Lots of laughs
In response to the question, “Should certain topics be off-limits in comedy?” (“Do I offend you?” Jan. 25 cover story):
I think that comedy has no limits, because if it did there wouldn’t be a point to it. The whole point of comedy is to make fun of serious topics so we can have a better look on life.
Martha Mazariegos, 16, Lincoln Square
Parental control
I was tickled pink when I read about the family escorted from a plane because of their child’s tantrum (“Airline defends choice to remove family over tantrum,” Jan. 24).
Finally, someone is holding parents accountable for their children’s actions. I understand kids will be kids, but parents need to be parents. It was rude of the Kuleszas to think that the flight should be delayed for one more second because they didn’t have the parenting skills to control their child. Crying is one thing, but crawling under the seats? Come on!
Kudos to AirTran! Maybe if other companies take similar actions, parents will finally learn how to do their jobs.
Sharee Byrd, 23, Edgewater
Service with smiles
I wanted to compliment the people at the Midway Orange Line stop. I have seen them assist travelers who have flown into Chicago and need assistance in getting to where they want to go in Chicago (“What exactly do CTA customer assistants do?” Jan. 23 column by Kyra Kyles).
They always have a friendly “Good morning” for everyone. They are also very helpful when people have baggage and are struggling to get through the turnstiles.
The opposite is true at the State and Lake stop. I am very surprised that someone has not been knocked off the platform and onto the tracks at that station. People are trying to get through the turnstiles to get on their trains while others are trying to get through to leave the platform, and the congestion is horrific! I have, along with many others, missed my train due to people exiting at this stop.
Often people who are traveling to Midway Airport have to struggle to get luggage through these very small turnstiles when there is a gate that could be easily opened for them. CTA personnel are just standing there watching people struggle.
There should be some way that people could exit the platform without blocking the way for others to enter the platform. It is extremely tight at this spot.
Eileen McMillan, Bridgeview
Why wait?
I’ve got a good CTA story for you. I was going to the restaurant where I work on Clark and Wrightwood to pick up my W-2.
I took the Addison bus to Clark hoping to catch the No. 22-Clark bus [going] south. When I got off at Clark, there were two buses “bunched” at the corner of Clark and Addison. I couldn’t get to either one because I didn’t have the walk signal. Forget about the second bus stalling for just a moment to spread out service the slightest little bit.
So, having missed both buses, I crossed Clark to the west side of the street. Not being big on waiting, I began walking south, looking over my shoulder intermittently for an oncoming bus.
Well, there was not an oncoming bus. I made it to Clark and Wrightwood without a southbound No. 22 ever passing me. I passed bus stops with clusters of people waiting in the cold. Addison is 3600 North, and I walked to 2600 North without a bus passing by. That took 25 minutes easily!
Brian Breslin, 31, Roscoe Village
‘Super’ Yes. ‘Heroes’? Hardly.
I think the choice of words for [Monday’s] headline was inappropriate (“Super heroes,” Jan. 22 cover story). A professional athletic organization does not reach hero status unless it has done something to help another human being. Winning a football game does not launch them to hero status.
Let’s reserve that word for individuals who are truly heroic in their feats of greatness and leave less heroic words for professional athletic organizations.
Charles Hoven, 44, Edgewater
All for one
When are sportswriters going to see the full scope of what’s happening here? Everyone always preaches “The Team” in sports but never really produces it–until now.
Ask yourself why Da Bears are in the Super Bowl, and you would have to say The Team. This is a team that doesn’t give up and depends on every aspect of the team to win: offense, defense, kicking, kick returning, kick coverage and coaching.
But most of all, they stick together. The press can’t get them to fracture their support of each other.
They not only truly believe in each other, but they also realize that with this strength comes victory.
If you want to game-plan against this team, you’re going to have to bring a complete team of your own. And no one else has one that compares.
Nicholas A. Moyers, 54, Seattle
