There is something seriously wrong with our elected officials. Despite the constant stream of examples demonstrating their inability to actually do their jobs, we keep electing the same type of person.

Perhaps some examples? The recent government shutdown scare comes to mind.

In the event of a shutdown, close to 600,000 workers would have been suspended or furloughed without pay.

To the Editor:

Professors are here to teach us, they care about their chosen profession, and they have earned the right to be treated with honor and respect.

They have been students themselves and have had to deal with term papers, essays, higher math, all the same subjects we do.

This is an institution of higher learning, a place where adults should walk the halls.

Perhaps I shouldn’t try to write this column when I’m hungry, but as I contemplate the topic of diversity, my mind keeps taking me to muffins. Who doesn’t love a good muffin now and then?

There are many kinds from which to choose, but we don’t necessarily embrace each kind with equal enthusiasm.

Some people enjoy a good muffin filled with fruit: blueberries, strawberries, apple pieces. Others prefer nuts or chocolate chips in theirs.

To the Editor:

In response to all the articles published in the Pioneer recently about recycling and “going green,” I can’t help but wonder where OCCC’s Environmental Club is in all of this.

As of last year, the Environmental Club was listed on the campus grounds website but is no longer there.

After attending the Environmental Fair April 19 for going green week, I know there are plenty of people interested in the well being of our environment. If this is the case, why are we not able to maintain an environmental club?

To the Editor:

According to a fact sheet at http://ggweather.com/heat the total number of heat-related deaths from kids being left in cars from 1998 to date is 496 with 20 already having occurred this year.

The Kids and Cars website at www.kidsandcars.org gives the following advice:

If you haven’t, it is not too late!

Many universities are still accepting applications for the Fall 2011, but you have to act quickly.

Here are a few tips:

A volatile topic circling the world of collegiate sports is whether student athletes deserve to be paid for playing.

College athletes earn major universities millions of dollars in revenue annually, while they receive an education in return.

According to the Birmingham Business Journal, the Texas Longhorns earn the most for the college with $72.95 million in football revenue, and more than $120 million overall.

I’ve been in this world a long time and lived in some of the worst places imaginable. I am currently in college at a wonderful school with wonderful people and it amazes me how a few bad apples can really spoil the barrel. Some people are disrespectful just because they can be.

OCCC has a campus full of nice, respectful professors and employees. In my experience at least 99 percent of the staff that I have met and have worked with are respectful to others. It is the one percent I have a big problem with.