You gotta love Washington politics. Rep. Dennis Kucinich upsets the balance of things by introducing a resolution to impeach VP Dick Cheney. The resolution apparently has already been sentenced to its own version of water boarding, but still, what do you think? Desperate effort of minor presidential candidate or is he walking his talk?
Dr. Terry Grier, 2008 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year. Let it roll around your tongue for a moment. Here's what some other superintendents said:
Creativity, innovation and the ability to mobilize people to tackle really difficult problems sets Terry apart from many of his peers. He surrounds himself with people who share common beliefs and values. He is unusually gifted in managing conflict. He and his team constantly seek ways to help students, especially those who struggle to succeed. The success of a genuine leader can never be calibrated in isolation. A leader truly becomes a hero when he is graciously willing to share his ideas and resources in a selfless manner with others. Terry is such a leader....
He's certainly inspired a range of emotions. This is a prestigious award, certainly the highest one in the state for a superintendent. But remember the "Get Terry Grier Outta Here" signs? We sort of know what The Chalkboard folks might say. Some of them, at least. How about you?
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep it clean. Now to the first topic:
The counting is done. Here is your new City Council, Greensboro. The throw-the-bums-out initiative was only moderately successful. Only one incumbent city council member was defeated. Three of the new council members are hardly new faces, one is a former city council member and two are former county commissioners. The mayor is new, but she's been a council member for years.
How do you like what you've done?
Petty Enterprises is going to move from Level Cross, which has been its home forever and which some of us consider the true home of Racin', to Mooresville, which is somewhere near the Queen City of Charlotte. (Can you tell how I feel about it?)
The move is being made to get the operation closer to "the center of the NASCAR world," the King says. Shoot.
Good move? What will it mean to the Triad? What will it mean to our identity? Maybe nothing. Or not.
High school football playoffs begin tomorrow night. Lots of local schools are in, but the big surprise/question is the Page-Charlotte Independence game. Page won the Metro 4-A Conference title by going undefeated in the conference, but its overall record is 7-4. Independence, after dominating everyone for the last hundred years or so, lost two games this season and are seeded lower than Page.
On the other hand, Independence is ranked No. 4 in the state; Page didn't get a vote in that AP poll.
Jeff Carlton at Sports Extra has more and more.
Fair?
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
Don Patterson writes about a Googley gas pump that lets you get directions as you fill up. Yeah, OK. That's just an excuse I'm using to get a post in about gas prices. They're going up in 10-cent increments now. Everywhere it's over $3 a gallon, isn't it?
How high will you go before you start cutting back? Where is the cheapest station you've found? Help a fellow out.
Remarkably, some people think we're biased in favor of that institution of higher education in Chapel Hill. But how can they say that when Jim Young compares this season's Blue Devils with Duke's national title teams?
Is Duke going to be any good this year? The sportswriters seem to think so, but what do they know? Will they miss Josh McRoberts? (No.) Will Zoubek get healthy? (Yes.) Will Coach K stay healthy? (A toss up.)
Your ball.
We feted Superintendent Terry Grier a couple days ago. It's only fair we recognize Mayor Keith Holliday for his years of service as the elected leader of the city. A gang of people certainly did last night.
The mayor presided over some contentious times the past few years. He's even had issues with us. He deserves his due.
Give it here. Show a Positive Greensboro Attitude. He'd appreciate it.
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
I admit that I'm not a fan of corporate names on ball parks and fields. Nice stadiums usually get stuck with awkward, inelegant name. After a few years, the name changes, confusing those of us who still refer the place where the Panthers play as Ericsson. So, I'm biased on this one, but here goes.
Do you like the name First Horizon Park? As far as corporate names goes, that one ain't terrible. How about NewBridge Bank Park? I hope you like it because come next spring that's what the ball park on Bellemeade will be called. (And I mean no ill will to NewBridge Bancorp, a Greensboro native, so to speak.)
Like the new name? What would you call it if you had the naming rights?
Paul Bradshaw at Online Journalism Blog asks: What motivates you to comment on a post? Or if you’ve never commented, why not (until now)?
Because this blog is new and we're trying to create a place where people do comment and discuss the topic, I pose the same question. Help us learn what works.
Greensboro is second best in traffic safety? Whoever decided that has never come into town on U.S. 220 during rush hour. Or tried to navigate Wendover-I-40. Or counted the number of people running red lights downtown. Or watched the cars whose turn signals must not work because they never use them.
On the other hand, I know not to drive through Research Triangle or through Charlotte even close to rush hour to avoid the parking lots that occur there.
But maybe that's just me. What about you? What's the worst traffic offense you see?
Veterans Day. Arguably one of the most important holidays we have, given that we can honor those still living.
Honor one in the comments.
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
Guilford County high school students are able to transfer to another school for academic reasons, but not for athletic. At least, they aren't supposed to. Robert Bell's story on Sunday paints a different picture.
What now? Enforce the rule? Rescind the restrictions on athletes? Do nothing?
OK, time to have test your creativity and have some fun. We know you know how to do it. Greensboro City Council has named a traffic circle downtown for the mayor. That's not how we would like to be honored for years of selfless service but they didn't ask us.
Naming rights are now open to honor whatever public figure you'd like. Inside Scoop started with some, but you can do better. Send us your ideas.
We discussed the issue of students transferring from one school to another to play sports yesterday. Let's continue the discussion. Others are weighing in. The school board doesn't seem too alarmed.
What do you want the board to do? Nothing? Prohibit transfers? Make an athlete sit out a year? Put a cap on transfers per school? Pay more attention to transfer requests?
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
For some Southern Baptists, if a church knowingly acts to "affirm, approve, endorse, promote, support or bless homosexual behavior," that's a bad thing. Maybe enough to get you expelled from the statewide organization of Southern Baptist churches.
WWJD? Is that fair? Is it right?
If you read The Chalkboard, you get the idea that everyone is angry about something in the way schools are run. So, when given the chance to speak up and get things done, no one shows up?
What's wrong with the schools? Is everyone secretly happy? Was there a good TV show on last night that I missed?
"This guy killed two people, and he got five years," said the father of the victim of a high school student killed when she and a friend were sitting in a car on the side of the highway and another car ran into them. The driver of the other car had both alcohol and cocaine in his system.
The family is angry that he only got five years in prison for two deaths.
Should he have gotten more? Less? Just right?
Joel Landau. David Wray. Even our own Brewster Rockit.
Those are three who got hundreds of write-in votes in last week's municipal election. Well, Brewster didn't, but he's a comic strip character, for goodness sakes.
Did you write-in? Why? Isn't it wasting your vote? And, really, now that it won't count, write in here who you would really like to see elected.
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
After yesterday's action expelling Myers Park Baptist, the group has told five Baptist colleges that they must give up their funding if they want to name their own college trustees.
Do you think the State Baptist Convention has control issues? OK, that's just a throwaway joke.
Seriously, have the colleges gone too far in requesting this autonomy? Or is the convention working on the wrong things?
A&T just raised its admission standards, making it harder for a freshman to get into. One trustee, Franklin McCain raised a concern about future achievers being denied admission because they weren't achievers in high school.
How hard should it be to get into college? When are high standards too high?
Is it just us or are there more big fights in schools these days? We have kids who bring weapons in. We have Page's fight. Now 12 students at Southern Guilford are facing suspension from school and possible criminal charges after a fight in a hallway.
Yesterday, we discussed the school meeting at Grimsley to talk about ways to improve student discipline that was sparsely attended. Now we have students fighting and fires intentionally set.
Why is it happening and how is it stopped?
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
You see it on TV and the movies all the time: A cop gets shot in the chest and is saved by a bullet-proof vest. And then it happens in real life. Makes it seem commonplace. Thank goodness for the policy in Rockingham County in which deputies are required to wear bullet proof vests.
Not so in Guilford where it is optional. Strongly recommended, but optional still. Should it be required? Might save a life.
Has the whole "deadly-toys-from-China" thing taken the bloom off the Christmas shopping rose? Stores have already marked down some toys...so what are you buying? (If you're buying clothes instead of toys, your kids aren't going to like Santa all that much come Dec. 25.)
We've talked about students fighting with students. What about teachers and students fighting? (We're afraid to think about what the next Debatables topic of discussion about schools will be?)
Are teachers under too much pressure? What with worrying about test scores, student discipline, counseling parents and crowded classrooms, do we expect too much of them?
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
Well, can he be beat? (Putting aside for the sake of discussion whether he should be beat.)
And this one just for fun: Four Seasons or Friendly?
"Come and arrest me. That's the dumbest thing I ever heard of."
So says one Greensboro resident trying to conserve water and keep her plants alive. Recycling water from baths and washing dishes to water gardens is illegal, believe it or not. Some say that law is too restrictive.
Is it the dumbest thing? Or a needed health precaution?
The busiest travel day of the year is this week. "Are we there yet?" "I'm bored?" "Do you want me to turn this car around?" "Can this guy drive any slower?"
Sign.
How do you pass the time in the car?
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
The experts say that immigration will be the big issue in next year's U.S. Senate race. Will it? Why? More that the war or the economy? Which candidate will capitalize on it?
Is the city doing enough to fight the gang problem? And we don't just mean the police or the city government. What would you do?
Skybus: good for the airport and travellers or not so much?
Offers fewer flying perks, but low, low prices. Airport folks say the company's low prices will bring down the rates of other carriers. Some seem to think that the company's unresponsive.
Welcome to Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
There's so much to talk about in the Action Greensboro report, it is hard to know where to begin. So, you can.
Is Greensboro heading in the right direction or is it "just treading water?" Are the schools broken, as some perceive, or are they improving, as school officials say? Is the business community doing enough? Are the governments part of the problem? Are tense race relations holding us back?
And are the ideas tossed out good ones? (Guaranteeing college tuition; looking at a performing arts center; improving highway approaches into the city; requiring fluency in a second language; and emphasing Gateway University Research Park.)
Do you have something better to suggest?
Should City Council give City Manager Mitch Johnson a raise?
Update: Council gave him 3 percent, which means it is a Debatable for another day!
Just in time for Thanksgiving, this nice story. When we have 20 percent turnout at municipal elections and politicians rank low in the surveys of respected individual, doesn't it do the heart good to read about a high school student impressed with meeting her elected representative? And he responds in kind?
OK, it's not controversial, but in the spirit of the season, it is worth noting, isn't it?
* 55.9 percent of local schools made federal testing targets in 2006-07.
* 17 percent of principals left the district in 2006-07, higher than the five other counties and the state average of 12 percent.
* Black and Hispanic students in Guilford County are still less likely to graduate on time or meet testing goals than white students, but more likely to come from poor households.
Are we doing enough to help pre-schoolers? Are we willing to pay more in taxes to do what we should?
Welcome to the Thanksgiving edition of Debatables, a place where we all talk about the issues of the day. Please keep them on point and constructive. Now to the first topic:
With the increase in armed robberies, do you feel safe this time of year? Do you do anything differently to protect yourself?
Unless big news breaks out, Debatables will be on vacation through Sunday. Rejoin us Monday morning.
Did you go see Hannah Montana at the Coliseum last night? No, of course you didn't. But if you did, how was it? Even if you didn't, you probably have an opinion on the inability of regular parents without specialized computer software being unable to buy tickets at face value.
Supposedly, corporate incentives aren't high on your list of political concerns. Are they welfare for a company that doesn't need it or are they a necessity in the business world?
Everyone is for keeping children safe, and for obeying traffic laws. But with all the crime occurring out there, is this how we want police officers to spend their time?
OK, Duke football didn't have a good year this year. The team didn't have a good year last year, either. Or the year before that. Or the year before that.
But does that mean the coach should be fired? Probably, but was that enough time? Is it possible to have a winning program at Duke, given all the demand for high caliber players?
Get arrested for shooting a police officer. Bond: $150,000. Seem fair to you?
Should the Coliseum serve alcohol during events that attract a not-yet-of-drinking-age crowd?