wasting money dancing around the issue.

Two Step

So Bonds and A-Rod did steroids because they weren’t getting enough media attention otherwise? Hokey doke.—Ed. Note

Ed, my prayers go out to Mr. Rivera’s family. Firefighters are ready to risk their lives; they are not just public servants as so many people think they are.

Grateful

His story reminds us that firefighters put their lives on the line every day to save ours.—Ed. Note

Ed, for the ladies on Tyler Avenue who complained that there was garbage and litter all around, I say stop relying on somebody else. Take charge of your neighborhood, organize, and solve the problem yourselves. Get out a broom and clean up the area.

Cleanup Crew

That’s easy to say, but a broom won’t quite cut it. They’d have to venture onto lot after lot of other people’s property and would need dump trucks and backhoes, not brooms, to clean up the mountains of junk and debris.—Ed. Note

Ed, hi, my name is Kelly. I work for the Hamilton area YMCA and I read the BackTalk item about the person who is giving away wagons. We have a pre-school program here and could really use those wagons. Here is my number: (609) 581-9622 ext. 119.

Y Roller

Wagon giver, meet wagon wanter.—Ed. Note

Ed, Bromley beware. Mayor Bencivengo’s way of dealing with complainers is to send out police and have them attack everybody. He did that over at Lalor and 450 tickets were issued in one month. Even the head of the crime watch group there got a ticket.

Tixed Off

They’d probably trade being “attacked” by tickets for the rampant crime they’re experiencing now.—Ed. Note

Ed, please tell the mayor of Trenton to pay this water bill because he is in charge. He raised the water bill. Just remember we do have a replacement for him.

Waterlogged

He’s in his last term anyway. And since when does the guy in charge pay for anything?—Ed. Note

Ed, this is to the City of Trenton streets department. I wish someone would come out and take a look at Swan Street. They just paved it last summer and now it’s in terrible condition. The pebbles are starting to come out of the asphalt. The city spent a lot of money redoing it and it has not lasted.

Bumpy Ride

Oh, that was one of those new temporary streets. You’ll get a permanent one eventually.—Ed. Note

Ed, relating to the thing with Etta James and the Beyonce girl. The song “At Last” is an old standard. I don’t believe Etta James wrote that song. I would have to look it up. There are a lot of people who sing other people’s songs — that’s a compliment really. I am a musician and a singer and I’ve been around for 65 years. Professional jealousy does not make it in the music world.

In Harmony

Etta wasn’t mad that Beyonce sang the song. She was mad the Obamas picked Beyonce to sing it instead of Etta.—Ed. Note

Ed, tell Doug Palmer that his plans for spending money to renovate a building for a Port of Trenton museum, or getting co-ed exercise studios going at the Y, or creating retail shopping that he had better clean up Trenton first. No one is going to come to Trenton to shop or exercise. It’s a war zone, it’s too damn dangerous.

Warning

It’s kind of a chicken-or-the-egg thing. If revitalization brings more people and more activity, those areas will become safer. If they are safer, people will come. Try to stay positive. —Ed. Note

Ed, the reality TV shows are pathetic. Why is everyone so mean and nasty? For example, the “Bad Girls Club,” all these good looking girls yelling at each other. When did we become like this?

Boob Tuber

When did we start enjoying it when attractive girls fight with each other? I think that goes back to prehistoric times.—Ed. Note

Ed, I thought we were supposed to save energy in the United States. President Obama got into the White House and jacked the heat up 4 or 5 degrees. Even his spokesman complained that you could grow orchids in there now. What’s the matter with the president? Is it because he is from Hawaii and can’t stand the cold?

Hot Stuff

He’s preparing his family and staff for the inevitability of global warming.—Ed. Note

Ed, this is in response to “Un-recyclable.” Plastic jugs and aluminum cans are recyclable and should be placed in your yellow bucket at the curb. Aluminum foil is not recyclable and yogurt containers are usually number 4 or 5 plastics and are not recyclable in Mercer County. If you have any questions call the country recycling department at 609-278-8086 or visit the Web site for a complete list of what the county recycles www.mcia-nj.com.

In the Bucket

The previous BackTalker was well aware that foil and yogurt containers aren’t allowed in the yellow bucket. The caller’s question was “Why not?” because those items are made of recyclable materials.—Ed. Note

Ed, I was reading the article that said Megan’s Law does not deter sickos. They are all out there walking around. Well maybe that’s because we don’t know who they are. If we made the sex offenders get a big tattoo put on their forehead before they get out of prison we could recognize them on the street and stay away from them.

Marker

Branding, though cruel and unusual, is tempting in these cases. Regardless of whether Megan’s Law “deters” sickos, it does what it was intended to do, it tells you where they are so you can try to keep away from them. Not much is going to “deter” someone with an illness that is rarely cured. The rate of recidivism is insane. The best hope is to keep your kids away from them. —Ed. Note

Ed, I went over to Escher Street to get my dog free shots last Saturday. I get down there and there are dogs everywhere, and cats too. All of a sudden some of the big dogs start fighting and people with the smaller dogs and cats are picking them up and scattering to get out of the way. There was no law and order out there, it was total chaos. My question is, why do they let the big dogs and the pits down there without muzzles? More to the point, why don’t they have one day for all the big dogs to come and get their shots and a different day scheduled for the smaller dogs and cats.

Cat Lady

Well, you’re getting free shots so you really can’t complain. Put your cat in a carrying cage and it should be safe.—Ed. Note

Ed, every year that groundhog sees his shadow. And yet in another part of the country he doesn’t see his shadow. What’s going on?

Flummoxed

This is a complicated question of astronomy, zoology and meteorology. We don’t have time to delve into it here.— Ed. Note

Ed, I am looking for a church group or maybe one of your readers could help me find a place to donate a couple of bikes and a couple of wagons to people who could use them, like fire victims. I just don’t want to throw them out.

Giver

Anyone need some wagons?— Ed. Note

Ed, I see that the state of New Jersey just set aside $4.5 million for bike paths. I see that Washington isn’t the only place with pork in their budgets. Why don’t we get some fiscal responsibility, I have to at home.

Oink

I take it you’re not a cyclist?—Ed. Note

Ed, I am a little annoyed that they are taxing cigarettes 69 cents more a pack. Why not tax alcohol, or cars over $50,000?

Puff ’n’ Stuff

Don’t give ’em any ideas.— Ed. Note

Ed, what do you mean new board members for the Puerto Rican parade. They are not new, they have been there for 20 years. The parade gets worse every year. I would do away with the Puerto Rican parade. Same old thing, same cars, etc.

Parade Boot

You may find it boring, but it’s important for the Puerto Rican community to show its pride. Maybe some new blood on the committee would help. But maybe you can offer to add something to the parade.— Ed. Note

Ed, an excellent article recently by L.A. Parker on “City’s Future Not Bright on North Broad Street.” It speaks volumes on why this guy is an award-winning columnist. Maybe he should be mayor.

Fete L.A.

Mayor L.A. Parker. Has a nice ring to it. Don’t think it hasn’t crossed his mind.— Ed. Note

Ed, the potholes on Route 206 between Trenton and Bordentown are atrocious. There is going to be a serious accident if someone doesn’t do anything. I wish you would print this as a public service.

Public Servant

Consider it printed.—Ed. Note

Ed, thanks for getting the lights turned on around Route 129, the Sovereign Bank Arena and Cass Street. The item appeared in Saturday’s BackTalk and, guess what, on Monday all the lights are on. Thank you, Ed.

Illuminated

As usual, I will be pleased to take full credit. BackTalk gets results again! BackTalk is king! BackTalk is bigger than Je—, uh, let’s not get all John Lennon here. BackTalk is pretty cool, though. —Ed. Note

Ed, I was just wondering why the dolphins are coming up the rivers this time of year. Could it have anything to do with the runoff of all the salt and brine on our roads used to melt snow that gets washed back into the streams and rivers making the water more salty and suitable for ocean creatures to survive in? What’s that salty runoff doing to our environment in general?

Marine Biologist

You’re right that the runoff is none too good for nature. But dolphins, being natural and all, probably aren’t that attracted to it either, even though it’s salty. I’m pretty sure they like clean salt. —Ed. Note

Ed, I want to talk about this phony stimulus package they are trying to ram down our throats. Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona once said, “There are two things in life you don’t do, you don’t let your dog watch your food, and you don’t let Congress watch your money.” Amen. Term Limitations. Amen.

Choking

Can I let Congress watch my dog?—Ed. Note

Two things. First, what ever happened to the famous horses living in Trenton that everyone cared about so much? Maybe they are living in one of the many empty buildings in Hamilton, or maybe in one of the new ones they keep building that are empty too. Second, I just bought a new car and it came with this really cool new thing that tells me how fast I am going. Oh yeah, I think all cars have them now, they are called speedometers. How much did our wonderful Hamilton mayor pay for all those stupid machines all over the place that tell me how fast I am going? And one more thing wouldn’t it have been cheaper to file the paperwork for a stop sign on George Dye Road then to create the mess it has become? Sorry, that was three things!

Speedo

Cops will tell you that those signs actually do slow down traffic. You may already know how fast you drive, but there’s something about seeing it on a giant sign that acts as a wakeup call.—Ed. Note

Ed, for Red Birch: That was a great story about the Delaware Valley Umpires Association. I know they need umpires but they won’t come around as long as Marty Clark is in charge.Nobody wants to deal with him. As soon as Marty Clark resigns the umpires will come back again.

Clark Sent

The Trentonian’s sports staff is the best.—Ed. Note

Ed, there is still a lot that needs to be done. But I wanted to thank you for printing that bit about the Broad Street Bank apartments. I think it helped shape things up a bit. There is still drug activity, and some of the elevators don’t work, and I see people that don’t live here just hanging around, which is not good at all.I think the staff is unresponsive and rude to the tenants. It is supposed to be an upscale apartment building. We need a helpful and attentive staff to respond to our needs.

Resident Complainer

BackTalk gets results once again. Long live BackTalk!—Ed. Note

Ed, why are plastic jugs, aluminum cans and foils on the do-not-recycle list from MCIA? The yogurt bottles are clearly marked recyclable.It will take years for these things to deteriorate in a landfill. I look forward to hearing from you.

“Yellow Bucket”

Because it’s more of a pain in the butt for them to deal with that stuff. If you’re really committed to recycling, save up the foil and drive it to a center that will accept it.—Ed. Note

Ed, has it ever occurred to our crooked and corrupt politicians that they might want to cut foreign aid by 25 to 30 percent? We need to take care of the people in this country; we don’t have enough to spread it all around the world. Is there any reason we are giving money to Russia, Saudi Arabia and Mexico?

Puzzled

Well, it’s really China’s money that we’re giving to everybody else. Does that make you feel any better?—Ed. Note

Ed, I read BackTalk every day and I’m getting tired of reading about public employees getting knocked around. Why don’t you print anything positive about public employees, like what a good job a lot of them do? Take that.

Public Good

I printed this.—Ed. Note

Ed, thank you, Hamilton Township Mayor Bencivengo, for sending the work crew to clean up the snow in Deutzville. I cheered when I saw them coming. This is the first time we have had this service since former Mayor Rafferty left. I have lived here for 53 years. During the Gilmore administration it was a mess. There is still work to be done, but I wanted to say, thank you mayor.

Plowed Out

Finally some love for Benci.—Ed. Note

I read in the paper that Mayor Bencivengo wants to start a bus service that will go from shopping center to shopping center to relieve traffic. If I’m not mistaken the Republicans were against all this development going on, they wanted to keep it open. Mayor Bencivengo, first thing he did was try to get rid of the bus service to and from the Hamilton train station. Well, mayor, I guess you should have left the buses in and kept your mouth shut. As far as sharing services with Robbinsville, what has Robbinsville done for us yet?

Bus-ter

Ask not what Robbinsville can do for you, but what you can do for Robbinsville.—Ed. Note

Ed, thank you to L.A. Parker who wrote that article about the firefighters. It’s about time somebody recognized what they do. My dad has been a firefighter almost all his life. I wish you would do an article about the police also, not all of them are idiots, a lot of them do a hell of a job. I have relatives and friends on the police force. I want someone to recognize those men and women; they do a lot of the jobs that no one else wants to do.

Credit Master

We try to recognize them every time we write about cops busting a criminal or firefighters saving lives.—Ed. Note

Ed, I just want to vote for Bobbie, the waitress at Rossi’s. She is the best waitress you will ever want to find. The best times are always had there.

Rossi Regular

Bobbie, you are loved.—Ed. Note

Ed, I don’t care what anyone says, it’s the dumb fireman who made a U-turn that caused that accident that killed that child on the highway. I have seen firemen in action, and they are not too bright. They run Ewing Township and they all think they are God. At the same time I am not exonerating the other driver either.

Burned

We don’t have enough information yet to know whether the operator of the firetruck was partly at fault for the tragedy. But your wholesale characterization of firefighters as stupid is incorrect and out of line.—Ed. Note

Ed, this is for Mayor Bencivengo: Tell him to fire that racist, Jack Lacy, from the Hamilton Township Library Board. We don’t want that man anywhere near our children.

Fire Lacy

For those who missed it, Mr. Lacy forwarded an e-mail “joke” that said “How can 2 million blacks get into Washington, D.C., in subzero temperatures in one day when 200,000 couldn’t get out of New Orleans at 85 degrees with four days notice?” At best his judgment, and at worst his character, are in question.—Ed. Note

Ed, the Pope is a beloved leader of the Catholic Church. I think you owe Catholics an apology for what you said about the Pope grinding with Beyonce at one of the inaugural parties. He is a great man and a man of peace, and for you to ridicule him is unconscionable.

Catholic

Dear Catholics, please accept my apology for offending anyone with silly comments about the Pope. There was no intent to ridicule him. —Ed. Note

Ed, I read the article about Palmer’s wish list for Obama. Some of these items are a joke. Construction of the long-awaited Trenton YMCA. Why give money to an organization like that? They can’t even handle the money they have now. Giving it to the Y is like washing it down the toilet. They are selling Camp Meta — that’s a real slap in the face to Meta Griffith of Griffith Electric who donated the money 40 years ago.

Y. O. Y.

You can question the Y’s business record, but it does great things for many young people and is an important organization.—Ed. Note

Ed, why can a girl graduate from public high school and then go back to play prep school basketball at Hun? She should be playing basketball as a freshman in college with women of her own age.

One Pointer

Because athletes are allowed one post-grad year at a prep school. Them’s the rules.—Ed. Note

Ed, if anyone would enjoy this I would like to donate a collection of opera records (LPs) from an estate. If anyone is interested I will leave my number: (609) 393-1193.

The One Tenor

Who doesn’t want a collection of opera LPs?—Ed. Note

Ed, I was laid off last October. I would like to hear from someone to confirm that my information is correct. My friend told me that I can collect unemployment through October of 2009. If and when all my money is used up and I haven’t found a job in this competitive environment with many people vying for the shrinking amount of jobs, what do I do then?

Jobless

OK, I want you to try something with me. It’s called positive visualization. If you have AN ENTIRE YEAR to find a job, let’s plan on finding one. It might not be the perfect job or the job you had before or one that best utilizes your skills or one that pays you everything you’re worth, but if you’re a hard worker and you don’t give up and ask around and get some help with your resume if you need it, I am confident you can find something in the space of a year. Think positive!—Ed. Note

Ed, the problems in Trenton have been ignored and/or spun for personal and political gain for too many years. No one that is currently holding an elected municipal office should be thinking about running again. Those folks from the City Council that are planning on running for mayor must be smoking some of those illegal drugs that have been plaguing their respective wards for the last three decades. Failing schools, crime, corruption, unemployment, high taxes, filthy streets, abandoned buildings, etc.! Instead of making comparisons to other municipalities and using those to justify minimal progress and improvements, all of these soon to be unemployed elected officials should have seen to their own backyard — Trenton.

House Cleaner

Perhaps the leaders have been unable to cure the community’s ills. That’s no reason to accuse them of drug abuse. Let’s keep it civil, ladies and gentlemen, in keeping with the BackTalk code of honor.—Ed. Note

Ed, they want to spend $5.7 million for a train tunnel from New Jersey to New York that should be finished in 2017. Why would you invest in that? It is not a necessity at this time.

Digging In

You sure it’s not “billion”?—Ed. Not