What's Really Important To Americans, Anyway?

How can you tell when people's value systems are all screwed up? When Indiana University Basketball Coach Bob Knight makes the top section of page one of every newspaper across the country day after day after day. Give me a break, please! Is Knight really that important? Not in the least. He's not the president of the United States, a senator or even a mayor.He's just a coach, a guy making a living by teaching young men how to play a GAME. He's a long-term employee of a college who has been too physical, too vulgar and out of hand too often, that's true.His actions will not determine the fate of the world, however, or whether or not taxes rise or fall. If a player feels threatened by Knight, the player has options.The player can leave the university, like Neil Reed did, or sue.And while that will get covered, the story can be saved for the back pages or the sports sections, but not for page one day after day after day.

Letters to the Editor 02-20-2002

- Thanks To Red Cross - Elections - No Recognition For Valley Thanks To Red Cross Editor, Times-Union: We would like to take the opportunity to thank the Red Cross for all their help and generosity.During the recent power outages, several of our Cardinal Center group homes had to be evacuated for the night and the residents were moved to our main building.We contacted the Red Cross to see if they could assist us with bedding for 25 people.They informed us that all their cots were set up at the shelter.We discussed what our needs were and they said they would call us back.In less then an hour, they met our needs.New air mattresses were brought from Wabash for us to use.

Letters to the Editor 05-17-2004

- Relay For Life - Seat Belts - Traffic - Ashamed - Foster Care - Candidate For IU Trustee Relay For Life Editor, Times-Union: The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Kosciusko County is coming to Warsaw Central Park at 6 p.m.Friday, May 21 through 9 a.m.Saturday, May 22 .The public is invited to come and join us in this battle against cancer.

Letters to the Editor 05-18-2004

Letters to the Editor 08-03-2005

- Older Generation - Hot Summer - Support The Troops Older Generation Editor, Times-Union: Do you like to hear people say, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks?" People refer this to the older generation.Why is it that younger people think that older people are set in their ways? As one looks back on one's life, are we ever set in our ways? Having looked back on one's life, this person went to grade school in the deep depression, where everyone was poor and we were glad to have clothes and shoes to wear to school.No one was any better than the other. During one's high school years, 1941-45, we experienced World War II, where our lives were changed.A very great change in our lives at that time.Our thoughts were not on ourselves but on our service people.

Warsaw School Board Should Show Us The Money

In nearly two decades of attending school board meetings, covering meetings regarding school business and reading about the decisions of school board members, never have I felt so uninformed as with recent proposals by the Warsaw Community School Corp. Whenever a corporation has suggested schools be closed and a new one built, the justification has always been accompanied by charts, graphs and columns of figures.If a representative said the corporation would save money - voila! Long columns of numbers were provided on a screen and on handouts for anyone to follow along.The savings, over the course of a few years, were always evident.

Letters to the Editor 09-10-2001

- MDA Thanks - Sevastafest? MDA Thanks Editor, Times-Union: I knew we could depend on the kind people of Warsaw to come through again! Thanks to the many generous people in the Warsaw area, you helped the 2001 Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon raise a record $56,780,603 in contributions and pledges. Across the country, nearly a million volunteers, including hundreds of celebrities, donated their time on Labor Day weekend to help people of all ages with neuromuscular diseases, including many families in your community.I applaud the people of Warsaw for phoning in pledges to the Telethon and for so generously supporting MDA programs throughout the year, such as Shamrocks Against Dystrophy, MDA Lock-Ups and firefighters' Fill-the-Boot drives - to name only a few.

Dealing With A Couple Too Many 'Guilty Pleasures'

OK, I'm guilty. I'm guilty of a crime. The crime of having one too many guilty pleasures. They're not heinous crimes or even illegal, and I'm not the only individual on the planet who has them.Everyone has at least one guilty pleasure (most often, chocolate).It's just, well, do I admit to them or not? Will you respect me tomorrow? For instance, if I tell you that I love a good cartoon, will you think I haven't totally grown up? Batman.Superman.Spiderman.Johnny Quest.Godzilla.And the occasional Charlie Brown cartoon special.I'd rather watch these cartoons than most movies put out lately.Give me Bugs Bunny over Arnold Schwarzenegger anytime. Similarly, comics are a great quick read.The best comics are those with political and social commentary with a twist."Doonesbury" and "The Boondocks" are highly entertaining and each comments on society in ways mainstream news outlets don't, can't and won't.

Letters to the Editor 08-31-2001

- Frustrated In Pierceton - Trade Agreements - Summertimeblues - Scam Against Elderly - Cleaning Airwaves Frustrated In Pierceton Editor, Times-Union: I am writing this letter to vent my frustration with the lack of enforcement of laws.Some citizens in the town of Pierceton are exempt from having to follow the same rules and laws that 95 percent of the citizens of the town follow.

Letters to the Editor 02-26-2002

- Dangerous Intersection - Silver Lake School - Ham Radio - Good Samaritan - CR 450E - Thanks, Cargill Dangerous Intersection Editor, Times-Union: The intersection of County Farm Road and CR 300S has killed five people in three years.John Droke and Meredith Sensibaugh were killed there on Feb.12, 1999.There were two more teens killed there on Labor Day weekend of 2001, Frank Pineda and Olivin Canales.

Letters to the Editor 08-04-2005

- Break-In - Cornfield - Stolen Tools - Purple Heart Break-In Editor, Times-Union: This is in regard to a break-in at my mother's house at Hoffman Lake.Last Thursday afternoon, my mother's house was broken into.Taken were a gas grill, a smoker, an air compressor, a few lawnmowers and a curio cabinet.The man was driving a dark blue pickup with a trailer hitched on back. The neighbors got a good description of him.This is a message to the homeowners at Hoffman Lake.If you see someone driving a dark blue pickup, or if you notice someone who doesn't live out there and has been hanging around, call the police or sheriff. Now this is my message to the pathetic person who ripped my 70-year-old mother off.You are scum and a bottom-feeder and that will be your only aspiration in life.

Letters to the Editor 04-06-2005

- Abuse Prevention - Bible Teaching - Deception - Tax And Spend Abuse Prevention Editor, Times-Union: The month of April is devoted to celebrating everything we can do to transform our community into a place that cares about and actively supports families and children.By ensuring that all parents in our community have access to quality child care, affordable health services, parenting education resources and substance abuse and mental health programs, we make progress toward what the month stands for: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Letters to the Editor 09-11-2001

Letters to the Editor 09-14-2001

The Year That Was

• 1.Kevin Ault named Mr.Basketball By Greg Jones, Times-Union Sports Editor After one of the most anxious and nervewracking weeks of his life, Kevin Ault's first reaction after being told he was named Indiana's Mr.Basketball was that of - relief. Not that the award was a relief, but the waiting to find out was finally over. "It has been the longest week since I can remember," Ault said."On Friday, it seemed like it took forever for them to call.Then it came, and it was a sigh of relief, of joy.Everything went into it.I was expecting the call much earlier.Then I thought it might not come at all." When ever the phone would ring, it would be an anxious moment in the Ault household, and then there would be a sense of disappointment if it wasn't THE call.After a while, they were hoping for any call.Even a call that Ault did not get Mr.Basketball would have been better than nothing at all.

Buckling Up Really Can Save Your Life

Seat belts save lives. Buckle up, it's the law. Only "dummies" don't buckle up. We've all heard them before.Those cliches that try to get us to obey the law and buckle up.For some, though, seat belts are a nuisance.For others, seat belts are life savers. I'm one of those people who believe they're life savers.But I didn't always think so. On Oct.30, 1997, I was in a rush.Basketball practice was over at 6:30 p.m.and I had to be at a downtown Indianapolis school board meeting at 7 p.m.I was not totally certain where the building was where the meeting was going to be held. I had directions because I called the school administration office that day to find out where the meeting was going to be.Not that directions are a great help to me, I'm not the world's best navigator. I didn't want to go to the meeting, but as part of my news media course in college, I was required to go.

Letters to the Editor 12-04-2002

- Tire Problems - Akron Parents Say Thanks - Maine Votes - Trustee Race - Irate Fans Tire Problems Editor, Times-Union: On the front page of Saturday's (11/23/2002) paper was an article, "Atwood Tire Pile Cleanup Complete."I am very happy the IDEM persisted in this clean-up effort.Removing not only a huge eyesore and large health hazard, especially now with the fear of the West Nile virus, but the immense weight on the environment.

Letters to the Editor 12-06-2002

- God Is Love - Lines Blurred - Lawmaker Resigns - What Would Jesus Drive? - Created Equal God Is Love Editor, Times-Union: This is something that I need to say.The GSA needs to hear this too. There was a man that died in 1997.A man whose life meant a lot to so many.He was not only a great musician but someone who knew the Bible very well.His name was Rich Mullins.(Rich was from Lynn, Ind.).Rich was a friend of my family in one way or another.He worked at one time with my brother and was best friends with my cousin.He was also my counselor for two years at a church conference that I would attend as a teenager.We all learned a lot from his life.

Letters to the Editor 07-16-2001

- Flag Protection - Campaign Spending - Etna Green Thanks - Illegal Imports - AWL Needs Help - Thanks To Sponsors - Driver Kills Dog - Lake Restaurant - Garden Path Flag Protection Editor, Times-Union: On Tuesday, July 17, the House of Representatives will vote on HJ Res.36, the Cunningham-Murtha Flag-Protection Amendment.The amendment reads: "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.

Letters to the Editor 02-28-2002

- Money Well Spent - Planning - Lost Faith Money Well Spent Editor, Times-Union: We have attended several of the recent Warsaw Community School Board meetings and would like to express our appreciation to the board and the school administration for the work they have put into the recent spending proposals.It is difficult to please everyone entirely, but the board made a genuine effort to listen to the public's views.As a result, they have made several significant changes to the plan. Along with addressing elementary school issues, the proposal will bring much-needed improvements to the high school facilities, both for the sports and performing arts.The money is an investment in our children and in our community.While it may be difficult to measure the gain in dollars, it is money well spent.