Opinion

Tallgrass and Tumbleweeds Dear Readers, I never tire of looking up when an iconic cloudless and azure Kansas sky seals the firmament Tupperware lid tight to terra firma. I equally enjoy the less renowned grey hues of cloud quilts, though I confess that on overcast days my eyes are less likely to gaze up toward the heavens.

To the Editor: My wife and I have been property owners on Gardner Lake for the last 20 years. We have only recently become aware of the problems involving the lake spillway and dam, and the challenges of maintaining this lovely spot and ecosystem, including at least some interest expressed in the Gardner city council of selling the lake.

The responsibility for this country’s unbelievable student debt crisis has several characters and institutions contributing to its current state. Here is a brief synopsis on how it all began, starting with the government.

As that child of the 60’s if you wanted to play with friends or neighbor kids you got on your bike and rode by their house till they noticed you. We didn’t have play dates or organized activities other than baseball.

The student loan lending program has become the worst, big-government, predatory, lending system this country and the world has ever seen. Profits from this program are being used to fund other government programs, such as the Affordable Care Act and who knows what else, as transparency is not always the norm.

Imagine that you were handed a 144-page contract on an issue of importance to you and your family on a Monday at five minutes until 5 p.m. The stipulation being that you had Tuesday to read and think about it before you could discuss it with your lawyer on Wednesday prior to making a decision on Thursday. Common sense would indicate to most people that more time is needed to make such decisions or at the very least it would raise a red flag. This was basically how much time the Arkansas Senate had to make a decision on Senate Bill 294, the LEARNS Act, this week.

I just finished reading How to Build a Healthy Brain. I’ve always wanted one of those. Not surprisingly, there was a lot of information about the importance of sleep, nutrition and exercise for brain health. The author Kimberley Wilson also discussed the hazards of social media and technology. Excuse me while I take this call. Kidding.

I’m afraid of many things, but I’ve never been afraid of flying. Here’s why: A lot of people go on trips and most of them come back.

After spending a great deal of time researching student loans, and interviewing parents and students, I’ve come to a conclusion. The majority of today’s parents sending their students to college are enablers. They avoid and fail to take an aggressive approach to make sure their comingof- age young adults are prepared to deal effectively with money matters. In too many cases, this flawed role model is taken on by their children and carried to the next generation, perpetuating a troublesome cultural issue.