Speak Out 11/23/07

Repetitive teaching

TEACHERS MOTIVATE students to learn and to learn about learning in general. If you are bound and determined to reinforce a fact or a concept that will be forever remembered, you must repeat it at least nine times. The only things students tend to remember from school have absolutely nothing to do with the specifics of academics other than basic reading, writing and arithmetic. However, we must not forget the important latent function schools serve in socializing the students.

Ocean is closer

I SURE hope the Massachusetts energy company that wants to harness the energy from the Mississippi River is planning on reimbursing the states and counties it will have to run through to hook up with its stations in Massachusetts. Otherwise I say let them go the other way to the Atlantic Ocean.

Bullying in school

I GET tired of religious fanatics who think taking God out of schools is the reason students are killing each other. These students are being bullied by their peers and are retaliating in a bad way. As a parent of a junior high student, it amazes me how the school says it will take care of bullies. But when something happens, the teachers say they have to see it happen. I guess we can ask God to be our witness.

Healthy training

WHY SHOULDN'T restaurants suck up the cost of training for new employees? I don't like it if I see an employee touch her hair and not wash her hands. Coughing would be worse.

Cheap prevention

SOME RESTAURANT owners are worried about requiring employees to take a two-hour training course at the cost of $10 per employee. They say this would discourage potential employees and impose burdens on restaurants. It will cost more -- a lot more than $10 in lost business and potential legal problems -- if someone contracts food poisoning at a restaurant.

Puzzling politician

A PERSON running for state office approached me a couple of days ago. He asked me what party I was going to vote for, and I told him that abortion and values were the big issues for me. He said he agreed and said he was pro-life. But he said there are a lot more issues just as important. I asked which ones. He paused for a moment and said, to my surprise, "Maybe there isn't," and left with a quick handshake and thank you. He seemed like a nice young man, yet I'm puzzled by his admission.

Good candidates

WITH REFERENCE to Gary Rust's announcement that Jo Ann Emerson and Kit Bond have endorsed Rudy Giuliani, Peter Kinder has endorsed Fred Thompson and Rod Jetton and Matt Blunt have endorsed Mitt Romney, it's obvious to me that they have let the media decide their endorsements when there are good candidates available such as Mike Huckabee and Duncan Hunter.

Taxing churches

TALK ABOUT religious hypocrisy. Churches are supported by offerings. Taxes have already been paid by church members, and most of them are able to turn this amount in as donations on their tax returns. If churches were taxed, this would be taxing members again. Are you ready for this? What would the government do with all these empty buildings?

Where are the cuts?

SINCE THE housing market has declined, property values have gone down, why hasn't my assessment gone down? Why do insurance companies raise your assessment on your insurance premiums? It doesn't add up.