Word: viewpoint
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...Robin Hood in reverse," George Church pondered whether he should collect Social Security payments he doesn't need, at the expense of the working poor [VIEWPOINT, Aug. 18]. But he conveniently failed to mention that the working poor also receive Social Security pensions, and many of those contributing relatively little receive proportionately greater benefits than those who have paid in much more to the system. Moreover, the great majority of those receiving proportionately less are not millionaires but ordinary people with incomes under $100,000, and the money withheld from their paychecks could have been better invested privately. There...
With a few thousand years of deeprooted history and traditions difficult to escape from, and with many obstacles still ahead, India is often seen as a nation whose future is an empty glass. That seems to be Rushdie's viewpoint. But India is an ancient country, a large democracy, a diverse people and a power that must be reckoned with. In spite of its diversity, overpopulation, vested interests and uninspired leadership, India has achieved remarkable economic and social progress. The country can only look forward to the next 50 years with hope and courage. CLEMENT R. PRABAKARAN Sterling Heights, Mich...
Roger Rosenblatt's conclusion on the basis of the Pathfinder mission to Mars [VIEWPOINT, July 14] is: "We are alone in the universe." That makes about as much sense as saying, "There are no elephants in my backyard; therefore there are no elephants elsewhere." Based on the two planets we know best, you could say there's a 50% chance of finding life on any given planet. Common sense and mathematics dictate that in a universe of trillions of star systems, the conditions for life could be rare and still occur millions of times. If it could happen here...
There's enough of the slacker in me to wait for some E-mailer to present my viewpoint. But my views are not reflective of the greedy self-interest that apparently drives my fellow Xers. Most of the X Generation cannot realistically afford laptops. Certainly those I know who are members of minority groups can't--and I can't. Those Xers who do not see that their PCs separate them from the mainstream even more than television does should turn off their PCs and TVs and look outside. JOHN STEENHOEK Wyoming, Mich...
...statement in Robert Wright's commentary on how people cope with technological change [VIEWPOINT, May 26] was, "Computers don't take people's jobs by acting like people." Kasparov's frustrating moment did not come after his initial loss; that moment arrived when he realized that even though he was the consummate professional, he couldn't adapt and think like his nemesis. HENRY SIKORSKI Garden City...