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Voice of the people

August 20, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

Current drinking age is set for reason

This is in response to the article regarding college presidents seeking debate on the drinking age. The article fails to mention the most compelling reason for the current legal drinking age of 21: the fact that the human brain continues to develop into early adulthood.

The prefrontal cortex is still a work in progress, placing individuals under the age of 21 at increased risk for poor decisions. Introducing alcohol while the brain is still developing may have profound and long-lasting consequences.

Presumably, debate among university presidents regarding the drinking age will include the compelling evidence supporting the current drinking age of 21 and prompt more universities to work toward enforcing the drinking age instead of ignoring it.

Anne McGee

Huntington

Hydrogen power isn't the answer

Now I know that I have not gone to college, and there may be a good answer to this, but this is what I have been thinking. If all cars and trucks were to be converted to hydrogen fuel cells that just let water out the tailpipe as exhaust -- pure drinkable water -- that sure sounds good. It makes me thirsty.

So the reason we hope this is the answer is it would get rid of the carbon-related problems that are affecting the atmosphere now (so they say; I think God is doing what he said he would do). Should make it all better, right? Global warming, they say -- oh, scary.

I have to ask you this question. I do not know the answer, but I know there is a treehugger who thinks he or she knows. Here it is: If 100 million cars and trucks (and other machines) use hydrogen and the exhaust is hot water, is that going to change things, too? Humidity conditions would get really bad, make more rain, clouds, roads get unsafe because of all of the water on them. How about winter, which most likely would be colder because of the extra clouds and snow? Wow, I bet I get a million answers to this one.

Take them all in stride. In God I trust. So did this country before this all started -- a lesson to be learned. Maybe it is time to read about all the sorrows Israel went through when they did not listen. Nah. Keep doing the way they did. Learn things the hard way.

Michael Jones

Proctorville, Ohio

Russell class hosts game get-together

The Russell High School Class of 1972 is hosting a get-together on Friday, Sept. 26, at the Russell High School football game. We are trying to locate all of our classmates and would also like to extend the invitation to any other classes who would like to attend; there is no cost. This has become an annual event, and you'll have so much fun you'll be talking about it until the next get-together in 2009.

For more information, e-mail me at thebryantfamily@aol.com or call me at 843-724-3419. Hope to see you there.

Lisa Bryant

Charleston, S.C.

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The Glass Menagerie is a show that gets staged a lot, especially by high schools across the country, and there are lots of reasons for that. It uses a small cast, requires only a minimal set, and it's a moving and thought-provoking show. But to really experience the power of Tennesseee Williams' classic story, you need to...

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