An incredible journey

There was a time in American culture when explorers and scientists were looked upon with awe and wonder for their amazing feats and discoveries. Today, while people are mass consumers of technology, it seems they are less inclined to note the achievement.

A little bit of that former way of thinking was revived this week when American Colin O’Brady completed an amazing feat — trekking across Antarctica by himself over 54 days. He is the first person to complete a solo trip across the continent.

Incredible. And inspiring. Much more so than anything tweeted or posted. Ever.

Too much tech harmful

Speaking of technology, there is a new problem out there, one that comes as no surprise to those who have witnessed it firsthand. Young people are becoming “addicted” to the internet and video gaming.

There are now 12-step programs for this problem, just as for those who battle drug, alcohol or gambling addiction. Like those other addictions, technology offers an escape from a reality that some people find overwhelming.

We hope parents and friends take note. The internet, video games, the latest app or gadget are all valuable. They are just not life itself.

Great program for teens

Fairmont High School is offering a new activity for students that will help them with their research, reasoning, public speaking and teamwork skills. It is Mock Trial.

Two local attorneys are providing the coaching for the nine students in grades 7-12 who have decided to participate. The youth must prepare a case and be ready to defend their arguments.

All of us know people in our lives who like to argue or express their opinions, but who have not really thought things out. That is the opposite of the lesson taught in Mock Trial.

Send in more troops?

The United States now seems poised to withdraw from several places around the world where it has been fighting Islamic extremists. Syria and Afghanistan are the two main examples.

President Trump wants to get the U.S. out of these situations. The U.S. has been in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years. If we have not solved the problem there, we are not going to. In Syria, there were 2,000 U.S. troops, and this small number was not going to resolve that conflict either.

Would Trump critics prefer major U.S. troop commitments abroad? No? We didn’t think so.