Reading about West Virginia University's plan to solve a budgetary shortfall by eliminating the study of foreign languages, it occurred to me that the entire purpose of a college education has been turned inside out since my undergraduate days. Back when I enrolled as a freshman at my friendly neighborhood land grant college — Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey — most of us worried about whether we had what it took to be recognized as educated citizens.
Marion, Kan., (pop. 1,922) is right smack in the middle of nowhere, unless you count Cottonwood Falls (pop. 851) 27 miles to the east. But this tiny farming and cattle town is now on the map: ground zero for a titanic battle over freedom of the press.
Dear Doctors: My wife's insurance company is suggesting that she get a hearing test. She is only 51, and her hearing is fine. Does she really need to get this screening?
DEAR HARRIETTE: An anonymous account has been sending me strange, threatening messages, and I am beginning to suspect the identity of the sender. I don't want to jump to conclusions and falsely accuse the wrong person if my suspicions turn out to be wrong. What steps can I take to investigate and potentially confront the sender without damaging any innocent relationships? How can I approach this situation delicately without causing more problems? — Suspicious DEAR SUSPICIOUS: Start with the service that you are using. Contact their help desk to see if they have line of sight as to who this anonymous accountholder is. They should have some kind of security department that has the ability to research these things. If that doesn't yield results, contact the police. Find out what division handles online threats. You should take this seriously. Someone threatening you takes this situation out of the realm of innocent pranking. Get the help you need to identify who the offender is.
In 1774, the First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I hung out with some relatively new friends last weekend. We got to drinking champagne, and the stories started flowing. It turns out that we have a couple of mutual friends — including my first true love. I can't believe it, but I told them details about how we broke up and how much I still care for him. Never mind the fact that I am married to someone else and have been for decades. I'm not trying to get with this old flame, but I feel bad about telling this secret. I have no fear that they will stir the pot by mentioning this to anyone, but I do feel bad about being so loose lipped. Is there anything I should say to neutralize the situation? — Remembering the Past DEAR REMEMBERING THE PAST: The best thing you can do is keep the story to yourself. If you don't want your past to be the topic of further conversation, don't talk about it. I'm sure the sentiment that you shared was heartfelt and they took it as that. A note for the future is to watch how much you drink.
It was time to come back from Mexico.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star border enforcement plan was a bad idea from the start, and the longer his cruel folly drags on, the worse it gets for Texas taxpayers, border communities and the migrants who arrive at our doorstep, some seeking asylum, some in search of work and better lives.
CLINTON DAILY NEWS EDITORIAL
Let’s say you hate Donald Trump and really, really, really don’t want him to become president of the United States again. How do you prevent that? Well, most would agree the best way would be to defeat him electorally, either in the Republican primaries or in the 2024 general election.