Sunday, February 29, 2004
Loser: Bush doesn’t have a chance
George Bush doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in Hades, to coin a phrase. Listening to the remaining candidates for the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, we learn that in only three years, George Bush not only created the “Axis...Published: Feb 29, 2004 9:58 AM Full Editorial
Friday, February 27, 2004
Focus: Compilation of events fosters pride in Wayne
This is a wonderful place in many ways. You can’t read through today’s paper and reflect on the year just past without knowing that. We’re lucky to be here. Look at our economic situation, for instance. We have almost full...Published: Feb 27, 2004 1:02 PM Full Editorial
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Nader: He gives us another choice. Not a good one, but a choice.
Most Democrats are coughing and choking and carrying on about Ralph Nader’s announcement that he will run for president as an independent. They fear that he will take votes from the Democratic candidate as he did in the last election...Published: Feb 26, 2004 11:25 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Good bill
Md. congressman seeks to repeal McCain-Feingold Few laws if any have threatened the American people’s right to free speech as does the McCain-Feingold Act. Fortunately, a move is under way to cancel it. What makes the McCain-Feingold Act so ominous...Published: Feb 25, 2004 9:37 PM Full Editorial
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Bigotry: Professor tarnishes image of UNC-CH
Over the years, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — to its credit — has been second to none in championing freedom of thought and expression. In that noble role, the state’s flagship university not infrequently has found...Published: Feb 24, 2004 11:18 AM Full Editorial
Monday, February 23, 2004
Jumping rope: Rules for charity event might need tweaking
Maybe you saw the story in the paper. The children who attend Eastern Wayne Middle School raised $11,000 for the American Heart Association. They did it by jumping rope. In order to jump, a child had to raise money for...Published: Feb 23, 2004 12:03 PM Full Editorial
Sunday, February 22, 2004
Rumors: A good news medium goes astray on one story
Everyone has an occasional lapse in judgment, and that includes even the best of news organizations. The News-Argus certainly errs now and then. When you disagree with our judgment, you can correct us. You are invited to send us a...Published: Feb 22, 2004 8:34 AM Full Editorial
Friday, February 20, 2004
Candidates: Better than what their critics say
Political campaigns can be enlightening, exciting, perplexing — even vitriolic. In the Democratic Party campaigns for the presidential nomination, candidates — with the exception of our John Edwards and Joe Lieberman — have slashed up each other unmercifully. Each has...Published: Feb 20, 2004 11:52 AM Full Editorial
Thursday, February 19, 2004
Lucky guy: Nuclear dealer pardoned,and the U.S. goes along
Nothing, not even the London Symphony’s rendition of Beethoven’s Fifth, could look more orchestrated than the confession by Abdul Qadeer Khan and his subsequent pardon by President Musharraf of Pakistan. Khan is the scientist who is the father of the...Published: Feb 19, 2004 11:08 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Deputy killer: This ‘kid’ obviously is an incorrigible
“Since turning 18 in July Matthew Charles Grant had been charged with at least nine felonies and eight misdemeanors — including breaking and entering and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.” That is from a newspaper account of the...Published: Feb 18, 2004 11:24 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Robbery: Defense contractors beating the tax system
If a school system or municipality or any agency or organization receiving federal money doesn’t adhere strictly to guidelines, the government has a surefire way of bringing them into compliance. The magic words: “Cut off their federal money!” But somehow,...Published: Feb 17, 2004 12:40 PM Full Editorial
Monday, February 16, 2004
Surprise witness: Colin Powell holds his own before congressional panel
Colin Powell is normally an easygoing man in public, calm under stress, deliberate, courteous and rational. Congressman Sherrod Brown obviously thought he could pull the secretary of state into a political controversy. Powell was testifying last week before the House...Published: Feb 16, 2004 12:27 PM Full Editorial
Saturday, February 14, 2004
Dr. Atkins: His gaining of weight doesn’t discredit diet
Even doctors disagree on whether it would be healthy to stay on the low-carbohydrate Atkins Diet for a long time. But one thing is certain: There is no room in the debate for half-truths. No doubt, the diet promoted by...Published: Feb 14, 2004 11:55 PM Full Editorial
Friday, February 13, 2004
Meeting of minds: Turnout is good for leaders’ workshop
There was a splendid turnout Monday for a meeting of governing boards in Wayne County. That the county’s decision-makers are talking to one another is good news. Occasionally they get out of the habit. Monday’s session in the offices of...Published: Feb 13, 2004 11:41 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
How does this sound? John Allen Farfour Municipal Tennis Courts
Public roads, bridges and other facilities usually should not be named in honor of living people. It is a practice that can get too political. Some jurisdictions won’t name a building, bridge or whatever after anyone who hasn’t been dead...Published: Feb 11, 2004 11:37 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Trend? A little optimism about fiscal sanity
During this time between the first of the year and April 15, the deadline for coughing up our annual tribute to Big Government, there usually is little to make us smile when we think of taxes. We have just seen...Published: Feb 10, 2004 12:14 PM Full Editorial
Monday, February 9, 2004
Surprise:Edwards’ vice presidential prospects looking brighter
Many North Carolinians scoffed when we began to notice the hints that Democratic Sen. John Edwards would try to be elected president. Our reaction to the news was much like that of Billy Carter of Plains, Ga., when told that...Published: Feb 9, 2004 12:00 PM Full Editorial
Saturday, February 7, 2004
Marriage: we are losing sight of its role in society
Natural law provides that marriage is the union of a man and a woman. The traditional and practical purposes of marriage are to establish families, which are the nucleus of society, and the yielding of children to carry the society...Published: Feb 7, 2004 11:34 PM Full Editorial
Friday, February 6, 2004
Old news: How should we react to site selectors’ rankings?
Those of us who were surprised by Wayne County’s good news this week shouldn’t have been. The good news was that the county’s magnetism is getting widespread recognition. Research by Expansion Magazine ranks Goldsboro 36th in the country in allure...Published: Feb 6, 2004 12:04 PM Full Editorial
Thursday, February 5, 2004
School questions: The answers are difficult and won’t please everyone
There are more questions than answers about proposals to build new schools in Wayne County. For example: Should we build community schools, making schools and families parts of the same neighborhoods? Or would it be better to maintain bigger schools...Published: Feb 5, 2004 11:38 AM Full Editorial
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
Accident? The evidence indicates that breast-baring was willful
Everyone involved in the outrageous occurrence during halftime at the Super Bowl claims it was an accident, not planned, not intentional. The evidence suggests otherwise. As you no doubt know, singer Janet Jackson’s right breast was exposed to millions of...Published: Feb 4, 2004 11:24 AM Full Editorial
Tuesday, February 3, 2004
Common sense and sensibilities: Let’s reward excellence
There is a law in Tennessee that says schools can’t make public anything about a child’s grades or attendance. That means that, if schools abide strictly by the law, they can’t announce the honor roll. That little nugget of political...Published: Feb 3, 2004 12:36 PM Full Editorial
Monday, February 2, 2004
The OLF issue: Have the options been considered?
Goldsboro’s late Mayor Scott B. Berkeley, a World War I pilot, properly is credited with the reactivation of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base half a century ago. In times of potential conflict or confusion, Berkeley liked to invoke an admonition...Published: Feb 2, 2004 11:32 AM Full Editorial