| Parents often fumble on financial aid forms
High school seniors have been scrambling for months to complete their applications for college. Now it's their parents' turn to sweat.
The start of the year marks the launch of financial aid season, when parents fill out exhaustively detailed forms in an effort to get their share of the billions of dollars of assistance available. Unfortunately, aid forms can be every bit as unnerving as college applications. Missteps can cost thousands.
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Davidson Calendar: Jan. 18-31, 2008
The Improv Nashville Show: Improv Nashville performs scenes, games and a one-act play based on audience suggestions. 8 p.m. Jan. 18 and 25, 12th South Arts Venue, 2907 12th Ave. S.; $10; tickets: 418-0905 or www.improvnashville.com. Donate Blood: Minimum age 17. Minimum weight 110 pounds. Info: main switchboard is 346-7000. For blood donation, 1-800-GIVE LIFE (448-3543). http://tnvalley.redcross.org/hoursA.html#one. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 18 and 25; 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 19 and 26; 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Jan. 21-24, 28-31, American Red Cross, Nashville Area Chapter, 2201 Charlotte Ave. .
The perfect storm could really blow
Mark Mitchell from London, Canada writes: Why does not anybody realize that U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait virtually ensures the free flow of oil supplies to the West? Moreover, why does nobody realize that the dollar's linkage to those massively protected supplies ensures the United States can continue to sustain its massive debt so long as its military holds the world's oil hostage? "
The US Navy ensures that there is stability in the world. The USA is not dependent on oil from the mid-East (no more than 15% of its daily oil needs come from mid-East). Same cannot be said for Europe, Japan and China. Without the USA protecting the world's oil supply Japan and China certainly would have to take steps to to do so. Yet a militarized Japan is not acceptable to China, similarly Japan could not accept China controlling Japan's access to oil.
Indiana's voter ID law protects against fraud
Leading up to the law's passage in 2005, the bipartisan Carter-Baker Commission determined that all states, including Indiana, experienced repeated acts of in-person voter fraud. Simultaneously, the National Crime Prevention Council reported that identity theft had become and continues to be the fastest-growing crime in our nation. Just like we now take precautions to prevent ourselves from becoming victims of identity theft when making everyday transactions, simply showing one of several government-issued IDs before voting protects our most sacred civic transaction -- one person, one vote -- from being violated by those who would cheat to win what are becoming an ever-increasing number of close elections. Because the potential existed for pervasive voter fraud and consequent disenfranchisement of legitimate voters, we implemented a comprehensive package of laws designed to improve the integrity of elections.
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