Letters to the Editor

True mentor

Harlan Greene wrote a great article Nov. 8 titled, "Appreciating Sol Breibart." It was a nice tribute to a fine man who did so much for young people.

The article did not include Sol Breibart's service to the High School of Charleston during World War II and beyond. He was an excellent teacher and greatly feared and respected. He was feared, as he expected only the best from his students and if you didn't measure up, he was not a very understanding fellow.

He was respected in that he would do anything for his students and was always an encouraging mentor. He was invited to and attended many reunion functions of my class and others. He had a tremendous influence on hundreds of students in the all-male high school. He will be missed but fondly remembered.

TOMMY THORNHILL

High School of Charleston

Class of 1944

Prices Alley

Charleston

Excellent service

I am writing to commend Elizabeth Kandrac's excellent service to the Charleston County School District. I have known Elizabeth since June, 2004 when she was first running for the school board.

Since being elected in November 2008, she has attended every reform and restructuring meeting, every town hall meeting, every student hearing, every board workshop, every teacher appeal and every school board meeting.

She has also attended policy meetings even though she is not a member of that committee, as well as 11 of 16 graduations. She responds to every invited event for the schools except when there is a time conflict. She has attended over 200 documented events since being sworn in as a school board trustee.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if more people with her integrity and commitment to the betterment of our community stepped forward into public office?

As a teacher myself, I give her an A-plus.

KRISTI B. CADWELL

New England Drive

North Charleston

Climate change

In the Nov. 4 Post and Courier, several people came out in support of Lindsey Graham's stand on climate change caused by greenhouse gases. The support, however, never listed any facts as to how they know this.

I have read several significant reports/documents written by other scientists who repudiate this connection. One 150-page report, "Climate Change Reconsidered," examines every assumption that was put in the climate change model. One readily sees that even minor changes to these assumptions create an outcome that does not support the greenhouse gas connection with climate change. Over 30,000 scientists from around the world have signed this report, saying that the information in this report stands on its own.

When one couples reports like the one above with disputable information given in Al Gore's film, one can readily see why so many people are skeptical.

Instead of writing in support of legislation, why don't these scientists give us the scientific facts that connect greenhouse gases to climate change? People want to know that there are facts and not just assumptions.

JIM BUCKLEY

Marsh Hen Drive

Johns Island

Government debt

Why not investigate the total amount of government debt? Figures in the $10 to $12 trillion range are floated about. I suspect the real figure is upwards of $70 trillion when you include unfunded liabilities such as Social Security, Medicare and others.

Part of the investigation could include attempts over the years by individual members of Congress to include unfunded liabilities in the budget and the reasons this never happened. Sen. Ernest Hollings Jr. was one of those crying in the wilderness. He may be able to help.

JOE SHARPE

Kestrel Trail

Hanahan

Best qualified

Re the Nov. 10 story on Boeing and the S.C. Legislative Black Caucus: Future passengers on Charleston built Dreamliners will feel safer if they know the plane was crafted by the 3,800 best qualified job applicants -- regardless of race or gender.

CAPERS H. POULNOT

Molasses Lane

Mount Pleasant

Boeing victory

All South Carolinians must be as thankful as I that our government and business leaders throughout the Palmetto State inked the Boeing decision. This victory proves that S.C. workers and workplaces are a solution for many international corporations aggravated by labor unions and lazy work forces.

South Carolina cannot sit back and rest on its laurels. False hubris after companies have come here has turned to sorrow thereafter. AirTran Airways is a recent example.

My two-part question to every S.C. employee, executive, CEO, banker and election-seeking politician would be: How much harder and smarter will each of us be working to ensure Boeing stays here for good? What are the next three, five or seven Boeing-like deals on our radar screens?

Every business executive, government leader and economic commission must continually venture beyond state borders to aggressively develop new corporate relationships to solidify fresh investments and create new jobs here.

Multinational corporations pushed to near-fatal financial disaster by labor unions are now perfect prospects for South Carolina's harder-working corporate and manufacturing environments.

BARON C. HANSON

King Street

Charleston

New vanity plates

I call on all taxpayers to support me in an effort to get the S.C. Legislature to approve my proposal for a new vanity license plate.

The license plate will bear the statement "I Believe" above an image of Santa Claus. I am also seeking support for versions featuring the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. My design for the Paul Bunyan plate is still stuck in the development stage. I just can't decide whether to include Babe, the blue ox.

JUNIUS WRIGHT

Oak Island Drive

Folly Road

Safe or sorry?

I have to disagree with the writer of a Nov. 5 letter regarding a little girl who ran from a stranger offering her a treat. The little girl did exactly the right thing, and her mother was correct in calling the police.

Granted, the stranger was only offering candy. We can all understand that, but given the times, the stranger put the little girl in the position of trying to decide if this was safe. That's not her responsibility, nor is it her mother's.

I'm fairly certain the police would not fault the child for her actions or the mother for her phone call. We all like to offer candy to children, but we should remember that dangerous people also do this. If the child is someone you know, enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling of offering a treat, but if the child is unknown to you, refrain.

Children do not have the capacity to decide who is or isn't dangerous.

MARY GRADY

Moore Drive

Charleston

Sharing a smile

I do not know his name. He is the happy crossing guard on Whipple Road in front of Laing Middle School.

He offers a smile and a friendly wave as I pass him each morning on my way to work. It appears to me that he recognizes every student, car and bus that passes.

His contagious smile makes me smile and wave back to him. If more people would smile and greet others in a positive manner this would be a better world. Thank you, Mr. Crossing Guard, and keep smiling.

NANCY HERRITAGE

Parkway Drive

Mount Pleasant