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2016 Times Leader Boys Track and Field All-Stars

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Letter to the Editor: Ensure students are career-ready, not merely ready to graduate

<p>At the risk of setting off &#8220;fireworks&#8221; among friends and family at your holiday get-together, dare to take a stance on these Fourth of July topics.</p><p>&#8226; <strong>Most suitable film to mark the occasion</strong>. &#8220;Yankee Doodle Dandy&#8221; and &#8220;Independence Day,&#8221; by virtue of their titles alone, shoot to the top of the list. Watchers of war movies, however, can make compelling cases for &#8220;Saving Private Ryan,&#8221; &#8220;Glory&#8221; and dozens of other American classics. What about &#8220;Mr. Smith Goes to Washington&#8221;? Should &#8220;Top Gun&#8221; be in the running? A jokester in your group might vote for &#8220;Stripes.&#8221; For our money, however, it&#8217;s no contest: &#8220;1776&#8221; wins.</p><p>&#8226; <strong>Heinz or Hunt&#8217;s?</strong> Ketchup fanatics tend to develop a loyalty, and they won&#8217;t be caught dipping their French, uh, freedom fries in the competitor&#8217;s condiment. The Pittsburgh-based Heinz company&#8217;s product wins bonus points among Pennsylvania natives for reasons having to do with state pride, if not the palate. Play it safe at your picnic, and provide both varieties. No sense getting caught in a pickle.</p><p>&#8226; <strong>Mustards</strong>. Yellow &#8211; and only yellow &#8211; belongs on the hot dog. Save the spicy brown, Dijon, fruit and other flavors for casseroles, like, maybe, the baked beans. Are we right?</p><p>&#8226; <strong>Acceptable sporting activities for amateurs on July 4</strong>: Baseball, of course, because of its standing as America&#8217;s pastime. Softball counts, too. Patriotic picnickers also may participate in badminton, horseshoes and all varieties of volleyball (beach, pool and traditional). Unacceptable: ice hockey, (Canadian rules) football and cricket.</p><p>&#8226; <strong>Appropriate headwear</strong>: Tri-cornered hat, but only if you comfortably can pull off the Colonial look. (Note: Without a white wig, you probably cannot.) Baseball caps. Floppy beach hats, preferably with ultra-wide brims. And anything dictated by your religion (of which, per your American rights, you have the freedom to choose).</p><p>&#8226; <strong>Best brand of hot dog</strong>. <strong>Or beer</strong>. We don&#8217;t even want to wade into this morass. If you do, tread carefully. Hours of discussion could result merely from mentioning that, for this summer, Budweiser rebranded itself as &#8220;America.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226; <strong>Favorite freedom</strong>. <strong>Or most endangered freedom</strong>. Discuss. (Using your freedom of speech, we might note.)</p><p>&#8226; <strong>Politics</strong>. Beware. Whether referencing the notable U.S. political figures of 1776 or 2016, or any era in between, you&#8217;re sure to stir up a hornet&#8217;s nest. Perhaps it&#8217;s best to just declare this a holiday from heated discussions.</p><p>Happy Fourth of July.</p><style>
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Our Opinion: Feel free to debate these ‘hot topics’ on Fourth of July