Editorials

It's summertime, and for many American students, school is out. It's time for pursuing all the studies that a busy academic schedule did not allow--reading new plays and advancing in math and science, history and art. It's time for visiting museums and attending concerts of baroque and classical music, or trying to advance in the understanding of architecture. It's time for starting to learn a new language and practicing the use of it in travels abroad.

The annual Dean Martin Festival was held June 18-19, 2010 in Steubenville, Ohio, the hometown of the star. Deana Martin, his daughter, appeared at the Naples Restaurant there, and then hosted a substantial part of the show on the grounds behind the Spot Bar. She played herself--a gracious lady to everyone, a seasoned performer and a fine emcee. In the process, she introduced several impersonators of her father--actors of varying abilities.

Consumers would benefit from more information about the costs of medical care. For some procedures, patients can already get a predetermination of benefits. Dentists offer this service, so that their clients can get an idea of their options and decide what they can afford. But too often patients find out about the cost of their care only after they have received it. Patients--consumers in the health care system--do not always have easy access to the prices charged by all potential providers.

Often the question 'Do you believe in God?' gets no more of a response than 'Yes' or 'No'. And then the conversation goes on to another subject. This may happen because the questioner is not aiming to determine whether God exists or to discover anything about the nature of the Deity; the questioner already has a mind made up and is just trying to find out where to class the interrogatee. Or this may happen because the respondent gives the questioner what is assumed the questioner wants, to win favor or avoid strain in the relationship, and keep the conversation going.

Environmentalists have long focused on laws as instruments for preventing or reducing pollution, preserving forests, and managing natural resources.

Legislation that serves these purposes is useful, even essential, to protecting nature from violent assaults, safeguarding the resources on which we depend, and maintaining the health of the planet.

Often the news that older celebrities are having children prompts more discussion about the appropriate age for childbearing and, by extension, the best age for rearing children.

Questions arise about the wisdom of procreation for women approaching 50. There are serious concerns as well for men around 50 or older siring children.

Consider the advantages of making Sunday once again a day of rest. Most businesses would remain closed. Furthermore, consider making Sunday a quiet day, with self-imposed bans on noisy neighborhood works like tree trimming and lawn mowing.

There is no chief cause of failing schools; there are many reasons why teachers are not always teaching effectively and students are not always learning lessons well. The chief cause of failing schools is neither racism nor crumbling facilities nor incompetent teachers. We ought not to blame (very much) the government or educators or students.

Mid-term elections are approaching, and on November 2, 2010, many precincts will continue to use electronic voting machines. The notion that a technologically sophisticated country ought to use the most advanced technology for its voting system is attractive at the outset. Increased speed and efficiency are signs of progress. Certainly the machines are quicker than we are and are not prone to fatigue. But the use of electronic voting systems is risky: they can be every bit as corrupt as humans can be in the worst cases.

Voters in California will get to decide in November whether to legalize the possession and sale of marijuana in the state.

Putting fences on the borders between the United States and Mexico and between the United States and Canada to limit travel into the U. S. would be costly enough to warrant a careful analysis of the objectives and an unflinching look at the probable outcomes of the efforts. Most of the expenses come in four phases: design, construction, maintenance and surveillance. These costs would all be borne by taxpayers.

The design of the barriers involves coordinated research and planning by several consulting, engineering and construction firms.

The oil spill that began in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010 prompted some supporters of offshore drilling to ponder the wisdom of the project. The consequences of the disaster include the cost of the cleanup, the damage to the environment, the impact on fishing, the likely increase in the cost of fuel, and not least, the decline in support for drilling in American waters.