News opinion 2008-07-31 Andanh.com

Bridge Construction — Detours ahead Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:47:00 EST
When a Kansas Department of Transportation official said the bridges in Topeka and Shawnee County were very safe and had been well-maintained, it was a relief in more ways than one.

Letter: Money wisely used Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:47:00 EST
Patrons and families of Topeka Public Schools will be pleased to hear that our budget for the coming year maintains our excellent teacher-student ratio, provides a raise for all staff and keeps our buildings in good shape. In addition, the board of education added a new program at the middle school level that will target underachieving students and provide a challenging, pre-advanced placement curriculum.

Letter: Friends found here Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:49:00 EST
One day while cleaning out my china cabinet, I told my granddaughter I was going to take the things to Doorstep. She asked, "Grandma, what's that?" I told her it's an organization that helps the needy.

Letter: Before it's too late Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:51:00 EST
We now have $4 gas — on its way up. In 1970, oil was $1.39 a barrel; four years later, $8.32; and today, $140. T. Boone Pickens, who is predicting the price will go to $150 to $160, is putting his money in wind.

Letter: A dose of the truth Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:47:00 EST
I would like to comment about the recent incident at the Lake Shawnee swimming area that resulted in the resignation of two lifeguards.

Letter: Time has run out Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:47:00 EST
Apparently Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback aren't up to speed on evidence of global warming and climate change. Do they, or congressional research staff, have anyone focused on this issue? They should have.

Parker: Is planet ready to move into Obama's orbit? Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:48:00 EST
John McCain and Barack Obama seem to occupy different universes.

Other voices Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:47:00 EST
The Salina Journal, July 22:

LEONARD PITTS: CARE ABOUT THE ONGOING 'STUPIDIFICATION' OF U.S. Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:44 CDT

I love comic books.

For 41 years, I've studied them, collected them, written and read exhaustively about them. So I hope you'll agree I'm qualified to judge the merits of a comic book created by one Brent Rinehart as a tool in his campaign for re-election as a commissioner of Oklahoma County, Okla.

It is really, really bad. You may see for yourself via the Web site www.anorak.co.uk/anorak-in-new-york/185867.html.

Now, you may think my less than glowing appraisal stems from its rank anti-gay bigotry, including a depiction of a gay man with horns. Or from the artwork, which looks like something scrawled by a gifted 6-year-old.

Well, yes. But here's the main reason Rinehart's work offends: It is astonishingly stupid.

BOB HERBERT: HOW DARE HE OFFER HOPE? Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:39 CDT

Let's see if I've got this straight. Barack Obama is a U.S. senator, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and his party's candidate for president of the United States -- and yet it was somehow presumptuous of him to meet with foreign leaders last week during his trip to the Middle East and Europe.

I've never seen anyone so roundly criticized for such grievous offenses as giving excellent speeches and urging people of different backgrounds to take a chance on working together. How dare he? And 200,000 people turned out to hear him in Berlin. Unforgivable.

The man has been taken to task for promoting hope, threatened with mutilation by the Rev. Jesse Jackson for suggesting that a lot of black fathers could do better by their kids, and had his patriotism called into question because he wants to wind down a war that most Americans would dearly love to be rid of.

John McCain can barely stop himself from sputtering at the mere mention of Obama's name. He actually ran an ad blaming Obama for high gasoline prices. Even Republicans had a good laugh at that one.

And yet Obama continues to treat McCain respectfully. As far as personal character is concerned, Obama has scored very well indeed.

Chinese Dir