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6 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, April 1, 2010 OPINION Good/bad ideas Looking into our Easter basket we have found a variety of good ideas/bad ideas that have caught our eye in recent days. Good idea: Halton Hills Fire Protection and Prevention Services has undergone a name change to its previous moniker: Halton Hills Fire Department. The fire department always was and always will be known as "the fire department". The former title, while trying to be more descriptive, was simply awkward, a mouthful and difficult to remember. Bad idea: Area residents leaving their vehicles unlocked, especially overnight. Every week Halton Police provides us with reports on "items taken from vehicles" and it has reached the point where it is so common an occurrence we don't always list them in our " police blotter". Leaving your vehicle unlocked with valuables inside is simply an invitation to any would-be thief to help themselves. It may not be "fair" and it may not be something residents who love Halton Hills' "smalltown" appeal can easily grasp, but it's a fact: Lock it or lose it. Your choice. Bad idea: He probably won't admit it, but Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff might have had second thoughts about having former diplomat Robert Fowler speak at a Liberal thinkers' conference last week. Fowler was critical of the ruling Tories, but also dissed the Liberal party under Ignatieff for "losing its soul" and added, "It seems the Liberals today don't stand for much in the way of principle. I have the impression they will endorse anything and everything which might return them to power and nothing which won't, whatever the merits of either." Ouch! Good/bad idea: Earth Hour. While the premise behind the one-hour Saturday night power-down (to raise awareness about energy consumption) is good, it appears the event, after only three years, is losing, rather than gaining, momentum. 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@independentfreepress.com) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@independentfreepress.com) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@independentfreepress.com) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@independentfreepress.com) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@independentfreepress.com) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@independentfreepress.com) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@independentfreepress.com) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@independentfreepress.com) WEB POLL RESULTS Should Ontario lift its ban against the sport of ultimate fighting? · Yes (41%) · No (59%) Steve Nease Go to www.independentfreepress.com Letters to the editor Smaller hospitals should be closed Dear editor, I took my husband to the Georgetown ER March 14 at 5:30 a.m. and there was nobody in sight. After knocking on a window twice a nurse registered us. Being told one doctor was on duty we were sent back to wait. One doctor in the entire hospital seems a little far-fetched. By 7 a.m. there still was not a soul in sight as we waited. With an empty ER, the wait should be short. My husband was then directed to a bed where the doctor came in and diagnosed that he had food poisoning, but yet he was not showing any symptoms of food poisoning. At 7:45 a.m., blood was taken and we were told the results would take 45 minutes. At 9:10 a.m. we hadn't been seen so I asked if the results were back, they were, and the doctor would see us "soon". It was not until 9:30 a.m. when the doctor came in to tell us it was nothing and my husband was discharged. We would not go back to Georgetown ER, but possibly Mississauga or surrounding area. I have yet to experience a benefit living in a small town. At a time where decisions are being made on whether to keep the smaller hospitals open or close them to open larger ones, I am forced to think about voting to close these smaller hospitals given my recent experience. Anna Vitorino, Georgetown Kudos to Globe youth Dear editor, Thanks to Ted Brown for his March 17 review on Globe Productions Youth Company's production of Beauty and the Beast at the John Elliott Theatre. I appreciated his take on the age of the actors and their ability to pull off a wonderful production despite their lack of experience. I think, though that there are three others that need to be mentioned for their contribution. Mercedes Mabee, the violinist was terrific and even had to run up on stage for a part in the play, and dash back down to the pit. Jenna Brubacher, who played the wardrobe, was excellent in both voice and her acting skills and certainly had the best costume. And finally, the sponsors, who had faith in this untried group, are to be commended for their support and I have made note of their names. Well done. Gary Crosbie, Halton Hills Great waste service Dear editor, Congratulations to two area companies for providing the very best collection of our garbage. First, by Bennett's Waste, operated by a husband and wife team. There is never a complaint or any mess left over. They really enjoy taking care of our needs. What a far cry from the Toronto garbage debacle. Then we have the Blue Box collected by Steve Rumley of Miller Waste. Again, he is fast and leaves behind a pristine landscape. It is so warming to talk to him and discover that he really enjoys looking after area households. Ken and Sandy Ross, Georgetown Letters to the editor policy Letters must include an address and daytime telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. E-mail: jmcghie@independentfreepress.com Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. The Independent & Free Press The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.