LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Who's laughing now; New football coach; Hearing just peachy

Who's laughing now

Liberal media, late-night comedians and political cartoonists (including at least one that ran in this great newspaper) are enjoying bashing Trump because a few world leaders laughed behind his back.

I see it differently. The leaders remind me of a few disgruntled employees standing around the water cooler talking about the boss. And believe me, Trump is the boss when it comes to world leaders. But for these leaders to laugh at Trump when their economies are going south really shows how pathetic and trivial they really are. The U.S. economy is roaring and the envy of the world, while each of the countries represented by the laughing leaders is in the tank.

Now who has the last laugh?

TIM IRBY

Little Rock

New football coach

That sucking sound I hear could be Frank Broyles turning over in his grave. Wasn't it John Barnhill's advice to him that only an experienced head coach be hired for our program? With all due respect to Coach Pittman, he's never been a head coach of a college (or pro) team.

On a parallel theme, when will our system start contracting based on incentives rather than payouts on dismissals? I'm tired of supporting folks while they are out job-searching on my dime. Bring me a whistle and a sweatshirt and a Hog hat, please.

ORVILLE CLIFT

Tontitown

Hearing just peachy

Some 50 years ago, the United States Senate Subcommittee on Communications held a hearing to decide on the amount of funding for educational television. Chairman John Pastore had been hesitant to approve funding of the requested $20 million.

The last witness on the second and final day was Fred Rogers of early childhood public television fame through his program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. As Rogers bypassed his prepared philosophical script, he shared one child's honest question earlier posed in one of his small group settings with children.

The child's penetrating question compelled Rogers to compose a song about the feeling of control. And it was this song that won Pastore over. In fact, at the end of the hearing, the senator said, "I think it's wonderful, I think it's wonderful," and added, "Looks like you just earned the $20 million."

The lyrics began with the child's question, "What do you do with the mad that you feel--when you feel so mad you could bite?" And it ended with, "I can stop when I want to, can stop when I wish, can stop, stop, stop any time. Know that there's something deep inside that helps us become what we can."

LINDA L. SCISSON

Little Rock

It got the gist, I think

I bought a worn-out Cliffs Notes copy of The Art of the Deal at the thrift store. All that was left were the covers and a postcard taped to the inside.

It simply read: "Lie, cheat and steal."

RUSSELL LEMOND

Little Rock

If there's no paper ...

I have been a newspaper reader and a news sponge since I was a teen, so for nearly five decades. But I've been pleased with the new Monday through Saturday digital version of the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette.

My husband and I can now read the paper at the same time on two devices, it's available earlier, we get done reading it sooner, and it's cut down tremendously on our recycling. However, we both still look forward to that stack of newsprint outside the front door on Sunday morning.

We only wonder about access for everyone in the future to the news of today for research/background, and we think it might need a new name. Can it still be called a news "paper" if there's no paper?

JOYCE WILLIAMS

North Little Rock

Editorial on 12/10/2019

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