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When I was in high school in rural Iowa, it was customary for my parents to have me take one of the cellphones they had issued from their employer with me when I was out with friends to give them a call when I was going to be late, or if there was any emergency.

In 2006 when I was student teaching, the majority of my students had cellphones. Texting and use during the school day seemed infrequent, and I rarely saw students using their phone while walking in the halls our outside. That school had a rule they were not to be used in the classrooms, and my cooperating teacher would answer a student's phone if it rang in class. My preferred method was to confiscate the phone until either lunch or the end of the day.

Now, as a grad student volunteering at Lincoln High School, I see students texting in classes, or together as a group in the halls or outside but all using phones or other mobile devices.

posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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Most wind turbines are manufactured in the US or in Europe, not in China. Check out the European-owned companies building factories for wind turbine manufacturing in Iowa.

So far every attempt by eco-terrorists to slander wind turbines as being giant machines that kill birds have been proven false. Even Ted Kennedy's attempt to use that myth to stop windfarms off the coast of Martha's Vineyard failed.

I grew up in Iowa with wind farms and never had any problems with the wind farms. We never saw any drop in property values, claims of "stress" or complaints about the noise.

Seems to me that all the people that are against wind energy should be put to use working in the coal mines.

posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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How can Tea Party and conservative Oregonians claim they are disenfranchised when their vote counts just as much as mine?

I'm not particularly fond of John Kitzhaber, but voted for him.

Next time pick a challenger that isn't a former NBA player that has never voted or participated in government at any level. The county animal shelter employees have more government experience than Dudley.

posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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