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Education and money appear to be joined at the hip. Teachers need more money. Principals need more money. Superintendents need more money. The town needs more money to build another school. And your taxes continue to go up and up and up. This never-ending quest for more money for the government school system needs to end. The solution to fix any of the problems this system has continues to be the same: We need more money. More ... I couldn't help responding to a recent letter in The Voice [But I Deserve, March 29]. The writer, Ben Davidson, like so many bashers of education and teachers, set out to criticize what he felt were high salaries for teachers. With the reading of his first sarcastic line ("With tearful eye, I read the plight of a teacher who cannot afford to teach because the pay is so low"), I thought: "Here we go again." But as I read on, I found his letter proved more than ever that the teaching profession needs tremendous salary increases, and immediately. More ... Amy Pagnozzi, in her March 1 column in The Hartford Courant [A Useless Family Plan for Welfare?] championed one of her many should-be lost causes. While poking fun at President Bush's welfare plan, she attempts to portray unwed welfare mothers as if they were all wise, hard-working heroes and, of course, victims of the system. Some are, but let's take a quick look at Ms. Pagnozzi's example: a 20-year-old never-married woman with an illegitimate 2-year-old son. The article indicates she has parents, but either is not welcome in their home or prefers to live on her own and on welfare. Ms. Pagnozzi says, "Single parenthood's rarely a conscious choice." It isn't? Women don't have choices? They don't choose the men they date? They all got pregnant by being raped? They were all sleeping during sex education classes? They never heard about the choice of adoption? Someone else made the decision for them to have sex before marriage? Someone else chose whom they would marry? More ... Politicians and government officials are always conjuring up ways to reform the welfare system in this country. They are also always finding creative ways to raise taxes. The public knows to expect this even though almost every political campaign promises they will maintain the current levels or even cut taxes. More ... The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are the cornerstones of the best form of government there is. I am an Independent, and have been all of my life. In response to Mr. Ed Buley's March 29 article [Which Side Are You On?], I ask: Which side are you on, Mr. Buley? Bush and Ashcroft chose to violate their sworn oath to protect the rights of the people. In your article you said you supported them, and you also wish to deny Senator Tom Daschle his right to free speech; yet you were exercising your right to free speech when you wrote. More ... Even more hostile to the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) team was its contributing expert of microscopy, Walter McCrone. One cannot read any book about the Shroud of Turin, pro-authenticity or con, without reading about the conflict between many STURP members and McCrone. Apparently, McCrone found some paint particles within the sample slides he was given. His conclusion? The Shroud was a painting. STURP argued that these random particles were not concentrated within the body image, and were found scattered along with other various, microscopic debris. They were found just as frequently in non-image areas! It is known that many medieval artists brought the Shroud to their studios, where they made crude "copies." As a blessing for their work, they would even press their finished work upon the original! Also, the Shroud was often displayed in old cathedrals, where frescos would peel and shed their layers. But, just like Nickell, McCrone doesn't take that "superficial dehydration" image finding very seriously. More ... I would like to take this opportunity to thank the community for the support they showed to me and my students at our third annual "Young Artists Gallery" on Saturday and Sunday, March 23-24. More ... |
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