Letters to the editor Nov. 27

Whoever made a mess on C Hill, go clean it up

On Nevada Day, some friends and I climbed C Hill to watch the balloon launch, and once again, my joy in making the climb was spoiled by the mess left by those who built the flag.

Bags of cement were stacked and left to weather, they have now turned to concrete with the bags ripping and blowing in the wind. Also left behind are some old buckets and plastic pipe.

I'll not argue as to the appropriateness of placing the flag there, but I do find the mess left behind objectionable. I have a difficult time equating trashing the land with patriotism.

My friends suggested that we clean up the site, but I'd rather issue a challenge to those responsible for the mess to go back up and clean it up.

Donna Inversin

Carson City

Khan Academy helpful for

struggling math students

I routinely disagree with Gene Paslov's columns, but this time, he is on to something.

Readers might want to watch two video clips from a recent Education Reform Conference in San Francisco at www.excelined.org to get even more insight. Look under the "Around the Nation" section.

The two clips are from Melinda Gates and Sol Khan, and they are eye openers in where education can and must go.

As a teaser, Sol Khan runs www.khanacademy.org which has more than 2,400 video clips on math and science. It has 300,000 viewings per day and more than 3 million unique users each month and growing.

He is not a licensed teacher despite having a couple Harvard and MIT PhDs, but he is teaching math to more students each month than all the teachers in all but the larger school districts - for free.

If you know any person of any sex, rich, poor, black, white, tan, any religion, between age 4 and perhaps 60 who struggles with math, then suggest Khan Academy to them or their parents. Teachers need to check it out too.

Ray Bacon

Nevada Manufacturers Association

Local talent made 'Phantom' amazing

On Nov. 5, I had the pleasure of attending the Western Nevada College Musical Theater Company production of "Phantom of the Opera." I attended this show when it first came out in Los Angeles in 1984, when the original stars, Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford were still with the production.

The WNC production absolutely rivaled the original in talent, quality, and professionalism. I had no idea that such talented people lived in and around Carson City.

Cherie Konvicka

Carson City

Veteran still trying to

get meeting with governor

Now, after more than 100 attempts/requests to speak to you, Gov. Sandoval, you have shown that veterans are no more than a steppingstone in your political career.

With all your hand-shaking and travels to meet veterans, you choose not to do anything to help them when they need it. You were advised by your chief of staff several months ago, and still choose to do nothing about your Nevada Office of Veterans Services and their story-telling, flat lies and ordered stalling of claims for disabled veterans.

I shall continue my attempts/requests to get these matters resolved. By your choosing to use veterans as a political steppingstone, eventually the steps will fall out from underneath you. After two years of speaking to various veterans, I have yet to speak to a single veteran who has had anything but a horrible experience when dealing with the staff of NOVS.

This is your agency, and you continue to ignore the deplorable behavior of the staff. Knowing elections are a way off, I shall continue my attempts to speak to you as my right as a Nevada citizen.

Chuck Lundberg

Mound House

Thank you officials

for raising awareness

to pancreatic cancer.

Thank you, Mayor Crowell and Carson City supervisors, and thank you, Gov. Sandoval for proclaiming November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

The National Cancer Act was enacted in 1971, and there has been significant improvement in overall cancer survival rates. Sadly, pancreatic cancer survival rates are not reflected in this. Pancreatic cancer, the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., has seen an increase of cases and deaths, and remains the only cancer that still has a five-year survival rate in the single digits - 6 percent.

My family has been deeply involved in the battle since my husband was diagnosed in 2008 with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. He is one of the fortunate ones as he is still enjoying life.

We cannot wait longer. We must make research into pancreatic cancer a priority in this country so progress is made toward better treatment options, early detection and cure. Volunteers for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in Tahoe and Northern Nevada regions are helping to accomplish that goal by introducing local Awareness Proclamations recognizing November as National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

The proclamations raise awareness and encourage our elected officials to make fighting pancreatic cancer a priority. Support fellow citizens afflicted by this disease and advocate for greater awareness and more resources to fight pancreatic cancer.

Virginia Jed

Incline Village