Published: December 14, 2007 06:18 pm            

LETTERS: Dec. 16, 2007

Student hates to see auto program cut

I was recently informed that Ivy Tech Community Southern Indiana Automotive Service program is going to eliminated. I am currently a full-time automotive management student and find the program to be excellent and the instructors very caring and helpful. That is why I disagree with the decision to end programs such as the automotive program. I also do not understand the motive behind closing such programs because all of my classes are full to capacity showing that there is a definite demand for such programs. I am sure that if the automotive program was treated as a priority, it would flourish even more. Without Ivy Tech offering programs like these, students living in the area do not have many other choices for technical colleges.

Furthermore, the demand for automotive technicians is at an all time high. Because technology is changing daily in the automotive field, the need for a good technical college is more prevalent now than ever before. All of the aforementioned reasons display exactly why Ivy Tech should not only sustain it’s automotive programs, but also give them the extra help they need to grow. If you also disagree with this elimination, call Ivy Tech and let them know.

— Chris Koopman, Floyds Knobs

Reader: Make wise choices today for tomorrow’s sake,/b>

We all know the term “hindsight is 20/20.” This is evident when we read warnings of the prophets in the Bible and ask ourselves, “Why didn't the people listen?”

I have observed two things in this life — people don't change. People are the same now as they have always been throughout history. Some good, some bad, some wise, some stupid, some energetic, some lazy. Secondly, wisdom comes with age, like the young man who said, “When I was 17, I was embarrassed by how stupid my parents were, but by the time I was 21, I was surprised at how much they had learned in four years.”

God gave us “choice,” but unfortunately, he didn't give us the wisdom to make the correct choices all of the time, thus the term “We all learn by our mistakes.”

For more than 100 years, since a Swedish scientist published in 1896, a new idea that burning fossil fuels added carbon dioxide to the Earth’s atmosphere, people have been warning us about Global Warming, but only recently have people of influence are beginning to listen. However, people in the coal, oil and factory farming industry are making a lot of money and a lot of working people are dependent upon those jobs. They won’t change until the rest of us stop buying their products.

Industry is the number one polluter of our atmosphere, with the auto industry coming in at number two and the methane gas from factory farming is the third leading cause of Global Warming.

Wind, solar and nuclear should replace coal for our energy production. This is something our government must do as soon as possible. Ethanol, biofuels and hybrids should replace oil for our cars, and this is something that is available now, so your next car or truck should be one of these. And factory farms must close down because they produce tons of animal waste that not only foul the air, but contaminate our water. According to the EPA, factory farms have polluted rivers in 22 states and contaminated drinking water in 17 states. We can stop this now by not buying their products, which means stop going to fast food restaurants. Many grocery stores now sell organically raised meats and dairy products, and this is what we should buy. The future of our grandchildren depend on the decisions we make today.

— Ray Wilson, New Middletown

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.