My compliments to all those people who went to the polls and voted on Tuesday, September 15, 2009. To those people who chose to NOT take time to from their “busy schedules I say you do not understand the principals of being an American. Most of you took the time in a National election in November 2007, however you could not be “bothered” to vote in an election that has a direct affect on your lives. It astounds me that a voting in an election that personally affects you is something you do not have time to do. It seems, even when citizens do vote, the people do nothing to prepare themselves for the process.
As a citizenry I see us elect the same people, or those whose name rings familiar to all of those who do vote. Then we wonder how, and why, your taxes and assessments increase. “Your” elected officials sit and wonder why the tax base for the County and City is shrinking. We continuously wonder how we cannot collect tax revenue. We have had no one who has a clue how to collect “receivables.” Taxes are nothing more than a debt, to be collected, and it seems we have no elected official capable of resolving the issue. We all need to understand that “Insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.” We elect the same “tired” people, with the same “tired” ideas to make decisions for us. Those decisions continue to haunt us year-after-year!! We have officials who change their party affiliation to be more “presentable” to the electorate.
Others who make promises to stay in office to become a more favorable candidate. Then, my favorite, the “name game.” Make sure we show a familiar name on the ballot. Their intent is to use (fill in the blank……..aunt, uncle, dad, husband) the name of an official who has served, or is currently serving in office. When do voters understand running for office is nothing more than a job interview, and understand NO Company would hire anyone without knowing all the qualifications the job candidate has to perform the job. Yet, we as a voting public continue to put people in place with NO regard for their qualifications. As an example the Mayor of a City is the equivalent of a CEO of a major Company. Council is a Board of Directors, providing oversight and understanding how this Company functions. When do we as a population hold ALL elected officials in the City and/or County accountable for how our money is spent? How many of you in the voting public ever written your Mayor, City Council or County Commissioners, and NEVER received a response. Perhaps a better question is how many of you (voters) ever written them? These people work for YOU, and they seem to have forgotten that. The assume the attitude of they are “entitled” to ignore all of those who “dare” to ask questions of them.
During the campaign all we hear about is their “new ideas.” Once elected what happens to these ideas? We see the same, tired and old policies and procedures in place. Nothing seems to change. Those people who wish to be elected, re-elected or put in office again want to “re-energize” a particular part of the administration. Then, when placed back in office we hear little or nothing from them.
This open letter has nothing to do with political parties or party affiliation but MORE to do with facts. This City is now in the process of raising the trash TAX AGAIN. They believe if they sugar coat it with some sort of “incentive” it will be easier for homeowners to swallow it. Face value it sounds wonderful. For allowing them to raise the TAX again everyone who recycles will receive coupons that are redeemable at local businesses. What they do not tell you is ANY coupon is based on a “route” rather than independent homeowners, and their recyclable habits. As with anything else the details become important. Your ability to receive any coupons is based on the entire route, rather than individual recycling habits.
We rush to purchase new trash trucks, and are told they MUST be purchased because our vendor will not “hold the price” more than 30 days. Using their logic it is obvious none of these people work in the “real world.” In today’s economy I know of NO business that would not hold their price for another 30 days for an order worth this much money. Giving them a firm “you have the order” but we need to make some decisions internally, before we can give it to you, would work with ANY Company that is looking for additional business. For an order that big I cannot understand ANY Company not accepting it under the terms the buyer dictates. Our City Council would not address that question when presented to them. Once again, it becomes a matter of City Council forgetting who they work for.
I am continuously reminded of the quote we hear from one of the local people when the question is asked “when is it my turn?” Sadly our City has put forth that mentality. Again, this is not about “party affiliation” but rather qualified people being put in office with credentials that suit the job description. Being responsible for Profit and Loss, making payroll and business related decisions that impact how this Company performs. After all, what is the City, if nothing else than a business? We, as a voting public, should not allow “turns” but rather find people who are qualified to serve. It should not be about what your name is, or who gives “endorsements” but rather qualifications. This holds true with City/County positions and even our School Board. Balancing a checkbook at home does not qualify you to spend TAX dollars that go into the millions of dollars in a business. It is OUR responsibility to be sure it is NOT bout just name recognition or who a person is related to, but rather what are their qualifications!! It is the responsibility of Dems, Republicans, and anyone else who puts a person up for election, responsibility to ensure they have the qualifications to perform the job. If they do not do their job the entire system breaks down. We need to hold them accountable.
The days of recognizing names and pulling the lever for them have to change if we are to thrive as a City, and keep citizens in place as a tax base. Ask yourself, what have the current (or former) elected officials done to make our lives better? What condition was our City when they were elected and what condition is it now? What is our quality of life, and how has it changed? What direction do you see them taking us, and our City?
November is our last real chance to make our votes count. Are we going to elect “retreads” with no ideas, or fresh people? Some will ask, what makes us believe these new people will have any fresh ideas? Assuming they do not, will our City be any worse off than we currently are? This City is DYING, and we continually put the SAME people in place !! All of us have spoken, and said we need twelve (12) people on Council, at the ballot box. Now it is time to ask ourselves, “why the same ones, year-after-year? What have they done to show they are responsive to the voters needs, or the ails of our Cities problems? It is time for ALL voters to take some personal responsibility for our current situation. We do NOT work for the politicians or employees of the City. They work for US. They all serve at the pleasure of the voters, and we can only make the changes necessary, to reinforce that, at the ballot box.
Do we want more public financing for art work, and take them as “new ideas” or to resolve our fiscal issues? We all know, both political parties (as we know them) have issues of their own. We are either satisfied with the status quo or we are not. Once we resolve this issue in our own minds the rest becomes easier.
It is time to VOTE AND GET OUT THE VOTE. Take your neighbors to the polls in November, and be sure everyone gets out and make this City great again. In November of 2007 you all voted for “change,” and now it is time once again for that change. This is NOT politically motivated, but rather a statement that 82% of voters did NOT exercise their right to vote on September 15th. Shame on all who did not!

You might think that if I were to use the terms “thrust angle” and/or “angle of attack” in a conversation, I would be talking about an airplane in flight. I very well could be; however, I very often use those terms when I discuss automotive suspension and steering systems. Master automotive steering and suspension technicians also use terms, such as a vehicle’s “attitude” or its “yaw” rate, while discussing vehicle alignment angles. Modern vehicles have on-board electronics that measure the forces applied to a vehicle during steering maneuvers and incorporate advanced computer systems which make nearly instantaneous adjustments based upon that data.
While it is true that the terms I mentioned above are used every day in the aviation industry, they are also used every day by automotive technicians. Why? It is simply because the laws of physics that apply to an airplane in flight also apply to an automobile in motion. Please remember, “You can break the laws of man, but you cannot break the laws of nature.” Modern master class automotive technicians are serious students of applied physics. Therefore, it is only natural that they communicate amongst themselves using the universal language of physics. As a result, these terms are commonplace in a modern automotive repair shop.
“Nodes,” “buses,” “baud rate” and “protocol” are terms any computer programmer will use in almost every sentence as naturally as you might use the word “common.” Listen in on two computer technicians  and you’ll hear the words, “Interface”, “LAN,” “PROM,” “RAM” and “ROM,” and you might think you’re listening to a couple of Trekies discussing the latest “Star Trek” movie. The reality is if you listen to a couple of automotive technicians at lunch you may overhear the almost same conversation and certainly the same words.
The modern automotive technician works in an environment where mechanical and hydraulic systems are controlled and/or monitored by advanced electronic control systems. These modern electronic systems are more advanced than most folks can even imagine.
If your car is just a few years old, it is more advanced electronically and mechanically than most of our military’s fighter aircraft. More than 95 percent of everything your car does is computer controlled. Virtually every button or switch you operate is simply an input to some
on-board computer system. Even when you apply pressure to your gas pedal, you are telling an on-board computer control system you want to accelerate. The computer then commands an actuator to perform the task. The result: you go faster.
Where is all this technology heading? Crash avoidance and automated guidance systems are just a couple of the vehicle control systems that will be available to you in a  short few years, and a few years after that, those very same systems will be mandatory on all vehicles. Many of you drive vehicles that have some level of computer-controlled steering incorporated within the directional control and stability systems.
All this advanced technology might sound more at home in a Tom Clancy novel then in a weekly automotive column written by a former “wrench;” however, the reality is this technology is here and will only get more sophisticated and complex as time passes.
The senior master technicians who work on your vehicles understand the complex relationships between the computer systems and the hydraulic and mechanical systems they monitor or control. Even more intense electromechanical/hydraulic devices are being incorporated within the modern automobile every year. All these advanced technological systems require a technician to apply the physical laws discovered by Boyle, Ohm, Newton and Watt on a daily basis. Sort of makes your mechanic an applied physicist, doesn’t it?
The type of individual who can assimilate the vast quantities of technical data and the ever increasingly sophisticated relationships between the many different on-board automotive mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical systems is becoming ever harder to find. Most individuals with the mechanical and electrical skills necessary to achieve master technician status choose other career paths that offer better working environments or better pay.
The cost of repairs to these vehicles will naturally continue to rise. As a consumer, your search for a competent technician will get harder and harder. My job training tomorrow’s technicians will also become more difficult. Even finding the right individual to train will get harder. The common denominator between each of these dilemmas is the increased technology.
There are no magical diagnostic computers that can discern the difference between mechanical and electrical failures. Future technology may or may not be able to resolve these problems. Only time will tell! Until then, we will continue to depend on our technicians to diagnose and repair systems.
Currently, there is no national or state technician rating (certification) system that accurately indicates a technicians over all capabilities. The independent national rating system only indicates a given technician’s ability to pass a test. The most accurate indicators are those offered through the automotive manufacturers’ certification process. However, that certification process only applies to dealership technicians. Consumers must have a way to accurately and independently identify technicians’ abilities. Working together, you and I can resolve this problem.

Nick Shultz is an instructor of Automotive Technologies at Owens Community College. He is an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau who specializes in cases involving the Ohio and Michigan Lemon laws. He is a certified master automotive technician by ASE, General Motors Corp.  and Ford Motor Co. Shultz, a Toledo native, will take questions from readers at letters@toledofreepress.com.

In the wake of the controversial Cash for Clunkers program, dealerships across the country are brushing the debris off their suits and trying to figure out what comes next.  Regardless of your ideology, there is no question that “business as usual” no longer exists for the automotive industry. It has become a fact that our culture as a whole dislikes buying cars.
As a self-proclaimed amateur sales and marketing historian, I implore the automotive industry to look back a few decades to a time when automotive marketing was more than just “the best weekend ever to buy an automobile”.
It is hard to put a finger on exactly when the industry broke down; it is my fervent belief that the problem does not lie at the manufacturer level; the ailment is most serious at local dealerships across the country.
Unlike other industries, prospective customers must climb a perceived hill of resistance before they will visit a car lot. This hill of resistance includes the need to do intense research, consider all available transportation options and dodge and delay the purchase of a new vehicle. In a survey of 10 random people, you will likely find at least one person currently “month-to-month” on their lease, one person spending thousands of dollars per year maintaining a vehicle he does not enjoy, and one person deliberately delaying shopping for a new car.
There is unmet desire in the marketplace and the automotive industry has created an environment that dissuades customers from engaging in conversation. It is easy to blame the economy for the lack of automobile sales, but that doesn’t explain why there are dissatisfied families everywhere wanting, needing and able to afford a more desirable vehicle than the one they are currently driving.
The crux of the problem is this: When an industry, almost in unison, only focuses on price-based messages, it kills its own credibility. The blame does not fall on any one person. The culture surrounding purchasing an automobile needs to change; we need to revert back to the time when healthy American consumerism included a vehicle that sits proudly in the driveway at night.
To judge the health of an industry’s sales process, look at the moment a customer engages the salesperson. In financial services, when customers have financial questions, they start conversations with their representatives. In the medical industry, they call a doctor’s office or local pharmacist. In home furnishings, they enjoy stopping by the showroom to see what is available. If this same formula works across multiple industries, but not with car buying, it indicates a serious problem in the automotive industry.
Everything rests on being able to flatten the perceived hill of resistance. The automotive industry needs to take a fresh look at why customers feel visiting the showroom is a cold and calculated theater production.
Before visiting a showroom, families become amateur thespians, rehearsing a story that will  make the process less painful. The first step is to make pricing claims believable again. When customers stop believing you about prices, they stop believing everything else. Customers need to know the price at the end of the car commercial is as real as the car itself.
If the automotive industry could reestablish its trustworthy, consultative nature, customers would direct their questions at the people most capable of providing answers — the local dealership. With customers who are comfortable beginning this conversation earlier in the process, more vehicles would be sold, more families would choose to service their vehicles at the dealership and the relationship would once again reign supreme.
By changing the messages you are sending, you are able to rebuild the trust, tap into the real reasons that Americans consider buying an automobile and start the conversation earlier in the process.
For specific ways to flatten your hill of resistance, go to www.boltfromtheblue.com and enter the word HILL in the blueprint box.

Tom Richard is a Toledo-based sales and marketing consultant, keynote speaker and owner of Bolt from the Blue direct response advertising. Visit www.BoltFromTheBlue.com or call (419) 441-1005.

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting sick and tired of the so-called tea baggers who are running around the country on lobbyist-paid-for buses trying to convince people that they speak for the majority of Americans. In concert with loons like Rush, Glenn and Sean, they feel free to make up the most outrageous lies and scare tactics to try to make sure that Obama doesn’t succeed on any level. It doesn’t matter if the seniors, or the middle class in general, are harmed. The most important thing is that this band of sore losers disrupts anything that might give credit to a Democratic president, especially a black one.
These racist, xenophobic cretins love to preach about how Obama is leading us down the path of socialism, and portray him as a fascist Nazi, when I would be willing to bet my next paycheck that 99 percent of them couldn’t give you a rational description of what constitutes socialism, fascism or even Nazism. One of the favorite ploys of the puppet masters of the right is to accuse their enemies of being what they really are. Perhaps, instead of taking all of their demagoguery at face value, people should take the time to read up on the subjects that are being thrown around with virtually no context whatsoever.
Historian Robert Paxton has spent years studying what makes a country turn fascist. In 1998, he published a paper in “The Journal of American History” in which he laid out the five steps that take place for fascism to gain control. I’m not going to outline them in a column this size, but I would like to cite his definition of fascism according to www.ourfuture.org: “Fascism is a system of political authority and social order intended to reinforce the unity, energy and purity of communities in which liberal democracy stands accused of producing division and decline.”
He further elaborates this as “a form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy, but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion.”
If this doesn’t define the right wing to a “tea,” I don’t know what does. These so-called patriots remind me of the Brown Shirts of Nazi fame more than anyone else. They have no respect for this country, the office of the presidency, the constitution, or any of the founding fathers’ vision of what kind of country this should be.
The most recent examples of idiocy are the claim that the president’s speech to schoolchildren was an attempt to advance his “socialist” agenda. Give me a break. Next, we follow up with Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina calling the president a “liar” on the floor of the Congress during his speech because Obama said illegal aliens would not be covered by the health care legislation being debated. Perhaps if Good Ol’ Joe read the bills, assuming he can read, he would have noticed that both the House and Senate versions exclude illegals from coverage. The Republican leadership tisk-tisked  the violation of congressional rules and told everyone how wrong they thought it was to do that, but incredibly didn’t disavow the message. Perhaps, they prefer to be illiterate on the subject, too.
The Republican Party has become a party of radical fringe elements, who think the fact that a black man becoming the president of the United States is a direct attack on their manhood, and everything this country is s’posed to be, and corporate shills who will use these dupes to their advantage, even though it is against their own best interests.
How did we ever let the inmates gain control of the asylum for the previous eight years, and why does the mainstream media give these people any credence at all? Why do they let obvious lies go unchallenged, in the name of entertainment instead of responsible journalism?
I would like to thank Sara Robinson for her great articles on the rise of fascism in America, on the Web site ourfuture.org. Her articles are well worth the read.

E-mail columnist Don Burnard at letters@toledofreepress.com.

Working in the beauty industry is a fun and rewarding career. Helping women look and feel their best is fulfilling. It has also taught us that true beauty has many different faces and meanings.
Most people will know someone with cancer. For us, it has been an eye-opening experience to see a client come into the salon to have her hair shaved off before chemotherapy. The question is often asked, “Why shave it off before it is needed?” The most common response is they want control rather than hair falling out little by little. This is often an awkward experience of not knowing what to say to the client or how to help.
There are many ways to show your support for the people in your life who are battling cancer.
The Race for the Cure on Sept. 27 is a great way to show your support for individuals going through breast cancer. Going to one of these races is truly a breathtaking experience. The beauty of the race is seeing so many people come out to support survivors, while still paying tribute to those who have lost the fight.
Going through chemotherapy and radiation can leave someone feeling less than beautiful. The physical changes on the body can be hard to face. Look Good…Feel Better is a great program which helps female cancer patients. This program is a hands-on demonstration of skin care, makeup, nail care and hair loss-related issues.
This is a great program to help women feel better about how they look while going through this experience. To find out more about this program, visit the Web site www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org.
If you are planning to attend the Race for the Cure, there are many fun ideas that can dress up your look. When our salon attended the race, we had a lot of fun watching people and looking at their outfits.
There are some inexpensive ways to sass up your pink look for the day. Go shopping, ladies, and look for everything pink. There are pink highlight extensions available that are  perfect for the race. Find some chunky pink pieces of jewelry or rock out a bright pink boa. Dust off your be-dazzler and be-dazzle a shirt or a bandana; you can create your own personal style for your race shirt.
For all the people who have fought breast cancer and won, congratulations. We have and will continue to pray for those who have lost the battle and for the people who are battling breast cancer. Have a great race.

Ali and Alli are beauty experts at NRGIE Salon & Spa in Rossford, Ohio. To contact them or ask them a fashion or beauty question, write them at letters@toledofreepress.com.

Well, here we are, after some of the dust has settled, but we’re really only at the beginning, aren’t we? The field has been narrowed; the candidates are fewer, but the work is not over. A lot of time and energy went into getting us to this point, but there is no time to rest. We still have a lot of thinking to do before we get to the finish line; we still have a long way to go before we can make The Choice.
There are still many hills to climb before we select The One; the person who will stand before us through good and bad; the personality we will look to for inspiration and guidance.
I am referring, of course, to the selection of the next Face of FOX Toledo.
As one of this year’s judges, I have witnessed the competition with interest. For almost the entire five years Toledo Free Press has been in business, FOX Toledo has been an ally and partner, trading content and promotions, along with sponsoring political debates and covering news events. The current team at FOX — Station Manager Gary Yoder, News Director Steve France, Assignment Manager Wendy Sheridan, Creative Services Director Betsy Russell, Technical Director Darla Nielsen and news team members Laura Emerson, Shaun Hegarty and Heather Miller — are openminded, creative and collaborative. As an added bonus, they have never lied to us or reneged offers, as other local TV stations have, and you know who you are.
When we have approached FOX for opportunities on debates, news stories and contests like Song of Toledo, the station has been an invaluable partner. So when they asked if I would help choose the next Face of FOX Toledo, I jumped in.
“Help judge other people from a God-like throne and dash some dreams while making others come true?” I thought. “Sure, I can do that. It will be like owning a daily newspaper.”
So, for two blocks of days, I joined FOX Chief Meteorologist Doug Moats, current Face of FOX Toledo Julia Johnston and Promotions Producer Cyndy Mackley in auditioning people who want to springboard to fame and fortune, while promoting the FOX lineup and appearing at community events. On Aug. 15, we auditioned people at Appliance Center in Maumee; on Aug. 20, we did it again at Ed Schmidt Auto Group in Perrysburg. Meeting outside Toledo did not discourage applicants; we saw more than 200 hopefuls, in person and on video, some from Cleveland, Fort Wayne and even Philadelphia. There were men and women in equal number, with a nice amount of diversity in the races and backgrounds of the contestants.
It was the closet thing to being an “American Idol” judge I can imagine. We judges (the copy editors are making me keep the “j” lowercase), sat behind a table with Coke products in front of us and waited as each Face applicant was walked into the room. The typical applicant introduced him or herself; we asked basic get-to-know-you question, and then the person auditioning was asked to face the camera and say why he or she should be the next Face of FOX Toledo. We kept score in a dozen or so categories, such as “articulate,” “star quality” and  “originality.”
Now, keep in mind, while we weren’t handing out Oscars, the first three Faces have done well for themselves. Leah D’Emilio works in New York City, where she is a producer, writer and
director for a Rocketboom.com Web show.
Abby Bollenbacher moved to Los Angeles, where she has lived for about a year. She is doing small theater projects and auditioning for TV, film and commercial work.
And Julia Johnston has parlayed the gig into true local celebrity, boosting FOX’s branding and aiding the community events where she makes appearances. Johnston has that elusive star quality that draws people to her; very few people in the auditions cared about the weatherman or the editor, despite our combined power to crush armies and form new galaxies. All of them, however, gushed and blushed when meeting Johnston.
Julia is a star, and FOX is going to miss her.
With all of this at stake, one would assume the auditioners would be prepared. Not all of them were going to be talented and articulate and easy on the eyes, but they would be prepared.
Not so much. A number of people applying for a job on FOX Toledo could not name a show on FOX Toledo, except “The Simpsons.” Not “Family Guy” or “24” or “Glee” or “House,” not even, irony of ironies, “American Idol.”
If you are thinking about auditioning for this gig next year, how about doing a little homework? Don’t show up at a FOX event and talk about “CSI.”
It was fascinating to watch the most confident, intelligent people freeze in front of the camera. One of the FOX camera crew referred to a “soul-sucking switch” on the camera, and it really did look like that. People who walked in jiving and undaunted, looking like they could sing a solo during halftime of the Super Bowl, turned into blocks of cement when the camera hit them. I have limited TV experience, and I understand it’s a challenge at first, but if you’re going to apply for a job on stage, maybe you should work out your stage fright issues first. I’m just saying.
I would never make fun of specific people who auditioned (in this space, at least), but the next time you see an “American Idol” judge straining to keep from laughing as some deluded contestant performs with all the gravity of a brick and all the talent of one as well, know that it is difficult to maintain composure to spare someone’s feelings, especially when you glance at Johnston’s scorecard and she has written and underlined the word “hippie” on it in describing the contestant.
Another “Idol” tie-in: While we saw scores of talented, nice people who make you want to be their friend and cheer them on, it’s the one or two (or 20) duds who ingrain themselves in the brain’s highlight reel.
As of this writing, the hundreds have been narrowed to 14; you can vote at www.foxtoledo.com to choose someone to stand beside the judges’ top four picks. The final day of judgment will be Sept. 28; in early October, FOX Toledo will announce its winner. I honestly have no idea who will win, although I have two favorites.
So, we get back to the examination and consideration. I have faith the FOX crew will pick the right person, and a new star will be born. Just you watch.

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press. Contact him at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

Kathy Thompson doesn’t follow the rules. Three strikes and she’s still at the plate.
The three-time breast cancer survivor is being honored as part of this year’s Susan G. Komen Northwest Ohio Race for the Cure.
Every year, the Toledo race pays tribute to a person who has survived breast cancer and inspires other people. Thompson’s daughter, Kelley Miller, submitted an essay on why her mother should be celebrated. Miller is the oldest of Thompson’s three daughters.
The race also honors a person who has lost the battle. This year, that person will be Leslie Droll.
“I’m very honored,” Thompson, 52, said. “I never thought I did enough or volunteered enough to be chosen for this honor. I feel really good about it.”
Since chosen, Thompson, of Warren, Mich., has been recognized in many ways. She threw the first pitch at the Toledo Mud Hens Komen night. Thompson was also interviewed by WTOL’s Chrys Peterson, the Honorary Chairperson for the Race for the Cure for the past 15 years. The interview will be shown at Fifth Third Field after the race Sept. 27, and Miller’s letter will be read. Thompson was also honored at the survivor’s breakfast Sept. 12.

Kathy Thompson

Thompson is receiving support from her “Kroger family.” Thompson runs a Kroger store in Sylvania store with more than 150 employees. Kroger is a pink ribbon sponsor of the race and, for the past eight years, Thompson has been acting as a liaison for Kroger and Komen for the Cure.
“It makes me feel good to work for a company that supports me,” Thompson said. “It’s very humbling to have so many people in my court.”
Kroger’s advertising agency sent pink sunglasses and hats for Thompson to distribute to her team on race day. The agency also sent reusable grocery bags with pink ribbon handles to honor her at the survivors’ breakfast.
Thompson has 60 people signed up on her personal team for the race, and there are 130 people signed up for the retail clerk union team, many who are Kroger employees. Thompson said she estimates more than 250 Kroger employees will walk or run in the race.
“This is the largest participation for Kroger people that we have ever had,” she said.
Thompson’s first bout with breast cancer was in 1989 when she was in her early 30s. Her second battle came in 1997, and she learned the cancer was back for a third time in February. She underwent a mastectomy in April and, after two months of recovery, she returned to work
“I work with the public and have 150 employees and they keep me going,” Thompson said. “I laugh and make fun and make jokes about it. A sense of humor keeps me going.”
Thompson’s mother also had breast cancer and died when Thompson was 17.
“It’s something that’s in my family, so you really have to pay attention,” she said.  “Ask questions and educate yourself on things you need to know.”
Thompson encourages women to make sure they get checked often. She detected her cancer all three times. She said early detection is key.
“Ask every question you want,” Thompson said. “Get a second opinion and a third opinion. Have a support group of friends, family and co-workers and have a sense of humor.”

Aries (March 21-April 19)
Remold and reshape. If you keep your feet firmly on the ground, you can hammer out deals and create partnerships for future collaboration. Adapt to changes on Wednesday, as more advantageous options appear on Thursday. Embrace unique weekend entertainments.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Sword of truth. Your special genius is evident in little touches this week. Results go from mediocre to excellent. Cement new relationships on Thursday – this facilitates exchanges of ideas and suggestions. Numerous improvements are visible by the weekend.
Gemini (May 21-June 21)
Updated resume. There are turning points on many levels this week. Your talent for quick responses to shifting circumstances is a huge advantage. Stay glued to the goal; little distractions can pull you off course. Weekend talks with relatives show evolving trends.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
Pony express. Life is a revolving door this week, as endings, beginnings, entrances and exits keep you spinning. Changes at home intensify after Wednesday. Partners and family members are your weekend focus; lock in future commitments and dates.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
Fork in the road. Your choice of options becomes more limited this week, and that may be a good thing! It’s time to make definite commitments, even if ultimate outcomes aren’t known. Others offer many opinions or even criticisms, but trust instincts for long-term decisions.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
Socratic method. You’re at the center of a veritable storm of events. The pace becomes breakneck midweek as you’re pelted from every direction. A discussion on Thursday reveals results beyond expectations. Weekend gatherings unite diverse people for noble intentions.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Snake in paradise. A new character enters your personal drama. Things change quickly with a powerful personality on the scene. Obstacles melt away on Thursday. Good results stoke your charm and wit, and you’re an irresistible force on Saturday night.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Circle the wagons. You can rescue a crumbling situation early in the week by working with others. A young person has last-minute issues midweek. You can mastermind a way to excellent results on Thursday. Saturday brings emotional high points with loved ones.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
The last chapter. Projects quietly developing on the sidelines leap to prominence this week. Delayed home projects also get a burst of attention midweek. An older woman is an invaluable confidant on Thursday. Your new path beckons as the weekend arrives.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
California or bust. Be ready for intense decision-making as the week begins. A clever person helps you adjust resources to make future options possible midweek. Confidence, not facts, convinces others on Friday. Saturday is perfect for romance and intimate talks.
Aquarius (January 20-February 18)
Unleavened bread. People can change their minds without warning this week. Be clever about where you invest time and energy. A person with a bird’s-eye view gives good advice on Thursday. A loved one displays unexpected talents as the weekend arrives.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
Dobby stone. Concentrate on your agenda as others work out their conundrums. Confused people achieve clarity midweek. Experts and professionals are accessible on Thursday and offer encouraging news. A fascinating new project sparks your interest on Saturday.

Two years ago, we invited some UT students from India to our home for Thanksgiving dinner. They were delighted to participate in this great American holiday, but it left me in a quandary. I knew the students were vegetarians, yet I didn’t want to cheat my family out of the great tradition of eating a Thanksgiving turkey. What to do? In the end, I served up Tom Turkey without the usual pomp and ceremony. He was sliced in the kitchen instead of being carved at the table on a big platter. We thanked the Almighty Creator before partaking — and no one was offended. Imagine if my guests had made a terrific scene lecturing us on the evils of eating flesh, praying to one God and participating in a holiday reserved for gluttony when so many in India are starving. How rude they would have been.
But there is a rude, rogue group of people from Wisconsin trying to dictate their lack of belief upon Toledo City Council after receiving a complaint from a Toledo resident, and upon those who would ask for blessings from the Almighty. Though they don’t attend meetings, they cry outrage. Though it is not illegal to offer prayer, they have decided to impose their minority views upon Toledo by protesting the opening prayer. Their modus operandi is to  intimidate. Were these same rapscallions at the Continental Congress, they would have picketed the Founding Fathers who, in the Constitution, acknowledged a Creator. They would rewrite “The Pledge of Allegiance,” re-mint our coins and paper money, and demand that presidents not take the oath of office upon a Bible if they could. In court, they would bar the phrase, “So help me God.” And what of our state seal?
At the time our nation was formed, Islam was a thriving religion, Buddha had lived and passed in the sixth century, and Hinduism was well entrenched. Yet, none of the Founding Fathers were Muslim, Hindu or anything other than Bible-believing and God-fearing. The Bible was quoted often, Congress opened in prayer, and no one complained. Why then do we even entertain this fringe group 235 years later? Why do they cause commotion and generate newspaper articles when they speak? They are like little gnats upon a noble beast. These Wisconsin wimps cannot lecture Congress, so they are choosing to exert their influence upon cities like Toledo. In the name of tolerance, they are choosing to be intolerant. Their faith is their cause, and they are ardent and vocal.
What can those on The Freedom From Religion Foundation fear? If they do not believe in an all-knowing, all-powerful God, what could be the harm of prayer? It would be like the recitation of a poem. It seems as if a destructive element wishes to not just elevate non-western traditions, but the goal appears to destroy the underpinnings of western thought, religion and principles.
Benjamin Franklin was one of the 42 delegates present at the writing and signing of the Constitution. He was the only man to sign all five of the most important documents upon which The United States was built including the Declaration of Independence. As the four or five weeks in composing the Constitution dragged out with little unanimity, Franklin called out to the president of the assembly, George Washington, saying, “How has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of Lights to illumine our understanding? In the beginning of the contest with Britain when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for  the divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. … I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And, if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that ‘except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this: and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our little, partial, local interests, our projects will be confounded; and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a byword down to future ages. … I therefore, beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayer imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations be held in this assembly every morning we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy in this city be requested to officiate in that service.”

Here, here! We must not abrogate to a small minority the future and destiny of this city and this nation.

E-mail Jenifer Christiaanse at letters@toledofreepress.com.

As the president of Off Contact Productions, a full-service digital printing firm based in Toledo, Jim Schall knows the ins and outs of the city and what works for local businesses.
This is why Toledoans have turned to the firm for large-scale advertising products for the past 10 years, an anniversary the firm celebrated Aug. 16.
Schall has a long history with Toledo.

Jim Schall

“I grew up in Toledo, went to school in Bowling Green, came back, went to work in Kansas, came back and then when out to New York City and worked there for five years,” Schall said. “You could say this is my third tour of Toledo.”
Schall’s career in the printing industry may have taken him across the country, but it was in Toledo where he decided to set up shop and ultimately make a home in 1999.
“I had the inside of where the market was going and was tired of traveling, so I came back here,” said Schall. “In the end, it’s the greatest place to live in the Midwest.”
He took the knowledge he gained from working at other print companies and applied it to his business.
“We’ve been innovators in Toledo,” Schall said. “We were the first large-format exterior print house in Toledo.”
Off Contact prints vehicle graphics, point-of-purchase displays, wholesale graphics and other products that sign companies typically do not print in-house. Technological advancements like digital printing presses have only made business more efficient for Off Contact, Schall said.
Schall said Off Contact will remain in Toledo for years to come.
“In the end, there’s only so much time in a day and there’s only so much money you need to live on and put the kids through school,” Schall said. “I’m not interested in moving or franchising.”
Off Contact’s largest clientele are automotive companies in Detroit.
“To survive in Toledo, you have to look outside; you can’t just be focused on here,” Schall said.

On the Web: visit www.offcontact.com and click on links for more information.