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Return to chalk and board for teaching

I sympathize with Radford student Thad Wells' "PowerPoint isn't an effective teacher" (Nov. 16 letter). The computer-based PowerPoint was designed to be an efficient alternative to the viewgraphs and slides earlier used for concise presentations in conferences, business meetings and other venues where the audience already has considerable background knowledge of the subject.

This is not the case in a classroom setting where students have come to learn fundamentally new material. Taking notes is very difficult during a PowerPoint presentation because each new frame replaces the one before it. The old-fashioned lecture, using chalk and a lot of blackboard space, is better.

The professor writes out important points during the lecture. This gives students time to take a good set of notes and time to think of good questions to ask during the lecture. Taking notes during a lecture reinforces understanding of the material presented, and keeps the student focused on the lecture in the classroom.

Lecturing with chalk and blackboard takes more effort than flashing PowerPoint frames, but I believe the old way has some distinct educational advantages. PowerPoint is valuable for concise presentations at meetings, but I think it is easily misused in a university classroom.

Let the newspaper back who it wants

What is it with the readers in Roanoke that all they seem to do is write to The Roanoke Times about their endorsement of Creigh Deeds for governor? Don't we all have the right to vote for whom we think will do a better job or is more qualified in our eyes? Is this because Bob McDonnell was obviously their choice and, heaven forbid, you don't agree?

I truly believe newspapers have more information and facts on the background of people running for office. I like to read all the information on people trying to get my vote. Let our newspaper have the same right we do.

Palin's pretty, but not presidential timber

Please, people, stop and think. Sarah Palin is not qualified to run this country. I cannot believe what I am seeing in this latest media frenzy. Actually, I guess I should not be too awfully concerned about a possible Palin run in 2012, since that will most certainly guarantee President Obama a second term.

What I think this boils down to is this: If Palin looked like Janet Reno (no offense, Reno) and had Reno's personality, do we really think she would be this popular right now? Yes, Palin is nice to look at, love that accent, and she is quite entertaining. But this woman is not presidential material.

If Hillary Clinton wasn't presidential material, how in heaven's name can anyone think that Palin can run this country? Stop this madness.

Palin is a mockery of American politics

I am glad to see more women in public leadership roles these days, but I cannot fathom why anyone would want to help line the pockets of a pretender like Sarah Palin by buying her book or why people would waste their time standing in line to see her or reading the manure she is shoveling.

With the millions of dollars she is making from the book and a record lacking significant accomplishments, she is truly the Paris Hilton of American politics. Much of what John McCain has achieved during his many years of service is now overshadowed by the shameful fact that he put Palin on the national stage.

We are paying for partisan policy ads

We are seeing an explosion of expensive, highly partisan advertisements calling for the defeat of health care and cap-and-trade legislation. The ads are powerful and well-crafted. We should congratulate ourselves for seeing our money so effectively spent. Because it is our money: the premiums we pay our insurance companies, the utility bills we pay our energy companies.

Isn't it wonderful that our generous payments to these businesses enable them to provide jobs in the advertising industry?

Where is the outcry on private land seizure?

Re: "Court to let private land be seized for Carilion site," Nov. 18 news story:

So an unelected bureaucracy condemns private property and then colludes in secret to sell that property, at a loss no less, to the city's mega-corporation. Where are the Tea Pot Patriots? Where is their outrage?

Unless pointed by their media leash holders, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, these summertime soldiers wouldn't know a usurpation of rights from a hole in the ground. Is their intellect as empty as their philosophy?