Comment Archives: stories: News & Opinion: News
Re: “Scouting ways out of the culture war”
I respectfully and staunchly disagree with Stephen Hoitt, and take exception with his claim that the Boy Scouts "do not teach kids about sexuality." There are many ways through which children learn. Teaching and learning are infinitely complex processes, but there is a very simple reality that Hoitt overlooks. By explicitly banning gay members, the Scouts are in fact teaching children about sexuality. The message that is sent to Scout members and also to greater society is one of intolerance and exclusion: "Straight is right. Gay is wrong." The not-so-subtly "hidden" lesson Scouts communicate and de facto sanction everyday through this Anti-Gay policy is that to be gay is to be less, to be avoided, to be shunned. Through your choices and policies, you teach. Hoitt's overt denial of this implicit connection strikes this reader as politically expedient and insultingly insincere.
Re: “Rare political rancor in Pittsford”
I don't have a horse in this race either - just an avid interest in local business/real estate developments. Prior to viewing the plans for the site, I didn't understand what all the fuss about. However after watching the developer's drive-through clip on YouTube, I now understand and share the "Village People's" hesitations.
The proposed development is WAY too big for that location. It would be one thing if there were an alternative entrance/exit, but since there is no possible alternative due to railroad tracks and the canal, this will undoubtedly exacerbate the traffic nightmare that the previous comments described. This would be much more palatable (and realistic) if it were scaled back about 50 percent.
Re: “Rare political rancor in Pittsford”
You said it perfectly, as a former business owner at 3100 Monroe Avenue for 15 years, on a daily basis I saw the snarl of traffic going into the village. I often longed to have lunch and shop in the village at the lunch hour, but had to plan for extra time, if I wanted to spend my lunch hour in the Village. I always found the village so inviting and said, if not for the traffic, I would live there. Well, now I do, only because I've retired and have the time to make allowances for the formidable traffic. I quickly learned to plan my trips to Pittford Plaza and walk the village for shopping, to avoid the horrible traffic. You don't neat to a rocket scientist to see that this development is a huge mistake. How great to have a docks, a dog park for recreation, but how horrible to have a modern sky scrapper "with balconies" ( as one female public servant said) to sell the project. Who are these people of power? A classic example of misuse of power. These people surely are NOT rocket scientists, but dummies who worship at the alter of greed.
Re: “RPO announces 2013-2014 season”
Looks to be an outstanding season shaping up ! Congrats to Owens and Rice and the RPO Board for getting rid of the dead wood and the “artistic vision” fluff and for persevering despite the annoyance of having to spend their valuable time dealing with petty distractions. We who truly support the RPO look forward to being exposed to a series of dedicated and professional guest conductors as the search for a new music director gets underway.
Re: “Scouting ways out of the culture war”
As a victim of a local scout masters ignorance on sexuality I find the BSAs stance on this as criminal as it was when I called risk management in their Washington office 20 years ago.
Re: “Rare political rancor in Pittsford”
I don't live in the village of Pittsford, so I don't have a horse in this race , so to speak. I do, however, frequently drive down Monroe Avenue , over the canal bridge, and past where the entrance to this Westport Crossing project would be built.
Quite honestly, anyone with the slightest bit of sense can see that any project which would result in dozens ( at least ) of vehicles exiting this property onto Monroe Avenue ( even if mandated to turn south )would result in frequent traffic tie-ups, as well as collisions from the semi-blind status of that exit. Any attempt to turn north from that property would be a near suicidal experience.
Aside from that, with the railway tracks literally in the backyards of this development, I can't say that I'm surprised that it's a realtor who is pushing for this project. Built it, sell it, collect your commission, and let others deal with the fallout .
Re: “Degrees of debt”
I almost threw the newspaper across the room (not your fault, City!) when I read UofR Burdick's quote that a family with $100K income should be able to pay $20 to $25K per year for college costs. To what planet has the UofR campus moved? I'm sure there's someone in the Economics Department that can inform Mr. Burdick of what $100K is AFTER TAXES-- and then point out that $20K to $25K is in the range of 1/3 of actual take home pay. "It's definitely not the time to go out and buy a house," Burdick advises. I guess we'll just live in our cars, then? Or is transportation-- like, to, you know, work?-- not as important as going to UofR either?
Re: “Degrees of debt”
I don't know, that essay seemed to make sense.
Less tangible returns? "A Liberal Arts degree is not useless for getting a good job or making good money. Yes, it brings with it a slightly higher chance of not finding a job immediately after graduation. And yes, the jobs you can get with a Liberal Arts degree pay slightly less well early in your career. But over time, employment rates are roughly the same for Liberal Arts majors and other majors, and by mid-career people with Liberal Arts degrees often make at least as much as people with other degrees."
Learn about art or philosophy or politics? "Sure, people without a Liberal Arts degree might do these things too. But, insofar as people are more prone to engage in activities in which they are practiced and feel comfortable, they are less likely to enhance their mundane activities in this way. And insofar as people with less practice must give more effort, they are more likely to perform such activities poorly or quit out of "boredom.""
I'd also argue that his quote from Forbes' Gillis about the next-big-industries needing to hire liberal-arts majors is spot-on, it's happening now. I'd also argue against liberal-arts degrees costing more than technical degrees; case in point, a Chemical Engineering degree from UR vs. English Literature at SUNY Geneseo.
I hear where you're coming from though - agree to disagree.
Re: “Degrees of debt”
A strange essay. He asserts that a liberal arts degree makes one a better communicator and listener, more creative and receptive to art, and a better negotiator. All of these things he says lead to a better "citizen" than a vocational or technical degree. I think this is too far. Every sort of personality trait or skill he talks about can be learned in a technical major if the student is willing. Do you think because someone majors in ME or Biochem that they will not learn anything about art or philosophy or politics? You can learn all those things just by living like a regular human, interacting with others and in your free time. The nail in his argument's coffin? He doesn't bring up the fact that this liberal art degree still costs the same as a technical one, and provides less tangible returns.
"It makes you a better person" is about as "liberal arts" as a defense gets.
Re: “Degrees of debt”
http://www.academia.edu/2454947/Liberal_Arts_and_the_Advantages_of_Being_Useless
Re: “Degrees of debt”
Many people enter college for an enormous variety of reasons under a large range of circumstances which may or may not have anything to do with finances. Let's set that all aside. If bankers can be bailed out why can't folks who have educational debt that impedes them from participating more fully in their local economies.
Re: “Degrees of debt”
I love all the comments. The investment in a Fine Arts degree should not be the same as the investment in an Engineering degree, plain and simple. Universities need to adapt because the system is broken in this country. The same way the health care industry is now being forced to adapt because they refused to change their own broken system. Educators should be pro-active about this!
Re: “Degrees of debt”
There is dumb, and there is industrial strength dumb. Attending the University of Rochester to obtain a degree in education, or RIT for journalism, is industrial strength dumb. Both degrees can be had in the SUNY system or even at myriad small private schools in the state for fraction of what would spend at either U of R or RIT. Economics does matter when getting a degree, and it's hard to sympathize with people who are so dumb with money.
Re: “Degrees of debt”
As a U of R grad (undergrad and master's in teaching) and a Rochester City School District teacher, I am disgusted by Dean Jonathan Burdick's callousness towards the crippling effects of the financial crisis on American poor and working families. In a time of stagnant wages, mortgage meltdowns, widespread un- and under-employment, and looming government cutbacks, Dean Burdick, and by extension, the U of R leadership, have declared themselves firmly on the side of Wall Street and the 1%. Too many colleges and universities hike tuition and fees every year without reason, while the big banks bleed students dry for decades after graduation with mountains of student loan debt. My wife and I both have good middle-class jobs with benefits, but we would literally be bankrupted by the kinds of sacrifices that Dean Burdick seems to think reasonable for a family like ours to pay for a school like the U of R. For the families of the working poor, like those of many Rochester City School District students, college must seem like a exorbitant fantasy. Colleges like the U of R need to stand with their students and against the Wall Street gangsters--let them make their billions in some other way. Our students' future is not for sale!
Re: “Clock ticking for RCSD?”
hello, along the lines of improving the state of education in our community, i have recently sent the superintendent a letter suggesting that he might want to get involved in ridding our water supply of flouride. i have also written maggie brooks, mayor richards, and MCWD. only maggie brooks and the water district have bothered to write me back. i have been given the pat answer that it is necessary for dental health, yet they continue to ignore all the evidence, which i cited, that states that flouride in water lessens IQ. should we not start here and give the students a leg up? many cities have removed it. why don't we? will some politician or official step up and take this on? people can start by buying a good filter which removes most of the contaminants from the water and at least protect themselves and their family.
Re: “Clock ticking for RCSD?”
Last year right before my son's first year in Kindergarten I moved to the North Winton area of the city and quickly learned what a horrendous/ridiculous process it was to simply enroll my son in the city school system. The area and the building they require you to register your child for school in is right across the street from the DSS building and does not exactly promote education or encourage people to want to register their children. Not to mention there are only 4-5 parking spaces reserved for parents that want to register their children for school in a large parking lot that does offer any additional parking, you must have a reserved spot. Therefore, you have to attempt to find parking elsewhere in the area. I was not very pleased to find parking on a side street with broken glass on the sidewalk along with empty beer bottles and other litter I care not to mention. Upon entering the building you're greeted with a Sheriff in which you have to provide you identification to as well as sign in, again this is not a comforting and welcoming feeling that the City School is providing to first time parents. I felt as if I was arriving at the DMV to register a vehicle not provide my son with his earliest education experience. I brought him with because he was excited to start school and I wanted to involve him in the process, I'm not saying that it wasn't a place for a child but it's not exactly what I expected, I expected more. The people then at the front desk treat you just like you are at the DMV, reviewing your paperwork, pointing out mistakes and making you do it all over again. They send you to a waiting room and make you wait until they have selected the "right" school for your child. They don't provide any privacy when you're discussing the school they selected for you child, or what factors they used to determine the school. Their answer is definite, there is no alternative to the option they provide and it really is disheartening. My son ended up attending school #39 the furthest school from our home I selected, I was beyond confused. Thankfully his teacher was wonderful I will say that, but there was 23 children to one teacher. It's crazy. My son got lost in the mix of the other children, you can't expect 23 children to learn at the same pace. I could go on on and about the problems he had his first year, between the lack of communication and the lack of structure, the lack of policy, it needs a serious restructure. Fortunately, now my son is in private school and I don't have to deal with the RCSD anymore, it's a true cluster of nonsense.
Re: “Degrees of debt”
Here are some solutions to the student loan crisis, but first, understand the cause, limitless risk-free lending that fuels tuition inflation. So, end government backing and let the banks carry the risk. Second, ease the bankruptcy law. Currently one must be homeless, terminally ill, and have a history of payment in order to get a discharge. Third, take the government money that is currently used for the guarantee and spend that money directly on public colleges so that tuition can be as low as possible, if not free,as CUNY was long ago. Thus competition from public schools will pressure private schools to keep tuition low. Until then, urge the young to get practical educations at the Community and SUNY colleges.
Re: “Clock ticking for RCSD?”
there is no hope for rcsd...the only hope is dissolution of the district and disbursement of the students througout monroe county. Any person with a clear mind and common sense knows this. However, political sense forbids it. If monroe county citisens don't realize this then they are uncaring and don't really give a f*** about minorities in monroe county...period.. Basically they feel that RCSD students will corrupt their children. I guess they they have a low esteem of their own children.
Re: “Degrees of debt”
I am so happy to read these comments and realize that some people do indeed get it. The simple fact of the matter is if you graduate in the bottom 25% of a computer science or engineering program, you can STILL find a decent job after college. Unless you are the best french art historian, a degree in french art history isn't gonna make you any money. And guess what? The tuition for engineering and french art history is the same!
Yes people should do and study what they love, but they should also be practical!
Re: “Morelle steps into MCC fray”
I believe that Joe Morelle is a good intended elected official, but, he suffers from being the chair of his party. He is too busy as representative of Irondequoit and majority leader of the Assembly to be focused on Tom Richards and his representations to Winn development that he would guarantee them MCC rent if they bought the Sibley Building!
Truth be known, a Democrat contributor, Tom Wilmot, stiffed the city with the building and, the only way that taxes will be paid is with Winn as the owner, we get that. But, to force our kids to be in an unsafe environment in a building they do not want to be in to satisfy the needs of an out of town developer is politics at it's worst!
Joe is my party chair, but, he should not be. He cannot represent his elected constituents and carry the water of the Mayor at the same time. He should resign as chair and let the MCC board run their college! And, the Mayor should stop being and obstructionist to the benefit of an out of town developer. SUNY oversees MCC, not the Mayor of Rochester...and the County Lej pays the bills locally, not City Council!