Readers respond on local issues

Open Forum letters are always welcome within guidelines, but not all readers take the time to chase down pen, paper, envelope and stamp to submit their opinions to these pages.

We're turning this column over to a sampling of this week's reader comments on various topics:

On the decision to purchase iPads for McCook High School students:

"While I don't disagree with the need to keep up with technology, I do agree with Mr. Messersmith in looking into the financial end of the purchase." -- love2liveinmccook

"iPads can be great tools. However, when my daughter was two, she picked up on how to use one within a week. Two years later it took her awhile to pick up on how to use a computer mouse. Go figure. ... Odds are the students can already run the thing better than the teachers. It's going to be up to the teachers to actually put the real world spin on it." -- npwinder

"I grew up without take-home text books. We did our studies on a slate. I managed to get a job at no cost to anyone but my parents. I don't see the need." -- BTWinecleff

"We must embrace technology, if we didn't ... well then we would be walking from place to place, you know, because that whole 'wheel idea' -- no good can come from that!" -- Nick Mercy

On industrial hemp:

" ... ethanol is subsidized. It cannot survive on its own. The same will happen to industrial hemp. If it is a truely superior product, no subsidy will be needed as industry will use it according to price and quality of product. If this were the case, we would be using it now." -- Chunky Peanut Butter

"There are some industrial and medical applications for hemp that should be researched and developed; I don't have a problem with legalization for this purpose. In my opinion there is no defensible recreational use for hemp, alcohol, or tobacco. I would not support legalization in that capacity. Alcohol and tobacco have done more damage to our society than any substance on the planet, why add to that issue?" -- seentoomuch

On pay-as-you-go highway funding:

"What do all vehicles on the road have in common? Tires. Perhaps to keep the playing field level, the tax on tires increases. The more tires you have on your vehicle, the more wear you cause to the road. The more tires you have on the vehicle the more you pay for that said wear." -- Nick Mercy

"Clearly the solution to highway funding is to use the tax code to pit motorists against each other." -- shallal

"If less fuel is being used then you up the fuel tax ... and upgrade the requirements for the construction of roads. Our road construction minimums are lower than they could be thus our roads need more maintenance than other states/entities." -- quick13

On texting in times of emergency:

"What's truly sad here is that I've never once in my life sent a text. I have no idea what this person is talking about. Or, why it may be newsworthy. How could the governor know about communication "systems"? I'm totally out of the loop." -- bob s

On the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival:

"One of the most unique aspects of the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival is that we realize stories are told through music and poetry as well as narrative. This combination of exciting stories in all their forms makes this festival fantastic entertainment for all ages." -- SW Nebraska Fan.