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DON'TCHA THINK...OR DON'T YA ?
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Jim Kinkade...Editor and Publisher..
Editorals..
Posted by special
request or are computer related
**Close to home:
**By Jim Kinkade
Every once in a while, we all undertake projects that make us
feel a lot better, while being able to help another.
I was recently asked to
help out at a Veteran's Appreciation Day Worship Service. at the Vineland Veteran's
Memorial Home. Masons from throughout the 22nd Masonic District sponsored the service
in appreciation for the sacrifices that these vets have made to insure our continued
freedom.
The guest speaker was Ross Van Ness Bayer, the Grand Master of Masons
for the state. He spoke of how proud he was of the veterans, and recollected his
days as a boy in college, when he volunteered to work in a veteran's hospital in
Florida.
The volunteers help those patients in wheelchairs get to events and
church services.. The home, which houses about 300 veterans, wives and widows, is
on a beautifully landscaped parcel on the Boulevard in Vineland. Veterans are housed
in three separate buildings, which makes it difficult for some of those in wheelchairs
to navigate without assistance.
As I was sitting there, I couldn't help but think
of all the vets in the home who rarely have visitors. Just someone to take a few
minutes to talk to them, if about nothing else than the weather or politics, or even
to listen to their war stories.
Before the service, I had the opportunity to
sit for an hour -or so with Russell 'Rusty' Coulbourn, a Franklinville vet who served
during the Vietnam Conflict who has been a resident at the home for the last few
years. Rusty and I have been friends for the past 15 years or so.
Rusty doesn't
miss much. He's probably more aware of what's happening in Franklin Township than
most of the people living here.
He's a dedicated reader of The Sentinel, and
as of last week, was trying to have The Gloucester County Times delivered to him
daily.
And everyone at the home knows him.
I'm making a New Year'sresolution
to spend at least two hours a month at the home, either helping with Church services
or with bowling or bingo games
And I'd like to see other people join me. If not
at the veteran's home, then at an area hospital or long term care center or similar
places.
If a couple of hundred people would each volunteer an hour or two a month
what a help it would be. There are hundreds of organizations that are begging for
volunteers. In fact, just so you 'can't say you can't find one, I'm publishing a
list of organizations in the area that need volunteers. Now you don't have any excuse
for not volunteering... Don'tcha think... or Don't ya?
"SPECIAL" REQUEST....
***Sometime in 1995.....
Have you ever stopped to think of just how valuable
your local merchants are?
Recently I needed a new set of spigots for my bathroom.
I stopped in at Colucci Lumber and asked Pete if he had what I needed in stock.
He didn't, but offered to order them the next morning and to have them same day shipped.
I told him that I could get by for a few days and to have them delivered with a regular
shipment.
He still called me at home the next morning to make sure I could keep
the water flowing and I thanked him for his concern.
I also stopped in at Goldsmid's
recently and told them I needed a new "thinigamabob". After I explained
what it did they gave me a replacement and advice on why this one was better.
When I needed a new battery for my (computer, I checked around at several '"'computer
stores." Most of the sales clerks thought that a CMOS was some sort of a lawn
disease. I stopped at (Comp Solutions , on North Delsea Drive in Clayton, New Jersey
) and they Provided me with the part in a matter of minutes and were sure to tell
me to use a heat sink when sodering it in so I didn't ruin my mother board. That
kind of advice can save you hundreds of dollars. My point is you can never get that
kind of service from a department store. Usually what you get there is a 20 year
old clerk whose only concern is what time he gets done so he can pick up his girlfriend.
Now what are you going to do ? Go to your local chain store in Turnersville or your
local merchant down the street? Thats something to think about when you go to make
your next purchase.
I know myself that even if I have to pay a few cents more,
the dollars stay in my community and are used to help it.
*** It just makes good,
common sense... * * *
Don'tcha Think....or Don't Ya ?
Something to Think About.....
A little note to those of you who order Items via your computer. Last week up
to 2,300 people received a shock when they were e-mailed a note containing their
credit card numbers and telling them that "an anonymous: organization (was)
seeking to make the internet a safe place for consumers to do business."
Apparently
someone has figured out how to overcome security systems built into web browsers.
When these people ordered items over the internet, they apparently had their credit
card numbers intercepted, or someone was able to worm their way into the store's
computer: and steal that information.
If nothing more, it points there are still
problems with security on the web. I've noticed that many companies with catalogs
on the web are offering customers the option of using an 800 number to call in their
credit card numbers.
It may be a good idea to utilize more secure telephone lines
until the problem can be better addressed. While you may only be liable for the first
$50 in unauthorized credit card purchases, the hassle of canceling cards and obtaining
new ones can be a real problem, and we really don't need more complication in our
lives.........Don'tcha Think...or Don't Ya ??
The Kinkade Challenge
I can't help but silently laugh when I hear people talking about how their children's
schools are spending a bundle to wire classrooms for the internet. Some of them actually
think this is going to replace good teaching and their little Johnny and Jane are
going to become geniuses.
Those of you who use the internet know what a bunch
of bull this is. For those of you who don't, I'm going to give you a little lesson.
First, it's not unusually hard to get on to the internet, unless you're using the
number one internet provider in the world AOL. AOL becomes increasingly difficult
to get on line after 3:30 Eastern time and becomes more difficult as the evening
progresses.
That's due to hundreds of thousands of kids getting onto the net
when they get home from school, usually to visit "chatrooms" where they
type garbage back and forth between themselves. The problem gets worse the later
it gets as midwest and west coast kids sign on.
Years ago, when I first started
using the internet, it was a valuable tool. It was a pleasure to be able to research
obscure information that was almost never available locally.
Today the "information
highway" has become as bottlenecked as Interstate 95 at rush hour. I did a net
search and requested articles about Franklinville, NJ for this story.
I received
a total of over 100 "hits" during my search. If I was lucky and was able
to open one file a minute, it would take me over two hours to read the information,
most of which doesn't even pertain to the community.
I could have made my search
more specific, but I think you get the point. Anyone with a web site that has a connection
to Franklinville probably has it searchable by that name.
Don't get me wrong.
I use the internet daily, and still find it valuable. But it is not the cure all
that some educators would have you believe.
I have a good friend who is a teacher
who informs me that many of his fellow teachers are completely ignorant about the
internet and believe it can do a lot more than it really can. If this is the case,
what are students and parents to believe?
If your children have access to the
internet, take the~"Kinkade Challenge". Open an encyclopedia to a random
page and topic. Read the article until you find a piece of information that is not
generally known about that subject and put it into question form.
Now give the
question to your child and ask him or her to go onto the internet and find the answer.
Tell them to keeptrack of how many files they had to open before finding it and how
long it took.
When they're done, ask them to do the same using the encyclopedia,
also noting how long it takes. My bet is that the encyclopedia wins every time.
So if your school is trying to wire classrooms at the expense of good teachers and
a better library, start screaming to your board of education......Don'tcha Think...or
Don't Ya ??
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