School uniforms will make better students

I'm hoping that parents of school-age children in Albany realize the uniform code is not to discredit anyone's intelligence.

In today's time, with so much pressure on our young, I think it is beneficial. Your children won't worry about who is wearing the best of the best, which a lot of you simply can't afford. Your children will be focused on learning and reaching their dreams to their greatest potential, rather than being buried in a graveyard before their time.

Wake up, parents. This should be a savings in your pocket book. Don't look at your child wearing the same uniform as being "communist," as someone stated. I'm glad our grandson wears a uniform.

Ask yourself: Do I want my child to be smart or do I want him or her to exhibit s.m.a.r.t. — style may always reward thugs?

BETTY MASON
Albany

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Medicom's monopoly discourages resident

In 50 years I have never had a more disheartening experience as a consumer. I'm trying to be a loyal customer of Mediacom, signing on for an attractive package of cable, Internet, and telephone services. Since then, Mediacom has done everything to turn me off and has done that so well it leads me to ask if they want me as a customer.

They send inexperienced, untrained technicians to repair failing services time and again, and even when I speak with their management, I never get a sense of urgency, common courtesy or good old-fashioned customer service. When one of their more investigative technicians, after more than three months, finally repairs the multiple problems with all three services, Mediacom lets us wait for more than six weeks to bury a cable in our yard. They had promised to bury it within five to 10 business days.

As a former satisfied Dish Network customer, I had read mostly negative articles about cable companies, but I never thought I would become a disappointed customer. Now I am, and I am amazed by this company's incompetence in the critical field of communications. This is the price consumers pay when competition is absent. Mediacom needs a consumer advocate who is willing to take on Mediacom's management that hides behind its customer representatives in Albany.

Better yet, we need elected officials who are willing to fight big business to keep competition alive.

JAN BOESTEN
Albany