Today’s writing hit home on many levels. Bernice’s letter to the editor was exactly what I have been thinking for months . Bravo!
As to your experience with Verizon, I would also recommend making sure National Grid is also in both names. And, since they make your open a new account in just your name, make sure any credits are transferred. It took me 3 months and a complaint to the Public Service Commission , to get almost 2000kWh of solar credit transferred to my “ new” account. I think these big corporations deliberately make it difficult, figuring people will just give up instead of fighting back.
When asked "What is the dominant issue for you", my answer is Integrity which isn't even on the list. Integrity is everything, even beyond abortion, gun control, etc. Thanx for your comments and I think this is your defining issue too.
Absolutely! Call it anything you like: trustworthiness, belief in right and wrong, ethics... and on and on. Use that as your criteria and choice is very clear.
Real estate and cars are all set and we made sure to have joint banking in recent years. So glad I did that. After my wife's sister died, her house was placed in a trust but Gillian neglected to put my name on the accounts even though I was her executor, so we had to go to court for that one.
Ken, you and Bernice have said it all, and said it so well. Thank you!
As for cell phone service, I switched from Verizon to Consumer Cellular last year, and never looked back. I pay $31 a month for the same service, and you can take your number with you.
I am 20 years behind the times and that's too close. Cell phones, much like the internet
have had un-intended consequences that were unforeseen by the likes of me. At the dawn of the internet, I thought that access to information by everyone would liberate us from the seeming medieval thought process that was so prevalent (Gingrich era) . Opps. Not quite. No Screens For Teens is little rhyme I have, and my grandson thankfully goes to a no phone school. Why is that a rarity instead of normal? oh and regarding the Verizon store and life in corporate America...they are making all service self service, and the day of no help at all is on it's way. Are phones a symptom or a cause? I mean how can it be bad when I child can carry around the collected wisdom and knowledge of the human race in the palm of their hand? My answer is because they are ill equipped to discern bs from reality, and the bs is really bad for them, same with social media with ought t be treated like cigarettes and booze, you got to be old enough to take part. my 2 cents, thanks Ken...
Giving a young child a phone is absolutely a bad idea. There is no need for an elementary kid to carry around an anxiety producing instrument. When questioned, the parent would probably say that he /she needs to get in touch with “Johnny” at a moments notice. Doesn’t that adult realize his /her anxiety is being subconsciously transferred to the child. What did we do before this era? Call the school and let kids be kids!
The safety factor is a real thing with parents. Check out the bus stops in your town and see how many kids are there alone. Not many. Random kidnappings are almost non existent statistically.
Dynamite comes in small packages. Bernice is such a sweetheart, and very intelligent, so she knows what she is talking about. We absolutely need more Bernices in the world. She also belongs to our group, The North Country Light Brigade.
Thank you Bernice!!!! You have spoken for me! I feel you are speaking for the "silent Generation" during this time. My only hope is that all us "silent" folks VOTE!
I was reading the newsletter, got toward the end and I know I was told it was Bernice's letter, but somewhere in my brain I thought it was still you talking, and I thought "wow, he's evolved."
When I quickly transitioned back to fact-based reality, it made me really chuckle, I hope you take it the same way. It's actually a tribute to your ability to be neutral but value-based.
Still, we can all use a smile, right? And you "printed" the letter, as you did so often for so many of us. Thanks.
I'd like to think it is just a matter of my smile. Bernice had a different way of getting her message across. There is still a lot of journalist in me.
Appreciated very much your piece on Bernice. I have enjoyed getting to know her over the past few years. She is an inspiration. Her passion is contagious. And thanks for passing on her recent letter. One of the best of her best!
"We want our kids to be present"--and we should all want to be present-- in our senses (in nature), in our hearts, in looking closely at the world outside and within, listening to another and to ourselves, hearing our deeper voices. I was blessed with having students who were "present": teaching in Great Meadow Prison for 12 years, teaching older students for 20 years, students finally able to go to college to complete their dreams," giving writing workshops. My students were my teachers--their honest words an antidote to lies, repeated scripts, multitasking, the bombardment of distractions. The joy of seeing people learn, grow, blossom into themselves. Thank you, Ken for your good words. And thank you, very much for printing my words--and the words of those who read your letters....present, honest, real., nourishing our spirit....
Having read The Front Page on my cell phone this morning while on the PF treadmill, and sitting now in the locker room typing this on my cell phone; having turned on my cell phone second thing this.morning(won’t go into the first thing); having checked out the NYT headlines on my cell phone, as well as the weather; after seeing on my cell phone how many steps I have so far today; having checked out my emails on my cell phone already; and as I await to call Meg on my cell phone to see if she wants me to pick up anything at Hannafords on the way home—I want to assure you that I am not dependent on my cell phone. 🤪
Excellent piece, Ken! Oh, how we need to be more “present” to each other not only in the classroom but also in the family room and dining room and the board room.
As the British historian Arnold Toynbee said, even before cell phones, “We have become gods in technology and apes in life “
Today’s writing hit home on many levels. Bernice’s letter to the editor was exactly what I have been thinking for months . Bravo!
As to your experience with Verizon, I would also recommend making sure National Grid is also in both names. And, since they make your open a new account in just your name, make sure any credits are transferred. It took me 3 months and a complaint to the Public Service Commission , to get almost 2000kWh of solar credit transferred to my “ new” account. I think these big corporations deliberately make it difficult, figuring people will just give up instead of fighting back.
Thanks, I'll have to check on National Grid. I had not thought of that.
Yay Bernice!
When asked "What is the dominant issue for you", my answer is Integrity which isn't even on the list. Integrity is everything, even beyond abortion, gun control, etc. Thanx for your comments and I think this is your defining issue too.
Absolutely! Call it anything you like: trustworthiness, belief in right and wrong, ethics... and on and on. Use that as your criteria and choice is very clear.
In my book, Bernice is a star. Thank you for posting her letter.
Besides your phone bill, make sure your real estate and vehicles, including boats etc. are in both names as tenants in common.
Real estate and cars are all set and we made sure to have joint banking in recent years. So glad I did that. After my wife's sister died, her house was placed in a trust but Gillian neglected to put my name on the accounts even though I was her executor, so we had to go to court for that one.
Ken, you and Bernice have said it all, and said it so well. Thank you!
As for cell phone service, I switched from Verizon to Consumer Cellular last year, and never looked back. I pay $31 a month for the same service, and you can take your number with you.
I found buried in the bills there was an insurance policy - $20 a month - on my son's phone. That seemed like overkill.
I am 20 years behind the times and that's too close. Cell phones, much like the internet
have had un-intended consequences that were unforeseen by the likes of me. At the dawn of the internet, I thought that access to information by everyone would liberate us from the seeming medieval thought process that was so prevalent (Gingrich era) . Opps. Not quite. No Screens For Teens is little rhyme I have, and my grandson thankfully goes to a no phone school. Why is that a rarity instead of normal? oh and regarding the Verizon store and life in corporate America...they are making all service self service, and the day of no help at all is on it's way. Are phones a symptom or a cause? I mean how can it be bad when I child can carry around the collected wisdom and knowledge of the human race in the palm of their hand? My answer is because they are ill equipped to discern bs from reality, and the bs is really bad for them, same with social media with ought t be treated like cigarettes and booze, you got to be old enough to take part. my 2 cents, thanks Ken...
I think you can make the same argument about some adults.
Giving a young child a phone is absolutely a bad idea. There is no need for an elementary kid to carry around an anxiety producing instrument. When questioned, the parent would probably say that he /she needs to get in touch with “Johnny” at a moments notice. Doesn’t that adult realize his /her anxiety is being subconsciously transferred to the child. What did we do before this era? Call the school and let kids be kids!
The safety factor is a real thing with parents. Check out the bus stops in your town and see how many kids are there alone. Not many. Random kidnappings are almost non existent statistically.
Dynamite comes in small packages. Bernice is such a sweetheart, and very intelligent, so she knows what she is talking about. We absolutely need more Bernices in the world. She also belongs to our group, The North Country Light Brigade.
Hurray for them!
Thank you Bernice!!!! You have spoken for me! I feel you are speaking for the "silent Generation" during this time. My only hope is that all us "silent" folks VOTE!
I was reading the newsletter, got toward the end and I know I was told it was Bernice's letter, but somewhere in my brain I thought it was still you talking, and I thought "wow, he's evolved."
When I quickly transitioned back to fact-based reality, it made me really chuckle, I hope you take it the same way. It's actually a tribute to your ability to be neutral but value-based.
Still, we can all use a smile, right? And you "printed" the letter, as you did so often for so many of us. Thanks.
I'd like to think it is just a matter of my smile. Bernice had a different way of getting her message across. There is still a lot of journalist in me.
Appreciated very much your piece on Bernice. I have enjoyed getting to know her over the past few years. She is an inspiration. Her passion is contagious. And thanks for passing on her recent letter. One of the best of her best!
I must have missed it.
Find it! It’s worth the trip. Follows Ken’s feature column this morning.
Ok. Thanks.
"We want our kids to be present"--and we should all want to be present-- in our senses (in nature), in our hearts, in looking closely at the world outside and within, listening to another and to ourselves, hearing our deeper voices. I was blessed with having students who were "present": teaching in Great Meadow Prison for 12 years, teaching older students for 20 years, students finally able to go to college to complete their dreams," giving writing workshops. My students were my teachers--their honest words an antidote to lies, repeated scripts, multitasking, the bombardment of distractions. The joy of seeing people learn, grow, blossom into themselves. Thank you, Ken for your good words. And thank you, very much for printing my words--and the words of those who read your letters....present, honest, real., nourishing our spirit....
I’ve always enjoyed your letters, Bernice. I see in you a kindred spirit.
Thank you, Bernice, for being you. I did not know that you taught at Great Meadows. That is amazing work.
Thank you so much Ken for sharing Bernice’s words, and thank you Bernice for giving voice to the need for moral awakening.
Having read The Front Page on my cell phone this morning while on the PF treadmill, and sitting now in the locker room typing this on my cell phone; having turned on my cell phone second thing this.morning(won’t go into the first thing); having checked out the NYT headlines on my cell phone, as well as the weather; after seeing on my cell phone how many steps I have so far today; having checked out my emails on my cell phone already; and as I await to call Meg on my cell phone to see if she wants me to pick up anything at Hannafords on the way home—I want to assure you that I am not dependent on my cell phone. 🤪
Excellent piece, Ken! Oh, how we need to be more “present” to each other not only in the classroom but also in the family room and dining room and the board room.
As the British historian Arnold Toynbee said, even before cell phones, “We have become gods in technology and apes in life “
As I said in an earlier column, looking forward to the day when cell phones are banned in restaurants - just like smoking.
👍