This letter is funny along with the comments...
My favorite has to be the one with the 'anals of history'...
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Incicility In America
"Incivility takes on many forms. It can be found in the gestures of a stranger amidst the morning commute, in a stolen moment at a music awards ceremony or on the lips of a Congressman on Capitol Hill. Is it possible to heal the character of America? The following are 10 thoughts on incivility in America:
1. Where there is no demand there will be a reduced supply.
2. One breaks the cycle of rudeness when one focuses on others rather than one's self.
3. It is possible to make clear one's position without seeking to destroy or defame another.
4. With public notoriety there should come responsibility and accountability.
5. Reclaim the art of listening and you will foster understanding.
6. We should seek to win over our opponent and at the very least gain his respect for the dignity with which we speak our convictions.
7. We should do what is right not because we seek self benefit but because we stand on high moral ground.
8. Respect for others begins with self respect.
9. "I’ve seen too much hate to want to hate, myself." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
10. In denouncing the rude and vile we join our collective voices to reclaim civility in America.
Civility goes beyond public apologies after the damage is done. It must emanate, not from polls and focus groups but rather from character and honor. Good people will sincerely disagree and the issues that divide us by their very nature impassion us.
The question is: How long will America tolerate hate and rudeness in our public dialogue? Perhaps the scriptures identify the need of the hour in the simplest of terms: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12)
Rev. Bill Shuler pastor at Capital Life Church in Arlington, Virginia."
I would like to say that I will try to do these things here in this forum. I admit I do get emotional and say (Type) things that I shouldn't. We may disagree, but we can all be civil and respectful. I will do my best to be these things. Please call me on it if I do wander off. Again I am sorry if I am insulted, or offended anyone.
1. Where there is no demand there will be a reduced supply.
2. One breaks the cycle of rudeness when one focuses on others rather than one's self.
3. It is possible to make clear one's position without seeking to destroy or defame another.
4. With public notoriety there should come responsibility and accountability.
5. Reclaim the art of listening and you will foster understanding.
6. We should seek to win over our opponent and at the very least gain his respect for the dignity with which we speak our convictions.
7. We should do what is right not because we seek self benefit but because we stand on high moral ground.
8. Respect for others begins with self respect.
9. "I’ve seen too much hate to want to hate, myself." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
10. In denouncing the rude and vile we join our collective voices to reclaim civility in America.
Civility goes beyond public apologies after the damage is done. It must emanate, not from polls and focus groups but rather from character and honor. Good people will sincerely disagree and the issues that divide us by their very nature impassion us.
The question is: How long will America tolerate hate and rudeness in our public dialogue? Perhaps the scriptures identify the need of the hour in the simplest of terms: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12)
Rev. Bill Shuler pastor at Capital Life Church in Arlington, Virginia."
I would like to say that I will try to do these things here in this forum. I admit I do get emotional and say (Type) things that I shouldn't. We may disagree, but we can all be civil and respectful. I will do my best to be these things. Please call me on it if I do wander off. Again I am sorry if I am insulted, or offended anyone.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Roses and Raspberries
We hereby deliver:
• ROSES to all of the community members and law enforcement officials who had a role in bringing an end to the long nightmare that began May 24, 2004.
Thanks to them, long-time sex offender Joel Courtney is now a New Mexico prison inmate, serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the kidnapping, rape and murder of 19-year-old Brooke Wilberger.
We would like to express our affection to a community that never forgot this crime, and a deep respect for the law enforcement officials who never stopped looking for her.
Roses as well to the investigators in New Mexico who linked Courtney's attack on a 22-year-old Russian exchange student on Nov. 29, 2004, to the mysterious disappearance six months earlier in Oregon.
And finally, roses to that student. We wish her well. She put a murderer behind bars.
• • •
• ROSES to Harry Mallory, who nominated for a "rose" the generous members of Corvallis Elks Lodge 1413. They provide a measure of comfort to some Oregon soldiers stationed in Iraq. It's a rose perhaps best delivered in Mallory's own words:
"I'm Harry Mallory, and I am one of the coordinators of the Family Readiness Group for Company B, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, which is currently deployed near Ur, Iraq. I would like to see the Corvallis Elks recognized for coming to the aid of our unit after being contacted asking if they could help fill a deficiency in toiletry articles where the company is stationed.
"Bravo company, as well as the rest of Oregon's Task Force Volunteer, are stationed at Camp Adder Iraq, a former Iraqi Air Base. Apparently quite a few soldiers are stationed there beside the Oregonians, and the Post Exchange is too small and under-stocked to handle the demand, so toiletry items disappear within a day or two of resupply.
"When the word reached us, we called the Corvallis Elks and they responded quickly, dropping off several pounds of various toiletry articles that same week which were packaged by family volunteers during our family program meeting. The troops have already received these items and are very appreciative of their efforts."
Stacks and boxes of toothpaste, soap, shaving cream, deodorant and talcum powder may not seem like much unless you don't have these things. We add our thanks to the Elks, and to Mallory, for nominating them.
• • •
• RASPBERRIES to a theft police listed on their crime log as a Beaver Mobile.
The first part that the vehicle stored at the Valley Football Center known as "the Beaver Mobile" was missing when its owner went to retrieve it in June. It was last seen in November (perhaps after the ill-fated Civil War game?)
The vehicle is valued at $3,000, but as soon as the item appeared in our "Crime Watch" listings, our phones rang from readers who insisted that they own Beaver mobiles, too - and they had the websites and blogs to prove it. We're talking orange former mail trucks and small cars.
So, ROSES to all of the citizens of Beaver Nation who own these mobile displays of their school pride. And we hope that soon we'll be able to report the recovery of the Beaver Mobile that used to live at the Valley Football Center.
• • •
• RASPBERRIES to the unfortunate fire that has closed - no for long, we hope - one of our homiest local neighborhood restaurant/bar: Tommy's 4th Street Bar & Grill at Fourth Street and Adams Avenue in downtown Corvallis.
The fire broke out after 3 a.m. Sunday and scorched the kitchen and dining area. Jim Patton, Corvallis Fire Department fire prevention officer. Nobody was hurt, thanks in part to quick action by Corvallis police.
Tommy's owner Bill Enwright, who has owned the business for nine years, was shaken by the fire but said he has insurance. We hope that we soon can report the grand re-opening of Tommy's.
• • •
• ROSES to a gentle transition into fall. It arrived Tuesday afternoon in the midst of an unusually warm three-day streak marred only by Wednesday's falling ash from wildfires in southern Oregon.
The nice weather is expected to linger though this weekend's Fall Festival, and we hope that everyone has a chance to enjoy this Corvallis welcoming ceremony to fall. By Monday, the weather is forecast to reflect the seasons with three days of rain.
• ROSES to all of the community members and law enforcement officials who had a role in bringing an end to the long nightmare that began May 24, 2004.
Thanks to them, long-time sex offender Joel Courtney is now a New Mexico prison inmate, serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the kidnapping, rape and murder of 19-year-old Brooke Wilberger.
We would like to express our affection to a community that never forgot this crime, and a deep respect for the law enforcement officials who never stopped looking for her.
Roses as well to the investigators in New Mexico who linked Courtney's attack on a 22-year-old Russian exchange student on Nov. 29, 2004, to the mysterious disappearance six months earlier in Oregon.
And finally, roses to that student. We wish her well. She put a murderer behind bars.
• • •
• ROSES to Harry Mallory, who nominated for a "rose" the generous members of Corvallis Elks Lodge 1413. They provide a measure of comfort to some Oregon soldiers stationed in Iraq. It's a rose perhaps best delivered in Mallory's own words:
"I'm Harry Mallory, and I am one of the coordinators of the Family Readiness Group for Company B, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, which is currently deployed near Ur, Iraq. I would like to see the Corvallis Elks recognized for coming to the aid of our unit after being contacted asking if they could help fill a deficiency in toiletry articles where the company is stationed.
"Bravo company, as well as the rest of Oregon's Task Force Volunteer, are stationed at Camp Adder Iraq, a former Iraqi Air Base. Apparently quite a few soldiers are stationed there beside the Oregonians, and the Post Exchange is too small and under-stocked to handle the demand, so toiletry items disappear within a day or two of resupply.
"When the word reached us, we called the Corvallis Elks and they responded quickly, dropping off several pounds of various toiletry articles that same week which were packaged by family volunteers during our family program meeting. The troops have already received these items and are very appreciative of their efforts."
Stacks and boxes of toothpaste, soap, shaving cream, deodorant and talcum powder may not seem like much unless you don't have these things. We add our thanks to the Elks, and to Mallory, for nominating them.
• • •
• RASPBERRIES to a theft police listed on their crime log as a Beaver Mobile.
The first part that the vehicle stored at the Valley Football Center known as "the Beaver Mobile" was missing when its owner went to retrieve it in June. It was last seen in November (perhaps after the ill-fated Civil War game?)
The vehicle is valued at $3,000, but as soon as the item appeared in our "Crime Watch" listings, our phones rang from readers who insisted that they own Beaver mobiles, too - and they had the websites and blogs to prove it. We're talking orange former mail trucks and small cars.
So, ROSES to all of the citizens of Beaver Nation who own these mobile displays of their school pride. And we hope that soon we'll be able to report the recovery of the Beaver Mobile that used to live at the Valley Football Center.
• • •
• RASPBERRIES to the unfortunate fire that has closed - no for long, we hope - one of our homiest local neighborhood restaurant/bar: Tommy's 4th Street Bar & Grill at Fourth Street and Adams Avenue in downtown Corvallis.
The fire broke out after 3 a.m. Sunday and scorched the kitchen and dining area. Jim Patton, Corvallis Fire Department fire prevention officer. Nobody was hurt, thanks in part to quick action by Corvallis police.
Tommy's owner Bill Enwright, who has owned the business for nine years, was shaken by the fire but said he has insurance. We hope that we soon can report the grand re-opening of Tommy's.
• • •
• ROSES to a gentle transition into fall. It arrived Tuesday afternoon in the midst of an unusually warm three-day streak marred only by Wednesday's falling ash from wildfires in southern Oregon.
The nice weather is expected to linger though this weekend's Fall Festival, and we hope that everyone has a chance to enjoy this Corvallis welcoming ceremony to fall. By Monday, the weather is forecast to reflect the seasons with three days of rain.
Why stop at Jesus?
I quite agreed with Jody Mohlman's Sept. 23 letter, "If it's wrong to keep Obama out of the classroom, what about Jesus?" After all, it's not like there's some silly "separation of church and state" amendment.
And I'm sure she won't disagree that we must include other religions, such as Buddhism, Islam and the Flying Spaghetti Monster. After all, Allah/the FSM/Buddha spoke of love for one another, just like Christ. We can start the day praying to three different gods. That shouldn't confuse anybody.
Nikolai Geier, age 13, Corvallis
And I'm sure she won't disagree that we must include other religions, such as Buddhism, Islam and the Flying Spaghetti Monster. After all, Allah/the FSM/Buddha spoke of love for one another, just like Christ. We can start the day praying to three different gods. That shouldn't confuse anybody.
Nikolai Geier, age 13, Corvallis
Market of Choice to open another Upscale Grocery Location
Yet another upscale grocery has announced plans to land in Corvallis.
Market of Choice has committed to take over the soon-to-be-renovated Rite-Aid building at Ninth Street and Circle Boulevard.
"Market of Choice signed a lease a while ago, so they will be the grocery in the building," said Darren Dickerhoof, who, with his brother Matt, is redeveloping the site, known as Corvallis Crossing.
Dickerhoof Development received permits from the city last week to begin demolition of the building's exterior, though that work won't begin for a while.
"It'll probably be late November before anyone notices anything going on," Dickerhoof said.
First, the inside of the structure will be gutted and rebuilt to make way for interior renovations for the new grocery store. Market of Choice operates seven stores in Eugene, Portland, West Linn and Ashland.
The area already has Safeway to the east and Richey's Market immediately to the west. Trader Joe's announced plans in July to open a store a few blocks to the south at Corvallis Market Center at 1500 N.W. Ninth St.
Dickerhoof said Richey's Market should remain in operation at least until late into 2010. The two groceries are working out details of a transition, which will likely include Market of Choice purchasing Richey's and closing the store.
The new Rite-Aid building is now complete and has been transferred to Rite-Aid. The company has begun stocking its new location and should open its doors early in October.
Plans for Corvallis Crossing include revamping the 1960s-era Rite Aid store into an updated brick, stone and stucco facade and making room for a handful of other retail shops.
The design calls for outdoor plazas, landscaping strips along the street frontage and 12-foot sidewalks through the parking area. The number of parking spaces will be reduced from 275 to 175, and two of the four driveways on Ninth and Circle will be closed.
The Dickerhoofs purchased the Rite Aid building and adjoining parking lot in 2007 and later acquired the rest of the Circle Nine property. They have so far invested close to $500,000 in the 150,000 square-foot retail complex and have attracted a full set of tenants.
Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net
Market of Choice has committed to take over the soon-to-be-renovated Rite-Aid building at Ninth Street and Circle Boulevard.
"Market of Choice signed a lease a while ago, so they will be the grocery in the building," said Darren Dickerhoof, who, with his brother Matt, is redeveloping the site, known as Corvallis Crossing.
Dickerhoof Development received permits from the city last week to begin demolition of the building's exterior, though that work won't begin for a while.
"It'll probably be late November before anyone notices anything going on," Dickerhoof said.
First, the inside of the structure will be gutted and rebuilt to make way for interior renovations for the new grocery store. Market of Choice operates seven stores in Eugene, Portland, West Linn and Ashland.
The area already has Safeway to the east and Richey's Market immediately to the west. Trader Joe's announced plans in July to open a store a few blocks to the south at Corvallis Market Center at 1500 N.W. Ninth St.
Dickerhoof said Richey's Market should remain in operation at least until late into 2010. The two groceries are working out details of a transition, which will likely include Market of Choice purchasing Richey's and closing the store.
The new Rite-Aid building is now complete and has been transferred to Rite-Aid. The company has begun stocking its new location and should open its doors early in October.
Plans for Corvallis Crossing include revamping the 1960s-era Rite Aid store into an updated brick, stone and stucco facade and making room for a handful of other retail shops.
The design calls for outdoor plazas, landscaping strips along the street frontage and 12-foot sidewalks through the parking area. The number of parking spaces will be reduced from 275 to 175, and two of the four driveways on Ninth and Circle will be closed.
The Dickerhoofs purchased the Rite Aid building and adjoining parking lot in 2007 and later acquired the rest of the Circle Nine property. They have so far invested close to $500,000 in the 150,000 square-foot retail complex and have attracted a full set of tenants.
Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
No, It’s Not About Race
I don't always agree with David Brooks, but I find his op-eds intelligent and thought provoking.
Here's the article
Here's the article
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Letter: New administration; same old emphasis on destructive growth
"We will not do anything that harms our economy," and there is "broad consensus globally on the need to act aggressively to restore growth to the global economy."
Those quotes display an identical ideology: To "not do anything that harms our economy" means not impeding growth. To "restore growth" means keeping our economy unimpeded from anything that harms growth. This growth ideology is a destructive folly.
Growth is the buzz word justifying the policies that are poisoning democratic, economic and ecological health. All sense of proportion, propriety and value must be made to fit, Procrustean-like, to the measure of growth.
Speed, ease and quantity - the three horsemen of growth - certainly have their utility. Thoughtlessly serving such utility as our ultimate economic goal is madness.
The two quotes above demonstrate the systematic nature of the madness. The first quote is from George W. Bush, the hero of conservatives that liberals ridicule for buffoonery. The second quote is from Bush's successor, Barack Obama, the brilliant, charismatic heartthrob that conservatives brand as a socialist.
Growth - and its profligate waste - are essential to government and corporations and, therefore, the most powerful lender in the world must pay homage to growth.
Waiting for policy change and technological progress is suicidal. We - ordinary people - must reject the lifestyle of heedless production and consumption. We need to make a human economy, based on the reality of finite resources; a new economy founded on community, frugality, conserving and care.
William Hormann
Albany
Those quotes display an identical ideology: To "not do anything that harms our economy" means not impeding growth. To "restore growth" means keeping our economy unimpeded from anything that harms growth. This growth ideology is a destructive folly.
Growth is the buzz word justifying the policies that are poisoning democratic, economic and ecological health. All sense of proportion, propriety and value must be made to fit, Procrustean-like, to the measure of growth.
Speed, ease and quantity - the three horsemen of growth - certainly have their utility. Thoughtlessly serving such utility as our ultimate economic goal is madness.
The two quotes above demonstrate the systematic nature of the madness. The first quote is from George W. Bush, the hero of conservatives that liberals ridicule for buffoonery. The second quote is from Bush's successor, Barack Obama, the brilliant, charismatic heartthrob that conservatives brand as a socialist.
Growth - and its profligate waste - are essential to government and corporations and, therefore, the most powerful lender in the world must pay homage to growth.
Waiting for policy change and technological progress is suicidal. We - ordinary people - must reject the lifestyle of heedless production and consumption. We need to make a human economy, based on the reality of finite resources; a new economy founded on community, frugality, conserving and care.
William Hormann
Albany
Letter: Their lack of health insurance is killing thousands each year
Reporter Nicholas Kristof, in The New York Times, points out that a study by a branch of the National Academy of Science says that someone dies every half hour - 18,000 per year - from lack of health insurance. If these persons finally manage to reach an emergency room, in spite of thousands of dollars of emergency care, it is too late to save them.
We need health care for all to avoid these deaths, or, if you think these persons are expendable, then think in terms of the money that could be saved if their health problems could be caught at an earlier stage and treated at much less cost.
Do you know someone without health insurance? Would you like one of them to be included in the above statistics? Please support health care for all.
Bibi Momsen
Corvallis
We need health care for all to avoid these deaths, or, if you think these persons are expendable, then think in terms of the money that could be saved if their health problems could be caught at an earlier stage and treated at much less cost.
Do you know someone without health insurance? Would you like one of them to be included in the above statistics? Please support health care for all.
Bibi Momsen
Corvallis
Letter: In response to ‘tea-bagger’ protests: How about this?
Tea Party activists are at it again. "Taxed to death" and "No Big Government" read the signs. I find I have to agree. According to Wikipedia, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security and Defense comprised 65 percent of the FY 2008 budget. Clearly, they are the biggest areas to cut.
Tea party fans, how many of you are for:
• Moving the Social Security retirement age to 75. (Effective 2010?)
• Cutting Social Security expenditures by 30 percent, effective 2010?
• Removing non-senior citizens from all Social Security and Medicare benefits?
• Eliminating the prescription drug benefit from Medicare?
• Closing all U.S., European and Asian military bases?
• Closing all underused domestic military bases?
• Completely pulling out of Iraq, effective immediately?
• Pulling out of Afghanistan immediately after the Taliban has been crushed, and Osama bin Laden has been killed?
Surely Corporate America will come up with suitable alternatives to a banana republic-style economy and social structure, right?
John T.L. Lee
Tea party fans, how many of you are for:
• Moving the Social Security retirement age to 75. (Effective 2010?)
• Cutting Social Security expenditures by 30 percent, effective 2010?
• Removing non-senior citizens from all Social Security and Medicare benefits?
• Eliminating the prescription drug benefit from Medicare?
• Closing all U.S., European and Asian military bases?
• Closing all underused domestic military bases?
• Completely pulling out of Iraq, effective immediately?
• Pulling out of Afghanistan immediately after the Taliban has been crushed, and Osama bin Laden has been killed?
Surely Corporate America will come up with suitable alternatives to a banana republic-style economy and social structure, right?
John T.L. Lee
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Obama Deception
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAaQNACwaLw&feature=player_embedded
Interesting, and yet funny at the same time...
Interesting, and yet funny at the same time...
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Roses n' Raspberries
• ROSES to our nation, and its people. We who remember this day eight years ago.
We're still unsure how to find our way back to a whole and united country in this "post-9/11" reality. But we need to work harder to heal; to find a reality and set a national tone more courageous, open and cordial than demonizing and full of rage.
We will never forget the 2,975 innocents (not including the 19 suicide-bomber terrorists) who died that day. In their memory, we need to work harder to unite our nation and deny the terrorists the victory they most want - our downfall as a leader capable of bringing light the world.
• • •
• ROSES to Corvallis School District administrative assistant Jennifer Schroeder. She still was working after 4 p.m., when a frantic phone call came in from Kay Guidry, who was reporting that her 12-year-old son hadn't come home from his first day at Linus Pauling Middle School.
Taylor Guidry and another boy had missed the bus by a few minutes and apparently were trying to find their way home.
The Guidry family is from Wyoming, and perhaps Taylor had that independent streak common to youngsters who are accustomed to the outdoors.
In any case, we're glad that quick action by the Corvallis Police Department, school personnel and even people in the neighborhood resulted in finding the two boys about three hours later, near the school and unharmed.
• • •
• RASPBERRIES to an obvious problem: Being under the influence of alcohol and driving makes you liable to do additional, less-than-smart things.
For instance, there's the recent early morning incident reported by Corvallis police at 1:32 a.m. at Southeast Third Street and Southeast Rivergreen Avenue.
Police stopped a Ford Explorer for driving down the center line. The most charitable interpretation of what happened next was that the driver wanted to adjust his position in the lane and make it all OK. Alas, he ended up backing up straight into the patrol car that stopped him.
Police take a dim view of that. The man was arrested and cited for driving under the influence of alcohol, having no insurance, no driver's license, failure to maintain his vehicle in a traffic lane - and unsafe backing. No word on whether the patrol car was damaged much.
• • •
• ROSES to a sliver of a silver lining to the economic downturn: Oregonians are generating less garbage. According to the state Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon's per-person generation of garbage dropped in 2008 by 9 percent - or about 300 pounds per person less. That's the biggest single drop over the year before since the state began following that statistic in 1992.
The DEQ estimates that when the 2009 statistics are in, they will show a continuation of that trend. Let's hope that when the economy picks up, our generation of garbage is not one of the indicators we see return to an upswing. Frugality is smart, even in good times.
• • •
• RASPBERRIES to an unfortunate fashion choice. We know just how it is. You can be a bit upset or distracted when preparing for something like a trip to the courthouse. You easily could grab the wrong purse.
For instance: The officer at the Benton County Courthouse at 120 N.W. Fourth St. who routinely scanned items through the security portal at the courthouse's entry recently found that one woman's purse contained both a knife and a small amount of marijuana. She was cited for having less than an ounce of marijuana.
• • •
• ROSES to all of the familiar faces we will enjoy watching in the National Football League this season. In all, 17 former Oregon State University football players could be lighting up the big boards across NFL stadiums this season.
We suppose we could have issued a rose-berry, considering this is certain to add hours to our time in front of the TV on Sundays, but hey - it's worth it to see that great and winning grin of former OSU wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh, who has moved on from his successful career with the Cincinnati Bengals to become a new Seattle Seahawk.
Other names among the 17: Steven Jackson, a running back with the St. Louis Rams; Cincinnati Bengals' wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (who we liked a mite better as Chad Johnson), linebacker Nick Barnett of the Green Bay Packers, Al Afalava of the Chicago Bears, Victor Butler of the Dallas Cowboys, Brandon Hughes of the San Diego Chargers, Andy Levitre of the Buffalo Bills, Keenan Lewis of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Sammie Stroughter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
We wish them all success. (And that "Ochocinco" might find his way back to a less career-limiting last name.)
We're still unsure how to find our way back to a whole and united country in this "post-9/11" reality. But we need to work harder to heal; to find a reality and set a national tone more courageous, open and cordial than demonizing and full of rage.
We will never forget the 2,975 innocents (not including the 19 suicide-bomber terrorists) who died that day. In their memory, we need to work harder to unite our nation and deny the terrorists the victory they most want - our downfall as a leader capable of bringing light the world.
• • •
• ROSES to Corvallis School District administrative assistant Jennifer Schroeder. She still was working after 4 p.m., when a frantic phone call came in from Kay Guidry, who was reporting that her 12-year-old son hadn't come home from his first day at Linus Pauling Middle School.
Taylor Guidry and another boy had missed the bus by a few minutes and apparently were trying to find their way home.
The Guidry family is from Wyoming, and perhaps Taylor had that independent streak common to youngsters who are accustomed to the outdoors.
In any case, we're glad that quick action by the Corvallis Police Department, school personnel and even people in the neighborhood resulted in finding the two boys about three hours later, near the school and unharmed.
• • •
• RASPBERRIES to an obvious problem: Being under the influence of alcohol and driving makes you liable to do additional, less-than-smart things.
For instance, there's the recent early morning incident reported by Corvallis police at 1:32 a.m. at Southeast Third Street and Southeast Rivergreen Avenue.
Police stopped a Ford Explorer for driving down the center line. The most charitable interpretation of what happened next was that the driver wanted to adjust his position in the lane and make it all OK. Alas, he ended up backing up straight into the patrol car that stopped him.
Police take a dim view of that. The man was arrested and cited for driving under the influence of alcohol, having no insurance, no driver's license, failure to maintain his vehicle in a traffic lane - and unsafe backing. No word on whether the patrol car was damaged much.
• • •
• ROSES to a sliver of a silver lining to the economic downturn: Oregonians are generating less garbage. According to the state Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon's per-person generation of garbage dropped in 2008 by 9 percent - or about 300 pounds per person less. That's the biggest single drop over the year before since the state began following that statistic in 1992.
The DEQ estimates that when the 2009 statistics are in, they will show a continuation of that trend. Let's hope that when the economy picks up, our generation of garbage is not one of the indicators we see return to an upswing. Frugality is smart, even in good times.
• • •
• RASPBERRIES to an unfortunate fashion choice. We know just how it is. You can be a bit upset or distracted when preparing for something like a trip to the courthouse. You easily could grab the wrong purse.
For instance: The officer at the Benton County Courthouse at 120 N.W. Fourth St. who routinely scanned items through the security portal at the courthouse's entry recently found that one woman's purse contained both a knife and a small amount of marijuana. She was cited for having less than an ounce of marijuana.
• • •
• ROSES to all of the familiar faces we will enjoy watching in the National Football League this season. In all, 17 former Oregon State University football players could be lighting up the big boards across NFL stadiums this season.
We suppose we could have issued a rose-berry, considering this is certain to add hours to our time in front of the TV on Sundays, but hey - it's worth it to see that great and winning grin of former OSU wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh, who has moved on from his successful career with the Cincinnati Bengals to become a new Seattle Seahawk.
Other names among the 17: Steven Jackson, a running back with the St. Louis Rams; Cincinnati Bengals' wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (who we liked a mite better as Chad Johnson), linebacker Nick Barnett of the Green Bay Packers, Al Afalava of the Chicago Bears, Victor Butler of the Dallas Cowboys, Brandon Hughes of the San Diego Chargers, Andy Levitre of the Buffalo Bills, Keenan Lewis of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Sammie Stroughter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
We wish them all success. (And that "Ochocinco" might find his way back to a less career-limiting last name.)
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Comments on Obama's Health Speech
Just wanted to provide a forum for thoughts on President Obama's speech (and the Republican counter, if you so desire).
Duck Running back fiasco
You know the old cliché that goes, "We wouldn't wish this on our worst enemy"?
That's how we feel watching the fallout of the punch that rocked the college football world: Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount, his team embarrassed in a 19-8 loss Thursday at Boise State, hauled off after the game and punched Boise State defensive end Bryon Hout in the jaw, dropping him to his knees.
Hout, who had been celebrating the victory, yelled in Blount's face and tapped him on the shoulder pads, triggering Blount's sucker punch.
Blount also had to be restrained by police from fans heckling him on the way to the locker room.
The videoboard operator at the stadium replayed the incident over and over: Here's another game highlight for you fans! Later, Boise State officials reprimanded the operator.
On Friday, Oregon did the right thing: It suspended Blount for the season. Because he's a senior, his playing days as a Duck are over. But Oregon also allowed Blount to keep his scholarship and he will be allowed to practice with the team.
Blount also called Hout and Boise State Coach Chris Petersen to apologize.
In the meantime, Petersen has come in for some justifiable criticism for not suspending or even publicly disciplining Hout: Petersen has said that he and other coaches will be spending time this week with Hout, helping him to learn from what happened. In other words, the Boise State videoboard operator has been sanctioned more heavily than Hout.
It was a tough way to start the season for new Oregon Coach Chip Kelly and new University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere.
Kelly, for his part, seemed to think that keeping Blount close to the team would help the young man: "He is taking this very hard," Kelly told reporters. "He understands he made a mistake and he has to pay for the mistake. But we're not going to throw LeGarrette Blount out on the street."
But it's not the first time Blount has caused trouble for the Ducks: In February, he was suspended indefinitely from the team for "failure to fulfill team obligations." He reportedly missed offseason team meetings.
At best, Kelly's decision to keep Blount close at hand will give the player a chance to put his life back together. But it comes with a real risk: The Blount affair could become a major distraction. (The shadow of Maurice Clarett, and how his woes became such a drag on Ohio State's football program, looms large here.) The punch on Boise State's blue turf could become this season's defining moment for the Ducks.
And that would be a shame: Despite our position here in Corvallis as the archrivals to the Ducks, the truth is that we want them to play well on the field - with the exception, of course, of one certain game in December. We don't want them to fall apart because of the fallout of one ill-considered action.
That's how we feel watching the fallout of the punch that rocked the college football world: Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount, his team embarrassed in a 19-8 loss Thursday at Boise State, hauled off after the game and punched Boise State defensive end Bryon Hout in the jaw, dropping him to his knees.
Hout, who had been celebrating the victory, yelled in Blount's face and tapped him on the shoulder pads, triggering Blount's sucker punch.
Blount also had to be restrained by police from fans heckling him on the way to the locker room.
The videoboard operator at the stadium replayed the incident over and over: Here's another game highlight for you fans! Later, Boise State officials reprimanded the operator.
On Friday, Oregon did the right thing: It suspended Blount for the season. Because he's a senior, his playing days as a Duck are over. But Oregon also allowed Blount to keep his scholarship and he will be allowed to practice with the team.
Blount also called Hout and Boise State Coach Chris Petersen to apologize.
In the meantime, Petersen has come in for some justifiable criticism for not suspending or even publicly disciplining Hout: Petersen has said that he and other coaches will be spending time this week with Hout, helping him to learn from what happened. In other words, the Boise State videoboard operator has been sanctioned more heavily than Hout.
It was a tough way to start the season for new Oregon Coach Chip Kelly and new University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere.
Kelly, for his part, seemed to think that keeping Blount close to the team would help the young man: "He is taking this very hard," Kelly told reporters. "He understands he made a mistake and he has to pay for the mistake. But we're not going to throw LeGarrette Blount out on the street."
But it's not the first time Blount has caused trouble for the Ducks: In February, he was suspended indefinitely from the team for "failure to fulfill team obligations." He reportedly missed offseason team meetings.
At best, Kelly's decision to keep Blount close at hand will give the player a chance to put his life back together. But it comes with a real risk: The Blount affair could become a major distraction. (The shadow of Maurice Clarett, and how his woes became such a drag on Ohio State's football program, looms large here.) The punch on Boise State's blue turf could become this season's defining moment for the Ducks.
And that would be a shame: Despite our position here in Corvallis as the archrivals to the Ducks, the truth is that we want them to play well on the field - with the exception, of course, of one certain game in December. We don't want them to fall apart because of the fallout of one ill-considered action.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The speech
Prepared Remarks of President Barack ObamaBack to School Event
Arlington, VirginiaSeptember 8, 2009
The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.
I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.
I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.
Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."
So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.
Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.
I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.
I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.
I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.
But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.
And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.
Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.
Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.
And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.
And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.
You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.
We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.
Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.
I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.
So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.
But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.
Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.
But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.
Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.
That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.
Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.
I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.
And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.
Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.
That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.
Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.
I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.
But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.
That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.
No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.
And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.
The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.
It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.
So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?
Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.
Arlington, VirginiaSeptember 8, 2009
The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.
I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.
I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.
Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."
So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.
Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.
I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.
I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.
I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.
But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.
And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.
Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.
Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.
And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.
And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.
You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.
We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.
Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.
I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.
So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.
But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.
Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.
But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.
Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.
That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.
Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.
I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.
And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.
Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.
That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.
Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.
I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.
But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.
That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.
No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.
And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.
The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.
It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.
So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?
Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Grateful for Medicare
I am a 68-year-old woman who has a heart condition and lung cancer. I was self-employed before age 65 and was paying nearly $600 a month for health coverage. I retired from my job but was still paying $600 a month for health insurance.
I had no choice but to pay the providers' fee, whatever it may be because of the "pre-existing condition" thing. When I was able to get Medicare (which I think would be considered "single payer"), it covered me with all my warts.
I cannot begin to express the relief that was to me and my disabled husband. My husband is on VA, which also accepts his pre-existing conditions, and wouldn't VA also be considered single payer?
I know Medicare or the VA is not perfect, but it sure is compared to the choices I had with private insurances even though I paid a huge monthly premium.
I feel so sad for my children and their efforts to provide health insurance for their families. One has insurance provided by her employer, and she has a $2,500 annual deductible! What good is the insurance unless she has a major illness? It eliminates her ability to afford to get medical care for common ailments or to have annual check-ups to stay well, but she has private insurance.
I sure prefer my Medicare and might mention I have the option of any doctor, any hospital and there are no referrals required. Believe me, its a beautiful thing and a real blessing for my life.
This nation owes its citizens the right to affordable health care. Public option or single-payer should be a right for each of us.
Peggy Beckhardt
Monroe
I had no choice but to pay the providers' fee, whatever it may be because of the "pre-existing condition" thing. When I was able to get Medicare (which I think would be considered "single payer"), it covered me with all my warts.
I cannot begin to express the relief that was to me and my disabled husband. My husband is on VA, which also accepts his pre-existing conditions, and wouldn't VA also be considered single payer?
I know Medicare or the VA is not perfect, but it sure is compared to the choices I had with private insurances even though I paid a huge monthly premium.
I feel so sad for my children and their efforts to provide health insurance for their families. One has insurance provided by her employer, and she has a $2,500 annual deductible! What good is the insurance unless she has a major illness? It eliminates her ability to afford to get medical care for common ailments or to have annual check-ups to stay well, but she has private insurance.
I sure prefer my Medicare and might mention I have the option of any doctor, any hospital and there are no referrals required. Believe me, its a beautiful thing and a real blessing for my life.
This nation owes its citizens the right to affordable health care. Public option or single-payer should be a right for each of us.
Peggy Beckhardt
Monroe
Legalize busking
I've been a Corvallis resident for 31 years. Due to the hard economic times, I am homeless and unemployed.
I earn money by busking (offering entertainment by singing, dancing, playing music or magic as an inducement to the giving of alms).
I have had two run-ins with the Corvallis police. They informed me that the Corvallis Municipal Code (5.03.080.150) limits busking to Riverfront Commemorative Park.
Both times, I informed the officer that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in the Berger vs. Seattle case makes parts of the code invalid. The court's decision in the case struck down the curbs imposed by Seattle that buskers refrain from soliciting gratuities, and that they work only in designated areas, like the Corvallis ordinance does.
At the second confrontation, the police chief, who was accompanying the officer, recommended that I take this matter to the City Council, which I plan to do.
I invite other buskers and musicians to join me in attending the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at noon at the fire station to hear my proposal to suspend enforcement of some sections of the busking law and give their opinions to the council.
Dale F. Combes, Corvallis
I earn money by busking (offering entertainment by singing, dancing, playing music or magic as an inducement to the giving of alms).
I have had two run-ins with the Corvallis police. They informed me that the Corvallis Municipal Code (5.03.080.150) limits busking to Riverfront Commemorative Park.
Both times, I informed the officer that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in the Berger vs. Seattle case makes parts of the code invalid. The court's decision in the case struck down the curbs imposed by Seattle that buskers refrain from soliciting gratuities, and that they work only in designated areas, like the Corvallis ordinance does.
At the second confrontation, the police chief, who was accompanying the officer, recommended that I take this matter to the City Council, which I plan to do.
I invite other buskers and musicians to join me in attending the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at noon at the fire station to hear my proposal to suspend enforcement of some sections of the busking law and give their opinions to the council.
Dale F. Combes, Corvallis
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Is Obama a mere mortal?
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/09/04/obama_the_mortal_98160.html
Interesting read, For me anyway... As I am the only evil right-winger here :)
Interesting read, For me anyway... As I am the only evil right-winger here :)
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
My buddy Leo's letter.
We ought to be impressed, I suppose, by the attempts of certain letter writers to use ten-dollar words to lend an air of expertise to penny-ante observations.
Although I loathe discountenancing cognitive dissonance, I would instead suggest that there is little, if any, similarity to the protests of grassroots patriots protesting policies of a past presidency which in other, civilized, countries be considered criminal, to the annoying 'astro-turf' theatrics of a manipulated minority preventing honest debate of health care reform.
A reform, I might add, that will benefit even the 'teabaggers' who so adamantly oppose it (obviously I am not referring to the fat-cat heath maintenance organizations that would stand to lose it all).
And while I admit that we are far from perfect, there has not been much from the other side of the aisle to benefit anyone other than Big Business and their deep-pocketed lobbyists.
But I humbly apologize if some of us protesting the illegal invasion of another non-threatening country, acted in a way that was not courteous and/or tasteful.
On behalf of my fellow peace activists, I accept the deserved rebuke and we will mend our ways.
Leo de Vogel, Corvallis
Editor's note: In a political context, "astroturf" refers to orchestrated campaigns by special-interest groups masquerading as a spontaneous "grass-roots" movement.
Although I loathe discountenancing cognitive dissonance, I would instead suggest that there is little, if any, similarity to the protests of grassroots patriots protesting policies of a past presidency which in other, civilized, countries be considered criminal, to the annoying 'astro-turf' theatrics of a manipulated minority preventing honest debate of health care reform.
A reform, I might add, that will benefit even the 'teabaggers' who so adamantly oppose it (obviously I am not referring to the fat-cat heath maintenance organizations that would stand to lose it all).
And while I admit that we are far from perfect, there has not been much from the other side of the aisle to benefit anyone other than Big Business and their deep-pocketed lobbyists.
But I humbly apologize if some of us protesting the illegal invasion of another non-threatening country, acted in a way that was not courteous and/or tasteful.
On behalf of my fellow peace activists, I accept the deserved rebuke and we will mend our ways.
Leo de Vogel, Corvallis
Editor's note: In a political context, "astroturf" refers to orchestrated campaigns by special-interest groups masquerading as a spontaneous "grass-roots" movement.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Global thermal... you get the idea...
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/31/phoenix-pastor-draws-protests-telling-church-prays-obamas-death/?test=latestnews
Remeber when I said there are idiots out there who give "Christianity" a bad name? Well here's a perfect example of an idiot with a capitol "I"
Remeber when I said there are idiots out there who give "Christianity" a bad name? Well here's a perfect example of an idiot with a capitol "I"
Study This...
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Aspirin-Healthy-People-Taking-Drug-To-Prevent-Heart-Attacks-Could-Do-More-Harm-Than-Good/Article/200908415371497?lpos=UK_News_Second_Home_Page_Article_Teaser_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15371497_Aspirin%3A_Healthy_People_Taking_Drug_To_Prevent_Heart_Attacks_Could_Do_More_Harm_Than_Good
Eggs are good for you, no they're bad for you. Liver is good for you, no it's bad for you. Asprin good for you, no, now it may be bad for you...
Eggs are good for you, no they're bad for you. Liver is good for you, no it's bad for you. Asprin good for you, no, now it may be bad for you...
Ohio College Republicans to Out Liberal Professors
http://www.independentcollegian.com/news/college-republicans-to-identify-liberal-professors-1.1849825
Light match, step back, ahhhh look at all the pretty colors...
Light match, step back, ahhhh look at all the pretty colors...
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