My comments about Medicare quickly brought responses from people who were quick to agree. One letter was sent to us and published on Wednesday also agreeing but said I referred to the federal employees as “idiots.” The writer must have just read into my column words I did not write because I was complimentary of the employees I had talked to and most definitely never called anyone an “idiot.”
I did hear from one person who said she had a family member who was one of the writers and she, too, had problems sometimes with the system. Here’s one possibility for all of the confusion. She said this person she knows was on a Medicare conference call last week with 17,000 people. How do you really know if everyone is on the call and especially if they are listening? I am certain of one thing no one asked a question.
More than wanted ...
You know how sometimes you ask for something and get way more than you bargained. This happened last week to the “Chipper.” Residents were urged to bring their old Christmas trees to locations around town so they could be chipped into recyclable compost. Sounds like a simple request but not so much. It seems that some people decided it was easier to leave the lights on their trees. One large outdoor tree was still in a bucket filled with concrete. The very best story I heard of “what was not quite what was asked” was the numerous “artificial” trees at a couple of the drop off locations. Now I know why stores can sell so many artificial trees each year. No one is “recycling” them back to their boxes and into the attic.
Haiti and the questions ...
Knowing one of the two men from Adel who were in Haiti during the earthquake brought this disaster close to home. Families in that community are hurting and, at the time of this writing, John Scarboro is the only known survivor. His son-in-law was still missing. Watching the television news broadcasts of the walls of concrete that had fallen like dominos was unbelievable. Homes and buildings that hold up well during hurricanes become tombs during an earthquake. John and his company were there to formulate plans to construct 30 enclosed basketball courts. As he was quoted in our paper on Saturday, “they have got to do something for the kids.” And in a country where 50 percent of the population is under 18, John is exactly right, but, as he knows so well, it will be a long time before basketball is on the mind of Haiti’s children.
Ringo ...
In 1963, I saw the thousands of people trying to jam into the Atlanta baseball stadium to see the British group, the Beatles. I did not have tickets but today I wish I had tried harder. Only two of the group lives today and Ringo Starr, the drummer, will turn 70 in July. He will celebrate his birthday performing at Radio City Music Hall, the home of the Rockettes. What a contrast! I don’t know if Ringo’s age makes my 65 seem young or is it just another reminder how quickly I will be 70. I am glad to see he is still working (and married after 29-years).
We all want the answer ...
Our 3-year-old granddaughter asked her sister Wednesday morning when she saw a heavy frost on the grass outside her home, “When is the green coming back on the grass?” Honey, let me know the answer to that because so far this January I am beginning to think it never will.
What We Think
From the publisher: Random thoughts and comments
- What We Think
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Leaving NCLB behind
Georgia schools may be sighing in relief today, following the announcement that the U.S. Department of Education granted a waiver to the state, along with nine others, from the rigorous requirements of the No Child Left Behind act.
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Don’t jettison landmark
While we respect the request to relocate the F-86 aircraft from outside Mathis City Auditorium to the new Moody Air Force Base Airpark, we would hope the city and MAFB would reconsider moving it.
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Shame in Berrien County
Unfortunately for Sherrie Williams of the Berrien County school-based health clinic, she talked to The Times and praised the program that she oversees. This pride in her work led to the loss of her job.
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Grading policy: A second chance?
In clarifying the Lowndes County Schools’ controversial grading policy, Superintendent Dr. Steve Smith spoke of second chances.
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Be up to any weather challenge
Georgia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week starts today and runs through Friday. The idea behind the week is to prepare Georgians for weather emergencies and how to keep these situations from becoming tragedies.
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Parents and schools
There is a lot of talk lately about school systems and grading policies, and how all of a child's problems come back to a lack of parenting. But is it really that simple? Can it be a case where the school systems are so focused on the problem few that the majority of students are ignored?
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Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS UP: To Brooks County High School engineering and technology teacher Don Morgan and his students. They recently received national attention for their work with biodiesel fuel. They collect used cooking oil from area fast-food restaurants then process this oil into biodiesel. Morgan hopes to next interest the Brooks County school buses into running on the fuel created in his class. This classroom not only prepares students for the future but may prepare all of us for an alternative energy source.
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Take me out to the ball park
The Valdosta State baseball season begins today. The Blazers host Lindenwood at 2:30 p.m. Nothing beats quality baseball played in warm weather with a great venue like Billy Grant Field.
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What We Think: Signing Day
Wednesday was National Signing Day, the day when high school athletes across the country make official announcements about what school they’ve chosen to sign with.
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School policy fails expectations
Lowndes County Schools recently implemented new grading guidelines for students. These guidelines have left many parents upset ...
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Leaving NCLB behind
