News-Record.com

A recent article in the News & Record may in fact be adding to public health challenges by questioning the health benefits of seafood. Seafood, and fish in particular, contains omega-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to reduce the risks of heart disease and stroke, and dissuading people from eating fish could in fact do the public more harm than good.

These tremendous health benefits were emphasized by a Harvard Center for Risk Analysis study late in 2005, which warned the public that reduced seafood consumption to avoid mercury could lead to higher instances of heart attack and stroke.

The fact is that mercury levels for most fish are very low. Government experts recommend women who are pregnant, expecting to become pregnant, or nursing not consume the species containing higher amounts of mercury, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.

At the same time, they encourage consumption of additional seafood protein by as much as 12 ounces per week to these same women due to the cardiovascular and neurological health benefits they provide.

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that has always been present in the environment. It is present in such small amounts in fish that the tremendous benefits of omega-3 fatty acids people get from eating fish outweigh the risk of mercury exposure. Seafood should remain a vital part of a healthy lifestyle.

Justin Conrad
Greensboro
The writer is president of Libby Hill Seafood Restaurants Inc.

Each year, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday because "he had a dream." David Wray, too, had a dream and it was to make the Greensboro police force the best in the nation. Unfortunately, David's dream was also shattered before he was given a chance.

I have known David his entire life. He is one of the most dedicated citizens to whatever cause he believed in that I have ever known. Unfortunately, he wasn't given the chance to use his knowledge, integrity and enthusiasm to make Greensboro a better and safer place for all the people.

Thomas N. Causey
Greensboro

Where is our sense of outrage at the way our country is being run? Where is our sense of urgency that our democracy is being threatened? If what is being done by this administration under the fear-mongering title of a "war on terrorism" does bother you, then think about a Supreme Court that would allow such activity to be carved in stone. Everyone who says the person who replaces Sandra Day O'Connor will be at least as important to future decisions as she has been is correct.

Do Americans, regardless of political leanings, really want a man who will unquestioningly support the power of the presidency, disregarding our constitution and nullifying the balance of powers, on our highest court for the next 30 years?

It is time for the members of the Senate who still have consciences to stand up to the administration and renounce the culture of lies and corruption it has espoused.

Is there anyone left in Washington who can stand up for our democracy?

Faith Crosby
Greensboro

Now that Hamas has made a significant showing in the Palestinian elections, the world needs to know who they are.

Hamas has set the destruction of Israel as its goal. Between September 2000 and April 2004, Hamas perpetrated 425 terrorist attacks against Israel and murdered 377, which is almost nine murders every month.

Hamas was founded by Islamic militant extremists in the Gaza Strip in 1988. The word "Hamas" is an acronym for the Arabic words "Islamic Resistance Movement." Its charter states: "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."

It goes on to state: "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors."

How can America be opposed to terrorism and seek to work with Hamas? Is that not speaking out of both sides of the mouth?

Kenneth Symes
Ramseur

Efficiently, quietly and humbly, Jim Carter honors and assists soldiers arriving at the Piedmont Triad Airport. Officially, Carter is both the airport security coordinator and the communications supervisor.

When contacted about a soldier of any military branch returning from Iraq, Jim Carter devotes time to those serving our country and their families. Carter clears family members through security checks and escorts them to the gate to meet their soldier or to say goodbye.

More than a just part of his job, Carter has a ministry of honoring and paying respect to members of the military serving overseas.

A 28-year veteran of the Marines, Carter served in Vietnam and remembers returning home to a less-than-warm welcome. Instead of harboring bitterness, he has chosen to extend a generous welcome to our country's soldiers. Recently my son-in-law, Army Capt. Ben Shepherd, came home for a two-week leave.

My family experienced firsthand the wonder of someone caring to make both the arrival and departure of our soldier especially meaningful. My deepest gratitude goes to Jim Carter, who continues to serve his country.

Bettie Stocks Rhodes
Reidsville

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By George Coates

The Guilford County Substance Abuse Coalition would like to expand upon the article that appeared in the Jan. 20 edition of the News & Record ("Report supports long-term center for drug treatment").

Addressing the problem of substance abuse in Guilford County will take a multifaceted approach. The report mentioned in this story included a number of recommendations, the possibility of a long-term center being only one of them. The county first must marshal its resources to provide an efficient and effective treatment system. Guilford County has many organizations and individuals involved in, and available for, prevention education, treatment and counseling, and aftercare. We should first do everything possible to be sure that these organizations and individuals work together in a coordinated fashion and have the resources necessary to do the best job possible for their clients.

Substance abuse in Guilford County is a big and growing problem. The most obvious facts are the crime-related statistics: The rate of increase of drug arrests is more than twice that of the state; more than 60 percent of those surveyed in the Guilford County jails said that they have a substance-abuse problem There are costs to the community in terms of chronic illnesses and medical care. Alcohol and tobacco use are closely related to heart disease, stroke and cancer. The rates of increase of all three of these diseases are up in Guilford County. In 2002, they accounted for 53 percent of all deaths. Not to mention the fact that most of those incarcerated have no private insurance or do not qualify for public assistance.

One of the most disturbing facts is that, among our youth, the use of alcohol and tobacco is up, but their perceptions of the risks of this use have gone down.

Finding the right solution for Guilford County is going to take broad-minded discussion, broad-based community participation, and consideration for the multiple fronts on which this war must be fought. Whether we realize it now or not, it is everybody's fight and we all need to become more aware and be involved.

The writer is director of the Guilford County Substance Abuse Coalition.

I read the editorial on prisons ("State's prison growth handcuffs taxpayers," Jan. 24) and how we citizens are being held as prisoners ourselves due to the "cost" of prisons.

I worked 30-plus years in the North Carolina system and have visited systems in other states. For the writer to broad-brush the issue and say that we need to release those who are not a threat anymore, and to place the 16- and 17-year-old offenders in our juvenile system (already badly overcrowded and underfunded also) is not realistic.

I am convinced that the writer has not visited a prison or taken time to look at the nature of those incarcerated. In most cases, fines, probation, treatment programs, etc., have already been tried before the person is finally sent to prison. They very seldom come into the system on the first offense but only after several convictions.

The majority of offenders in this day and age are also more violent, thus the need for the high-dollar, close-custody prisons to protect the inmates from each other and for the safety of the staff. I predict it is only going to get worse, not better.

Dean Walker
Marion

Your anti-American, anti-Christian, pro-abortion bias in presenting news stories is disgustingly obvious. The day after the 33rd anniversary of the forced legalization of infanticide by the liberal court, resulting in 40 million babies murdered to date, you print a small photo of opposing protesters on page 1 and bury a tiny story of the large pro-life march on page 5. The next day on page 2, you print a large article describing how "Fidel Castro directed a vast protest march" against the United States while joining Democrats at home in equating President Bush with Hitler.

You also print a puff piece on page 1 pushing a vile anti-Christian movie that mocks Jesus Christ. On page 9, you castigate "radical right" and "far-right" groups in France for serving pork soup to homeless people.

Why don't you describe the Democratic Party as a "radical left" group? The only part of your far-left newspaper worth reading is the letters page, which on that same day exposes you as guilty of destroying the career of Police Chief David Wray while publishing radical-left rants of Rosemary Roberts. It is no wonder far-left monopolistic newspapers like yours are shrinking in circulation all over the country.

John Angell
Greensboro

I just talked to a man who got his natural gas bill for $353 for one month. He draws $560 a month for Social Security. Please tell him, and me, how he is going to pay the rest of his bills and eat. It is a crying shame when people work all their lives, then retire, but cannot make it on what they draw.

Our country is too great a nation to let companies get by with charging so much for gas and everything else. Imagine what the bill would have been if the weather had really been cold.

God help us all if things like this continue to happen. I will make my voice heard about this matter.

Iris Newby
Eden

After reading the column by Karen Favreau (Books page, Jan. 22), I agree completely with what the writer was saying. When writers are writing an autobiography, it's not what they want to have happened in their lives, it is what really happened.

Even though only 5 percent of James Frey's book, "A Million Little Pieces," is in question for its truthfulness, this is still too much. Maybe I am just a naive 15-year-old, but when people pick up an autobiography to read, they assume they are reading the whole truth. If they are not, are they really reading an autobiography? Perhaps Frey would have been better suited to write an inspirational, fictional account based on his life instead of a deceitful memoir.

Matthew Poole
Greensboro

A senseless, violent death is always hard to understand, but when we know it could be avoided, it becomes heartbreaking.

In our neighborhood of mostly older or elderly people, off Merritt Drive, we only ask to enjoy our few remaining years in peace, quiet and a measure of security. Unfortunately, cars speed from Frazier Drive down Merritt Drive. Now that new parts of Frazier are opened, more traffic makes it a very dangerous area on foot.

Most mornings, my dog and I walk just before daylight and often see other walkers, so we know it is a bad area to be on foot. Many of us in this area are more slow of foot, and some are disabled.

I suppose I should be thankful that the person speeding on Jan. 27 who hit and killed an innocent goose or duck before daylight did not hit one of us humans. This animal came to live in our area a couple of weeks ago. He hurt no one, caused no problems, but he paid the price of getting in someone's way. One of us could easily be next.

We plead for a little consideration and courtesy for us. A hard lesson was learned from this senseless experience.

Marna Marshall
Greensboro

We picked up the Russians as allies and the Japanese as enemies. World War II was on. Victory and unconditional surrender was our goal, with sacrifice for all in the war effort.

To date, President Bush has failed in this end because his mission remains nonspecific. There are more questions regarding our 43rd president than answers. He is clouded by a bogus secrecy never previously seen in our country.

"Stay the course" is insufficient when mismanagement is so clear that it borders on the total absence of competence from border control in the war on terror to Katrina. No, Brownie did not do a "heckuva job" at FEMA, nor have the defense and state departments.

Robert E. Blakeney Jr.
High Point

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Blanche Stevens

I read with interest Michael Skube's column (Ideas, Jan. 22). My family, hunters and fishermen all, have always eaten what they kill or catch, and I believe that most hunters of small game (including deer) still do that today.

Several sentences in Skube's column caught my attention and emotions more than the others:

"Richard Ford ... once spoke of his fondness for hunting: 'When I take a walk outside, something dies.' The words have a finality that is hard to call sporting: Something dies."

Which is more sporting, Mr. Skube, the slaughter of cattle, poultry, sheep, fish for us to buy in the grocery store or the killing of one's limit of game with a gun? Let us grocery store shoppers not forget that for the beef and veal we eat, someone else has killed, skinned and gutted a steer or calf; for the lamb we eat, someone else has killed, skinned and gutted a sheep or lamb; for the bacon and ham we eat, someone else has killed, skinned and gutted a pig; for the chicken or turkey we eat, someone else has killed, plucked and gutted the poultry; for every fish we eat, someone else has caught and killed, scaled and gutted that animal. The killing may have been done by machine rather than a human, but "something dies" for us to be able to eat.

We grocery store shoppers are so far removed from the immediacy of that killing of our food that we never think of it or of the brevity of those animals' lives. I believe sporting hunters and fishermen are closer to the natural world of kill to eat than most of us and have a respect for nature that we nonhunters do not understand.

I am sorry to read that hunters are vanishing from the North Carolina landscape, but maybe the die-hard hunters are glad the rest of us are not out there in the remaining hunting space.

The writer lives in Greensboro.

I read with anger the letter (Jan. 31) from Jodi Hyler, teacher, who is upset the full eye exam for children entering kindergarten. Please let me explain my reaction.

I have a friend in Ohio whose grandson was required to have this same eye exam. During this "unnecessary procedure," to quote Hyler, the doctor found suspicious white spots in one eye.

Further tests were scheduled which included a second opinion from the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia and the grandson was diagnosed with cancer in his eye. The white spots were "leukocoria”; the cancer is Restinoblastoma.

The doctors at Wills performed immediate life saving surgery. His eye was removed along with six months of chemotherapy following the surgery. The doctors were able to fit him for a prosthetic eye which included additional surgeries plus travel from Ohio to Philadelphia.
I would like to ask Hyler if this eye exam now seems "appalling and completely unnecessary"?

From a teacher, I expect a more informed opinion than what Hyler wrote.

My hope is that every parent ensures their young children have comprehensive eye exams whether or not it becomes a law in North Carolina and regardless of the cost.

Elaine Reilly
Greensboro

The Jan. 30 article on student cheating was interesting, even though this subject has been a frequent subject in recent years. The difference in the Plano, Texas, situation was that the teacher gave the student the zero he/she deserved for plagiarizing the paper from the Internet and apparently the student's parents did not demand that the grade be changed nor did they sue the teacher.

In other school districts, parents have been successful in getting failing grades changed, becoming enablers and setting precisely the wrong example for their children. However, I was amazed to read that educators say that students "often don't know that surfing Web sites and lifting passages for their own"is stealing?

Excuse me? Don't the educators tell them about plagiarism at the time the assignment is given? If not, why wouldn't they? And how can any student with average intelligence and any common sense not figure out on his/her own that wholesale copying without attribution is unethical if not illegal.

No, let's face facts here. Many students are lazy and consider cutting corners as perfectly acceptable in life, so long as they get whatever the seek. With this attitude fairly common, we should expect more Enrons for years to come.

Keith Hoile
Greensboro

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Opening today's paper (Feb. 1) to the classified section, I found the News & Record had made a long overdue change in type size. I can finally read the classifieds without using a magnifying glass.

On behalf of everyone with less than 20/20 vision, thank you.

Suzanne Schmutz
Reidsville

I recently attended the Housing Summit where I learned about the terrible problem of homelessness here in Guilford County.

Although 10-year plans and local support are terrific ideas, until the federal government has the same desire to actually stop the source of the problem — and unless employers can pay their employees a decent wage so they won't have to work 101 hours a week to pay for an apartment — the kind of change we want for our city cannot happen.
President Bush's speech did little to alleviate my concerns.

I turned the television off after the "renew the Patriot Act"line, but I was angry well before that remark. I understand that most political candidates will say one thing and do the opposite, so I bit my tongue when I heard about oil and Iraq, like always.

But isn't it interesting that "We show compassion abroad because Americans believe in the God-given dignity and worth of a villager with HIV/AIDS, or an infant with malaria, or a refugee fleeing genocide, or a young girl sold into slavery”... but not compassion in the United States for a Mexican immigrant, or a young mother on welfare?

No wonder so many citizens feel powerless.

Jaimie Foster
Kernersville

Regarding the article, "Stakes high for grants in AIDS relief,"(Jan. 30):

First: "Officials are aggressively pursuing new church partners that often emphasize disease prevention through abstinence and fidelity over condom use."

My question to these officials and others with this viewpoint is what is your goal? Is it to advance your own personal, faith-based agenda, or is it to help stop the spread of this disease?

Second: "Conservative Christian allies of Bush are pressing the U.S. foreign aid agency to give fewer dollars to groups that distribute condoms and work with prostitutes."If this is not a blatant intrusion of religion into issues of public policy, then I don't know what one could call it.

I am sickened beyond belief by the pious cruelty and obscene self-righteousness of some conservative Christians. To offer help based on religious conditions is stunningly cruel.

If we are to have any chance of slowing the spread of this disease, then we must simply do what works. Education, free condoms — this works. I will pray that my religious brethren will open their minds, and along with their preaching, allow some practical aid to be given —without strings attached.

Lou W. Gamble
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint:

By OWEN LEWIS
In response to Doug Clark's column, "ABC system needs adult leadership" (Jan. 25), Clark implies that all the profits from ABC stores go to the state. Actually, there are several local beneficiaries for these funds. Last year's figures for the Greensboro ABC Board profit distributions are:

•city of Greensboro, $2,468,732
•towns in Guilford County without ABC stores (and the county's share), $217,685
•law enforcement, $237,480
•alcohol rehabilitation, $226,973
•state of North Carolina, $5,586,445.

In addition, the city of High Point received about $900,000 from its ABC Board.

Second, Clark advocates abandoning the ABC system in favor of private stores. A little history and explanation are appropriate here.
At the end of prohibition in the 1930s, every state in the Union determined its own chosen method for the sale of alcoholic beverages. Nineteen states and Montgomery County, Md., opted for some form of control by the state and local government. The other states have private sales.

In North Carolina, the control method is left up to the individual governmental units — "local option." Under this system, each town or county decides in an election whether or not to have ABC stores, liquor by the drink and beer and wine sales.
There are 154 ABC boards in North Carolina. The proceeds from the sale of spirits in those jurisdictions directly benefit their counties and towns.

The state and local units provide education programs for schools, bar and restaurant personnel, and the general public. These programs espouse moderation, responsibility and adherence to the laws. State Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) officers and local ABC officers monitor and enforce these laws.

The state ABC commission must approve store locations, thus keeping the number of stores down and their locations appropriate.
The control system has had a successful 50-plus year run. It certainly should be continued.

The writer is chairman, Greensboro ABC Board.

In the Jan. 31 national address, President Bush stated emphatically that the United States needed to work on alternatives to Middle East oil. Holy Deja Vu, Batman.

Wasn't this the same W that promised to fund hydrogen cell technologies years ago, then de-funded the program only to give billions to already over-moneyed oil companies?

Could it be that the audience's attention deficit is only superseded by our soaring budget deficit?

Later in his speech, he proclaimed secret wiretaps are necessary to protect us.

The truth is that under the FISA laws, these wiretaps are legal only with a warrant, and in an emergency a warrant can be waived for 72 hours.

After Sept. 11, the FISA court was streamlined for national security purposes. The National Security Agency, which oversees these wiretaps, has given more than 2,000 leads to the CIA for investigation in recent years, according to CIA officials, and not one citizen investigated had any connection to terrorism. All were private citizens.

So, don't hold your breath waiting for America to start "green" technologies to compete with the rest of the world. But hold your thoughts while talking on the phone. Welcome to Bush's fascist-democracy.

Michael Northuis
Greensboro

Recently, on the CBS Morning News, I heard a story that is beyond shocking. Just when we think we've heard everything, we find out that there is still greater depths of depravity to which greed will drive men.

How about drug traffickers using innocent puppies to smuggle heroin from Colombia into the United States?

Yes, that's right. A litter of Labrador puppies carrying bags of liquid heroin in their bellies. They had been crudely operated on in a lab in Colombia. Three of the puppies later died from infection.

If this horrifies you as much as it does me, then I pray that you will do all in your power to stop drug trafficking.

And, if you are a user, realize that your habit is destroying lives and marriages, and now, the ultimate in cruelty and depravity, using innocent animals to satisfy your habit. Is there nothing too despicable that human greed will not sink to?

Vivian Robinson
Jamestown

Regarding Ron Smith's letter ("'Idol' goes too far," Jan. 31) on the behavior of one of the local "American Idol" contestants:

We all know how ridiculous this girl was viewed. "American Idol" wanted attention and they got it. They would have used another state, another place, so don't think it's just a desire to "pick on Greensboro."

We all know not to let our children watch the beginning of the show. It's been on the radio, the TV and newspapers. It's pure ignorance.

I hope they paid her enough money to cover that body and that filthy, screaming mouth. She needed Paula Abdul's water to wash it out.

Susan Collins
Greensboro

I cannot believe that you think the newly designed classified section of this newspaper is better. It is like going through a maze trying to find an exit.

There is no system to the way the listings are arranged. There is no index for finding the section of your interest. Most of us do not want to go through the entire section to try to find our interest.

Most of all, we do not have that amount of time each day to scan each ad. I certainly will not be wasting my time trying to locate a section. I will pick up a copy of the American Classifieds at a newsstand.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Dorothy Bowling
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Arch Aitcheson

Charles Davenport's column, "Johnny can't read, but he can graduate" (Jan. 29), began on a good note but quickly moved into the popular and misguided partisan notions about the problems with the "monopoly" of public education. The NEA and the Democratic Party, Mr. Davenport, merely share the blame with the Republican Party for the state of affairs in public school classrooms. The reference to John Stossel's ABC network special, "Stupid in America," is weak. It was clear that Stossel had a personal agenda regarding a known pedophile who had taught in his child's school system. That program did not interview those of us working in schools for our students and in systems that seem to care little for the students' basic needs.

Yes, American public education is in trouble. The causes do not belong to one party, one professional organization, or to those of us who are in the trenches every day. The causes are related to well-meaning, misguided, state and national programs designed to "fix" the problem by using testing scores and Big Brother tactics not in the best interest of our children. The tests are often based on standards but present writing prompts and reading tasks that are culturally and socioeconomically prejudiced. Johnny cannot read because teachers are "encouraged" to teach to those costly tests that have little to do with the needs of students. Remedial programs are offered to all students, but parental and community support for such programs is lacking.

Central Office staff is pressured to push the tests, to warrant their position in the system, to demand teachers teach to those tests, and to defend the tests that often contain errors, inappropriate writing prompts and readings designed to assuage the current political call for "accountability." The scores are as invalid as the tests. Less time is spent by the teacher on reading and writing skills, and more time is spent teaching "formula writing" and reading techniques to improve testing scores. No Child Left Behind and ABC accountability are not in the best interest of "Johnny, Hassan, Sally or Lakesia."

Yes, choice is needed, the monopoly needs to be broken, and realistic standards must be established and followed. Schools of education and classroom teachers need to distance themselves from political game-playing and administrative attempts to please politicians. The politicians and administrators do not care about our impoverished minority children. Teachers who persist in this educational quagmire because we do care about our students, are trying to against all odds to prepare them for life. That includes reading, writing and math skills needed to survive in a world that is not egalitarian.

The writer is an English teacher at Grimsley High School.

How refreshing to witness a corporate entity place integrity above profit. North Carolina-based banking concern BB&T has announced it will not extend commercial loans to private developers for projects on property acquired through the power of eminent domain.

The U.S. Supreme Court's recent 5-4 decision giving local governments the power to take private property for commercial development violates the basic tenet of constitutionally protected private property rights. The court ruling was based on the flawed idea that increasing tax revenues satisfies the eminent domain requirement that the taking be for the public good.

Nothing could be further from the truth. This raping of private property rights is not about roads, schools or other legitimate public good projects but about satisfying the insatiable appetite of government and its wasteful spending habits. The idea that five justices voted to allow the taking of private property for commercial development clearly indicates a judicial system out of touch with its citizenry.

Congratulations to BB&T for taking a principled stand for property rights. I encourage other banking institutions to follow suit, sending a clear message to the courts and local governments that assault on private property rights is unwarranted and will not be tolerated.

Bill Wright
Pleasant Garden

Anyone who's seen book prices at college stores will wonder what happened to the competitive marketplace. If 60 percent of college students are not buying all their required texts, it means that publishers, privately owned campus bookstores, professors and especially universities and colleges should take steps to reduce these absurd costs.

College kids are Web smart. They know that much could be delivered either free or at lower prices via the Web, but instead, they're forced to spend obscene amounts each semester.

If UNCG will soon require students to have laptops, students should demand a major decrease in the cost of information. They shouldn't be forced to buy new edition books when they could use serviceable secondhand copies and download updates.

In the meantime, I wonder why colleges and universities do not band together to force down students' costs associated with information and information technology.

Andrew Young
Greensboro

There seems to be a plethora of support for ex-Police Chief David Wray. What hasn't been said was, if this man had all of this great compassion and was a friend to everyone, why did he resign? If he was that great of a man, it seems to me that he would have fought tooth and nail to clear his name and keep the job he allegedly loved so much.

By resigning, he leaves one to suspect that there is more to the story than has been told, and he doesn't want to be around when it is exposed. I hope that the city manager and council continue to investigate this scandal and reveal all of the details. The citizens of Greensboro deserve an explanation and actions to prevent this from happening again.

Calvert Stewart
Greensboro

I wish to extend my condolences to the family of Cpl. Felipe Barbosa. No words can ever adequately compensate for your great loss, but please take comfort in the knowledge that this young man, though gone from this life, will forever live on in your, and our, memory as a hero.

Felipe chose a dangerous mission and carried with him his love of service to God, country and Corps, as well as to his fellow Marines. His spirit is now standing post, in the words of the Marine Corps hymn, guarding the streets of heaven.

It is to this spirit that I say, "Vaya con Dios, mi amigo. Semper Fidelis. Stand your new post until properly relieved."

Bob Wrenn
Greensboro
The writer was a sergeant with the USMC, 1976-1983.

The congressional Democrats' most-admired foreign "dissident," Osama bin Laden, has again spoken to them through CNN's sister station, al-Jazeera, thanking them for their support. Saying that he also hates George Bush, he will continue to help them bring down the Bush presidency and, if necessary, the country. Bin Laden recited the Dems' talking points and even mentioned a Gallup poll showing that he and they share many of the same goals.

How did Howard Dean get those talking points to the correct cave in Pakistan? Dean must have Osama's cell number on speed dial.

Bin Laden particularly praised Sen. Harry Reid for killing the Patriot Act, which is a real thorn in Osama's side. Kudos also went to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Teddy Kennedy, among others, for leading the fight for the al-Qaida "Bill of Rights."

Sleep well, Osama: The Dems are fighting to keep us from intercepting your calls to our country.

Tony Moschetti
High Point

Seniors aren't the only ones who can't tolerate smoke. People with ulcers, asthma, migraines, heart problems and chronic sinusitis can't either. Smoke can actually trigger flair-ups of these painful conditions.

So, next time you light up, please consider whom you might be hurting. Consider that they may not have the benefits of health insurance or sick days, and that exposure to smoke can actually cost them dearly. Even in areas where smoking is clearly prohibited, smokers light up, like at the War Memorial Coliseum. I was at the Aerosmith concert where no smoking is allowed in the seats and yet several people lit up in our section. What started to be a fun night — in one of the few facilities I can enjoy music — became a nightmare. Smoke filled my sinus cavity and the pain started.

People who suffer because of smoke may be your friend, your family member, or it might be me, your neighbor, who relies on places that say they're smoke-free to actually be smoke-free. But that also takes good neighbors. So, please, be a good neighbor — don't smoke in public. Every time you make that choice, you give others a bit more life.

Faun Finley
Greensboro

More rich people; more poor people; more people without health care coverage; more confusion about prescription drug benefits; more debt as a nation; more divisive acrimony among citizens and political parties; more secrecy; more doublespeak; more fear-mongering; more illegal wiretapping of citizens; more money spent on weaponry; more soldiers killed every day; more innocent Iraqi men, women and children dying every day; more distrust of the United States around the world; more wasteful spending of the world's resources; more, more, more — and more excuses every day.

What has happened under King George W.'s administration to this great society's aspiration of being a "city set upon a hill"? What has happened to us to let King George W. drag us down with him to such depths? How long will it take us to repair the damage inflicted by King George W. on us and the other peoples of the world, and when will we begin the repair job? I hope and trust rather soon.

Michael H. Hoppe
Greensboro

This letter is for David Wray supporters.

First of all, this is a system of government that is put in place by checks and balances. The city manger did his job exceedingly well. These are the good people of government who keep this system viable. This should serve as a blueprint for county, state and federal governments to follow and to rid them of corruption and dictatorial rule.

The city manager was bold in keeping the checks and balances in place in the most vital section of our government (law enforcement). This is a system of rules and laws, and no one is above them.

I would suggest that all those who are in doubt read and understand our Constitution of the United States. This is not a system of feelings. It is a system of rules and laws.

Levander Patrick
Greensboro

U.S. News & World Report reported last week that Al Gore will probably be the Democrats' nominee for president in the 2008 election.

On TV, Karl Rove set the stage for the "fear 9/11 campaign" this year to begin in order for the newly "re-elected" 2006 Republican House of Representatives majority to get ready to call for a constitutional amendment allowing the imperial king, G.W., a third term to beat Al again.

Recently, the News & Record reported that King George W. has put his strategy in motion: "President Bush (in CBS interview) said that Sen. Clinton, a potential candidate ... is 'formidable.' But he declined to speculate on which Republicans might run for the White House in 2008." Bush continued, "This is an unusual year because this is the first time there hasn't been a kind of natural successor in the party. Two wide-open primaries with no sitting vice president running in either primary, so this is — I can't remember a time when it's been this open."

Perish the thought. Al Gore for president 2008. That would open wide the gate for George W. and satisfy George Will and friends who are still galled over the FDR New Deal.

John Kincaid
Reidsville

I read with interest your article, "To buy or not to buy" (Jan. 29), regarding college students facing increasing costs with textbooks.

Until recently, I was an adjunct instructor teaching English composition and speech. I advised my students to check alternate sources for books, especially the very expensive medical textbooks. Two of the sources were local: Bookscentral.com and Booksforless.com.

The third led to England. Colleges in the European Union refuse to pay the high costs charged by American book publishers. Books overseas cost about one-third to one-half less. Tell your readers to check Amazon.com/cc/uk. They will have to pay shipping charges, but careful planning and students working together can result in major savings.

I have nothing against publishers, just greedy publishers.

William T. Bode
Liberty

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Lou Howard

In response to Lonnie D. Groendes' Counterpoint, "Wade's fight is for voting integrity" (Jan. 19): All voters want "integrity in voting," but there are some provisional ballots that were legal in 2004 — according to the N.C. Constitution. Article VI, Section 2 (1) of the constitution states:

"Section 2. Qualifications of voter.

"(1) Residence period for State elections. Any person who has resided in the State of North Carolina for one year and in the precinct, ward, or other election district for 30 days next preceding an election, and possesses the other qualifications set out in this Article, shall be entitled to vote at any election held in this State. Removal from one precinct, ward, or other election district to another in this State shall not operate to deprive any person of the right to vote in the precinct, ward or other election district from which that person has removed until 30 days after the removal."
When the state constitution is used as a guide, it is not "partisanship."

The Guilford County Board of Elections has recounted the provisional ballots more than once — not in a room alone. The State Board of Elections also came to Greensboro and had a hearing.

The example Groendes gave of Ophelia Jones demonstrated how well prepared that poll worker was: The poll worker saw the name and recognized it as a person who had voted in early voting. Poll workers identify those who voted in early voting before Election Day to prevent people from voting twice.

Chief judges avoid issuing provisional ballots if possible because they require additional time and attention, which can be distracting on Election Day. Before a person is given a provisional ballot, the chief judge prefers to call the local board of elections to find out if the person is a registered voter in the county, learn where that person should vote, and direct that person to the right polling place. Provisional ballots are a lot of paperwork that requires the signature of each of the three judges at the polls.

Members of the board of elections must check the residence, registration and make the final decision on the provisional ballots. This takes time. Absentee ballots must be confirmed and counted, also. No, it is not possible to count all ballots of legally registered voters on election night.

The writer lives in High Point.

Rep. Howard Coble has failed his district, voting last week to cut student loans, Medicare and Medicaid in HR 653. These cuts hurt the poor and elderly and made a bad situation worse with the cut in student loans.

In a district that has so many colleges and universities, how can he, in good conscience, say that he is representing the people with such a vote? As a minister and parent, I see these issues firsthand and know the hardship that this represents.

We are a country falling behind in science and technology due to the lack of adequately trained students. Congress has supported bridges to nowhere and rain forests in Iowa. What about the young people who are trying to get a good education? What about the millions of people who cannot afford adequate health care?

It becomes both an economic issue and a moral issue. In a district where so many people have lost jobs in the textile and furniture industry, we need to re-educate those who have been laid off; otherwise, our local economies will suffer more. It was a close vote, 216-214. Coble evidently did not have the courage to stand up for the people of his district.

M. Gray Clark
Greensboro

It is indeed a bittersweet time for the arts and entertainment community as longtime Go Triad editor Jeri Rowe steps down after nearly a decade of covering local bands, art, film and live performance in our area.

For years, Jeri has been a tireless supporter of local musicians of all genres and a good friend to the painter, poet, performance artist and aspiring film director in the Triad. It can't be said enough how important Jeri's weekly columns and music reviews were to the performers on the front lines of the A&E community. Events that could have come and gone in anonymity were brought to the public's attention, thanks to Jeri's keen eye and trained ear.

I want to thank Jeri for all of his help and support on behalf of the blues community of the Triad. Whenever we needed publicity for a live performance or a benefit concert, he was always there. For that, Jeri Rowe has my eternal gratitude and appreciation.

Best wishes and continued success to Carla Kucinski, the new editor of Go Triad.

John Amberg
Greensboro
The writer is president/festival co-chair, Piedmont Blues Preservation Society.

A recent letter to the editor stated, "We know so little of this man Jesus." The article further limits the main source of knowledge to the four Gospels. With all due respect to the writer, restricting the information and familiarization of Christ just to this segment of the Bible would be a critical mistake.

There is an abundance of information about Jesus from start to finish -- enough for you to decide on the most important issue in your life -- whether or not you believe that Jesus Christ is God. In addition, there is sufficient data to allow you to make the most important decision in your life -- is Jesus who he claimed to be and rose from the grave; or was he a lying, deceitful, cunning lunatic. It has to be one way or the other.

So significant is this subject matter to our lives, it seems only logical to actually examine the Bible from beginning to end. Seek the truth carefully and thoughtfully with an open heart and mind and you will find it. Eternal life or eternal death -- the decision is yours.

Norman D. Franklin
Greensboro

Every so often I have to call some company or organization. During the call, I follow the choices offered by an electronic phone tree, eventually getting back to where I started. This maddening "loop the loop" seems to happen to everyone (especially to those desperate people trying to understand Medicare Part D.)

And so it goes with our government. We want to get some answers about Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, scandals in Congress, health care, mining disasters ... the list is endless. The State of the Union is like "A Million Little Pieces": repeating the same cheap messages but never giving us the truth needed for a democratic society.

We hear "your government is there for you" just like "your call is very important to us" and suspect there is as much truth in each. And that seems to be the goal. As Karl Rove once said, "We will shrink the government until it can fit into a bathtub, and then we'll drown it." The process starts with shrinking the truth, one loop at a time.

Oh, and this call may be recorded for training purposes.

Kurt Lauenstein
Greensboro

Regarding Ron Smith's letter (Jan. 31), " 'Idol' goes too far," about the foul-mouthed contestant:

Jesus said, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the sea" (Matthew 18:6).

So be it for all programs that air under the disguise of a family show, for a true family has no resemblance to what they portray on television.

Louise Brady
Greensboro

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Ronnie Dotson

With all due respect to the many who have vested so much of their energy and money into the "rebirth" of downtown Greensboro, the depiction of our downtown in recent articles -- as "Downtown Turnaround" and "Upbeat About Downtown" -- has, unfortunately, become somewhat pathetic.

Granted, the downtown market has certainly evolved over the past five years. But, exactly where does it stand today? Is it really the vibrant, bustling residential/commerce/entertainment hub that it is portrayed to be?

For those who happen to frequent downtown on a regular basis, it's a well-known fact that there is only one real pulse of livelihood on the streets of downtown Greensboro today: the local pulse.

My intent here isn't to ridicule what has been accomplished but, rather, to sound a wake-up call to those who somehow believe that the center city renaissance doesn't need a substantial public monetary commitment to take it to the next level and to ensure the long-term solvency of many of the specialty boutiques and retailers beginning to dot the downtown streetscape.

The optimism of many downtown developers will be easily displaced by skepticism as potential investors continue to witness the revolving storefronts.

My message here is simple. Downtown Greensboro has an unprecedented opportunity -- with an ACC museum and the International Civil Rights Center and Museum -- to finally begin to establish that long-sought critical mass, a mass that will ultimately have to consist of much more than local foot traffic. The potential synergy between both museums, if centrally located, is undeniable.

Wake up, City Council. Private money has funded the Center City Park as well as First Horizon baseball stadium. A city's dreams can't be built entirely by the private sector. With potential federal funding for a new courthouse, let's transform the old federal courthouse into a home for our truly unique ACC museum, replete with compelling interactive journeys, not just another glorified exhibit hall with commemorative plaques.

Let's put it on the '06 referendum and seek out matching grants from the conference it pays homage to -- the ACC -- and the corporation that supposedly still believes in Greensboro — Lincoln Financial, also known as Jefferson-Pilot.

The writer lives in Greensboro.

Greensboro needs, for historic and economic reasons, to open the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. Much credit is due to Skip Alston and Earl Jones for saving the Woolworth building. From all reports, much more money is needed before the museum can open its doors to the world.

Rightly or wrongly, Alston and Jones have received negative publicity in the past several years. As reported in the news, some potential contributors have been hesitant to provide funding for this project.

My proposal is twofold. One, hire a national firm to obtain funding from Bill Gates, the Ford Foundation or any major philanthropic organization. Two, obtain the resignations from the board of Alston and Jones. To honor their achievements, a sculptured bust of each and a plaque describing their work should be prominently displayed at the museum's main entrance.

In return for these actions, the local power groups need to issue a statement fully supporting the museum and provide local funding.

Before I am branded as a racist, check the historic record of the Greensboro Four. I was one of three male students from Greensboro College to sit down with the Greensboro Four on the afternoon of Feb. 1, 1960.

Richard B. O'Neal
Greensboro

About your front-page article on Belews Creek power station (Jan. 30):

1. Great photograph; a hellish photo, suitable for the sound track of "Koyaanisqatsi." Perfect fit, Black Mesa.

2. A well-focused afternoon photograph, nice shadow definition; so good, that as a former photo interpreter with the U.S. Air Force Combat Command, I could derive some excellent strategic combat intelligence about the layout of facilities, lines of communication and logistics. Who else thinks so? Men with car bombs?

3. Your photog hired an airplane to take her to make those photos at low altitude, possibly prohibited, over the site. Who else might do that? Was the flight plan challenged, questioned, or even filed?

4. A vast, turbid editorial-on-the front-page, breast-beating yadata-yadata about pollution, substantially and constantly reduced, at a sturdy expense, over the lifetime of the plant, not mentioned. What was the start-up date of this plant? Nada. And no mention of the tonnages, nor usages, of the fly ash removed and stored in a settling pond on site. Nor that coal is American, not import.

My only connection with Duke Energy is the bill I pay. Thanks for a great strategic bombing target photo-recon job. No thanks for the half-baked incomplete text.

Michael A. Foster
Greensboro

Regarding the police's secret photos of license plates and arrest of protesters on Jan. 31, the Bush administration's highly questionable surveillance of U.S. citizens comes home to roost. Local police follow the leader: If the president doesn't have to preserve the rights of free citizens, then the police don't, either. The fear-encouraging argument is the same old line: "We are preserving your right to free speech or safety from terror by infringing on your right to free speech."

The shift to surveillance went into high gear in Nixon's assault during the Vietnam War and has moved toward increasingly totalitarian tactics that strip us of our rights. Recently, Bush declared he is above the law, and our local police have followed the leader.

Wake up, citizens! Resuscitate democracy. It's time for a regime change. Is it too late for honest elections? Too late for citizen rights over corporate rights? Too late for elected politicians over corporate-sponsored lackeys? Too late for safe air, water and food? Too late for effective government response to disasters? Too late for protest without threat of surveillance and arrest? There is a better way.

Suzanne Hidore
McLeansville

The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated our 2005 accomplishments and our goals for 2006 at our 128th annual dinner. The sold-out, black-tie preferred event sparked our imaginations from beginning to end -- everything from a talented artist painting to the spectacular dining experience -- all to the sounds of wonderful music.

The highlight of the evening was the four individuals who were recognized and honored for their contributions to our community. Herman and Barbara Cone received the O. Henry Award for their contributions to the arts; Priscilla Taylor was recognized for her commitment to the advancement of women with the Athena Award, and Leonard Kaplan received the Chamber's highest award, the Thomas A. Osborne Award, for both his professional and personal contributions.

This event wouldn't be possible if not for all the community and corporate support provided to the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. We want to thank everyone involved in providing this wonderful evening as well as thank the community for continued support of the Chamber of Commerce.

Allen Purser
Lee McAllister
Greensboro
Purser is interim president, Chamber of Commerce; McAllister is 2006 chairman, Chamber Operating Group.

The following is a Counterpoint column:

By Debbie Hixson

Your editorial concerning the mandate for eye screenings (Jan. 26) was irresponsible and ill-researched. While I agree the provision appears to benefit Jim Black and other optometrists, the idea of comprehensive eye exams for all preschool children is not without merit.

The N.C. Pediatric Society says there is no need for comprehensive eye exams because pediatricians screen for vision problems and refer patients to specialists when necessary. Do you know how many children with amblyopia and strabismus go undetected by these screenings each year? Did you do research with Eye Care America, Duke Eye Center, or the American Academy of Ophthalmology? One could go to LazyEye@yahoogroups.com and read the numerous posts of parents whose children passed these screenings yet were found later to have serious eye conditions. I am not referring to children who need glasses to see clearly but to children who have conditions that will hinder the development of depth perception and binocular vision, interfere with learning, and even cause the loss of vision if not treated.

For you to state that going to an oncologist first instead of the primary care physician is ridiculous and dismisses the need for these exams at the earliest age. If you knew your primary care physician routinely missed cases of cancer until it was so late that treatment was longer, more expensive and less successful, you would be smart to seek help from someone who specialized in that field. If diagnosed early, amblyopia and strabismus are more easily treated, and those treatments have a higher success rate. Often parents are told the condition is not treatable beyond age 7. The data are changing, and many doctors now say the cutoff is age 10. Wouldn't you rather receive a diagnosis at age 4 or 5 than age 8?

Maybe what needs to happen is for pediatricians, optometrists and ophthalmologists to come together and recommend that all children receive these exams by age 3. They need to educate the public about the necessity and promote programs that make these exams affordable to all.

Had I known then what I know now, maybe I could have saved seven years (and counting) of treatment, thousands of dollars, numerous doctor visits, and worst, the hardship that lazy eye has caused my child. Having every child receive a comprehensive eye exam during preschool would go a long way toward preventing another parent and child from experiencing the same thing.

The writer lives in Greensboro.

I find it remarkable that the police are able to videotape public gatherings but rarely videotape interviews with people suspected of committing crimes. Videotaping "confessions" should certainly be a higher priority than videotaping large public gatherings.

Sabrina Bailey
Summerfield

Your anti-Bush protest editorial (Feb. 6) was highly misleading. I was there the entire time, and the atmosphere, until the encounter with the undercover policeman, was anything but ugly. People were having a great time expressing their opposition to the policies of their government. It was much less rowdy than many of Chapel Hill's post-"Big Game" street parties, where several years ago a car was overturned and destroyed.

Your first article on the protest didn't even mention the arrests, leading me to believe that your reporter left before they occurred. Had he stuck around, he could have seen the situation for hims