June 2008 Archives

On Tuesday night, the SESD school board welcomed representatives of Students First to present their ideas for attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers to the district. Traci Stauffer, a parent and former teacher in our district, spoke for Students First and presented research from several studies that reveal the costs (in dollars and cents as well as program continuity and school climate) when experienced teachers leave a district. (Harvard University, ...for Teaching and America's Future)

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I have finally decided that Mike Argento needs someone in his corner. I delight each time I read one of his articles. I have little sympathy for Mr. Klovensky and others who have a problem with Mike. I am confused as to exactly what their problem is with his commentaries. It should be obvious to everyone that he is poking fun at much of the establishment. He calls attenmtion to the issues and some of the ramifications of each one. If he bothers some of the readers that is their problem. To them I say DON'T READ HIS WORKS!!!

Wayne Upton
Stewartstown

I'm an intelligent person, passionate about my own opinions, however in a country fueled by the pluralism of ideas I can reasonably understand and accept the many opinions people may have on the debate of gay marriage within the context of the church's authority. But can we please agree at least that citing bible passages in the context of a policy debate whose outcome will be to govern all, including the non believers, lacks the necessary legitimacy that an argument such as this requires?

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You gotta love a letter to the editor encouraging us to refrain from writing letters to the editor (Klovensky 6-28). While one might disagree with Mr. Argento's politics his sense of humor in pointing out the many innane actions of our politicians and yes us, the citizenry is priceless. The most myopic view is to encourage the limiting of free speech because we don't agree with it. Come to think of it I suspect Mr. Klovensky may have given Mr. Argento fodder for his next article.

Mike Clemens
Hanover

The economy is in the tank, as bad as we've seen since Ronnie Reagan, more than 20 years ago. We are in an illegal, unwinnable war that has cost more than 5,000 American lives (1,000 civilians to go with the military losses). The cost of this war will top a trillion (with a T) dollars.

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There is a simple, effective, and inexpensive solution to the large-truck problem on Church Street in Glen Rock. Install a video camera to record and identify violators, and then vigorously prosecute them.

We already use this technology in many large cities to automatically identify vehicles which run red lights, and on toll roads for those who pass through toll booths without paying. We could discriminate between cars and large trucks, we can read the license plates and view the logos on the trucks, we can even snapshot the driver.

Accompanying the installation should be signage warning that video surveillance is in place. With that and some well-publicized prosecutions, the problem will go away.

Dan M. Bowers
Consulting Engineer
York Township

It is astonishing that in a time of war, in a country falling deeper into a recession that someone could state that the most important election issue is gay marriage.

It's amazing enough that in the year 2008 we still have people that would like to deny others all of the freedoms this country has to offer based on sexual preference.

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In "letters To The Editor," On June 25th, Statistics are being quoted that are supposed to prove all the good that Planned Parenthood is doing. I beg to differ! Planned Parenthood is the scourge of our times. It is Barbaric to promote killing babies. Planned Parenthood encourages "Free Sex" by providing contraceptives to young people encouraging them to explore and make choices in areas they have very little real understanding about and control over. Hollywood doesn't help matters for with hormones raging, young people seek to satisfy their needs, forgetting about self-respect, self-control and a complete understanding of all that is involved.

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I am a little tired of hearing Congress tell us we are stupid to think drilling for more oil and building more refineries will solve our energy problems. I have heard that the best form of leadership is by setting the example. I suggest the following:

1 Stop providing chauffeured limousines for members of congress and their staff.
2 Require congress to travel on public air lines.
3 Pass a law banning parking cars that do not use green energy on federal property.
4 Encourage government employees to use the metro.
5 Convert all sources of energy for government facilities to solar panels and wind mills.

By the time you get this done our economy will be destroyed and we will no longer be a world power. College graduates may be working in the fields, our tax base will be destroyed and all your social programs will go unfunded.

Jack Stuckey
Dover

With gasoline at four dollars a gallon and pundits presaging 5 and 6 dollars a gallon in the near future, it is safe to say we are in the midst of an energy crisis.

The politicians are offering short term fixes like removing federal tax from the cost of gasoline, dipping into our strategic oil reserve, or moving ahead with off-shore drilling for oil. None of these attempts at easing prices will work

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In her recent letter to the editor, Planned Parenthood official Suellen Craig states that only 3 percent of the services provided by Planned Parenthood nationwide in 2006 involved abortion. However, there are a few untold stories behind that statistic. Even supporters of legal abortion are calling Planned Parenthood the Wal-Mart of abortions because of its brisk abortion business. While abortion totals are declining nationwide, the number of abortions at Planned Parenthood facilities are on the rise.

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Eugene Paik's article on the treatment of immigrants was very enlightening. I had heard that we had been allowing immigrants to die in prison without medical care, and wondered why, as Christians, we found that to be necessary. Now I understand. We do it for money . . . Great Heaps Of Money! Did we forget that Jesus was poor and indigent?

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As I opened my YDR dated June 25, 2008, and read the front page article regarding Southeastern School District's plans to purchase a $97,000 piano, my gut reaction was outrage. It became clear that when Ms. Shank put the piano out to bid, the bid was not just for a piano but, rather, a $97,000 piano which, evidently, left only the name out of the bid specification. Mr. Marston's somewhat cavalier remark, "Oh, the Steinway," did little to subside my outrage even though he mentioned the 18,000 negative e-mails he'd received.

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Marg Gotwald's letter concerning gay marriage is puzzling. She quotes from the Declaration concerning the "Creator" and how people are endowed by "Him" with certain inalienable rights: life (she must be against abortion), liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Cal Thomas' column in Monday's paper was sickening. I know he has a right to say what his thinks but having the right doesn't make it right. His comments about Mr. Obama's religious beliefs were bigoted, hateful and disgusting. How DARE he tell someone they are not a Christian? Who died and left him in charge of defining other people's beliefs?

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Would Rep. DePasquale vote to toll I-83 next?

Our state representatives seem to have lost touch with reality. They do not understand how difficult it is for the average family to stretch their paycheck in order to pay for basic, everday necessities like gas for their cars. With gas prices topping $4.00 a gallon, it is impossible for us to get ahead.

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I feel that the smoking ban to all public areas is also against my rights as a smoker.
I am considerate of people who do not smoke and children, but I also feel I should be able to smoke in designated areas in public parks, ect.
I do realize that smoking indoors is harmful to those who are allergic and non -smokers.
But the environment is just as harmful as smoking in the outdoors and no one is banning diesel trucks, or pollutant cars from driving around.

Vickie Edleblute
York Township

Govenor, Mayor or Dictator: A governor or mayor are elected to protect people's rights, all the people. This includes the right to the pursuit of happiness and if that happiness includes lighting up a cigarette any where, anytime and if you say no he can't, you are infringing on his right to his or her right to the pursuit of happiness.

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Rep. Dennis Kucinich's impeachment bill against President Bush has been sent to the House Judiciary Committee, where a similar bill against Vice-President Cheney went to die about eight months ago. If the Bush impeachment is allowed to die there, too, then the American democratic experiment may be over.

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I attended York High's graduation ceremoney last week and it was terrible how it was set up. I went to the cafeteria with my neighbors daughter. Four others went to the gym and two went to the auditorium. The seating was terrible, the heat overwhelming and then lets not mention the audio visual problems. There was part in black and white, then it went to full out distortion and finallywe were able to see a poor quality showing of the graduates.

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It is unfortunate the York Daily Record fell into the easy trap of pulling on heartstrings instead of dealing with the hard facts of wildlife management in its June 12 issue.

Each year, hundreds of well-meaning individuals unnecessarily take wildlife out of the wild and "kill them with kindness." Indeed, fawns employ what is called the "hider strategy," whereby the doe leaves its fawn alone for much of the day, and the fawn evades predators by curling into a ball. The fawn, which is scentless, remains motionless and only moves when the doe returns to nurse it. When humans assume that it is abandoned or orphaned and remove these fawns from the wild, they are not showing kindness - despite their best intentions - and are, in fact, separating the two.

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For the past several decades, we Americans and our government have been borrowing money from Social Security trust funds rather than raising income or other taxes to pay for wars, international ventures, and domestic projects. It sounded like a good idea: borrow the Social Security money that was not needed at the time and avoid other taxes. What's not to like about that?

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In her column published June 6, Michelle Malkin strings together a group of unrelated and irrelevant statements to prove her point. What she fails to acknowledge is that federal family planning dollars are never used to provide abortions or abortion referrals.

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In response to Michelle Malkin's column "Planned Parenthood's obscene profits," I would like to say a few things. First of all, abortion services make up only a fraction of what Planned Parenthood does. Taxpayers are actually helping to fund Planned Parenthood's community education services, availability of contraception, and gynecological services, among many other things.

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I don’t think the economy or the Iraq war are the main issues of the upcoming presidential election. The issue is the same-sex “marriage” referendum on the November 4 ballot in the state of California.

Against the will of 61% of the state’s voters, California’s Supreme Court legalized homosexual “marriage.” Then New York Governor David Patterson ordered legal recognition for same-sex “marriages” contracted out of state.

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Recently I read the most ridiculous newspaper opinion piece I have ever seen. It was published in the York Sunday News and written by the President of the York Area Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donley.

The piece was on the economy, that is, in Mr. Donley's opinion, "Not so Bad." Surely he jests!!!

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The "Attack Iran" lunatics are out in full force. The idea that Iran is an existential threat to the U.S. or Israel is patent nonsense. The U.S. and Israel could incinerate Iran in a matter of minutes, and the Iranians know it.Iran does not have the military capacity to take the offense against any nation, much less the combined military might of America and Israel.

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When will Pa. Schools get on board with other States when it comes to educating our children? My daughter will be going to 9th grade this year at a Maryland High School. I was very impressed with how the High Schools there are geared toward actually preparing students for college. They offer such classes as engineering, computer graphic design, culinary arts and other classes for which they get credits towards college education should they decide to go.

Tristan Deveney missed the point of my first letter. All I was trying to say was, no matter what you believe, you are relying on someone else to tell you the truth, and I was trying to make a point that atheists can only use science to swing non-thinkers away from God, under the disguise of calling it logic.

Once again York City Council has shown the taxpayers what they are really concerned about in this city. Useless laws and ordinances that cost us more tax dollars. Not the real problems that face this city. Rising crimes, run down schools, roads that need repaired, vacant houses. What about the public drinking that goes on in this city? The little outdoor patio scenes on George Street. Public drinking is against the law, is it not? But you still see it being done.

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I am writing to you today as a 14-year Navy veteran. I separated from the active duty on February 28, 2007. At that time I was provided severance pay because of an involuntary separation. I have no problem with the separation because it was something that was out of my control. I have tried for several years to control my weight to comply with Navy standards, well I lost the battle and thus I was separated.

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On May 22 at 5 a.m. a cat was hit by a car near the intersection of College and Richland. The cat was obviously someone’s pet since it had a collar. Employees at Bickel’s called 911 to report it and to ask for assistance. The call was sent to a city police officer who apparently told the caller that nothing could be done. Meanwhile the cat was crying in pain. At 7:30 a.m. another call was made to 911. This time the call went to West Manchester Township police. They apparently did respond and the cat was finally taken to the SPCA at 9 a.m.

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Before I moved to York City I didn't lock my doors. Before I moved to York City I didn't have a security alarm. Before I moved to York City I saw the best in my fellow citizens. Before I moved to York City I believed that the police cared about the safety of their citizens. Before I moved to York City I believed the elected officials were on the taxpayers payroll.

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Well, hasn't this been quite interesting - this go-round with repentant collaborator Scott McClellan? I applaud Scott for his courage and his book. I doubt that the millions he will get is fair compensation for the abuse he has endured and will endure.

But this story is not about Scott McClellan, and neither is it about an American news media dominated by a few big players who pushed the White House propaganda line.

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