Speak Out 8/28/15

All you need is $1B

Virtually anyone can run for president. The trick is to raise enough money to get your name on the ballot in all 50 states with $1 billion or so left to conduct a vigorous campaign.

Trump flip

It's hard for me to wrap my head around why so many on the right are supporting Donald Trump, particularly since he was a Democrat longer than he has been a Republican, supported partial birth abortion and universal health care. Can these past (and maybe present) positions be overcome by the cult of personality? We shall see.

Walker flop

Congratulations, Gov. Scott Walker! The Republican presidential candidate has surely set some kind of record. He has gone from opposing birthright citizenship, to a middle ground position, to favoring it, all within a span of 72 hours. Walker may receive an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest flip flop.

Testing time

Re: Schools Assessment Test -- they are long and tiresome at all grade levels. Some students work better in the mornings but others do better in the afternoon. Maybe every other year schools should switch the time of testing.

Tech fallacy

To those who claim that the junior high students must have tablets to be prepared for the current technology, I can assure you that this is false. As a science professor, I know for fact that my brightest, most capable students on average do not come from cultures that embrace technology at an early age. In fact, many of my most exemplary students come from countries that we look on as being behind us in that realm. Most do not have Wi-Fi, laptops, etc., until they reach college. NEA and other experts pushed computers on elementary -- even kindergarten -- students approximately 25 years ago, claiming it was necessary. The net result has been high school students, college students and a workforce that is actually less prepared than their predecessors.

No excuse

There is no excuse for the poor scores in only certain subjects at CHS. The teachers have been focused on math for awhile now, according to the new principal, but just over 40 percent passed the exam? That's ridiculous and unacceptable.

Phone it in

I was sitting at the doctor's office yesterday and noticed this older man sitting across from me with a middle-aged woman. I assumed it was his daughter. They sat there for 20-30 minutes. She did not look up from her phone the whole time. Did not say one word to that older gentleman. It grieves my heart that our communication skills with each other are being ... it's just horrific. It makes me sad. Yes, we need phones. But we need to learn to turn them off and have some communication with one another.

Keep the faith

This is Friday night, Aug. 21, and Vashon from St. Louis beat the Cape Central Tigers 32-34. Yes, we lost tonight by two points, but the Cape Central Tigers still have a great team. And Al Young, I'm behind you 100 percent. I know you got hurt tonight and I hope you're OK. And I still say that even though we got beat by two points tonight, we did good.

Smoker tax?

I think it's awful that they're wanting cigarette smokers to pay 40 cents more on a pack of cigarettes. I don't understand why the hospitals are telling people to quit smoking, because the more smokers we have, the more tax revenue. Otherwise, I think they ought to start getting people for texting and driving. While they're texting and driving, and have a $200 fine, and treat it just like a DWI. Because, basically, texters are more dangerous behind a wheel than a smoker is. And there's more people.