TO THE EDITOR:

I thought that baseball was supposed to be a family-riendly national pastime. Since when does a child's sippy cup count as an open flask? I am absolutely disgusted with a rule of Major League Baseball. If you cannot bring the items you need to feed a young child into the ballparks, how is this family friendly?

I have an 11-month-old daughter, and you can bet I will not be helping to fill the almost empty ballpark anytime soon because they won't allow me to bring in the necessities she will need, nor will the stadium furnish the items needed. Maybe if enough parents are disgusted with this ruling and speak out enough, this ignorant rule will be eliminated.

Cherie Douglas, Sayler Park

Cincinnati no longer a Major League city

After what has happened the last three days with the Reds, it is time to wake up and stop living in the past.

The Cincinnati area is no longer a Major League town. We cannot afford the cost of professional players anymore. We are given two teams that have no intention of winning. It's time to let go. Stop living in the past.

Bill Tilford, Colerain Township

Fielding winning team should be the goal

What Reds Owner Carl Lindner did to the Red shouldn't surprise anyone.

He and Mike Brown, owner of the Bengals, have one goal in mind: profit for themselves. The days of being an owner in professional sports and not be willing to pay to win are over. These two are more than willing to spend the taxpayers' money, but when the time comes to write their checks, suddenly the pen has no ink, and we're a small-market team.

I will never understand that when the Reds have the opportunity to attract people to downtown, they screw up a slam dunk. Maybe Carl will do us all a favor and sell the Reds to a true fan - one who realizes you have to get in the game and compete - not just collect checks.

Ralph Ossenbeck, Anderson Township

Strength training can prevent falls

I was pleased to see the article, ("Weight training helps women with osteoporosis," July 14) by Dave Patania. He points out that it's never too late to enjoy the benefits of physical activity and that proper strength training can actually reduce the risk of falls and the associated injuries.

Along with my role as Hamilton County Commissioner, I have served as chairman of the Hamilton County Falls Task Force since its creation in January 2000. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths, hospitalizations and emergency room visits in Hamilton County. The Falls Task Force brings together professionals from 24 local agencies to address this growing problem among older adults.

Through our work we have found that strength training does help prevent falls in older adults by improving balance and agility. An evaluation of older adults after eight weeks of participation in a strength-training program showed nearly every participant experienced significant improvements in the areas of strength, flexibility and balance.

Falls don't have to be a part of growing old; there are many resources available to help older adults stay active and independent longer than ever before. For more information about the Hamilton County Falls Task Force, please call 513-946-7806.

John S. Dowlin, Hamilton County Commissioner

College Hill has much to offer businesses

Thank you for highlighting our neighborhood's problem attracting developers and tenants for the three vacant buildings at our northern border. College Hill has demographics that businesses seek. We're the city's fifth-largest neighborhood, with an extremely diverse population in terms of race, economics and age. But the empty buildings, each closed for a different reason, make our neighborhood seem like an unattractive investment.

Unlike independent cities and villages, we have no paid staff that can market the neighborhood and fill our empty storefronts. And our taxes, it seems, won't pay for someone in city government to do it either. Kroger could help change that. It recently built a "super store" north of our community - and outside city limits - leaving its old store vacant.

At a highly charged public meeting last month, the community asked Kroger to pay for a $20,000 marketing study of the corner. Despite Kroger's many pledges to help College Hill, the company will not even spend the equivalent of one month's rent for its abandoned store to show good faith. I find this reprehensible, particularly after asking for $15 million from the city as a "good corporate citizen."

Gail Deibler Finke, Past President
College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corp.

Bush is the one who should be impeached

I enjoyed the political cartoons in the July 30 Enquirer. Republicans have been using undemocratic tactics to obtain political power for the past 33 years. This recall business is just icing on the cake.

Gray Davis was legally elected last November, and recalling him is legal under California law. One would think Bush could be impeached but since he was not really elected in the first place, I don't know what is appropriate to get him removed from office.

Dick Schladen, Aurora, Ind.

Bush should follow Reagan's example

Ronald Reagan was the last president to say it. Now it is time that President Bush says it in reference to Israel's security fence-building project that cuts into the West Bank ("Sharon says fence project will continue," July 20): "Mr. [Ariel] Sharon, tear down this wall."

Forrest Buckley, Westwood