Turnstile

by Peter Lehman

I have watched the newspapers this past week and was surprised not to see any mention of Ronald Reagan's birthday, or any retrospective on his accomplishments. I would like to take the time to wish a belated birthday to President Reagan and also to thank him for the gifts he gave us.

It would be easy to point out all tangible benefits that stemmed from the Reagan years: inflation — 13.5 percent under Carter, 5.5 percent under Reagan; unemployment falling from 7.6 percent in 1980 to 5.5 percent in 1989; an average growth of the gross domestic product (3.2percent) that tops the average under Clinton (2.8 percent). Taxes were lowered, and real income increased for all income groups.

The "Decade of Greed?"  Charitable giving increased during his terms in office and has decreased since. What about that nasty deficit that is so often thrust out as Reagan's legacy? Well, all but one of his budgets were lower than the money SPENT by a then-democratic-party-controlled congress. It would do us good to remember that a lot of that money was spent on a military that hadn't received new equipment since the early 1970s. This is the military that faced down the Soviets in Europe, and we might remember that many of the weapons systems that helped us to defeat Iraq in four days all flourished under Reagan's support.

There are many more facts that could be given in defense of Reagan's legacy. However, a more lasting legacy is one that has no tangible measure. That is how Reagan left us feeling about America.  He reminded us, and educated the liberals, that America is the best country in the world. He took us back to a time when it was an individual who decided his own destiny, when we depended on ourselves, friends and family, and not a government program, to get what we wanted out of life.  Peggy Noonan, one of Reagan's speechwriters, put it best when she said, "Bill Clinton loves America at her best...Reagan loves America, period."

He reminded us that we don't need to have multiple degrees to understand how America works. He knew that individuals, not the elite in academia or in government, know what is best for us and for our families. And he knew that values and virtues could be the most important things to an individual, providing a steady base for personal improvement, love and family.

The spectra of communism fallen away, pride in America returned, individualism and capitalism championed, life cherished...I think that even now, President Reagan has given us gifts we are still experiencing.

Send Lehman an e-mail at Namenuff4@cs.com.

Hey, prognosticate this!

by Jacque Bland

(U-WIRE) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (West Virginia U.) —

I've been lied to.

Ever since those kindergarten days when I would take the brown

Crayola out of the box and carefully and meticulously color in the smiling little groundhog to celebrate everyone's favorite non-holiday holiday -- Groundhog Day -- I was being deceived.

According to a story by The Associated Press this week, Punxatawney Phil is one lousy predictor. In fact, he probably couldn't predict himself out of a paper sack.

However, my mind goes back to this time last week when at 1 a.m., I piled into the car with three close friends and drove the three-plus hours to Punxy just to see this phenomenon.

The U.S. government actually has statistics proving that Phil is... a meteorological moron. Even more, the statistics show that he's in a 13-year slump ... which, if I'm not wrong, is longer than even the longest Pittsburgh Pirates dry spell (eh, maybe not).

So let me try to lay it out for you: since 1887, these weird guys in top hats and tails, called "The Inner Circle," get up well before the crack of dawn on Feb. 2 and gather around Gobbler's Knob in Punxatawney, rap on the little guy's tree stump and pull him out.

The president of this circle speaks to him in "Groundhogese," and then reads out a little poem telling the eagerly awaiting fans what to expect.

This year, like 100 other times in the last 115 years, the little guy saw his shadow. First, with all the spotlights they've got going on around his stump, you have to wonder how the hell he's not going to see it. Anyway, his prediction of six more weeks of winter was met with a chorus of "boos" and "You suck, Phil," but nobody questioned it as the delicate snowflakes fell on that below-freezing day in Pennsylvania.

Flash forward to Thursday, Feb. 7, when, as I look out my office window, I see nothing but blue skies and people running around in shorts as the temperature flirts with 70 degrees.

Hmm. Maybe there is something to these government statistics after all.

"Phil showed no predictive skill during these years," said Tom Ross, a meteorologist with the National Climatic Data Center operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

No predictive skills? He's a groundhog, for Pete's sake. He doesn't even have opposable thumbs, and the NOAA is expecting him to be a weather wizard?

I think what may get me the most about this entire situation is the government's perceived need to go ahead and put their two cents' worth into this ritual, which really serves little purpose other than a good time.

What's next? Will they release statistics saying that there's no conceivable way Santa is able to deliver presents across time zones in one day?

The AP also reported that NOAA spokeswoman Pat White said Wednesday the comparison was meant to inject some humor into otherwise dull weather statistics, but "some people didn't think it was funny."

Exactly. Granted, there were some people I saw in Punxatawney taking the day a little too seriously, I think the government agency is a little off in its idea of "humor."

There are some things I believe should be kept in fun. Most normal, rational people wouldn't believe a groundhog has mystical weather predicting abilities. Most people would get themselves caught up in the spirit of fun and atmosphere surrounding this tradition and probably not question whether the prediction had any merit.

While I like factoids as much as the next camper, I don't think I would plan my vacation around the musings of one groundhog and his loyal inner circle of worshippers.

I mean, I can prognosticate every day for a week (though more than twice a week can cause complications) that if I turn on the TV and Jenny Jones is having some type of paternity show or other, that West Virginia University will cancel classes. I could make a big to-do about it ... invite reporters, have an all-night party, get TV cameras there ... maybe even have someone drag me out of my bed to the living room to turn the TV on at 9 a.m. Maybe sell a few T-shirts, that kind of thing.

I'm also fairly certain that university statisticians, public relations workers, physical plant employees and even pottery professors would collaborate to say that I am unreliable, and that people shouldn't base their class attendance on my prediction.

Well, duh.

Leave the little guy alone. He's just doing what comes naturally.