Ovshinsky, socialism & confusion

I'm confused by people like Stan Ovshinsky ("Hero for our planet" by Jack Lessenberry, Oct. 25). I admire his achievements. Through his brainpower, hard work, risk and perseverance, he created wealth, jobs and advancements for a healthier environment. He inspired many. But he still clung to the idea that socialism was necessary and could do better. He helped more wage slaves live better lives than any social program ever could. He showed that employers who treated their employees fairly could be successful, but still believed unions are the answer. He seemed to prove the power of the individual, but still looked up to his socialist heroes. His son put it best when he said, "He may have done more to help the common man than those old idealistic socialists ever did." Amen to that. —Kenneth Koster, Clinton Twp.

So contempo!

Re the new, improved Metro Times and what strikes one in no particular order are:

a) the blizzard of full page ads before getting to anything else, but then someone has to pay the bills.

b) the disappearance of the unflattering sketches of the contributors.

c) the placing of the letters in the back of the bus rather than up front as part of legitimate editorial commentary.

d) most annoyingly, the "MT" bit, reminding me of the (right-wing) "UT" and "WSJ," formerly the (San Diego) Union Tribune and the Wall Street Journal, respectively, this snappy gambit whereby National Public Radio became "NPR" and Toronto Dominion is "TD."

This evolution is due to the childish Gen-X and -Y influence, and rather too tabloid for an oft-very serious publication (at least before the "Cinema" articles) like yours. —G. M. Ross, Lowell

> Email Metro Times readers