Too many drivers don’t pay attention
I’ve about had enough of near-death experiences caused by distracted drivers.
I’m quite sure those who’ve lost a loved one over this issue can say more. I’m not just talking about cell phones but also eating while driving, trying to light a cigarette while driving, trying to get dressed, shave, apply makeup ó and now, watching TV while driving!
Now, I’m just as guilty as anyone else. I’ve eaten and used my cell phone while driving. My mother once sternly addressed my father as he was trying to light a cigarette while driving, and he almost lost control of the car. Though he’d done it “a thousand times” without incident, all it takes is one time ó one moment of distraction ó and people die.
The biggest problem, I’m told, is having too few officers to enforce the law. What’s next? Are we going to expect law enforcement officers to hold our hands as we cross the street? Why do we as adults who have the privilege of owning and operating automobiles need to have someone enforce what we should be conscious of in the first place? We need to police ourselves and stop and think about this. Every time we engage in a distraction while driving, it puts lives in danger. We need to adopt thinking that helps to solve this issue, without adding more laws to enforce.
Driving is not a God-given, Constitutional right for anybody. Also, those of you who drive without a licence, or drive uninsured, those of you who do not know the basic rules of the road, you too are a distraction.
The era of “it’s OK if I don’t get caught” and “it’s OK for me but not others” needs to come to a halt. I’ll start with me. How about you?
ó Butch Young
Rockwell
Follow the ABCs of wise spending
Thanks to the Salisbury Post for sharing with your readers the financial reports from the ABC board. While conventions and meetings at expensive hotels in resort areas ó even bar meetings ó are part of the corporate world, this is money that would best be going to the taxpayer.
I hope the board will police itself. I do believe board members need to review the information that they actually gained from each of these meetings. Unless the meetings were of huge benefit to the finances in running the ABC stores and increasing profits, they are not helping the public by having the manager attend these conferences. In the age of the Internet, meetings can be held online. Does this person not have an office?
Is it really necessary to hold local meetings at the steak house?
These days, even the governor is handing back part of her pay, while the ABC general manager got a large increase in pay. I do not see anyone else receiving these increases.
Even in the corporate world, it is not acceptable to be spending money to attend conferences. The $24,000 spent on expenses for the two years could have been going to the county.
If they cannot control their spending of our money, someone else needs to step in and ask why.ó Janet Dennis
China Grove
When in doubt just hit ‘delete’
A week ago while I was on vacation in Colorado, someone hijacked an organization e-mail account of mine. The person then sent out a request stating that I was in London, stranded and needed money to get back to the United States to every one of the 450 plus contacts I had in the Hotmail account. Included in the message was an address to reply to that was not the same as my account. The clever “hijacker” used the first name of the “contact” and then used my name also at the end of the request. The hoax is also effective because the contact’s name is placed in the BCC slot, to make it appear that the request is just for them.
When I received word of these messages on the day it was delivered, I tried to open my account to send out a retraction. Too Late! The account now had been hijacked, my password was no longer good and a new question had to be answered. They also changed the “alternative address” to the same address that had been hijacked. It takes days to clear up such a mess with Microsoft.
I have since found out that the message was sent from Bermuda. I will be sending Microsoft the information, as well as the DA as I found out today that a friend on the list sent cash money.
If you receive an e-mail from someone you know requesting money, I strongly suggest you pay close attention to the grammar used. If you have ever received such a message and did respond, I would also suggest that you change your password, save all your contact information or even open up a new account. If you have any doubts whatsoever, hit delete.
ó Robert A. Jones
Salisbury
Hypocrisy and the status quo
Well, so much for transparency and change. In the last couple of weeks President Obama has decided to keep military tribunals, oppose prosecution for government employees that committed torture, and fight the release of photos that obviously show the abuse of detainees by American soldiers. I want transparency and change, not hypocrisy and the status quo. Human rights and civil liberties shouldn’t be put on “the back burner.”
ó Chuck Mann
Greensboro