Sunday, April 27, 2008

TWO DAYS, TWO DOOZIES

Reading opinion letters in the local paper can be a dangerous mission. Sometimes the missives are so hilarious that one suspects they were created by spoofbots cranked to the "ridiculous" setting. This would be much better than the reality -- that living, breathing people actually harbor such thoughts.

A Saturday letter from Edith Kaiser, an associate professor of Bible at Global University in Springfield, claims -- without much logic -- that "the Earth is not billions of years old." Kaiser tees off on writer Bill Fuenfhausen for invoking science to stand up for evolution:
You talked about the evidence from various scientific fields. Where and what are they? Did you know that scientists came up with the age of the Earth based on tests done on meteorites? They tested them four ways and came up with four different answers and just arbitrarily took one number! If my students came up with four answers to a question, I would mark it incorrect! Also if the fact that the magnetic force around the Earth is deteriorating is figured in the equation, the mathematical equation is changed and the dating is in thousands and not billions! In fact, modern scientific investigation is challenging all carbon dating methods.
Such blatant dishonesty by an alleged academic would be funny, if Kaiser wasn't filling minds with her nonsense. One can only hope her students wake up, realize their instructor is duping them, and do some outside reading. Maybe then they'll see that Kaiser's exclamation points only prove she'd rather shout than think.

Sunday, Nancy Harmon of Springfield opined that moving to the city was a huge mistake:
My husband and I moved here from South Dakota a little over two years ago. What a mistake! Missouri has higher taxes, higher insurance and higher utilities. South Dakota also has no state income tax or personal property tax. We traded in a car this year also and had to pay 7 percent tax on the difference here in Missouri rather than 3 percent on the difference in South Dakota.
A shame that Harmon and her husband apparently did no research about state-by-state taxation before moving from South Dakota. No shame the Harmons will soon be leaving the Ozarks.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gee, why'd you move here in the first place. Oh yeah...you were living in SOUTH DAKOTA.

Jason said...

Well, you're certainly entitled to your opinions, Ron.

Anonymous said...

It's a given that we are all entitiled to our opinion. What's your point? Do you have a degree from Global U, or did you move here from South Dakota too?

Anonymous said...

So you are in favor of the ridiculous amount of taxes we have to pay? I don't think the Harmons were saying that SD was superior to MO. I think that they were pointing out that we have one of highest tax burdens in the country and don't get much for it.

Anonymous said...

I've had the misfortune to know Bill Fuenfhausen. He's the smartest guy he knows.

Anonymous said...

Anon 917: Reading Ron's words over a couple of times I'm yet to find the phrase which says he's "in favor of the ridiculous amount of taxes we have to pay". How did you jump to that accusation?

tom said...

As with most people they don't research anything when leaving one state for another. If people do they are in the minuscule minority.
When we moved here from Cali the break in taxes was quite welcomed as was the cost of living and what we thought was a hands off government structure where people could do pretty much what they wanted as long as they didn't harm or offend another person. We were quite wrong on the last part as Springfield is laden down with regulations and ordinances which allow the average person to do most nothing unless it is government approved.

Anonymous said...

Down with Big Brother.

Anonymous said...

Why aren't you reporting the good news. You know, building schools, hooking up electric and water for the people of South Dakota.
Damn you main stream media types.