FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 29, 2018 • THE QUEENS COURIER 31
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letters & comments
SAYING GOODBYE TO BELOVED SHALIMAR DINER // PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM @cellenium
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DON’T LET AMAZON PRICE OUT QUEENS
Hopefully, your editorial board shares at least some of the widespread
concerns regarding the deal to bring Amazon to Long
Island City. If you have already read several analyses, you know
this is not some sort of local NIMBY reaction, but a well-grounded
position against corporate welfare and a lack of transparency
in the deal.
I recall Walmart was kept out of New York City because of fear
of its impact on small stores. Th e disastrous impact of Amazon’s
business model on bricks and mortar stories and communities is
already well known, and now this impact will be doubled with the
rapid and artifi cially imposed gentrifi cation of LIC and the surrounding
area.
Some real estate interests may profi t, but the community will
struggle. Th ese promised jobs? Th ey are for those who will replace
us.
Of course, the issue is complex, but in raising objections and
questioning the claims of (some) politicians, we will face developers
with deep pockets.
Th is city should serve human beings and human interests. Th e
billions promised to Amazon would be better spent directly on
schools, mass transit and aff ordable housing!
P. Adem Carroll, Flushing Interfaith Council
WHERE’S THE FLUSHING BUS TERMINAL?
Why has no Queens public elected offi cial held the MTA
accountable for the lack of any progress toward looking into the
potential feasibility to construct a new downtown Flushing Bus
Terminal?
Th ere is seed money in the current MTA $32-billion 2015-
2019 Capital Plan to look into the possibility of the long-forgotten
Flushing Bus Terminal, which closed in 1954. Th is need has
been previously documented in planning studies going back to
the 1960s.
What is the current status for progression of this study? Has
a consultant been hired? When will the public see a fi nal report?
Construction of a Flushing intermodal bus terminal could facilitate
a smoother transfer between bus and subway. A short-term
improvement could be the construction of bus holding lights at
bus stops. Th is would assist riders transferring from subway to bus
when a train arrives several minutes aft er scheduled bus departures.
Missing a bus by a minute or two during off peak hours (when
buses operate with longer intervals) is frustrating to riders. Why
not also invest in installation of bus holding lights at other major
bus to subway transfer connections at other locations as well?
Larry Penner, Great Neck
HONOR THE HELPERS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Th e holiday season is upon us. Now it is the time for caring,
sharing and giving.
It is a time where we travel to visit friends and relatives and
exchange presents. But I feel it is also a time to recognize members
of our communities who do things for others and off er acts
of kindness.
It is a time to honor those who go the extra mile and help those
in the most need. We need to applaud our police, fi refi ghters and
EMS workers who do their best to save lives and property. And yet
not only during the holidays but all year long and risk their lives
protecting all of us.
If you see any of these thank them for a job well done. It is also
those in civic, and faith-based organizations that do what they do
to help those in great need of human kindness. Also, let’s not forget
our brave men and women in the military who are serving our
country and protecting us world-wide.
Please say a prayer this holiday season for our heroes and that
God will keep them safe as they do for us year round.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Glen Oaks Village
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We must act to stop diabetes
BY DR. RAMON TALLAJ
Diabetes impacts millions of
Americans across the country
and many of us have been aff ected
either directly or through a
loved one, by this silent killer of
a disease.
As we think about how to
prevent or manage diabetes,
we must acknowledge that the
Hispanic community is at a
higher risk for developing Type
2 diabetes and we must take
action to address this. In fact,
over our lifetimes, Hispanic men
and women face a signifi cantly
greater risk of developing Type
2 diabetes – more than 50 percent
compared a 40 percent risk
for US adults on average.
Th is is the case for many reasons
including a lack of culturally
competent care, health insurance
disparities, and low household
income.
So, what can we do? Th e solution
lies in understanding the
greater risk our community
faces of developing type 2 diabetes
and taking action to prevent
it.
First, it’s important to understand
the basics of diabetes.
Diabetes occurs when the body’s
blood sugars are at levels above
normal.
Th ere are three main types of
diabetes. Type 1 diabetes cannot
be prevented because it is caused
by an autoimmune reaction that
the body cannot control. It is
usually diagnosed in children
and young adults. By comparison,
Type 2 diabetes is oft en diagnosed
later in life, although it is
becoming a problem for children
and teens, and can prevented or
managed through a healthy lifestyle.
Finally, gestational diabetes
is specifi c to pregnancy but is
a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is called the silent
killer because sometimes there
are no clear symptoms making
it diffi cult to know if you have
it. Even though more than 30
million Americans are currently
living with diabetes, 1 in 4 are
unaware of it. Th at is why it is
important to look out for risk
factors and be sure to talk to
your doctor about testing your
blood sugar.
Risk factors for prediabetes
and Type 2 diabetes include the
following:
• Being over 45 years old
• Being overweight
• Having high blood pressure
• Not being physically active
• Having a history of gestational
diabetes or having a baby
weighing more than 9 pounds
However, many of these risk
factors can be mitigated. Losing
even a modest amount of weight
or engaging in physical activity
three or more times a week can
help prevent or delay the onset of
Type 2 diabetes by up to 58% in
people with prediabetes and 71
percent for people 60 or older.
Additionally, having a healthy and
balanced diet can help. You can
control your diet through reduced
portion sizes and choosing to eat
more vegetables, fruits, and whole
grains instead of high fat foods like
cheese, whole milk and fried foods.
We must also urge our policy
makers to invest in health
education for diseases like diabetes
and understand the cultural
specific disparities our
community faces so that we can
build a system that combines
high-quality, eff ective care that
reduces costs for patients, institutions,
and localities.
By taking the above listed
steps, being aware of your family
history, and making regular visits
to your doctor, we can make
strides toward preventing and
managing this disease.
Dr. Ramon Tallaj is Chairman
of the Board of SOMOS
Community Care, a network
for physicians in New York City
dedicated to serving Medicaid
participants and low-income
families.
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