This is Viewpoints for Monday, Nov. 2, 2015
Need more artists
The arts are important. Middle Georgia is lucky to have such prestigious institutions of higher learning as Mercer and Wesleyan that not only teach the arts but bring artists to Middle Georgia to teach. Recently, Wesleyan hired Alexis Gregg to head their ceramics department and now, because of Alexis and her husband Tanner Coleman, brick sculptures, using Lizella clay, are popping up around town and pottery shows like "Clay in GA" show off the work of the people who teach ceramics in Georgia's universities. In other words, Wesleyan has enriched Middle Georgia by bringing Alex and Tanner to Macon.
Thirty or so years ago, Mercer enriched Middle Georgia by bringing Roger Jamison to town to head its ceramics program. Along with running one of the best Ceramics Department in Georgia, Roger found time to build a 24-foot anagama kiln (Japanese for "cave kiln") on his property between Macon and Juliette. It is the only one in Middle Georgia and brings potters from all over the state (and even some out-of-state potters) to Macon to fire it twice a year.
Roger retired a couple of years ago. Most of the local potters and other artists were anxious to learn who Mercer would hire to replace him. So far, they have not replaced him. Instead, Mercer has expanded programs to churn out more doctors, lawyers, etc. (glorified vocational tech). So, come on, Mercer, hire a replacement for Roger and make Middle Georgia a better place to live.
-- Jim Sandefur
Lizella
The slow retreat
Ever wonder how it is that some cable channels remain available even though they aren't watched? MSNBC, CNN, CNBC and HLN all have pitifully low viewership yet continue broadcasting in spite of these low numbers. If the news programs were treated like sitcoms with low polling numbers they would be taken off the air. The reason for this anomaly is the cable bundle. When you pay the cable bill every month a portion goes to all the channels in your bundle. This allows the least viewed programs to remain on the air in spite of the their low popularity. During the last GOP debate the moderators at CNBC exposed themselves as partisans. Because they get paid every month by Cox Cable, in spite of low viewership, they can spew their bias and prejudice without fear of being taken off the air. Simply put, they do not need to compete.
But honesty is slowly returning to our flat screens. As more people leave cable for streaming, the money tree is losing leaves. ESPN, which gets $6 per subscriber, laid off 300 people because of lost customers. As cord cutting accelerates, it's only a matter of time before the shows no one watches just disappear from sight.
-- Bob Norcott
Byron
Do no wrong
Kudos to John Brogden for "Can do no wrong," 10/28. I completely agree and have you heard enough about Hillary's emails? Like she said when she testified about Bengazi "What difference does it make?" Nothing will be done about anything in her emails and God bless The U.S.A. if she gets elected.
-- Nancy Campbell
Warner Robins
Coming calamity
Our professional politicians will soon be gathering in front of the capital to participate in a victory Kabuki dance. They will be celebrating their latest sleight of hand, raising the debt ceiling to over $18 trillion. The new limit has not yet been established. But I predict that by January 2017 the debt will be at least $20 trillion.
After their energetic romp the conscienceless spendthrifts will promenade into the Capitol to engage in their favorite pastime, deficit spending. The reason they can indulge themselves is because they have enacted legislation to circumvent the mandatory sequestration funding limits. This means Congress has a free hand to spend what they want until they have to approve the 2018 budget. Do not expect any action. By then we will have a new Congress and they will continue to blame the other party for the problem.
What do we get? There will be no action to revise the tax code. There will be no legislation to safeguard Social Security and Medicare. There will be no action to curb corporate or personal welfare.
The circus will continue. A new debt limit will have to be approved by March 2017. But by then some countries holding our debt may refuse to buy new bonds or may begin to sell their existing bonds at a discount. If this happens, the government will have to dramatically raise interest rates to induce new bond buyers. And, as the ratio of debt to GDP grows, Congress will have to aggressively reduce spending and may have to increase tax rates in order to keep from defaulting.
I know that I am only one voter, and I am not voting for any incumbent. They are the ones who got us into this mess. And, so far, they have not demonstrated any willingness to prevent the approaching calamity.
-- Jim Costello
Perry
False alarm fine unfair to elderly
Warner Robins new law which fines residents for two false alarms to 911 is extremely unfair to the elderly. Once, my aged father called me telling me he thought his house was being broken into by burglars. As it was the Fourth of July, I knew that he could be hearing fireworks. Since I don't live with daddy, however, I had no choice but to call 911. Anything could have happened to daddy while I was driving to his house, and I could have walked into danger myself. My husband pays over $1,000 a year in city taxes to Warner Robins. The least of what I deserve is help from 911.
Daddy's situation turned out to be a false alarm, mercifully. However, is it really a false alarm if you are in fear for your life or property? Should my father or I have been fined if it happened twice? Absolutely not, and I will tell you why. Daddy did his share of protecting the public serving in the State Patrol, the Air Force and World War II. He had some false alarms to serve along the way. The Cuban Missile Crisis while daddy was in the Air Force, is one big false alarm which comes to mind.
Daddy never whined about false alarms, nor said anyone ought to be fined for false alarms. He had common sense enough to know it was better to be safe than sorry. In his old age, he deserves the same consideration, not only for himself, but for any child of his. I foresee that Warner Robins will be hit with many lawsuits over this unfair law.
-- Susan Ganus
Warner Robins
This story was originally published November 1, 2015 at 10:45 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Monday, Nov. 2, 2015 ."