In southern Lexington, Aiken and Orangeburg counties, internet access is spotty.
Unless you have Spectrum or a satellite dish, forget about it, says Robert White who covers this area for us.
Even the schools try with “Hot Spots.” 
Sometimes it works, sometimes not.
“I have been told by several folks that they have the internet at work, but they like picking up a print edition to take home because they have no connection and can take their time reading it,” Robert said.
Robert makes a great point. Internet access or use is not equitable or universal yet.
But “reading” is a skill we need to encourage as it is a skill future generations will need to succeed in life.
The latest research shows that online gaming and passive access to daily news on radio and TV dumbs us down.
I know our colleagues in radio and TV don’t want to read this – and I do believe they perform a public service in keeping the community aware of breaking news, weather and sports. But if that is all you do and never read, it will dumb you down. And I mean that to my friend Mr. Knozit, a great TV personality and avid Chronicle reader.
Research by Pew and others shows social media and TV watching dumb down not only tomorrow’s leaders. It dumbs down all of us who do not practice reading for information or pleasure every day of our lives.
If you aren’t convinced that reading is good for you, consider this:
• Research shows that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of or possibly even prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Keep your brain active and engaged to prevent it from losing power.
Your brain is like other muscles. It requires exercise to stay healthy. Working puzzles and playing games such as chess also help cognitive stimulation.
• Everything you read fills your brain with new information. You never know when it may come in handy. With more knowledge, you are better-equipped to tackle life’s constant challenges. 
• The more you read, the more words you add to your vocabulary. 
Being well-spoken is of great help in any profession. Knowing you can speak with self-confidence boosts your self-esteem and lead to success in your career,
 • In reading stories, you have to remember characters and their backgrounds. Each new memory you create forges new synapses in your brain and strengthens your short-term memory’s recall.
• Reading newspaper, magazines and books develops your analytical thinking skills. Even reading fiction, particularly mysteries, takes analytical thinking to note the clues and figure out whodunnit.
TV watching is not active reading and you don’t develop your analytical and comprehension building skills.
A dumber world than the dumb one we live in today is a frightening prospect.
It is why tyrants and fanatics like Hitler, Stalin and the mullahs can mislead so many innocents into performing horrific acts.
All of us in the “word business” – educators, librarians, writers, editors, authors, etc.–  need to form partnerships to promote reading daily as an essential skill.
Next: The greatest question

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