Thumbs down to the video I happened to see of the two Texas football players who rammed a referee in the back during a game. I am all for hard hitting football, even fights among players in a game is semi-normal, but to viciously attack a referee, with his back turned to you, who is simply there trying to do his job and officiate a game is ridiculous and cowardly. Both players have been suspended and an investigation is ongoing to their intent as well as if a coach possibly influenced their actions. It is also alleged that the referee may have made some racial comments during the game which sparked this attack. If this is true, I am not condoning these comments at all. However, there are much better ways to handle a situation than to viciously attack an official. In a school of over 100,000 students these two individuals made a selective roster, and were expected to represent their school positively, therefore thumbs down to them and their actions.

–CT

Thumbs down to the parents/grandparents/adult caregivers of the students in the Norwich Middle and High Schools who impede traffic for more than a hour before school lets out. I suppose a second ‘thumbs down’ should go to the persorn or group that designed the ‘parent pickup’ location. It’s too small, it’s chaotic, and adults arrive to the location more than an hour before school lets out. The road is not all that wide as it is, and I’ve seen folks even double parked to await their student’s release from the institution. The owners of the nearby building with a vast parking lot has opted to exercise its property rights and block off the entrance to the parking lot. Last school year, dozens of parents would park in that private lot to wait. I’ve seen parents wait in the private driveway of a stranger. I’ve seen a parent pass a car in the school zone, only to immediately slam on the brakes to park in the ‘parent pickup’ and read, because it was only 1 p.m. Come on folks, get it together. No one wants a story of a car hitting a child near the school, exercise logic. And to the school ... it seems as though more parents pick up their children than you have space for ... fix it.

–ARB

Thumbs up for the 21st Annual Chenango Colorscape Arts Festival which is set to kick-off this weekend in East and West parks in the heart of downtown Norwich. Each year, Colorscape brings in skilled artists and crafters of every trade for a three-day event that emphasizes the creative side of Chenango County. Whether you’re a fan of paintings and sculpture or music and dance (or maybe just a fan of good food), the event has undoubtedly earned its reputable status as an end-of-summer tradition in Chenango County. Best of luck to all who are involved in the juried shows this year, as well as those who will be pounding the pavement for the second annual 5K Color Dash. It’s going to be a great weekend.

– SM

Thumbs up to the unidentified passerby who alerted authorities of the suspicions bag left near the Oxford NBT Bank/Quickway Thursday. The multi-agency response and swift, thorough investigation was a fine example of what we spend some of our hard earned tax dollars on. While naysayers will balk that our “nanny state” has become far too over zealous with our “hair-trigger” responses; I say Sept. 11 is a good reason for us all to be a little more observant and cautions than we were 14 years ago. Besides, what did it hurt to have the bomb squad show up just to be sure? Consider it a luxury the people of Boston, New York, Oklahoma City and Columbine didn't have. We should be grateful, rather than syntactical or skeptical – Especially on this solemn day.

—MSW