One sure way to get Clinton to talk
Hillary Clinton recently completed a 30-day stretch of presidential campaigning while answering a total of seven questions from the press.
Her conspicuous silence has inspired several political and media organizations to begin tracking the questions she takes from reporters. The New York Times has dedicated a new feature to questions it would like to ask her, if only it could.
Neither of the Clintons displayed this kind of reticence before the latest bid for the White House. Sharing their thoughts with audiences, ranging from car dealers and insurance brokers to the American Camp Association, the couple earned an eye-popping $25 million in speaking fees in only 16 months.
As one who hears in Hillary Clinton's intonations the eat-your-spinach lordliness of Al Gore delivered with the sonority of worn-out brake pads, this writer hesitates to disturb calm waters. Yet the democratic process demands that she speak.
The solution? Pay her. If she can find something useful to tell the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries for a price, she can do the same for CBS or the New York Times.
Michael Smith, Cynthiana
Whoopee, more ads
We were flirted, courted and seduced by the potential reinvention of Rupp Arena. Inspiring exterior architecture that bore no resemblance to a warehouse, wide concourses and multiple entrance points, a sound system that could be heard without deafening the patrons and, my favorite amenity, chair back seats in the upper arena.
Then came the eye-popping price tag and the wedding was rightly, but unfortunately, put on hold.
Then came news of the balm for my disappointed soul. Ribbon ads — those dastardly distracting dizzying displays of dynamic advertising imploring us to buy more mattresses and cars — are coming to Rupp.
The hope is that they will be here in time for the first University of Kentucky game this fall. I can't wait.
Chris Reid, Lexington
Wasted lives, money
Watching the the National Memorial Day Concert made me mad. I'm a former U.S. Marine. I served in Vietnam, DaNang and ChuLi in 1968-69.
Don't you dare thank me for my service. You have not earned that right. If people wish to honor our service men and women, start by respecting their worth.
I am no pacifist. I'm not that naive. The government of this nation, since Korea, has consistently squandered our armed forces and our wealth meddling in the affairs of nations around the globe.
Poorly planned operations, no clear and realistic goals and, worse yet, no exit strategy. My government continues to waste young men and women on nation-building escapades of unbelievable arrogance and stupidity.
My government went into Afghanistan, justifiably, without any real understanding of the country or its people. Didn't consider what the Russians suffered.
Then, despite letters to my president and senators warning against doing so, my government committed unprovoked war on Iraq.
One look at the Middle East today proves to all but the just plain stupid that I was correct about Iraq.
David Koob, Lancaster
No sense of humor
The writer of a May 20 letter took several people to task over climate change. Since I was one of the writers quoted in his letter, I have just a couple of points to make.
First, never assume what you read in a letter is what the writer was trying to convey.
The letter writer took my comment about not caring if New York was under water in five years as, I guess, an affront to humanity. My actual comment was a slight joke. I said, "I don't care if New York is under water in 5,000 years, or 500 years, or ... well, since we're talking about New York, five years."
However, after editing, it didn't say that. But I should realize there can never be any humor in any climate remark for some.
Be it fracking, charter schools or genetically modified food, most zealots never miss an opportunity to become involved in the latest "crisis."
I'll bet in 1875, their great-great-grandfathers were advocating shooting horses; they probably reasoned that by 2015 the whole world would be knee-deep in manure. But, notwithstanding the horses, the knee-deep in manure theory has pretty much come to be.
Joe Mercer, Lexington
Columnist missed
When I read that columnist Merlene Davis was retiring, I was very sad. I knew we had lost a friend for minorities. Her columns shone a light on what we should do to be better citizens.
She also shone a light on the good things we have done and are still doing to help others, as well as ourselves. She will be missed by many, and I am one of them.
Ella Bosley, Lexington
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