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Well-planned libraries offer respite from noise
Shhhh! Someone's working here!
I wanted to let readers know that our local libraries are wonderful places to get some work done. A few years ago, when the Woodward Park Branch of the Fresno County Library system opened, I was very pleased to have dedicated quiet rooms in which to do some work.
Sarah Miller's commentary [April 16] brought to light a few issues that I wholeheartedly agree with -- the library of today is too noisy, few libraries maintain quiet environments and people can be selfish about respecting others' needs.
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3 UC extension classes canceled in Fresno
University of California officials are having a tough time filling some seats in extension classes offered in Fresno this summer.
The UC Berkeley extension courses and workshops, offered through a partnership with UC Merced, are a new addition for the summer. But so far, officials have canceled three of eight classes because of low interest.
Brandy Ramos Nikaido, director of UC Merced's Fresno Center, described the summer slate of classes as a test run for the fall. Officials plan to survey more organizations and employers to confirm training needs for the area and ensure that the next schedule of classes responds to those needs.
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Making the grade
If Fresno wants to emulate cities that are in the top 10 in protecting themselves against global warming, we need to start doing some of the things endorsed by the Kyoto Treaty. I was amazed at the lack of preparation we've done, compared to the cities on the list (see thegreenguide.com/doc/113/top10cities).
Getting with the program for these cities included: excellent public transportation, pedestrian-oriented shopping areas, clean air, good water, smoking ban, high percentage of renewable energy, wind power and a high percentage of bicycle commuters.
How does Fresno score on these qualifiers?
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Protect food source
In regard to Editorial Page Editor Jim Boren’s column on water loss Sept. 27: I completely agree with Mr. Boren that the problem with farmers is that they are not advertising in the right way. They are so caught up in making the environmentalists seem like the bad guys that they’ve lost a sense of what they are really fighting for.
They need to give up this whole “farmers vs. fish” thing like Mr. Boren said, and start appealing to the people. Ask the people, “Do you really want your food from China? Or do you want to fix this water problem?”
If farmers really want people on their side, they need to give up this tired argument and do some real marketing. Most of the people in California aren’t farmers. They don’t care how the farmers feel, but if you tell them that they will have to start getting their food from foreign countries, I’ll bet they’ll listen.
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Some left behind
As hard as you try to push square pegs through round holes, it won't work. Children learn in different ways.
The narrow-minded No Child Left Behind Act intends to leave some children behind. Any child who doesn't learn standardized curriculum designed to get students to pass a standardized test will be left behind. Teachers who pride themselves on teaching in a creative way that extends beyond the standard curriculum also will be left behind.
NCLB is hard on administrators; schools that don't meet minimal performance will be "taken care of" by the government. After we meet the minimums, then what? Are we to endorse flawed rules for evaluating schools and take them to their logical conclusion? The Fresno Unified School District needs to fight this mentality. Stop hiring administrators to enforce needless rules and ask teachers what they want and need to teach children.
Age: 55
Occupation: Service technician. Repair power tools and woodworking machinery.
Hobbies: Playing the drums for the Old Time Rock & Roll Band. Listening to music.
Bee reader since: the late 1960s. I used to deliver The Bee when it was an evening paper.
How many letters published: 21 since 2000.
Favorite topics: Immigration reform, keeping marriage holy.
Why do you write? We have too permissive a society. It seems some people want to do things and not pay the consequences. So they try to change our views of things that we all know are totally wrong in order to legitimize their sins. Some people don't want to fight temptation.
Education: High school graduate, some college.
Family: Wife Kim; daughters Stephanie, 33, Andrea, 28, and Sabrina, 26, and son Jonathan, 29.
Political philosophy: Conservative mostly. I think everyone should work for what they need and want, and not have it handed to them without some sort of payback. This country needs more common- sense decisions and less concern about being politically correct. We also need to put God back in our schools.
-- Compiled by Pam Rowse
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