PUBLIC VIEWPOINT

Bigger Than Thanksgiving Turkey

On the eve of Thanksgiving, I encourage you all to think about what you have. If you’re reading this paper, there’s a good chance you have an address, a place you call home. Home means different things to diff erent people, but home should always be a peaceful place, a place of protection, comfort and satisfaction. Home should be a place where family can bond and love.

A home should be warm when it’s freezing outside and cool when it’s blistering outside. A home should have doors that lock and snacks for hungry children.

Does your home possess these qualities? Most would probably say yes.

Yes, our home is a safe, happy home, a worthwhile place to celebrate Thanksgiving. But I can assure you that manyNorthwest Arkansas folks won’t have such a pleasant day tomorrow. Many people are still struggling to recover from the economic recession. Many are simply poor. Some of these individuals will huddle in blankets around the dinner table because they don’t have working utilities in their houses (assuming, of course, that they have houses). Some of these individuals will have $5 pizza from Papa John’s or Eureka because they consider that a rare treat.

Before you sit down to your bountiful Thanksgiving dinner in your wellheated home, do (others) a favor. Throw down for a few turkeys. Give some canned goods or even some warm clothes that you no longer wear. After all, the bottoms dropped out of the thermometers this week, and it’s only getting colder.

It’s not hard to find a placeto donate; just hop on your computer and do a quick Google search. You might even go hand the stuff out. While my Grandma’s pumpkin pie is pretty good, I promise you there is nothing as awesome as watching a shivering child slip into your old coat.

Overall, just do something to make your Thanksgiving experience bigger than eating turkey. You’ll be happy you did.

JACOB WORLOW

Fayetteville

IN-AIR CALLING DANGEROUS

Imagine the following

scenario: You are on a six-hour flight from L.A.

to New York. Sitting next to you is a passenger who, when the plane reaches cruising altitude, takes out a cellphone and proceedsto begin a several-hour conversation about everything under the sun.

You, on the other hand, are trying to read a book or take a nap. At some point, you snap and tell your fellow passenger to shut up. Now, instead of road rage, we have “air rage.” Likely to happen?

You bet, if the FAA decides cellphone usage is permitted on airplanes.

Some airlines have wisely said regardless of what the FAA decides, their policy will be no cellphone usage during fl ight. Flight attendants are also against this possible FAA change in policy, for they are the ones who are going to have to deal with the “air rage.”

Airline travel is already becoming more and more unfriendly and a hassle. Why add more fuel to this fi re?

PETE RATHMELL

Garfi eld

Opinion, Pages 5 on 11/27/2013

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