Mornin' Mail

The Mornin' Mail is published every weekday except major holidays
Monday, November 10, 2008 Volume XVII, Number 101

did ya know?

Did Ya Know?... Deadline for entry in the Carthage Christmas Parade is Wednesday, November 12, 2008. Entry forms may be obtained by calling the Carthage Technical Center at 417-359-7026 ext. 17031 or by e-mailing sponauglem@carthage.k12.mo.us The Christmas Parade will be held on Monday, December 1.

Did Ya Know?... The City of Carthage Recycling Drop-Off Center and Composting Lot will be closed Tuesday, November 11 due to Veterans Day.

Did Ya Know?... McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital Grief Support Group will meet in the hospital chapel on November 11 at 3:30 p.m. Discussion will be led by hospital Chaplain, Galen Snodgrass. For more information call 359-2636.

today's laugh

The teacher asked his pupils to write an essay, telling what they would do if they had five million dollars.
Every pupil except Sammy began writing immediately. Sammy sat idle, twiddling his fingers and watching flies on the ceiling.
Teacher collected the papers, and Sammy handed in a blank sheet.
"How is this, Sammy?" asked the teacher. "Is this your essay? Every other pupil has written two sheets or more, while you have done nothing!"
"Well," replied Sammy, "that’s what I would do if I were a millionaire!"

1908
INTERESTING MELANGE.
A Chronological Record of Events as they have Transpired in the City and County since our last Issue.

What Is A Just Tax?

J.N. Bradbury Writes on Teachers Institutes.

Editor: I wish to correct some statements made by Mr. Daniel under the heading "Favors County Institutes." He says to kick about a just tax is to shake hands with anarchy. There isn’t any one that I know of that is kicking about a just tax that is properly applied to educating our children. He doesn’t seem to comprehend what a just tax is and what it is based on. It is based on a just law, that gives equal right to all. Does the law that governs teachers associations give equal rights to all parties concerned? No, it does not. It takes away the earnings of one party and is given to the teacher without value received, who takes it and is absent from his or her school two days while the children are out of school the same length of time. Now if a teacher’s time is worth anything part of the time in school, its worth more all of his time in school. There are some school districts that have school only six months in the year, and that is with a high tax, and yet after all they don’t have that much from the fact that there are only two or three holidays and two days the teacher leaves behind him with the money of the district to have a jolly good time at the association. I ask doesn’t the teacher rob the district in so doing?

He calls this a just tax. Now he would have one to understand that any one who would kick against a law that would create such a tax is bordering on anarchy. I would refer him to Webster’s dictionary that he may teach his pupils what constitutes anarchy. His calling this a just tax does not make it so. The Republicans of the state have, to use his phrase, been kicking against such unequal laws during the last campaign. According to his idea they are bordering on anarchy. He says a man that is too hide bound to pay for educating his children should have none. I don’t consider him one of my children. If he was I would be willing to pay for his education, for I think he needs it, but as he is not I want him to pay for his own education. I don’t want a teacher to teach school in my school district who cannot more properly define what constitutes anarchy. He says if teachers were required to visit different schools at least one-half a day in each month the progressive teacher would note various ways of bettering his instructions. The pupils would reap the benefit. We have a county school commissioner for the purpose of visiting schools if necessary to aid the teacher and give some instruction to the pupils. In speaking of teachers’ institutes and their benefits he says he would like to see a few of these chronic growlers attend these institutes. I am sure they would and so would most of the county if someone would pay for their time. I am in favor of having the teachers association changed to meet sometime before school commences. When that is done the teachers will have to bear their own expense. Then some of them will readily find out whose ox is gored. - J.N. Bradbury

Today's Feature

Facts About Arthritis Program.

News release

The Facts About Arthritis Education Program will be presented on November 11, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. at McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital. Featured speaker will be Anne Winkler, M.D., rheumatologist. Dr. Winkler will present a program on forms of arthritis and their symptoms, different treatment options and ways that you can better manage your arthritis and reduce your pain. She will also share with those in attendance how they can better work with their doctors to make their office visits more productive; and there will time set aside for you to ask questions about your arthritis. Each person attending will be provided with a packet of arthritis information from the Arthritis Foundation and refreshments will be provided.

The program is free, but registration is requested. Registration may be completed by calling 417-359-1351 or toll free 1-888-719-5670; or e-mail to shayes@arthritis.org. Additional information is available at the following website: www.arthritiskc.org.

This program is presented in partnership with the Southwest Missouri Regional Arthritis Center and the Arthritis Foundation, Western Missouri/Greater Kansas City Chapter.

The program will be held in the Community Room of McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital, which is located at 3125 Dr. Russell Smith Way, Carthage. Dr. Winkler is a member of the physician staff at the McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital Visiting Physician Clinic. Two other rheumatologists, Mark Jarek, M.D. and Richard Kenney, M.D., treat patients at the Visiting Physician Clinic along with physicians who specialize in other areas.

For more information about the Arthritis Program contact the Community Relations Department at 417-359-1350. For additional information about Dr. Winkler or other physicians at the clinic, contact the MBRH Visiting Physician Clinic at 417-359-2675.

Just Jake Talkin'

Mornin'
There is prob’ly nothin’ more traumatic a thing than pickin’ sides as a kid.

Course, after a couple a choices, then there are two to three huddlin’ together decidin’ who’s gonna be picked next. Now we have humiliation by committee.

Even worse than bein’ last is when some well meanin’ captain says somethin’ like, "Ok, we’ll take him and give you Jimmy, and still be able to beat ya."

There’s little doubt that choosin’ sides is a fair undertakin’. Each side ends up with a fairly equal alignment for competition.

Sometimes, just for kicks, it was fun to let Jimmy and the next to last pick be captains. Usually we ended up with about the same team, ever’one just felt better.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Oldies & Oddities

This Is A Hammer
By Samantha Mazzotta

Is Aluminum Wiring a Safety Hazard?

Q: I’ll be closing escrow soon on a 1974 mobile home. I just had the home inspection done and found out that it has aluminum wiring. Is this common, and is this a safety hazard, especially being so old? Can you give me a quick education on aluminum wiring and any pointers that might help me? -- Gail S., via e-mail

A: Small-gauge aluminum wiring was installed in about 2 million homes (and an unknown number of other structures such as mobile homes) built in the 1960s through the mid-1970s. The reason it is no longer used is that it was found to be less safe than copper wire.

The problem with aluminum wiring is that it tends to corrode at the connections (such as electrical outlet or appliance connections). This corrosion increases the resistance to electrical current, which leads to overheating at the connection, which can cause serious problems -- including fire or electrocution. Circuit breakers are designed to trip (break) an electrical circuit before it overloads and overheats, but aluminum wiring had a tendency to overheat despite this protection.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, homes wired before 1972 with aluminum are 55 times more likely to have one or more connections reach "fire hazard conditions" than a home wired with copper.

In 1972, manufacturers introduced a new "alloy" type of aluminum wiring, as well as improved switches and outlets. However, some reports argue that the alloy wasn’t much of an improvement.

One thing that was introduced in this same time period was a less-costly alternative to completely rewiring a home with copper. This is the COPALUM crimp connector repair, which splices aluminum wires with copper connectors to create a safer connection at the outlet or appliance.

It is one of just two recommended fixes for the aluminum wiring in your home (the other is to completely rewire with copper). The COPALUM fix was allowed through 2005. I don’t know if it’s still a permitted repair option, but a licensed electrician will know about it. At any rate, you should have an electrician double-check all electrical connections in the mobile home to make sure they are functioning correctly. For the repair work, be sure to get a written estimate and re-inspect after repairs are complete.