Lately, our reader comments have given us plenty on which to report. Following our June 16 post, comments left by "Friend Fanatic" and "Neighbors to the West" managed to spark our collective ire. That's something only "Cynical Richard" and a certain anonymous reader have managed to do previously.
Regarding the idea of Dorchester School consolidating with Friend, "Neighbors to the West" wrote: "Many of the board members from Dorchester were interested in consolidation a few years ago. ... Stay in your own little world and you will be swallowed up by Crete in no time."
News flash: Dorchester isn't Elkhorn -- and Crete certainly isn't Omaha. As we've noted elsewhere, the Times and its editors oppose consolidation -- with Friend or any other school. While we realize there are things Friend has done better than Dorchester, such as investment in community infrastructure, Dorchester should learn from our "neighbors to the west" -- not necessarily join them.
A more intriguing comment came from "Friend Fanatic", who made reference to agricultural subsidies when another reader mentioned how many acres he paid taxes on. "Fanatic" wrote: "700 acres? That's a lot of land. Must be nice to have someone give you that much land -- a great inheritance. I bet it takes a big mailbox to get all those government checks each month. You bad mouth Friend, but your new superintendent lives here, so it must be better than good old Dorchester."
That comment desperately needs a reality check.
The fact is, farmers in the Friend zip code have received millions more in government payments than those surrounding Dorchester or any other area community. According to USDA data, from 1995-2005, Friend-area farmers received nearly $36 million in government subsidies -- more than $12 million (or 34%) more than Dorchester farmers. Friend farmers also received $11.6 million more than Crete farmers; $12.2 million more than Wilber farmers; and $11.7 million more than Milford farmers. Readers can find this information for themselves by entering the Friend zip code (68359) at this Web site.
For the record, we do not have a problem with reasonable commodity price supports. Although we like the free market, we understand that price supports are sometimes necessary in the unpredictable world of farming. But to our buddy in Friend, you should be more careful when launching stones from your big glass house.
Hi dweller
ReplyDeletegot a few things for you.
First of all..are you and cynical richard related? Sure like to cause a lot of stink?
Second, the comments last night came from two different people. Just because they were close together in time doesnt mean that they came from the same person. It is interesting, but we do have more than one computer in town that has access to your blog site. Dont you love the modern technology.
it is always interesting to listen to the things that Friend does wrong, but you still use our doctors, hospital and businesses. No one has ever turned a dorchester person away that i am aware of.
And finally, you better be careful with all the facts, we might be able to figure out who you are and then you couldnt be so bold with your comments. Do any of you work at the Coop?
Have a nice day, and if you want...........come jump in our pool, its nice and refreshing.
I, too, remember a few years back when many of us had to attend a school board meeting to put a stop to the talk of consolidation with Friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure who was on the board at that time, but I do think that at least a couple of the board members are the same as they are now. If my memory serves me, I believe a current member of DACA (and I'm certain one of the editors of this blog) was on the board at that time and was actually in favor of consolidation until all of us showed up at that particular school board meeting.
Now "we" (DACA=Dorchester Times) are adamantly opposed to consolidation?
Don't get me wrong--I'm not in favor of consolidation--never have been, but it seems to me that some people's opinions (with respect to consolidation as well as what Dorchester's enrollment numbers would be) have changed dramatically in the intervening 10 years.
As far as government handouts--I guess if they're giving them out, I'd have my hand out too. And besides, when you're talking millions of dollars of handouts, I really don't care if its $1 million or $50 million, its still a heck of a lot of money and I don't care whose zip code it's in!
Hey now, that pool, hospital and everything else in Friend was built on gov't subsidies. Good for you dweller. Stickin it to the man!!!
ReplyDeleteHey "friend fanatic"...would you be so 'bold with your comments' if people knew who YOU are???
ReplyDeleteisnt that telling us something, that we cannot afford a new school. thanks for putting up those fiqures. were to small of town. and the people cannot afford it.
ReplyDeleteTo the writer above, your spelling is proof we DO need to invest more in our school.
ReplyDeleteGo back an re-read the story...slowwwwly. Dorchester farmers got more subsidies than Wilber. Have you seen their school lately? Which of the 2 towns is better positioned geographically to grow. Answer is Dorchester with its proximity to Lincoln. Another thing, our farmers also make the same as Milford which is another town with a nice school. Quit trying to scare people with the "we can't afford it" arguement. You know, that's been a standard line reaping failure for far too long!!!
This comment field really allows people to rip on each other. How about trying to keep feedback constructive? Float ideas instead of insults? That seems a little more productive to me.
ReplyDeleteWhy does anyone care "whom" one is?? I think being anonymous is great - you can actually state your true feelings and not get "black listed" for it. Everyone keep up their blogging - it makes for fascinating reading.
ReplyDeleteIf your so smart, why dont you run for mayor. If you think you can afford more taxes, you must be a farmer, or have lots of money, and you don't work two jobs. Our school is fine. Fix up what we need, there's other schools that are in worst shape than ours. Check some of them out. The new superintendent, might be a good thing, there was nothing the matter with our school when he was here.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, did someone hit a nerve here??
ReplyDeleteI like it......forums like this finally allow the silent majority to be as loud as the "say no to all progress" crowd.....and they hate it!!!!
ReplyDeleteBy the way friend fanatic, I doubt I'm related to the folks at the Times since most my family is in Friend and Wilber. And don't bring up your little puddle you call a pool...........we know it costs the city of friend more to keep up than you make in admissions........the pools next to my cows' pies are more refreshing.
cynical richard and friend fanatic---I swear if you guys quit posting to this blog, I'm gonna quit reading!!!
ReplyDeleteYou guys crack me up!!
Who the heck doesn't love a good old friendly debate??
good old richard
ReplyDeleteat least our streets to our pool are paved and we dont have to drive through the mess you have in your little hell hole.
Hows that dust taste?
I think you just burnt yourself there big guy. Not too many people over here swin in refreshing puddles in their feed lots.
Friend fanatic, I own pasture.......not a feed yard. You can make fun of Dorchester all day as you live off that gov't subsidy farming money.......but one single business in Dorchester makes more than all your businesses combined and we'll have the last laugh when the Dorchester cooperative buys up that rinky friend elevator.
ReplyDeletecynical richard,
ReplyDeletei dont care if you own pasture or feed lots, it was your comment, "the pools next to my cow's pies are more refreshing" tends to make me think that anyone who cools off in these pools cant be all there.
Got any sheep??Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
and now you are taking credit for a big business that makes a lot of money. I wonder what would happen if these towns would have had the same attitude and told the coop to go to h---. Stay in your little own world.
Isnt this a form of consolidation??? is it better for the communties and the person involved?
And finally, all your messages are posted during the day, must not have a job??
Have a good day, supposed to be a hot one, maybe slip on down to the crick, watch out for those snappers.
I really didnt want to consolidate. Friend's schools suck for one reason. when that was found out there was a proposal that it would be better that the school would be closer to dorchester and guess who stopped acting so tough.....FHS
ReplyDeleteSomeone wants to know who is writing this Dorchester Times because they say that something Federally has been commited. Illegal is how it should be put. I see nothing illegal at all done on this site besides all the slams to each other from almost!!!!!! everyone.And I do not mean almost everyone ,so do not take it personal!!!! We need to clean up some of the comments being made!Some are printed some are not. Lets try a little harder Village Dweller Just a concerned by stander???????
ReplyDeleteRest assured nothing illegal has been committed on this Web site, Anonomous. (Someone has been watching too much 'Law and Order'.)
ReplyDeleteWe're not going to restate our comment policy, but we publish everything that meets our guidelines. We get many, many comments everyday and do our best to sort them out while also publishing our news stories.
We do the best we can.
Keep reading the Times. We're not going anywhere!