Useful subjects
In reference to the May 3 front-page headline "A magical day at the fair," I hope during the "weeks studying about fairy tales from different cultures," the Bolton Elementary School students also spent some time studying math, English and other possibly more useful subjects.
JAMES E. SHEPHERD JR.
Blowing Rock
Appreciation
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, May 7-11, I am writing to encourage everyone to take a moment to thank their children's teachers.
I want to thank Bolton Elementary School, Paisley Magnet School and A Child's World Learning Center for the care and education they give my three children. They always take time to give me lots of feedback and support my children each and every day. Teachers really do make a lifetime of difference.
STACEY McELVEEN
CENTER DIRECTOR,
A CHILD'S WORLD LEARNING CENTER
Clemmons
An encroachment
In response to the article "Church ordered to build sidewalks" (April 23), I would like to say that this is ridiculous. When is the town of Walkertown planning on meeting the sidewalks that they have required? These sidewalks along the Gospel Light Baptist Church property will end, and then if someone wants to walk to Walkertown, they have to walk on the road.
The offer was made by The Rev. Bobby Roberson, the pastor of Gospel Light, to have Walkertown build the sidewalks on the city property that Walkertown is responsible for, and he would be more than happy to join the sidewalks. Could it be possible that this is about money? To increase property value so that the town may have more revenue in taxes? I think so.
It is appalling to me that Town Manager Scott Snow is unwilling to even negotiate this. It is beyond no doubt an encroachment. The same goes for the people who had to put in sidewalks in their subdivision, Robin's Walk.
Why can't the city extend the sidewalks from the park to the church and to Robin's Walk? Then people could enjoy the walk in the beautiful country setting. To me, that sounds like a win-win.
Shame on Walkertown, Snow and the Walkertown Planning Board for not even considering doing the town's part.
DEBORAH ASHBY
Walkertown
Finish the Thought
Last Saturday, we asked readers to complete the sentence:
"Vice-presidential candidates have a major impact on presidential elections if …"
"… and only if the voter has a strong preference for the vice presidential candidate over the presidential candidate of the opposite party. This rarely happens. Maybe only .5 to 1 percent of all voters. Vice-presidential candidates don't have much impact before or after an election. As Harry Truman once said about vice presidents, 'They were about as useful as a cow's fifth teat.' "
KAM BENFIELD
"… voters aren't really sold on the presidential candidate."
JANE FREEMONT GIBSON
Good afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: I'm sure math, english and science are part of the curriculum as well. Learning about other cultures may lead to less xenophobia.
LTE 2: Cheers to all of the teachers! Just wish the state legislatures shared Ms. McElveen's appreciation for teachers.
LTE 3: There was already a prior agreement made. If the rules/agreement require a sidewalk be built, then it needs to be built. Why should Gospel Light be allowed to break the rules for being a church? It's clearly not about additional tax revenues since Gospel Light is already exempt from paying property taxes.
Finish the thought: Both Mr. Benfield and Ms. Gibson thought in terms of a positive impact on the party. Based on the last presidential campaign, I would say it is more likely to cost an election than to win one. I was strongly considering voting for McCain until he chose Sarah Palin. After checking out her background (which mainly consisted of being the mayor of a one stoplight town anyone on this forum could run) and seeing her performance in interviews, it was clear to me that she made Dan Quayle resemble Winston Churchill which caused me to wonder if McCain would make other horrific choices to head vital posts. My answer is a competent running mate won't make much of a difference, but an incompetent one most likely will.
The time seems to have magically fixed itself. What next?
ReplyDeleteIn LTE #1, Mr. Shepherd reveals our greatest weakness. The USA is the most powerful nation ever on earth, but our worst enemy is our own vast and endless ignorance of other cultures. Because of that, our foreign policy over the last 120 years has been one disaster after another.
It began with Dewey's empty victory at Manila Bay. The locals already had the Spanish on the ropes...all we had to do was give them a gentle assist and move on. Instead, we made war on them, which has now become the longest war in history. There are places south of Manila where even Rambo would fear to tread.
Then the great TR compounded his mistake by sending a secret diplomatic mission to Japan with the intent of undermining China and Korea. That led to the real rising of the Rising Sun, and inevitably led us back to the undermined Koreans. That has become our longest war, soon to celebrate its 63rd birthday. We still have over 28,000 troops in Korea, many of whom come in harms way daily along the demilitarized zone. 2/3 of South Koreans have a negative view of the US because of the conduct of those troops over the years.
I'll just mention a few more cultural misreads...Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Iraq...where next? "They will welcome us as liberators", without question the stupidest statement in American history. Who said it?
Learn children, learn...your elders have failed miserably.
True, but we wouldn't have the endlessly entertaining North Korean propaganda. I go to the KCNA English website whenever I need a laugh.
DeleteOh so true...I have a Korean friend in California who forwards me the best of KNCA...like a breath of spring.
DeleteFor those who don't know what Arthur is talking about, here is the latest dispatch from the front lines:
Kim Jong Un Tours Mangyongdae Funfair
The "Funfair" is one of the great projects of Kim Jong Un's father. It covers about 180 acres, roughly the size of my grandparents' former farm, and would fit invisibly into any remote corner of Central Park. It has been under development for many years, but has never opened.
The Great Leader's detailed comments are hilarious. Imagine the POTUS visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and criticizing in detail the operations thereof, including the layout of the parking lots and the disposition of water fountains.
Unfortunately for the staff of the Funfair, I would imagine that several of them are no longer with us after this visit.
Also, Iranian propaganda is quite amusing.
DeleteAccording to Al Jazeera, by far the best news service in southwestern Asia, a few days ago the biggest headline in Teheran was this:
US Carrier Groups Ask Permission Before Entering The Persian Gulf
The story described how US carrier groups communicated with Iranian naval forces before entering the Gulf in such a way as it seemed that they were requesting Iranian permission to enter.
As Al Jazeera pointed out, the communications were simply a centuries old naval courtesy on the high seas wherein any naval vessels approaching one another send and receive a message of identification.
Hey, if it works for the Ayatollahs, it works.
I won't go into the extreme danger of playing brinksmanship by cramming a US carrier group into the Persian Gulf. A carrier group requires a diameter of a couple of hundred miles to operate safely and sanely. Jamming them into the tight confines of the Gulf virtually ensures a disaster. In fact there has already been one, when the USS Vincennes shot down a commercial airliner. There will certainly be more serious events if we continue to put our sailors in peril.