The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 79, Ed. 1 Friday, October 2, 1998 Page: 4 of 22
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Page 4A
The Boerne Star
Friday, October 2, 1998
• BOERNE STAR •
1 e wp oints
Mr. President,
handle some
iome repairs
In light of recent news and events
coming to us out of Washington con-
cerning the President, I have been
searching for ways to insure that
these things don’t ever occur again.
It has been tough on me to try and
figure out what I could recommend
to the President of the United States
that would make certain that he
doesn’t get into this sort of mess
again in the future.
In the best interests of my country,
I have actually lain awake at night
thinking of various schemes that
could be applied to keep this country
from ever experiencing these kinds
of difficult matters again.
After much deliberation and
thought, I have finally hit upon an
idea that I think would work. In all
honesty, it comes to me after I had
been working on a similar project
Letters to
N. America
PEARY
PERRY
Ever been electronically mooned?
The world ain't getting any
worse. We've only got better facil-
ities.
KEN HUBBARD
A Breath
around my own house.
The idea that would keep President
Bill busy and out of trouble? Well,
it’s home repairs and yard work.
Now, think back; when was the last
time you saw Bill Clinton (or any
other President) out mowing the
yard at the White House? For that
matter, when did you ever see him
out working on those bushes in the
Rose Garden?
Roses take a lot of time and effort
to keep them in shape. I suppose the
White House has a whole staff of
people hired to just work on those
roses.
I would like to suggest that since
Bill is living in the house for free,
that he do something to help out
around there. You know, we could
help lower the budget if he’d get out
and do some manual labor with the
yard and flower beds.
If he’d consider edging down by
the street, then he could use that
opportunity to talk to visitors and
other countries might just enjoy
doing something on a simple scale
without wearing a necktie. All of the
state dinners I’ve seen on the news
don’t look very relaxing to me.
Everyone always looks uptight and
stiff in tuxedos and formals. It might
be a welcome change to have every-
one gather around the old barbecue
pit and sing some old songs.
Why, I bet the White House does-
n’t even have a barbecue pit. Bill
could get some nifty plans from
Popular Mechanix and whip one of
those up in his spare time as well. A
lasting memorial to his legacy.
You know, another thing Bill
might want to do is some home
repairs. I mean, that place is pretty
old. It probably needs some work on
it by now.
If it’s like my house, the chore list
never ends. There is always some-
thing to paint, gutters to clean,
something to fix.
Bill could really improve his
image if we’d see him with a set of
tools strapped around his waist,
climbing a ladder to fix a shutter on
the East Wing or cleaning out some
Have you ever been talking with someone on
the telephone when you hear an interrupting
‘click,’ and the person at the other end of the
line interrupts you to take the other call? Sure,
you have. We all have.
Or, have you been to lunch with someone who
insists answering every call that comes in on her
mobile phone? Yep, been there, done that.
Then there’s the ‘meeting-interrupter-beeping-
beeper’ that distracts everyone. The recipient of
the message embarrassingly hunts for his beep-
er (how many places can it be?), tries to shut it
off in less than 10 minutes, and lamely apolo-
gizes for ‘forgetting’ to turn the thing off before
coming to the meeting.
I recently had a scary vision of the communi-
cations future. Already, we suffer from ‘com-
munications overload.’ Daily, we are bombard-
.ed with thousands of meaningless messages —
all under the guise of fulfilling our ‘need to
know.’
Here’s what could happen in the future: The
all-too-busy executive is meeting someone for
lunch at a typically busy restaurant. He walks in
of
Fresh Air
KEN
NIETENHOEFER
drinks and hundreds of pounds of silverware all
over the floor.
He finally meets his business contact and they
sit down for a nice meal and a meaningful busi-
ness discussion. However, just as they begin
talking, his beeper goes off.
He can’t seem to get it turned off until every-
one in the entire restaurant has noticed him.
(Just bought a new suit, too). Must return the
call, he says.
A few minutes later, he says he’s sorry, but he
must absolutely check the stock market, so he
pulls out his belt-mounted television and checks
out that morning’s investments.
“I can’t believe I’ve already made $3,000
today,” he bellows, thereby thoroughly impress-
ing his business friend.
Just as the food arrives, he reaches for his
while talking on his cellular phone and isn’t portable calculator — you know, the kind that
paying any attention to where he is going, or has a miniature tape attached. After all, it’s
what he is doing, imperative that he verifies his day’s earnings
He accidentally bumps into the nearest wait- and his tax consequences. He then proceeds to
ress, causing her to spill four plates of food, six bore his friend with his keen investment strate-
gies.
Then, to totally impress not only himself, but
also everyone else in the restaurant, he puts on
his radio headset to listen to the latest news. He
assures his friend that he can simultaneously lis-
ten to the latest on the Clinton scandal and yet
conduct a meaningful conversation.
Then, he produces and puts on a ‘virtual reali-
ty’ set of glasses. Claims it helps him visualize
dimensions, distances, and shapes.
“You really should get you one of these,” he
exhorts his friend. “I mean, it’s better than the
real world.”
“Oh, may I borrow your pen?” he asks his
friend. “I normally don’t have the need for a
pen, now that I bank, buy, pay my bills and
check on my wife and kids electronically. Inci-
dentally, have I shown you my portable CD
player? Look, here it is attached to my trouser
cuff.”
Lunch was finally over. His friend paid for it
since Mr. Electronics had no cash on him.
It was worth the wait, however, because as he
attempted to get into his car, his rear-pocket-
mounted cell phone, the belt-mounted beeper,
the front-pocket-mounted TV set, the cuff-
mounted-CD player, and the wallet-mounted
tape calculator pulled his pants down and the
entire restaurant staff and guests were treated to
an electronic mooning.
Ken Nietenhoefer is a business and motivational
speaker who presents keynotes and seminars
throughout the country. KCN Communications ©
1998. Write to Nietenhoefer c/o The Boerne Star,
P.O. Box 820, Boerne, Texas 78006.
Letters to the Editor
stopped-up drain somewhere.
kind of keep, up with the problems Picture President Clinton walking
that the common folk are having, down the halls of the White House
It’d also be a great photo opportuni- with a plumber’s friend in his hand,
ty. Makes you kind of tear up, doesn’t
They could fix it so Hillary could it?
bring him some tea or something to This program could go a long way
eat. The press would just love this towards re-establishing his image as
kind of stuff. a common person and “one of us.” I
You and I know that after a hard think this concept needs to be for-
day working in the yard, you’re too warded on to the White House for
tired to want to do anything that their sincere consideration.
might get you into trouble. Nope, It would help Bill’s tarnished
you generally want tojust kick back image and keep him busy as well. If
and relax and do some simple stuffa- he’s too tired from working around
maybe have a cookout or barbecue, the house, then he’ll be able to keep
drink a few beers with your friends out of trouble in the future.
or, in his case, heads of state. As the old saying goes, “Idle hands
Who knows, visiting heads of are the devil’s workshop.”
Dear Editor:
I’m a senior at the University of
Texas at San Antonio and am being
drilled on numerous ways to teach
creatively and ‘beyond the text-
book.’ I think that’s wonderful and I
applaud American universities and
the U.S. Department of Education
for realizing the ways of the past are
antiquated and need to be aban-
doned.
I also realize the importance of
homework and instilling within our
children the responsibility of their
own learning. One of the reasons
schools seem more concerned with
attaining ‘exemplary’ status and
their names in lights than in the
well-being of their students.
TAAS scores seem to bear more
importance than actual learning.
This is sad. Our students are suffer-
ing and becoming ‘brainiac’ zom-
bies because of it. Homework loads
in BISD have become burdensome
and a nightmare for parents.
My father recently had to bring my
daughter her ‘forgotten’ gym bag to
her from home. During his delivery,
he witnessed an exasperated mother
ents. I ran into another parent on a stand this. My son, a freshman in
middle school football night who high school, has come home numer-
claims his eighth grade child is up ous afternoons, taken a shower,
until 1 a.m. doing homework. This begun to study and fallen asleep
child is a straight ‘A’ student and immediately due to sheer exhaus-
very conscientious. tion. After a two-hour nap, I prod
Why aren’t parents complaining? him awake and encourage him to
The purpose of homework is to wake up and get his homework com-
instill responsibility for learning pleted.
upon the child, not take the fun out
of life.
I have experienced the same sce-
nario in my own home. I, too, have
intense homework loads — but due
to my own choice of taking numer-
Write us a letter ...
The Boerne Star welcomes letters on any public issue.
Letters may be mailed, faxed, emailed or hand-delivered
but must contain the writer’s name, address and phone
number. Address and telephone number are for verifica-
tion and will not be published. Names and city of residence
will be published. Call 249-2441 with questions regarding
submission of letters for publication.
The BOERNE Star
NEWS
PUBLISHER
Edna Keasling
Director
Editor
Staff Writer
Typesetter
Brandi Chionsini Account Executive
Emily Glisson Account Executive
Molly Merkel Classified
Daniel Zenner
Tyler Smurr
Ben Calderon
Judy Zipp
SPORTS
BOOKKEEPING
Sports Editor
Scott Hainline Office Manager LaVonne Northrup
CIRCULATION
Subscriptions
Distribution
PRODUCTION
Judy Zipp Composing
Ray Brock
Jet Snouffer
FRONT DESK
ADVERTISING
Receptionist
Dana Smith
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Mary Alice Yelverton, John Kelly, Vera D’Spain, Regina Alexander,
Louise Foster, Paul Kirtley, Peary Perry, Marlin Marcum, Ken Nietenhoefer,
Bartee Haile, Jan Wrede, Joni Simons
MEMBER OF Texas Press Association, National Newspaper Association,
South Texas Press Association, Texas Gulf Coast Press Association
282 N. MAIN • (UPS 059-740)
P.O. Box 820 • 830-249-2441
FAX 830-249-4607
THE BOERNE STAR is published twice weekly for $28 per year in Kendall County, $35 else-
where in Texas and $50 per year outside of Texas by The Boerne Star, 282 N. Main, Boerne,
Kendall County, TX. 78006. Periodical postage paid at Boerne, TX. POSTMASTER: Send changes
of address to THE BOERNE STAR, P.O. Box 820. Boerne, Texas 78006-0820.
moving beyond the textbook is to ‘chewing out’ a counselor because
P . BUS 1: - . 2% red virt Sul A%2 ED FA% th td = DEdrie
make learning fun for' our children
as well as take the responsibility of sleep from ‘too much homework.’
learning off the shoulders of the I commend this mother for speak-
teachers and placing it on the stu- ing up. Why don’t more parents
dents. speak up? This particular mother
I highly commend this new philos- told the counselor that her child will
ophy of teaching. However, there be in bed at 10:30 p.m. under no
has to be a limit where homework is uncertain circumstances as her
concerned and Boerne Independent health meant more to her than acad-
School District has not found that emics.
limit. This wasn’t the only scene I’ve
BISD has taken it to extremes. The heard about or witnessed from par-
ous college courses. I finally hit
her child was experiencing a lack of burn-out and decided my home life
sleep from ‘too much homework.’ and time spent with my children
were more important than getting a
degree. That will come in time; my
children’s childhood will pass all too
quickly.
Adolescence is a time when their
This is a straight ‘A,’ conscien-
tious, serious student. He’s usually
up until 1-2 a.m. completing home-
work. This has been going on since
we moved to this ‘exemplary’ school
district. Can’t the teachers coordi-
nate the homework loads to where
the students aren’t drowning and
being robbed of their childhood?
Homework consumes our chil-
dren’s every moment of free time.
Recently, my son declined the
opportunity to celebrate his sister’s
birthday with the family by going to
bodies are growing and making a movie and dinner to stay home and
tremendous changes, like puberty! complete another one of BISD’s
This is a time when their bodies
need extra sleep.
The school doesn’t seem to under-
Write ’em!
CITY OF BOERNE
Mayor Patrick Heath
402 E. Blanco
Boerne, Texas 78006
249-9511
KENDALL COUNTY
Judge Bill Gooden
204 E. San Antonio
Boerne, Texas 78006
249-9343
BOERNE
INDEPENDENT
SCHOOL
DISTRICT
Superintendent
John Kelly
123 W. Johns Rd.
Boerne, Texas 78006
249-2567
MV MOM
ALWAYS SAYS
CLEAN YER
PLATE "—
BUT TH'COACH
SAYS I'M TOO
FAT!
WONDER
IF I'LL EVER
UNDERSTAND
TH ADULT
MIND...
notorious ‘projects’ for geography
class. •
There is more to life than acade-
mics and far more for our children to
learn such as family values, family
time and sharing, and church. Life
itself has a lot to teach and our chil-
dren are being robbed of their child-
hood.
Extracurricular activities around
our house are serious decisions to
make because we’re not sure how
they will affect the homework load.
It’s a shame that Boy Scouts, Girl
- Scouts, Bible study, gymnastics or
sports sometimes has to be thrown
out the window because of home-
work.
My son managed to achieve his
Eagle rank in Boy Scouts this past
year, however, many meetings and
campouts were missed due to
‘homework.’ What’s more impor-
tant?
I doubt society or our work force
will be better off with people who'
did all their homework and never
had time to develop in other ways.
Take note, BISD!
Debbie Perkins
Fair Oaks Ranch
Worth Quoting ---
COMFORT
INDEPENDENT
SCHOOL DISTRICT
Superintendent
Marlin Marcum
232 High
Comfort, Texas 78013
995-3664
STATE REP
Harvey Hilderbran
District 53
125 Lehmann Dr.
Kerrville, Texas 78028
(830) 257-2333
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Lamar Smith
District 21
2231 Sam Rayburn Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 225-4236
221 E. Main Room 318
Kerrville, Texas78028
(830) 895-1414
U.S. SENATOR
Phil Gramm
Russell Building Rm. 179
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2934
U.S. SENATOR
Kay Bailey Hutchison
703 Hart
1250 N.E. Loop 410 St. 720 Senate Office Building
STATE SENATOR
Jeff Wentworth
District 25
San Antonio, Tx 78209 Washington, D.C. 20510
(210) 826-7800
(202) 224-5922
GOVERNOR
George W. Bush
State Capital
Room 200
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 463-2000
PRESIDENT
Bill Clinton
White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C.
20000
“It is better to debate a
question without settling
it than to settle a question
without debating it.”
— JOSEPH JOUBERT
Bible Verse ---
I will lift up my eyes to the
mountains; From whence
shall my help come? My
help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2
Revised Standard Version
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Chionsini, Brandi. The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 79, Ed. 1 Friday, October 2, 1998, newspaper, October 2, 1998; Boerne, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1626398/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Patrick Heath Public Library.