Ed, I just want to find out from your sports department, you have a great section, can you tell me if you think David Tyree is coming back to the New York Giants this year? I hope he is.

Sporty

Giants Genius and all-around Sports Guru George O’Gorman says Tyree will be “trying out like everyone else.” And you are right, Trentonian Sports is by far the best in town. —Ed. Note

Ed, I agree with you on your response to “Drugs, Drugs, Drugs.” The police are doing the best that they can. I know they have been picking up the users and the dealers in the neighborhoods and busting them. It’s too bad the police can’t bust their heads, but the criminals have rights, too. We all need to pray for the police officers who are protecting us.

Protected

Who’s to say what is “the best they can”? I didn’t actually say that. My point was that they’re clearly doing a lot. And yes, alleged criminals do have rights — among them the right to an un-busted head — and that’s still a good thing in my America. —Ed. Note

Ed, about the potty problem at the Trenton libraries. I am stunned Mayor Palmer has not corrected this problem from last year. The staff is reluctant to let children or adults use their bathrooms. It’s embarrassing. Clearly the city has a record of mismanaging their funds. The city can’t take care of putting bathrooms in the library? The city has to get it together.

Gotta Go

Can we funnel some of that stimulus cash into toilet installation?—Ed. Note

Ed, I am a single parent. I have called the state of New Jersey hotline for homeless people many times in the last month. Either the mailbox is full or they will not call you back. I am scared that me and my kids will be homeless in another two weeks. Could a supervisor look into it?

Desperate 4 Help

If you’re gonna have a hotline, people, you gotta answer the phone.—Ed. Note

Ed, I live near the Cost Cutters in Hamilton Township that’s going out of business. I noticed a man standing in the street holding a sign. Coming back later in the day I saw the same man, an elderly man, but he was leaning against a wall. I asked him if he wanted a chair so he could sit down. He said that if he sat down he would not get paid. They have to be out there eight hours standing to get paid in cash. What difference does it make if they stand or sit, you can’t see them behind the sign anyway? What do they do, go to the soup kitchen to get people and torture them? Get real.

What Gives?

Well, he was being paid to do a job. Can’t say I’d call that “torture.” And if I were paying someone to represent my business by holding up a sign, I might very well stipulate that the person couldn’t sit down on the job.—Ed. Note

Ed, I was reading the article about Dragonfly. They do an incredible job. I work in a city hospital and it can be very stressful. I drive down Kuser Road every day on my way home their decorations for every holiday makes the day so much brighter and better. Somebody should let them know what a service they do for the community. And you can be in the worst mood ever and you but ride by there and your mood changes immediately.

Flying By

We’re letting them know now. All the world reads BackTalk.—Ed. Note

In regards to the article “What about our butts?” I wanted to let the writer know that there is a company that is trying to get started that is called Digs for Dignity. Hospital gowns that are two-piece garments that cover everything and snap from the top and bottom like baby clothes do. They are made of antibacterial material. I met these people at a convention in Atlantic City last month. It sounded pretty promising, I just wanted to pass it along. I think it makes a lot of sense.

Coverup

Funny it’s taken humanity this long to devise an alterative to the open-butted hospital gown. Guess it wasn’t a priority among the world’s innovators.—Ed. Note

Ed, I had to call BackTalk ’cause I don’t know who to talk to. I have been calling the Trenton police every day for over a week about the sale of drugs over here on Holland Avenue. We need help over here. We were told that the guy who was selling drugs was locked up four weeks ago. But then I see his picture on the front page of The Trentonian. No one seems to be doing nothing.

Holland Harry

If you read our paper you know the cops have been busting druggies left and right this year. They’re not getting everyone but they’re definitely doing more than nothing. Hang in there. —Ed. Note

Ed, I got an idea about all these abandoned houses and everything. Why don’t all the neighbors chip in $50 bucks and rent a backhoe and knock the places down? The cops come and, oh, well. Take the backhoe back and nobody knows nothing. What are the owners going to do? If they gave a damn the homes would not look like this in the first place.

Heavy Equipment

Good luck with that. Make sure to disconnect the power lines and water connection. —Ed. Note

Ed, in response to your answer to “Kill Them All” in BackTalk, we would not need a warship to escort every vessel that goes into the Somalia region. No, no, wrong answer. What we need is a president with a lot of guts to fire rockets into Somalia to kill all of them. Needless to say, he is too liberal to do that.

Bloodthirsty

If Obama had an isolated target that was a base of confirmed pirate killers, he might pull the trigger. He’s shown he’s not “too liberal” to target terrorists with rockets in Pakistan. Is he “too liberal” to wipe a country off the map, which seems to be your preference? Let’s hope so. —Ed. Note

Ed, I live in Cookstown, New Jersey. How come it took seven fire companies to put out a house fire at 5 Willow Oak Drive in Cookstown? It was only 1,500 square feet, and the house still burnt down to the ground because they ran out of water to put the fire out. I was there when the fire started, ’cause I heard the sirens. It was just a little bit of fire in the back. But they ran out of water. Why would you pay all this money to the fire companies and in state taxes when you could just let the whole thing burn down to the ground and call the insurance company?

Burnout

Did you consider that they couldn’t make the determination that the fire would be a complete loss without showing up first? If your house were burning down you’d be glad to see an overwhelming response from several departments.— Ed. Note

Ed, thank you, Dragon Fly Farm. Once again Dragon Fly Farm on Kuser Road, a local Hamilton nursery, provided the most ultimate Easter experience for the community. They had an Easter egg hunt with real eggs, Easter baskets, the Easter bunny was there, and they raffled off bikes. Everything was free.

Dragon

FlyerGotta love the real eggs.— Ed. Note

Ed, I was born and raised in Trenton. I raised my 22-year-old son here, he is a college student now, no drugs, no gangs, no trouble. As a child he had been in Cadwalader Park on that rocket slide and clambered over those monkey bars. No one tore that stuff up, it just got worn out from use and they took it away. It is good to hear that it will all be replaced and the kids will have some place to go.

Trentonian

You are absolutely right. No vandals tore out the equipment. The previous BackTalker who claimed that was dead wrong.— Ed. Note

Ed, about L.A. Parker and the kid who was hit in the grocery store. I just wanted to make a statement that L.A. was exactly right. Those are the type of kids that you will read about that will go on to abuse animals setting them on fire and terrible things like that. That’s what I feel.

Forecaster

Let’s hope things get better for that kid. The odds may be stacked against him, but it’s far from a foregone conclusion that he’ll start setting animals on fire.— Ed. Note

Ed, about the article on nominating your Platinum Dad in the paper on the 19th. I find it just terrible that the criteria for nomination include “may or may not be residing with his child, may or not be married” and the last one, “candidates may not be incarcerated or have outstanding criminal warrants.” It is a shame that in our society those have to be put in as qualifications for a Platinum Dad.

Going Platinum

To clarify: The rules stipulating no outstanding warrants or incarceration are simply prerequisites for applying to be a Platinum Dad, not qualifications. The winners are dads who go above and beyond and are amazing fathers.— Ed. Note

Ed, we lost our dog, a small brown Chihuahua, near Roebling Avenue and Emory Avenue. If any of your readers have any information that can help us find our dog, please call us at (609) 227-8100.

Whimper

Hope you find him/her. And I hope he/she is wearing one of those little dog sweaters. It’s cold out there.—Ed. Note

Ed, the cat people of Ewing are obsessed with the welfare of feral cats. These people must lead very, very lonely lives if this is the only way they can direct their energy and their passions. If they could direct themselves to the welfare of human beings it would be a better world. But they don’t. These people come across as a bunch of cuckoos. They should take up knitting.

Cat Hater

First of all, some of them are knitters. Knitting and cat loving are not mutually exclusive. Secondly ... where was I going with this?—Ed. Note

Ed, I just want to say that L.A. Parker must live with his head in a hole like an ostrich. His article today about upgrading the playground equipment at Cadwalader Park just made me laugh. It has been done 100 times before. It’s put in, and within a week it’s destroyed. What does he plan that they do? Does he want to keep putting new equipment in every week? Maybe he would like to pay for that since it is his concern.

No Hope

Yeah, shame on him for envisioning a neighborhood where kids have a place to play and residents step up to take care of their surroundings. What a nutjob. Why can’t he just get with the program and wallow in depression, despair and self-hatred and give in to evil and pessimism? —Ed. Note

Ed, recently I read in the paper that General Motors was told to prepare for bankruptcy. GM is acting like in 2010 this new electric car is going to save them. Everyone knows in the back of their minds the car is just going to be recalled. We know they produce junk. They should stop being stubborn about the bankruptcy because as far as I am concerned nothing can save GM. They have a very bad reputation and poor quality.

Camry Driver

GM has its troubles, but you’re wrong about the “junk.” The company has produced some fine cars in recent years.—Ed. Note

Ed, about the editorial recently about Darfur. Let’s get over Darfur. Darfur should worry about Darfur. You goons are worried about Darfur? Write about the U.S.A. We have people losing homes, millions of people are unemployed, homeless people, crazy people, Vietnam vets, all walking the streets homeless. Obama is slowly going down, he is taxing everybody to death. We got disease, children can’t get medical help. Worry about America, we are going to be the next Darfur. Look at Trenton, look at the shootings and the crime rate. Don’t fool yourself worrying about Darfur.

All American

Note to self: Avoid all interest in international matters.—Ed. Note

Ed, that headline in BackTalk should not have said “Bad Dads” it should have said “Deadbeats.” There are plenty of women who don’t pay support also. Like my ex-wife, she owes me $9,000. Also the probation department does do their job — I call my case worker, they suspend my ex-wife’s license, they issue a warrant and pick her up. My wife lost her license seven times last year and the judge reinstated it every time. The judge should work for free and see how it feels not to be paid.

Unpaid

What does the judge know that you aren’t telling us?—Ed. Note

Ed, as a Ewing resident I would like to say how heartwarming it is that the sanitation workers are all such good Christians to spend a day in church on our regular garbage day. I am sure they were all there from noon to 3. Everyone who put the garbage out on Friday morning as usual has either left it out as an eyesore or pulled it back as a backsore.

Trashed

Back as a backsore?—Ed. Note

Ed, I go to the Italian American Social Club once a month on Thursday night for their Italian festival dinner. Last month the food was not the same. What happened to their great chef Mario Casales Sr.? They said he resigned. He was the best chef Mr. Scarpatti ever had. Come back to us, Mario, the Italian Americans miss you.

Hungry Man

It wasn’t the same, but it wasn’t bad either, right? Don’t give the new chef a Mario complex.—Ed. Note

Ed, I am calling about the clothing allowance. Same thing with the state, the nurses who work as inspectors, they get a clothing allowance and they wear their own clothes and bank the money to go on vacation.

It’s Allowed

What would you do? Don’t blame them for being opportunists. But kill the allowance. — Ed. Note

Ed, it’s Mary from the Tender Hearts. I want to thank everyone for their help with the food for the Easter baskets. I want to make a comment about everyone who works here, including me. For some reason people don’t seem to know that we are all volunteers, we do it because we want to not because we are getting paid. That’s the way it has been for 32 years and that’s the way it will continue to be.

Mary

We know, Mary. Thanks for everything you all do.— Ed. Note

Ed, L.A. Parker does good showing us these dilapidated homes, but why doesn’t he show the owners, who they are, and what they look like? Shame them into cleaning up their own mess. And don’t let the tenants off the hook either.

Hugh Miliate

L.A. is giving a kick in the butt to the city, which will crack down on owners and start some serious demolition. We hope.— Ed. Note

Ed, I find it very confusing as to why Eileen Thornton is running for the Hamilton School Board when, in fact, while she was on the Hamilton Council, she voted to give the developer of the American Metro complex the PILOT, which is payment in lieu of taxes. This would not give any money to the school board. But here she is now, running for the school board and you know they need the money for education. Boy is she a flip-flop and a half! Can Eileen explain why she wants to be on the school board after voting for the PILOT for the developer?

Come on, Eileen

God forbid someone believes in both promoting development and quality schools.— Ed. Note

Ed, if marijuana were legalized it would have to be restricted just like alcohol. No driving under the influence, no smoking in public places. I say legalize it, tax it. It would free up our courts and prisons and law enforcement personnel to deal with real criminals.

Up in Smoke

It might also make it a lot easier for kids to get weed. How easy is it for high school kids to get beer from a college-aged sibling?— Ed. Note

Ed, I am a student at the Woodrow Wilson Elementary School. Mayor Palmer, you promised us pizzas and we haven’t seen them yet. You said if the libraries stay open you would bring us pizzas. We ain’t seen it yet. The whole school has been waiting and waiting. Thank you, please deliver my message.

Extra Cheese

He’ll be right over. Don’t forget to tip. —Ed. Note

Ed, I think a $250 fee for access to the Trenton boat ramp is ridiculous just because we are out of state. What do we get for the money? There is no security there, my buddy’s windshield got broken a couple of years ago. They don’t even put out the boat docks until Memorial Day. For me I’ll save that $250 and not go on over to the New Jersey side anymore. I’ll skip the Italian restaurant dinners, the activities at the arena, and even reading the Trenton papers.

River Run

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don’t be blaming the newspaper for the city sticking it to Pennsy boaters. But if you’d rather buy the paper on your side of the river you can find the Trentonian there, too.— Ed. Note

Ed, the story on pigeon shooting in Pennsylvania. Most cities poison their pigeon populations. So if I were a pigeon I would rather take my chances on a poor marksman, wouldn’t you?

Sharpshooter

If I were a pigeon I would crap on a lot of humans’ heads. But I’m not a pigeon. Neither are you. Where is this going, anyway?—Ed. Note

Ed, here’s a tip, in the next couple of weeks the State of New Jersey is going to send a trooper and two detectives to Texas to learn to fly a helicopter. This will cost the taxpayers of New Jersey thousands of dollars. You could just get rid of the helicopters, or have those people trained here in New Jersey to save money.

Spun Around

But helicopters are so cool. Remember “Airwolf”?—Ed. Note

Ed, I was watching a TV program on the demise of newspapers across the U.S. I am 89, and I like to read my news in the paper. I don’t have a computer, and do not want a computer. It seems that the only way you can get information and do business is to use a computer. Well, what about those of us who don’t have one? Just stop and think about it.

Literate

Well, see this thing you’re reading right now? It’s a newspaper, and it’s still here. —Ed. Note

Ed, Does anyone in Trenton remember the Dart Tavern? That place has been knocked down now. There was a dancer named Gena who used to change behind a screen, like an old vaudeville act. I often wonder what happened to her.

Where’s Gena?

Gena, come out, come out wherever you are.—Ed. Note

Ed, pot will be medically legal in New Jersey and there is no problem with that. Pot is far less dangerous than alcohol is today. How many DWI accidents involving alcohol do you hear about? And how many DWI accidents involving pot do you hear about? Pot is fine, medically speaking.

High Time

Less dangerous than alcohol is “today”? Is booze getting stronger?—Ed. Note

Ed, I am partially disabled from degenerative arthritis. I commute frequently from Hamilton to New Brunswick using New Jersey Transit trains for treatment at RWJ and doctor visits at UMDNJ. Neither the escalator at Hamilton nor the elevator at New Brunswick ever work. I live in Hopewell Township and pay a small fortune in taxes. If Macy’s and Lord & Taylor keep their escalators working during a recession why can’t NJ Transit? I probably need more cheese with my whine, but disabled people need the transit system and without escalators and elevators we really have a hard time. Where the heck is all this money going for God’s sake?

Gimpy

The maintenance departments better get busy before there’s a lawsuit.—Ed. Note

Ed, so the cry baby state worker unions protested. Big deal. We need to start a program of immediate layoffs and cut the bloated number of state workers. The state can and will function. Many other states are laying off because that is the smart, tough and correct decision to make — not trying to suck every penny out of John Q. Taxpayer like Gov. Do Nothing with his increased fees and new taxes.

The Ax

But, but ...—Ed. Note

Ed, this is a simple request from a state worker. It is the little things that make a difference. Due to our recession employers should allow their employees to dress down on a Friday, such as wearing jeans as long as they are appropriate, not torn, stained or graphic. All departments are not participating in this. If your salary is decreased that may affect someone who already has an inflated cleaning bill due to the dress code.

Work Slob

I’ll go along with this as long as “graphic” jeans are encouraged, not disallowed.—Ed. Note

I am a crossing guard at Lawrenceville Road. I, well I just about got killed this morning because drivers ignore my sign when I tell them to stop. If it wasn’t the good training I got from the police department I would have gotten killed. This driver was on a cell phone and driving 50 miles an hour when he passed right by me. I want people to realize how important it is to slow down and try to pay attention when the crossing guards are out there trying to get the kids across.

Troubled

Now, you see here’s something police can do something about. Forget speed traps; set up “busting through crosswalk” traps. Would actually save lives.— Ed. Note

In reference to Obama. Obama may be the Messiah, but considering the cabinet he put together, he certainly wasn’t a carpenter.

Jokey

Thank you. He’ll be here all week.— Ed. Note

Mayor Bencivengo said he is going to retire in 2011. Wow, I can’t wait. Do you know how much his salary is going to be when he retires with full benefits? You talk about having family members, his daughter is a principal, she’ll probably be superintendent.

Townie

Seriously. Mr. Rogers could be mayor of Hamilton and someone would still be hating.— Ed. Note

Wow, talk about misplaced blame. Edward Hill of the Rutherford Hill Civic Association blames the local merchants for the garbage in the street and all the young gang losers hanging around. Yes, people working hard and honorably making a living should be blamed. How about placing the blame where it squarely belongs, on parents who have children and don’t bother to raise them or teach their children about using a trash can because they themselves don’t use them. Talk about excuse mongering.

Trashed

I’m with you. You can probably trace most of what ails this country to the breakdown of the family. No doubt.— Ed. Note

This is a juicy nugget for you. If any of your readers are ever enticed to consolidate any type of debt into one loan, please do not do it. They will get you in the door and then sweet talk you into a deal (which is just a glorified credit card), then these loan sharks will haunt you to no end, calling you every day and night! Funny how the U.S. taxpayers bail them out repeatedly and they are still ripping off the customers with high interest rates on their loans.

Hit

If it sounds too good to be true ...— Ed. Note