Dear Editor:
Underage gambling is a growing concern in New York state. The explosion of internet gambling and gaming opportunities ― combined with the inescapable advertising and marketing of gaming and gambling everywhere from television to the corner store ― relentlessly expose our children to enticing messages of winning, risk-taking and excitement from a very early age. Alarming statistics reveal that almost 40 percent of youth ages 12-17 have gambled this past year with in-game items or real money, and 30 percent of these youth state that they began gambling at age 10 or younger.
Youth who gamble are more likely to get lower grades, use tobacco and illegal drugs, get into fights, have mental health issues and become involved in crime. And studies show the earlier a child starts gambling, the more likely they are to have problems due to gambling later in life. Parents of children as young as six years old can reduce the risk of their kids ending up with a gambling problem by talking with them about gambling. Start by asking questions ― and listening. And, help them figure out sensible alternatives to gambling.
To learn helpful tips and view brief educational videos showing real-life scenarios of parents speaking with their children about the possible serious consequences of their gaming and gambling activities, please visit Talk2Kids.org.
Sincerely
Ashley Santangelo
Team Leader
New York City Problem Gambling Resource Center
Subway Car Nostalgia
Dear Editor:
It is refreshing to hear that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority NYC Transit is running a series of nostalgia trains to help celebrate the holidays in December. The “Shoppers Special” consisting of eight cars from the 1930’s runs between 10 AM and 5 PM between 2nd Avenue F line to 125th Street Harlem A,B, C & D line stations in Manhattan on Sundays in December.
The cars were modern for their time, and each could hold nearly 300 passengers. They featured rattan seats, paddle ceiling fans (installed before the age of air conditioning), incandescent light bulbs, roll signs, and period advertisements. These cars, which inspired Billy Strayhorn’s “Take the A Train”, went into service on the Eighth Avenue line (today’s A, C, E) in 1932 and ran until 1977.
Riding the old subway cars reminds me of a time when it was common to find both penny gum and soda machines dispensing products at many subway stations. Clean and safe bathrooms were readily available. It was a time when people respected authority and law. Previous generations of riders did not litter subway stations and buses, by leaving behind gum, candy wrappers, paper cups, bottles and newspapers. No one would openly eat pizza, chicken or other messy foods while riding a bus or subway. Everyone paid their way and there was no fare evasion.
You had to pay separate fares to ride either the bus or subway. Now there are Metro Cards affording free transfers between bus and subway, along with discounted weekly or monthly fares. Employee transit checks to help cover the costs didn’t exist decades ago.
Previous generations of both bus and subway riders survived daily commutes with no air conditioning. All they had for comfort were overhead fans. Air conditioned buses and subway cars that we all take for granted today were virtually non existent up until the time of the 1964-65 Worlds Fair. Air conditioned buses were still a novelty. It was not until 1966, that NYC Transit first purchased over 600 buses with this new feature. Subsequently, all future new buses would include air conditioning. By the early 1990’s, 100% of the bus fleet was air conditioned.
In 1967, NYC Transit introduced the first ten air conditioned subway cars operating on the old IND system (Independent municipal NYC built, financed and operated A, C, E. F & G lines). It was not until 1975, that air conditioned subway cars were introduced on the old IRT (NYC private franchised Independent Rapid Transit system operated 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Franklin Avenue and Times Square shuttle lines). Subsequently, this also included the old BMT (NYC private franchised Brooklyn Manhattan Transit system B, D, J, L, M, N, Q, R & Z lines), It took until 1982 to retrofit all the original IRT “Redbird” series subway cars. By 1993, 99% of the NYC 6,000 subway cars were air conditioned with the exception of a handful running on the #7 Flushing line.
Fast forward to today, and you can see how MTA public transportation is still one of the best bargains in town. Riders can count on air conditioned buses, subway and commuter rail cars working close to 99% on a daily basis.
Sincerely,
Larry Penner
(Larry Penner is a transportation historian, advocate and writer who previously worked 31 years for Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office) .
Anti-Semitism Has No Place in American Society!
Dear Editor:
recently attended a Hanukkah lighting ceremony in Jersey City, NJ with Americans Against Anti-Semitism Founder Dov Hikind outside of the JC Kosher Supermarket where the terrorist attack took place. As I looked out into the crowd, I only saw black hats. I didn’t see any non Orthodox Jews, in fact, I think I was the only non Orthodox Jew to attend the ceremony. It’s clear to me that the Jewish communities are fractured and not unified. Meanwhile, our enemies are unified. This could be our downfall. So here is what I have to say:
It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, an observant Jew or a secular Jew. We must come together as one people! When those with hate in their heart towards Jews walk into a synagogue or a supermarket to murder us, they don’t care about our age, our political beliefs or our religious beliefs. They are coming after us because we are Jews! It’s that simple.
Now is the time to unite together so that the memory of the 6 million Jews we lost in the Holocaust never fades from history. We must act to secure the future in the face of the rising anti-Semitism. With strength and unity, we must act to fight this hatred wherever it rears its ugly head. We must push back against elected officials like Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez who think that it’s appropriate to loosely use terms like “concentration camps” and “Never Again.”
We must come together with one voice to loudly proclaim anti-Semitism has no place in America. It’s imperative that we unite together before it’s too late. We must come together to fight for our people, our birthright and our future here in America, in Israel and throughout the world.
Sincerely
Bryan Leib
