First the Western powers occupying Afghanistan let President Hamid Karzai stay in the job for months after his term actually expired, on the grounds that an election in the late summer would be easier to arrange. They finally held the election in August and declared it a shining success: Karzai, Washington’s man in Kabul, had been re-elected, even though turnout nationally was only 30 percent. (In the Taliban-dominated south, it was only 5 percent.)
Lang: For the good of the Dems, Susan Gwinn should step aside
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 23:22
By Patrick Lang Athens City Law Director
It’s not much of a stretch to say that I have grown up in the Athens County Democratic Party. As a boy in Albany — before I was old enough to vote — I volunteered on local campaigns. When I began my college years at Ohio University, the first meeting I attended was a meeting of the OU College Democrats. And during that time – before I was old enough to buy a drink – I ran for and was elected to Athens City Council.
Cap-and-trade will save much more than it will cost people
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 23:19
To the Editor:
While many Republicans are predicting an increase in energy costs if we pass the cap-and-trade legislation, they are missing the big picture. In fact, the legislation will save exponentially more money than it will cost, as was seen with 1990 Clean Air Act amendments.
Predicted to cost $5.7 billion, the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, which used a cap-and-trade market system, turned out to cost just $1.6 billion to cut more than 4 million tons of sulfur dioxide. But savings in health-care costs were found to be as much as $70 billion dollars, according to a 2003 EPA study. That is a savings of $43 for every $1 spent.
Support bill removing 'vicious' designation from pit bulls
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 23:17
To the Editor:
I am writing in regards to House Bill 79, which would amend section 955.11 of the Revised Code to remove pit bulls from the definition of "vicious dog" in state law. This bill was introduced in March 2009 by state Rep. Sears. I am writing to urge readers of this letter to contact their representatives, as well as members of the House Committee for Agriculture and Natural Resources, in favor of this bill.
Help feed, educate & empower people of African nation
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 23:14
By Sophie Nyasulu
Malawi is a country in southeast Africa bordered by Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique. Although Malawi is by all standards a poor Third World country, its 13 millions citizens are hardworking and ever eager to improve their lives. Malawi, just like most countries in the region, has been greatly affected by the HIV epidemic.
Don't believe everything you read in the Athens NEWS letters sections
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 23:12
To the Editor:
Picking up The Athens NEWS is a nice part of my week. I enjoy reading the opinion pages, often in agreement, anger or sometimes just to get a laugh. Rarely does anything provoke me enough to write in because, frankly, I’m kind of busy and the last thing that I need is to become entangled in local news debates. However, after reading Wesley Thompson’s letter regarding vaccinations (The NEWS, Oct. 29), I was hoping to throw out a word of caution.
Republicans oddly have lost faith in their much-vaunted private sector
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 23:09
To the Editor:
It certainly has been disturbing to see the Republicans rallying to protect corporate insurance interests over public-health interests during the health-care debate. They are concerned about HMOs having to compete with the government’s public-option plan. What gives? Republicans have always proclaimed the private sector more competitive and efficient than the public, so why the fear of competition? If Republicans were to look further afield for answers, they’d learn that countries like Canada and England with their universal public systems also have private health-care sectors, too. The two systems work together.
Walk the Walk Saturday to raise mental-health awareness
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 23:08
To the Editor:
Many in the community mental-health system were hopeful about our new administration in Ohio, watching a governor with a background in psychology and the penal system. Now, however, the hopefulness having moved to cautiousness is pretty near complete exhaustion. Understand this sentiment comes with all due respect to being handed a huge deficit on top of the multitudinous challenges of the past couple years.
I'll bet $5 that voting bounty is party chair's swan song
Written by Terry Smith
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 23:05
After an Athens County grand jury handed down a six-count indictment alleging campaign shenanigans against county Democratic Party chair Susan Gwinn this fall, I wrote a column saying she should step aside, at least temporarily.
Not long after, I wrote another column slamming Democratic central committee members and officeholders for standing by their compromised party leader.
Letter passed off misinformation about H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine
Monday, 02 November 2009 10:30
To the Editor:
I’m writing in response to Wesley Thompson’s letter published in the Oct. 29 edition. There was a shocking amount of misinformation in the letter, and I couldn’t simply stand by and let it go without a rebuttal. The letter mentions thimerosal, a preservative used in some of the H1N1 vaccines. Newsweek in February printed a great article on thimerosal and how it was believed to be linked with autism, I highly suggest looking it up on their Web site. It is called “Anatomy of a Scare” by Sharon Begley.
Chris Fahl won't have to learn on the job to serve Fourth Ward
Monday, 02 November 2009 10:29
To the Editor:
Christine Fahl is the clear choice to elect back to City Council’s Fourth Ward tomorrow.
Ms. Fahl supports the city’s acquisition of 600 acres of land along Armitage Road. This would be our back-up system and new water source. This would be our back-up system to ruined well-fields where we now get some of our water. We need this because of the ruination of some of the current well-fields due to development, parking lots and other uses that threaten to poison our water.
Do your homework and discover why state Issue 2 is a bad thing
Monday, 02 November 2009 10:27
To the Editor:
I am adding my voice to others who have written against the passage of Issue 2 (Livestock Regulation). I hope that readers will do their homework and find out why a NO vote is the right vote.
It's not fair to call retirement center opponents NIMBYs
Monday, 02 November 2009 10:25
To the Editor:
I’m really tired of proponents for the potential NCR retirement facility attacking their opponents as short-sighted NIMBYs. I think a retirement facility is a great idea for Athens, but I think the space chosen for it was wrong. People of all ages and backgrounds love that green space! It is a rare, extremely inclement day indeed when that field is empty; it seems there is always at least one person playing fetch with his or her dog or flying model airplanes, if there isn’t a game on or a flock of kites. Not everybody is as lucky as my family, with open spaces of our own, so I understand why that Stimson Avenue field is so important, with convenient parking and few power lines overhead.
The news is bad, and it’s coming in fast. Turn tens of thousands of scientists loose on a problem for two decades, and the results will seem pathetic for the first few years, because it takes time to gather the data – even to build the equipment with which you gather the data. But slowly the flow of data will grow, and at the end of twenty years you can expect major new insights every month or so.
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