Gobbledegook
Dear Editor,
The Guilford County school system has just awarded $250,000 to the Collaborative for Social and Emotional Learning for consulting regarding how to implement a “social and emotional learning approach” in our local schools. Exactly what does this entail? It sure sounds impressive.
In reality, however, it is nothing more than the latest means of burning off some of the massive funding already supplied to the school system in order to ensure that it cannot reach the classroom.
After all, county commissioners are not going to increase funding to a school system that is already able to meet all of its essential needs and requirements. Thus the continued wasteful spending by the Guilford County school system on nonsense gobbledegook programs, consultants and studies that do nothing to educate our children but do manage to burn off excess cash. And remember that this is the same school system that claims it does not have sufficient funding to adequately purchase textbooks and classroom supplies.
So next year when the school administrators moan and whine about not having enough money to purchase new textbooks or classroom supplies, let’s remind them about the millions of dollars they waste each year on bovine manure such as the Collaborative for Social and Emotional Learning group, along with all the other similar smelling nonsense they spend our tax dollars on.
Dick Bostick
Opinion vs. Fact
Dear Editor,
Biased news “fact checkers” claim President Trump lies 88 times a day.
As an educated reader, I’d like to know what those lies were, the background of the comment and the biography of the fact checker. Were the lies opinion? Is the fact checker qualified? Is it the author’s uncle? Or is it Donna Brazile?
My first experience with fact checkers was the 2016 debates. I watched the first one and thought Trump did great. I voted as such in an online news pole. The results of the pole, which appeared after the vote was cast, were dramatically in Trump’s favor. The news organization the next day wrote that the results of the poll were for Hillary Clinton. But it mysteriously left out the actual numeric results. The same article had the majority comments in favor of Trump posted to it. When Trump said he won the debate, the same news organization said a mysterious fact checker determined he was wrong.
Opinions are neither wrong nor true. By definition they cannot be fact checked. Yet media fact checkers continually fact check opinions. If they don’t know the difference between facts and opinion we cannot trust them.
Finally, why are these organizations so lazy that they depend on checkers and refuse to write the evidence? Please stop using unnamed faceless fact checkers when you can simply state the actual objective data.
The post debate fact checkers purposely fact checked an opinion and ignored there own numeric data.
How do we know they aren’t doing this now? Please give us the data. But that would conflict with the narrative they are trying to push.
Alan Burke
Political Tax
Dear Editor,
When I was younger I worked a few elections. I thought that I would be an unpaid volunteer. I had to take a day off from work, and I had a really good paying job, so I expected that I would be unpaid for my work. I was surprised to learn that not only would I get paid, but I was going to make more money than if I had stayed at work, and it was tax free.
I think that citizens who work the polls should be unpaid volunteers. If they are going to be paid there should be 10 percent election tax on that money. I also think that there should be a 10 percent tax on all contributions to political parties, committees, candidates, PAC’s, etc. This money could go to pay for “our” elections.
Chuck Mann
Bucket of Concerns
Dear Editor,
The many facets of what’s wrong in America sees an overflowing bucket of concerns in need of overhaul. One such alarming and totally out of control problem is that of respect. It was not so long ago that our relished culture was tethered to sincerity, fairness, honesty and earned respect. During this time, kindness ruled and the caring for others was deemed as model behavior. Respect was heavily weighted as a pillar of character. Today’s climate finds many of the general public as having little or no personal regard for one another. And the sad part of this scenario is its widespread influence and acceptance.
How did we veer so far off course from the stellar decorum once exercised by our forebearers? Opinions are numerous. Arguably, one of the most evident measures of disrespect in today’s environment is the me-mine-and-I attitude. No doubt, many thought the great characteristics associated with courtesy, dignity, caring and model behavior prevalent in the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s would likewise be adopted indefinitely. Unfortunately, the current status and value of respect in America pales in comparison to that of civility rooted in our past.
Recalling the pre/post war era, there was admiration for the attendant who would gas the car, wash windows, check the oil, etc., and thank you for your patronage. How about those businesses who knew you as a customer, by name, your preferences for certain items and provided undivided attention while shopping. And many will recollect when a firm handshake embodied a commitment as good as a written contract.
With so many ill-mannered practices presently in place, it is now easier to relate to what Dangerfield attempted to convey during and at the conclusion of his monologues as he always ended by saying, “I don’t get no respect.” And in her song lyrics, Aretha was right on as she begged, “all I’m asking is for a little respect.”
Yet with all the depressing daily events, maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Remaining hopeful and optimistic, perhaps we will experience once again, sooner than later, the best of what respect symbolized decades ago.
Jack Scott
Sneaky Fees
Dear Editor,
I visited one of the office supply stores just to have a membership card laminated. There were no customers in the print shop, so I received immediate service. Just a small charge of $2.48. No big deal. When I got home and looked at the folded receipt, part of the cost was 65 cents for “express guarantee.” So they added almost 30 percent to the cost. They did not ask me if I wanted this guarantee. They probably add the same flat fee to all orders. Nationwide that adds up to mucho dinero.
I called the store manager who advised me that this express guarantee moves me in front of any print orders placed before mine. He also said that the clerk asks if the customer wants this guarantee. This is not the case. They add the charge to all customers in line. Even if they did have print orders prior to mine, for 65 cents (or any amount), how is it fair for me to jump in front of other customers?
They are just padding the invoice, a less-than-honest (sneaky) way to add unwanted or unnecessary charges. This is exactly how businesses nickel and dime their customers with small fees to increase their revenue above their quoted price. Have you ever looked at the fee schedule at your bank? They are not small. How about credit cards, phone bills, water bills, airline tickets, cable bills, car rentals, etc.?
All these annoying fees add up big time. Whatever they think you will put up with. And, of course, if we want or have to have the product or services, we have no choice. Government, big business, etc., are preying on us. No wonder they want to dumb down the population.
Rob Little
Money Talks
Dear Editor,
About two-and-a-half years ago during the controversy over North Carolina’s attempted HB2 law, the CEO of PepsiCo wrote a letter to North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory objecting to this law. Not long after that, Target decided to open their store bathrooms to whoever wanted to use them.
The message that I kept getting during this time was that both PepsiCo and Target were not concerned about the safety of women and children. I wrote to both companies stating that I intended to stop buying their products and shopping in their stores. So for two-and-a-half years now I’ve been buying Coca-Cola and not shopping at Target and have no intention of supporting these companies again.
I had been a loyal Pepsi fan for most of my life and used to buy Target gift cards for all those special occasions. Sometimes mistakes are very costly for businesses.
So if your favorite company starts getting too political or too politically correct, you know what to do – cut off their funding.
Anonymous
Mayor Recycles
Dear Editor,
Unfortunately, Greensboro’s glam mayor is playing politics with her comment regarding a storm damaged and failed power system and the recovery rate.
She can casually display her ignorance in this regard since she has a four-year term. But giver her credit, she is doing a great job of recycling for the city. She has recycled our 2012 vintage potholes into craters with great efficiency.
She also gets credit for “fee farming” as the city becomes proficient at planting and harvesting fees (to avoid raising taxes?).
Some of the hairy-legged bunch that I run with think I am ungrateful and should be happy that we don’t have Summerfield’s mayor.
Anonymous
Lack of Leadership
Dear Editor,
I am writing this to point out the lack of leadership in our city and county counsel during the hurricane. I have a couple of issues to point out.
Why did the city or county not set up a facility in the Coliseum that would allowed the visiting lineman a decent place to stay while they were here helping Greensboro?
The linemen were having to sleep in their trucks or sleep in a 53-foot trailer that had cots or bunk beds in them. I spoke to one lineman who stated they were driving an hour and a half to a motel.
Why is Nancy Vaughn not out showing leadership and helping inform the people of Greensboro the situation and how it is developing? Instead she tweets, “Duke Energy where are you?” What a real lack of leadership.
All our representatives should be ashamed of their “lack of leadership” to the people of Greensboro.
Last, if there is another issue where Greensboro loses power; I hope that the city and county will treat these hardworking line men with respect and courtesy for the job they do that we cannot do ourselves and give them decent resting quarters and a place to get a hot meal and shower.
Greensboro needs to set up an information center that can inform the people through media as to the plans to tackle the crisis and the success they are having on a daily basis.
Anonymous
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