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Letters to the Editor

What causes decline in students’ performance?

In my opinion, the recent decline in students’ performance is mainly driven by two developments: 1. More screen time This includes smart phone usage, social media, technology in classroom and AI in education. Today, students rarely need to struggle in learning. Whatever they want, whenever they need, it is delivered to them by their digital personal assistant. They receive large quantities of information without developing knowledge and skills. But human cognition is not designed for this. Productive struggle and “headache” accompany deep thinking is an essential part of ...

The age of not so happy times

Not long ago, a Charlie Kirk comment could cost your job or land you in jail. But Rob and Michele Reiner’s killing is TDS and acceptable. They were deranged. Did you read Reiner’s Kirk comments? For 15 years, Republicans and Trump have promised a new health care plan. And now it’s finally here. ACA subsidies are eliminated and SNAP is cut to the bone. Millions will lose health care. Republicans’ core value: life should be hard and cruel. John Joyce voted for this. Will he meet with these constituents? Tell these working people why? Democrats put forward a War Powers Act to ...

Appreciation missing in the UK

A recent trip to London included a highly recommended day at the British War Museum. While the facility was incredibly impressive and well done, the WWI and WWII displays shockingly offered very little appreciation to American intervention. If one didn’t know any better, you have been led to believe that the Brits won both wars without much assistance. It also was the off the record comments in other European countries that unless Trump-like immigration response takes place soon, the continent’s cultures will someday cease to exist. Mike Miller Altoona

Grateful for the caregivers

The weather outside has been bitterly cold lately, so I decided it was a good time to clean out papers that I needed to trash. As I sat in my kitchen, I could see the pure white snow covering the ground. The birds are surrounding the fresh seed I put in their feeder. Returning to the papers, I found a journal I had forgotten about so of course, I couldn’t help but neglect the old papers and started reading. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the stories I had written about my children, grandchildren and the family fun we had. I totally was thankful I had jotted these ...

Big Oil making a fool of us

Fool me once. … The oldest among us remember how Big Tobacco firms paid Think Tanks and pricey PR firms to convince our parents that smoking was safe, cool and even healthy. Fool me twice. … Now as we learn Big Oil companies have been hiring the very same PR firms and disgraced scientists for years to convince us that fossil fuels are The American Way, literally wrapping our American flag around a dirty oil can. We see the roots of this love affair. It’s been very expensive to get the public to reject clean energy. After all, we have to give up a stable economy, predictable ...

Kennedy Center should remain as-is

It nauseates me to mention the Kennedys and Trumps in the same sentence — as they are polar opposites in every way. A sycophantic, hand-picked board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted illegally to add the name of Donald Trump to the memorial for our slain 35th president. The Kennedys (except RFK Jr.) lived the phrase “... ask what you can do for your country.” Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy’s family gave three sons in service to the United States. Joe Jr., a Navy pilot, was killed in Europe flying a bombing mission during WWII. JFK, a Navy Lieutenant, ...