Look, no hands
(In response to Zachary Levin-Epstein’s column “TWD: an ignored technological ‘epidemic.’”)
Legislation has value in raising public awareness in forums like [statepress.com] but it will be difficult to solely legislate our way out of this issue. I just read that 72 percent of teens text daily — many text more than 3,000 times a month. New college students no longer have email addresses! They use texting and Facebook — even with their professors. This text-and-drive issue is in its infancy and it’s not going away.
I decided to do something about it after my 3-year-old daughter was nearly run down right in front of me by a texting driver. Instead of a shackle that locks down phones and alienates the user, especially teens, I built a tool called OTTER that is a simple app for smartphones — low cost, [and] no recurring fees. I think if we can empower the individual then change will come to our highways now and not just our laws.
Erik Wood Owner of OTTER LLC
Defining 'gifted'
(In response to Rheyanne Weaver's July 30 article, "Faculty, students: Not all 'gifted' students attend Barrett, not all Barrett students 'gifted.'")
The admissions process is an imperfect science at best. Well-qualified students who have the potential to make a large contribution may be passed up because schools are focused too much on test scores.
Clay Boggess
Reader
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