Kudos All Around
This is in regard to the excellent analysis of the “Supreme Court’s Solomon-like Decision on HMOs” by Dr. Michael Arnold Glueck in the July 10 OCBJ Letters section.
When it comes to analysis and commentary on healthcare and medical legal issues, Glueck has a rare talent for taking the complex and difficult and lining up the ducks so the rest of us mortals can understand the issues.
Although we miss the originality, freshness, wit, humor and perspective of “Deep Thoughts by Dr. Mike,” on the foibles of OC living, it is in the area of commentary that Glueck has few peers. There is a reason that he was recently syndicated by one of the country’s largest news services, Scripps Howard.
I speak for many OC business people when I say that we hope Dr. Mike continues to contribute regularly to the OCBJ in spite of his writing obligations elsewhere.
Claudine Guerguerian
Art Director
Irvine
Re Rick Reiff’s June 26 OC Insider column:
Great comments, but they belong on the front page!
When I grew up (yes, I did; and my wife, Shirley, did too) in Martinsville, Va., my uncle Louis Beckner was a writer (sports and many other things) for the Martinsville Bulletin. He suggested a new column, which he called the Main Drag, on the left side of the front page.
It was a great success, and had commentary, like yours, on interesting things of the day. We suggest that the OC Insider’s should be on the front page like his.
Sam Stone
Senior Partner
Lyon & Lyon LLP
Costa Mesa
Team Megatrux sends a heart-felt “thank you” for a wonderful job done in portraying Karen A. Pelle on the cover of the July 17 OCBJ.
We specifically want to acknowledge Peter Brennan in capturing the pulse of Megatrux and reflecting the excitement of our new venture.
Rosalinda Rodriguez
VP of Marketing and IT
Megatrux Inc., Megatrux Transportation
Brea
Technology Now a ‘Basic’ of Education
The basics of education have expanded beyond the so-called “3Rs” of reading, writing and arithmetic to now include computer technology. Computers are an integral part of our everyday fabric and are used in all aspects of life, including automatic coffee makers, telephones and air conditioning and heating systems. Students who do not understand computer technology are unprepared for the Information Age.
Unfortunately, technology has not been integrated into our educational system. A recent Education Week survey concluded that 77% of teachers consider the computer a secondary, rather than primary resource. This comes on the heels of another study cited by Larry Cuban, professor of education at Stanford, which found that teachers, on average, used computers fewer than 10 times a year with their students. Teachers are avoiding computer use in the classroom either due to the lack of training or because school computers are outdated.
Gov. Gray Davis and the Legislature have addressed computer technology and teacher training issues in the 2000 budget to include $215 million for the “California Technology Initiative” and another $188 million for the Digital High School Program. The budget earmarks state money to upgrade and buy new computers and Internet connections, to bring California classrooms into the present. The “California Technology Initiative” provides $6.5 million for teacher training in computer technology and the Digital High School Program sets aside training money as well. This will help ensure that our educators have the necessary skills to assist our students in getting online.
But more needs to be done. Technology funding represents less than 1.4% of the entire $30.6 billion state education budget. That is barely more than one penny of every education dollar. While the private sector is contributing its resources and expertise to our schools, the demand for computer technology continues to grow.
Let’s make teachers, as President Clinton said in his weekly address, “as comfortable with a computer as they are with a chalkboard.”
Kerry Mazzoni
(Mazzoni, D-Santa Rosa, is chair of the Assembly Education Committee.)
