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Reader Comment of the Day
Tweet Share on Facebook January 14, 2009 Comment (1)The times are changing, and to make further progress, the language used by equal rights proponents will need to change, too.
Comment by Stuart of AR in response to Bonnie Erbe , "Hillary Clinton and Sexism"
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Reader Comment of the Day
Tweet Share on Facebook January 13, 2009 Comment (2)What this entire sordid affair proves is that no governor should have the right to appoint a senator.
Bob of TX in response to Public Opinion:
Sen. Roland Burris, Huh? -
Advice for the New Year
Tweet Share on Facebook January 13, 2009 Comment"Make Yourself an Author," an item in your list of "50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2009," particularly hit home for me. Last year, at the urging of a friend, I penned a mystery novel about the greed and corruption surrounding a high school basketball prodigy. Much of the material came from my wintertime hobby of officiating high school basketball during the past 16 years. I did not want to wait several years to hire a book agent and try to break into a traditional publishing company. Instead, as you suggest, I self-published the book with a print-on-demand company that made my book available on Amazon.com. It was an eye-opening experience for me, awakening some creativity, fun, research, and, yes, frustrations. As an unintended consequence, I have discovered (through Internet discussion groups) hundreds of self-published authors and their books, and I am reading more than ever. Of course, I heed your suggestion, and I'm writing my second novel in 2009.
Yale R. Jaffe, Darien, IL
"Get Paid for Good Health" mentions a cash incentive that is offered for health assessments. I was offered such an opportunity at my company and sought out information on how the data that was compiled would be used. I was unsatisfied with my findings, which seemed to indicate that any data provided could be shared with my health insurance provider. In an era where healthcare can be challenging to obtain when pre-existing conditions come into play, does it really make sense for people to voluntarily provide their unskilled assessment of their own health and physical conditions? At the risk of sounding overly cynical, I believe that these health assessments are opportunities for healthcare providers to compile extra data on patients that could later be used to deny them coverage. I encourage your magazine to investigate these incentive programs more and allow healthcare plan participants to make well-informed decisions.
Todd R. Master, Washington, DC
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Reader Comment of the Day
Tweet Share on Facebook January 12, 2009 CommentObama centered his campaign on the idea of "change," and if he were to start his presidency with an investigation of his predecessor, he would not be parlaying his original promise to the country.
Brenda H. of LA in response to
Schlesinger: Obama Is Smart Not to Investigate Bush -
Bike to Work Perks
Tweet Share on Facebook January 9, 2009 Comment (37)After a few short years of bicycle commuting, I find that I'm stressed out when I have to drive to work ["50 Ways to Improve Your Life: Ride Your Bike to Work," usnews.com]. Riding the bike, on the other hand, is a stress-buster. It's not hard. You don't need a bunch of stuff (most of us don't live where we need to use four pairs of gloves!). Try it—you might like it. Most of us who bicycle commute would never go back to an all-car lifestyle.
Comment by Bill of Tallahassee , FL
It can actually be quite easy to hop on a bike. In the United States, we've become used to seeing cycling as a sport, and our bikes and equipment reflect that: special shoes, fluorescent clothing, water bottles, and the whole nine yards. Bike commuting was something you did because you loved it and were willing to plan and sacrifice in order to do it. However, more and more people these days are remembering that biking can be much more convenient. Bike shops are now stocking "Dutch bikes" (heavy, slow bikes so-called for their popularity in the Netherlands). They're comfortable, durable, nearly zero maintenance. They have generator lights that require no batteries, chain cases that keep pants clean, fenders for rainy days, and racks in the front and rear to carry stuff. Cycling really can be as easy as driving.
Comment by Bob of NY
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Conversation Stimulus
Tweet Share on Facebook January 9, 2009 CommentWhat a great idea! Very progressive. It should be a requirement on all the new roads that this stimulus will pay for ["Why a Tiny Alabama Town Wants a $375 Million Chunk of the Stimulus," usnews.com]. If Obama wants to double renewable energy production within the next three years, he needs to pay attention to what this town is proposing. I also got from this article that they are working with utilities and another town. The solar roads can be done all over the country. We can learn from what this town is doing. Good for them.
Comment by Bart of FL
With proposals like these, coupled with the money Bush and Congress have already spent on the stimulus and the proposed additional funding Obama is offering, it is only a matter of time before our nation is completely bankrupt and available for acquisition to the highest bidder. We as a nation have become so averse to enduring the hard times and lean years that we are willing to mortgage our future generations so that we may have an easy time today. There is $11 trillion in national debt, or more than $35,000 for every man, woman, and child in the United States, with no end to the debt growth in sight. How much more can we bear?
Comment by Steve K. of MD
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Reader Comment of the Day
Tweet Share on Facebook January 9, 2009 Comment"Maya Angelou has a great quote that is so appropriate here: 'Whining makes you ugly.' Sarah, quit whining, be professional, take the high road. That's what great leaders do."
Willard of CA in response to Robert Schlesinger's blog, "Sarah Palin Must Be Quiet, for Her Own Good"
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Travolta Family Tragedy
Tweet Share on Facebook January 8, 2009 Comment (17)My son suffered from Kawasaki syndrome just before his third birthday ["Jett Travolta and Kawasaki Syndrome," usnews.com]. It was a nightmare in which he was near death for days and unable to take in any food or water. His extremely high fever lasted eight days, and he was left so weak he couldn't walk for a month. For the next six months, he had his heart checked, and when they feared that one of his arteries was damaged, they performed an angiogram. Thankfully, my son recovered, albeit with asthma that seemed to come after he had Kawasaki syndrome. It is an extremely rare disease, but there seemed to be an outbreak that year when 15 to 20 cases were reported in the Bay Area. They didn't know what caused it then (1984), and I see little progress has been made. At that time, the only treatment was massive doses of aspirin. At no time, then or since, has a doctor ever suggested that Kawasaki would have affected his neurological health, so I really don't think Jett's problems stemmed from Kawasaki syndrome. I do know that once your child has Kawasaki, you never recover from the trauma.
Comment by Susan Reynolds of MA
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Reader Comment of the Day
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2009 CommentPerhaps no one has noticed, but CIA director became a political position some time ago. One of the directors went on to become President [George H. W. Bush]. Making a political appointment to a political position is a surprise now?
—Eric Ivers of PA in response to Michael Barone's blog post:" Obama's Surprise Pick of Leon Panetta for CIA Director"
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Gay Schools Controversy
Tweet Share on Facebook January 6, 2009 Comment (6)I thank God that a school district has finally found the courage to create a safe haven for the youth that some narrow-minded people don't understand ["Milwaukee to Form Gay-Friendly Middle School," usnews.com]. I went to a major university and played football there. Having to hide my sexual identity was very demeaning to me. Therefore, I did not show who I truly was until just after my dad died, and I regret I did not have the guts to tell him. I felt that I had to live a lie just to be accepted. When I came out, I found that I was accepted by all my friends and family. Everyone should be accepted for who they are, the attributes they show, the humor, the compassion and the caring they have for their fellow human beings.
Comment by Slade Hansen of VA
The education system needs to be concerned with teaching and providing the required elements of knowledge rather than being concerned with sexual preference. If there are cases of children being harassed, then the offenders need to be dealt with. Other than that, the educational structure should not intervene. I, as a taxpayer, would not support such an action under any circumstance. Furthermore, you are talking about middle-school students! The last thing that should be on their minds is sexual preference.
Comment by B. Hedden of PA
