Mailbag: Salon practices are a step in the right direction

Re. “Her goal is to make sure customers are Polished Perfect,” (Aug. 14): Twila True’s work toward a more-sanitary nail salon is admirable. Her innovations, like creating nontoxic polishes, ending jetted pedicure tubs and building a better drainage system, will certainly guarantee customer health.

But what about the health of manicurists in the nail salon industry? A recent expose in the New York Times reveals that manicurists work under terrible standards. There is often ethnic discrimination in nail salons, with a hierarchy based on what country the manicurists come from.

Though manicurists subject themselves to dangerous fumes and toxins from the polishes, they are almost always underpaid and exploited. These women are deprived of basic working rights like lunch breaks and a minimum wage. They are often forced to pay for necessary training and start-up tools.

Though True’s work is a great step forward, there’s a long way to go before we can go to nail salons without guilt.

Zena Meyer

Irvine

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History will remember Carter poorly

I take exception to Denny Freidenrich’s comments about Jimmy Carter being among the top presidents (“Commentary: Carter ranks among the best modern U.S. presidents,” Aug. 21).

Just why was he only a one-term president? And just why did Ronald Reagan so easily defeat him in the next election?

He had to micromanage the Iran hostage episode just because he was a lieutenant commander in the Navy? I feel that history will agree with me on his time in office.

I do, however, regret that he has brain cancer.

Jim Mahaffy

Costa Mesa