i K { re re es ee 4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, April 5, 2000 EDITORIALS Equal opportunity in sports good for women, society It was a great Final Four, the showcase event in the national collegiate basketball championships. Fans were treated to a brilliant display of fast-paced action, as four teams of out- standing young adults took the floor to decide who would be crowned the best in the land. Individual performances were outstanding, with the likes of Tamika, Sue and Helen rising to the challenge presented by big games. Oh, this was the Women’s Final Four, not the men’s. That tournament was exciting, too. It wasn’t long ago that the prospect of watching women’s high school or college athletics drew a collective yawn from sports fans of both genders. The pace was a shadow of men’s games, there were few outstanding players, and no real rival- ries. But that was then, and this is now. With a helpful shove from governmental insistence that women and men be treated equally on campus, women's sports have advanced rapidly, to the point that arenas are sold out and bleachers filled to capacity for many contests. More important, young girls now feel at home wearing shin guards and spikes, and they are gaining all the healthful benefits of participation in athletics, just as their brothers always have. Yes, improving opportunities for women has sometimes meant the loss of scholarships, even entire sports, for men. But the good outweighs the bad in this transition by such an enormous margin that no one can seriously argue we were better of when boys played the games and girls sat on the sidelines, cheering them on. Publisher's notebook So Microsoft has decided not to knuckle under to Big Brother and settle claims that it has engaged in anti-competitive monopolistic practices. I can understand their position — other companies have 5 percent of the market for computer operating systems, so Little Brother can’t take any chances that another percent or two might slip away. Besides, Bill Gates has done us all a favor by forcing computer makers to pay more than they'd like to for Windows. Since his system is the only one that's widely available, we don’t have to tire out our feeble brains deciding which might be best for our purposes. Just so you know, this was typed on an Apple Macintosh, which, while considered a toy by PC snobs, is so much easier to use than a Windows machine that one is tempted to imagine a grand conspiracy theory to explain how Gates and Co. became all-powerful. Unless you get perverse joy from studying pathnames and directory suffixes, the Apple OS has been miles ahead of Windows for more than a decade. In fact, loyal PC users, you might be surprised to learn how many of the “ease- of-use” features you've seen of late were stolen — I mean borrowed — from Apple. And you know what — I've had “plug and play” capability when adding new peripherals for years, and unlike with Windows, it actually works. Microsoft will now have a few more years to shove bloated software down the public throat while it appeals Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's conclusion that it holds and has abused monopoly power. In the meantime, a mini-revolution is build- ing, and may in fact prove Gates was correct when he claimed the market would take care of the Microsoft stranglehold. It seems a little program called Linux is rapidly gaining accep- tance, as much because it isn't made in Redmond as because of its capabilities. Meanwhile, you can be certain there's a “war room” at MS headquarters where plans are being devised to head off this threat, but it’s doubtful giving away Windows will be part of the strategy. About letters, columns and editorials The Dallas Post attempts to publish opinions on a variety of topics in many forms. Editorials, which are the opinion of the managment of The Post, appear on the editorial page and are written by the editor unless otherwise indicated. Any artwork represents the opinion of the cartoonist, and columns are the opinion of the author. Letters to the editor are welcome and will be pub- lished, subject to the following guidelines: e Letters should not exceed 500 words. * No writer may have more than one letter published on a single subject during a 30-day period, except as a reply to another letter. * Letters must be signed and include the writer's home town and a telephone number for verification. * Names will be withheld only if there exists a clear threat to the writer. * The Post retains the right to accept or reject any letter, and to edit letters for grammar and spelling, as well as to eliminate any libel, slander or objectionable wording. In addition to letters, we welcome longer pieces that may run as columns. The author or subject's relevance to the Back Mountain will be the prime consideration when selecting material for publication. The Dallas Post Published Weekly By Bartsen Media, Inc. P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 570-675-5211 Ronald A. Bartizek PUBLISHER Charlotte E. Bartizek ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER OFFICE MANAGER Ken Brocious ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Kasia McDonough REPORTER Joanna Cease OFFICE/TYPIST/CLASSIFIEDS Ruth Proietto PRODUCTION MANAGER 7 PENNSYLVANIA NI )) [PRINTED WITH SOYINK| 4 \ Member PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION Waiting for a green light on the pond. Photo by Monica Marzani. LETTERS Contempt - for Earth, ourselves and others - destroys life Editor, J It is often said we get what we deserve, and nowhere is this truer than when we cast our vote for one politician or another, yet if you or I were elected to political office, wouldn't we still be getting what we deserve? Why do we expect more of Frank or John than we ourselves are capable of? Our negative measuring of excel- lence has corrupted us so much that corrupt politics is the natural result. If a bad recipe makes a bad cake, why blame the baker? When a politician make a cam- paign promise, chances are he sincerely believes what he says. The reality is usually just the op- posite; his promises are denied by the machinations of others, in- cluding us, usually with contempt. He does not want nor does he intend to fail in his promises, to do or think otherwise would be delusional. The one most consistent thing about politicians is that they are, mostly, well intentioned. So, hav- ing said that, what is wrong with our government? Why do we con- stantly bemoan, criticize, con- demn and even hate the people we choose to lead us? The answer must be that we enjoy condemn- ing others and not just politi- cians. We condemn criminals, clerks, fellow workers, teachers and even our loved ones with the same passion, although criminals have a special place in our routine condemnations because it is sure to encourage others to agree with us without having to fear we may be contradicted, and we all know that tobe contradicted is to arouse our anger and, possibly inviting someone to condemn us. (How dare they!) These c-words form quite a list of negativity when considered: contempt, condemnation, contra- dictory, conceit, all create corrup- tion in their connectivity, but fore- most in our thoughts, aware or not, in contempt. Contempt al- lows us to make more of ourselves by making less of others and that is the one certain thing that leads us all into corruption, not just politicians. God was not drunk when he made us. We were all born to perfection. No child, until he is able to speak, ever felt con- tempt for anyone or anything, and then he learned that from his environment. We-you-and [I - taught the children to have con- tempt for everything in our lives, from snow to rain, from sunrise to sunset, from labor to leisure from learning to playing. We curse the world and everything living in it and are seldom aware of our con- temptible attitude because it makes us feel good, temporarily. The only way and the first way we can all kill strangers or harm any- one is to hold them in contempt, make them less worthy than won- derful and all-powerful me. I can destroy the world in my desires if it doesn't please me. It very probably is contempt that caused the shootings at Col- umbine and the continuing bomb- ing of Iraq, that causes serial rap- ists and murderers, and the de- sire by many to destroy the gov- ernment of America (see Timothy McVeigh) by thinking we can sim- ply change politicians and every- thing will be fine. Wrong! Con- tempt causes insanity. That is our national and international problem. That is why the media refuses to recognize the great po- tential of water over beer, Coke and coffee, and why tens of thou- sands protested the World Trade Organization in Seattle, not that they hold the WTO in contempt but because the WTO holds the people in contempt, the proof be- ing that its goal is to make as much profit from each human as possible. What can be more con- temptible than looking at people as sources of profit? So, if we were all to become aware how dangerous contempt is we might at least learn to with- hold it when uncalled for. Some forms of contempt may be neces- sary, such as holding a contempt- ible attitude about contempt it- self, but the wonderful world in all its beautiful diversity would be paradise if contempt was treated as the disease it is and allowed to die. This is truly one of those in- stances in which "The truth shall set you free." When we disparage people different from ourselves, whether as bigots or racists, are [ we not attempting to increase our ; self-worth at the expense of oth- ers? When we turn against a friend in conversation with some- one else whom we wish to im- press, are we not being contempt- ible and are we not in reality suc- cumbing to the disease that cre- ates insanity? It is not contempt when we even turn against our- selves and become drunks and druggies? Is the killing of fellow students, fellow workers, and even v family, not insane? Of course it is and it should require our pity and compassion rather than more sickly contempt. Contempt will elect the next president. John Allen, Sweet Valley Citizens must speak up to avoid another sewer rate hike Editor, As a rate payer of the Harveys Lake Municipal Authority I am irked, furious and disgusted at the possibility that our sewer rates are about to increase once again. Iam insulted that we are expected to believe their new storm drain smokescreen. The storm drain issue has been created to act as an excuse to collect even more money to DAMA's alleged $470,000 bill af- ter they collected the money from the residents' money for seven years. Now after seven years of collecting the money, they are at- tempting to place the burden on their customers. Our sewer bills should have dropped a long time ago due toreceipt of several grants from the U.S. Environmental Pro- tection Agency back in 1981. The Farmer's Home Administration originally provided more than $4.3 million dollars in grants and an equal amount in loans for the $9.5 million dollar project. Con- gressman James Nelligan ob- tained these grants in 1981. The digging for the sewers began in 1974 and was completed in 1976. Other loans were obtained to pay for the remainder of the project. The loans 26 years later should be more than paid off. At the rate of 8515 x.2,000 accounts = $1,030,000 per year. After all, there were over 1,438 accounts in 1978. Since then, boathouses, houses with apartments, and few businesses have been added to the list. That is of course, if everyone gets a sewer bill. The sewer customers deserve to know if everyone is billed fairly and equally. The HLMA does not avail the customer listing to the public. Note that it is public information. The budget is available to the public. Check our the salary of the General manager/Mayor which may be around $30,000 per year. If the sewer employees and politics of Harveys Lake are never changed, the Mayor/ HLMA's general manager's friends and family members could have job security for years to come. One good question; where's the money HLMA collected since 1993 to pay DAMA? How about the money HLMA makes from back- ing a loan of $3.5 million for Col- lege Misericordia's Library project. Due to possible mismanagement, HLMA is a sinking ship and the captain and his wife should sink and not take the innocent sewer customers with them. An in- crease in sewer rates also depre- ciates the salability of property. Wake up people, the storm drain brainstorm is only an ex- cuse to raise the bills to possibly $615 per unit per year compared | to $220 in 1978. Action on the part of the ratepayers is past due. Attend HLMA meetings, confirm with the authority secretary, Denise regarding the monthly meeting on the first Wednesday of each month at 630-1042. A meet- ing on April 5, will be held at the sewer pumping station/borough building. Go and speak up. Ifyou don't they may install pay toilets around the lake so you can pay as /_#§ you go. Sandra Serhan, Harveys Lake Nesbitt Hospital's for the ill, nurses, will be missed Dear Editor, I read with dismay that the closing of Nesbitt would have little impact. That may be in the healthcare field, but a lot of us who trained and worked there would disagree. When the Nesbitt family saw a need for a "West Side" hospital a lot of other people became in- volved. Physicians and men of means made it their project. The nurses training program was good, the care given was su- perb and the atmosphere was more like home than a true hospi- tal. People even liked the food very much and were given anything special that they requested. Some mighty fine doctors served people from this area with respect and kindness. The Nesbitt family was always present and we liked it that way. In closing, let me say that I've always been proud to have be- come an R.N. there, to work with | fine people and to keep Nesbitt standards. ¥ Jessie E. Beckerman, North Wales NMH, Class of 1956 > Where do you find the most Back Mountain news, week after week? Only in The Dallas Post, the Back Mountain's newspaper since 1889. -t Pgh A wl A pei peg
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