The following appeared as a letter to the editor from a Central Plaza store owner."Over the past two years, the number of shoppers in Central Plaza has been steadily decreasing while the popularity of skateboarding has increased dramatically. Many Central

This letter provides an idea about influence which skateboarders have on Central Plaza's development. The author give a number of premises which should support his conclusion about the necessity of prohibiting skateboarding in Central Plaza. However, these premises as much as number of assumptions don't prove such a necessity.

The first fact which is mentioned is the fact that the number of shoppers in Central Plaza has been steadily decreasing. The author sees a close connection between this decline and increase of skateboarders. But there are lots of other probable explanations of the decrease in business. Were other stores opened in the neighbourhood? Are prices in Central Plaza reasonable enough? Maybe, other stores in the area are more popular, and the decrease is connected with free competition. So, the change for the worse in this business may not be related with skateboarders.

Another fact provided by the businessman is concerned with litter and the acts of vandalism. However, he can't prove that skateboarders are guilty, it's just an assumption. We can suppose that cleaning services are lax, we also can say that vandalism is a result of business rivals' activity, or just assume that the neighborhood is a criminal and unfriendly place with lots of vandals. So we need to have ansvers to some questions about cleaning organization, place, and rivas activity. And of course we can't blame skateboarders without clear evidence.

For these reasons, a number of author's assumptions seems unproved. The author can't substantiate his claim, and the reader can't be sure that business in Central Plaza will be successful after prohibition of skateboarding.