Visitors
I'm all for cultural diversity and exploration. To have 30 members of foreign countries come for educational experiences is good. But it is going to cost $33,000 per person to spend two weeks here. Since housing is free, where does the money go? Accountability?
Score
Is it really necessary to beat another girl's varsity basketball team by 70 points? What does this say to both teams involved? What have you accomplished by doing this?
Kindness
Thank you to the kind woman who works at a local elementary school. Two times last month, I was behind her at Dunkin Donuts in Skyway Plaza, and she paid for the anonymous person behind her (me!). I followed her and saw her pull into the parking lot so — whoever you are and whatever you do at that school, you are a blessing to those kids and to this senior citizen, who has benefited from your kindness twice. God bless you! I hope someone surprises you someday.
Ungrateful
Re: Toys. I think you are ungrateful. I hope this does not stop people from giving again next year. What are you teaching your grandchildren? "Wait long enough with your hand out kiddies; you will get want you want."
Airport
If the Plattsburgh International Airport is having trouble finding and/or keeping an anchor airline at its facility, why are they so hell-bent to borrow money to expand it? It was a dumb idea to begin with. That entire base should have been low- to middle-priced housing, like what was originally refurbished and then torn down when the base closed. The social elite have screwed up again. But not before they kept the low-income housing directly in front of the flight line.
Plan
Over 2,500 employees of CVPH now have a high deductible health-care plan. In addition to premium payments we must pay, we also pay our doctors visits, prescriptions and other costs in full until we reach a several thousand dollar deductible.
Children
I know of two welfare women under the age of 25 who are each having a third child. All children are of different fathers. Who is paying now for these children? We are. We should instill a New York law where if you have to go on welfare we will only pay for the children you already have. No more. They also have to go to school and learn a trade, and they can only have welfare for two years. They are given free contraception. Sounds like a good plan to me.
Evaluations
Friends of mine who are teachers and school administrators advise me of the better teachers in my kids' school. Sometimes they recommend teachers to avoid. Whether these teachers deserve their reputations, who knows. However, whenever a new evaluation process for teachers comes along, people are quick to line up to criticize it. Nothing meaningful ever seems to happen.
Comprise
Hooray for Steven Howell and his correct use of the verb "comprise" in the 1/6 "Faith and Spirituality" section. To wit, "The carillon proper is the musical instrument that comprises not only the bells..." Too many writers use "comprised of" instead of "comprises" leading to awkward constructions like, "The U.S. is comprised of 50 states." Since "comprise" means "consists of" write instead, " The U.S. comprises 50 states" or "The U.S. consists of 50 states." End of grammar lesson.
