Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 024, Ed. 1 Monday, December 13, 2010 Page: 4 of 10
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Viewpoints
Page 4 ■ Monday, December 13, 2010
Sweetwater Reporter
DEDICATED TO PROUDLY DELIVERING LOCAL NEWS SINCE 1881
1—x Sweetwater 1
Reporter
■ tWIENIBER
| m A 2010
P.O. Box 750/112 W. Third
TEXAS PRESS
Sweetwater, Texas 79556
ASSOCIATION
325/236-6677
Fax: 325/235-4967
Website:
wvw.sweetwaterreporter.com
E-mail addresses:
publisher@sweetwaterreporter.com
business@sweetwaterreporter.com
advertising@sweetwaterreporter.com
editor@sweetwaterreporter.com
composing@sweetwaterreporter.com
EDITORIAL POLIGY
The editorial section of the newspaper is a forum for
expression of a variety of viewpoints. All articles except
those labeled "Editorials" reflect the opinions of the writ-
ers and not those of the Sweetwater Reporter,
Slim
Randies
GUEST COLUMN
he geese
The last of the geese went by the other day. The late
ones. The big dark geese. Headed south noisily.
I used to envy them, somehow. They go down there
to the warm coastal areas where the jacks swim and the
nights are chilly but livable this time of year. If they're
especially sensitive geese, they'll keep going until there
are mangoes and palm trees and the language of the
people is Spanish.
But they cross over here in their long, languorous
vees, and all we can do is look up and wonder what our
lives would be like if we could go along. To fly over the
farms and valleys, to coast along on the
rising thermals, to sail down the long
way to warmth and sand and comfort,
how nice it might be.
But if we did that, we'd miss the snow,
and the fire in the fireplace when the
work was done in the evening. We'd
miss how the snowy world looks just at
dusk when the snow is an alpen-glow
orange and tells us secrets it has saved
for us all these years. If we went to the
winter-feeding grounds, we wouldn't
be able to appreciate how splendid the
spring will be with the basking rays of
sun on our necks and the swelling of the
buds in the fruit trees. To truly appreci-
ate warmth, we must first get cold, and
that's evidently a part of our lives that the geese won't
ever get to share.
Of course, they seem quite content to sail on down the
southern winds to the warm places, leaAing us to wrap
ourselves tighter in thicker clothes and dream of sandy
beaches and snorkels. Have a good winter, geese. Eat a
crab or two for me. You see, I'll be here for you to honk
at when you head north again in the spring. I'll be right
here, living in the same place. Cold or hot, windy or still,
my world and my responsibilities are here, and I'll be
right here taking care of them.
It's my way of doing things, and I'm used to it.
Brought to you by Slim Raudles's latest hook,
Siveetgrass Mornings, now available at www.
unmpress.com.
letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
Shawn Scott and the Sweetwater Police have done an awe-
some job of cutting down on the number of loose/stray dogs
in our community. Thanks to them, walkers, bikers, joggers
and others who would otherwise be chased and injured are
safe on our streets — and the dogs are not in danger of being
run over by cars. Thank you...all of you.
Lisa and Bob Peterson
Sweetwater
Dear Editor,
Have you ever wondered? Why did I get so old so fast?
When we are young, we want to grow up, then before you
know it, you are grown to a different age. Your responsibili-
ties start to getting bigger. You keep wondering will I ever get
to be 21? Then before you know it hardly, you are 21, by this
time, some of you are married, and starting a family, but
some of you still want to "run around" a little bit, like I did. I
wasn't in any hurry for marriage just yet. I just wanted to see
what was going on in that great big world out there. Before I
knew it, I was 29,1 got married for the first time, but it didn't
turn out so good. I have a daughter somewhere that I've
never seen. When I was 421 married the second time I have 3
children that live here in Sweetwater, 2 daughters and a son.
My wife left me for someone else. I'm 83 years old, should I
look for another wife, or is it too late? Time marches on.
Roy G. Dillon
Sweetwater
Letter to the Editor Policy
The Sweetwater Reporter welcomes Letters to the Editor
for possible publication in the newspaper. A letter must be
original, signed by the writer and bear the address and phone
number of the writer. Only the name and the city will be pub-
lished with the letter, but the phone number and address are
necessary for verification or clarification of content.
The Sweetwater Reporter reserves the right to edit all
letters. If deemed derogatory, libelous, unclear or for other
reasons determined by the newspaper to be unwise to print,
it will not be used.
It is the feeling of the newspaper that an unsigned letter
has little meaning, and thus it will not publish anonymous
letters to the editor.
During elections, the Sweetwater Reporter will accept
Letters to the Editor discussing the issues or offering endorse-
ments. However, the deadline for letters during elections will
be two weeks prior to election day.
The publishing of Letters to the Editor are offered by the
newspaper to the community for expression of personal
views on matters of concern. Residents are encouraged to use
the column in a constructive manner, sharing their views on
subjects of interest with the newspaper's readers.
THE IDLE AMERICAN
A story of 9-1-1
As Christians bask in
the glow of Christmas,
their thoughts of wreaths
wrapped in thankfulness
are centered on lives whose
duty knows no hours,
whose courage knows no
bounds and whose com-
mitment knows
no holidays.
I refer, of
course, to legions
of heroes—peace-
keepers on the
home front and
foreign shores,
emergency per-
sonnel in vehicles
with flashing
lights and pierc-
ing sirens, medi-
cal professionals
who deal daily
with lives in the
balance, and care
center employees who tend
to folks in fragile states.
Let's also light candles
for volunteers who qui-
etly "give back" in various
ways. Without any doubt,
they'll be counted on even
more in foreseeable years
as funding fades for many
services heretofore pro-
vided by paid personnel.
It is a given that the
challenge of emergen-
cy responders calls for
straight faces, clear minds
and meticulous focus.
I wondered recently if
such personnel sometimes
face situations that, at cer-
tain points, result in abso-
lute belly laughs. I mean
the kind "that call for sitting
down, maybe even rolling
on the floor, as tears roll
and laughter comes out in
sputters, interspersed with
groans.
I asked an emergency
responder who responded,
"Quite often!"
He cited a recent spe-
cific experience. Let's call
him "Joe," and refer to his
sidekick as "Moe."
They are seasoned emer-
gency medical technicians,
accustomed to answering
9-1-1 calls, hopping into
ambulances and reaching
emergency scenes ASAP.
Joe and Moe got a call
from a care center, where
an elderly patient, his age
closer to 100 than to 95,
"experienced a problem at
breakfast."
The rattled caller
explained that the man
"must have blacked out,
then drooped forward, his
face making a direct hit
in the oatmeal." Luckily,
the attendant discovered
the incident within min-
GUEST COLUMN
*
*
Dr. Don
Newbury
utes, but frantic attempts
to revive the man seemed
fruitless.
"Come quickly, we're
not sure if he's breath-
ing/' That's the last
thing Joe and Moe heard
before "floor-boarding"
the ambulance as
precious seconds
ticked away.
Upon arrival,
Moe cleared away
the oatmeal, and
Joe administered
mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation.
Within seconds,
the patient's
breathing was
restored, and a
few minutes later,
he was breathing
normally. When
fully conscious,
he alternated dagger-like
stares toward Joe and
Moe, suggesting that he
was anything but happy.
"Cant you guys read?"
he questioned, pointing to
a small sign affixed to the
wall.
Thereon appeared these
words in boldface: "Do
NOT Resuscitate."
When it was apparent
that the "survivor" had
stabilized, Joe and Moe
excused themselves, walk-
ing double-time toward
the ambulance before
bursting into laughter.
Sleigh-riding celebrants,
with bells on bobtail ring-
ing, never laughed any
harder than these guys,
who somehow managed
to straighten their faces
before the next call.
As I heard the account,
I thought immediately of
my Uncle Mort. After all,
he's 98 now, and with a
cantankerous streak inor-
dinately wide, he might
one day react the same
way upon such an encoun-
ter with oatmeal.
My conscience told me
to give him a call, even
though I knew a conversa-
tion with Mort would cost
a half-hour of time.
So, I gutted up and made
the call.
"I was just about to call
you, nephew," he chortled.
"I've been reading about
Texas Christian University
the last few days, and I
want to know what's going
on."
He was concerned about
TCU's athletic teams join-
ing the "Big Easy."
"I never dreamed they'd
impose membership fees
to visit New Orleans,"
he rattled. "That's a big
rule change for Bourbon
Street."...
Conversing with Uncle
Mort is akin to flying a
kite. More time is spent
untangling string than
actual kite-flying.
Speaking slowly and
with amped up volume, I
explained that TCU is join-
ing the Big East Athletic
Conference. He accept-
ed the correction, but
then picked up on news
of the venerable 80-year-
old football stadium." He
wanted to know details of
the "explosion" that took
down the west side of the
stadium. Again, I correct-
ed him, explaining that the
blast was an intentional
implosion to make room
for a $105 million renova-
tion.
"It's hard for me to
believe they're spending
that kind of money on the
stadium," Mort replied.
"Why, $105 million would
pay a coach's salary for 10
or 15 years, or maybe fund
"Meals on Wheels" in all
50 states for a century or
so."
Dr. Newbury is a speak-
er in the Metroplex. Send
inquiries/comments to
newbury@speakerdoc.
com. Phone: 817-447-
3872. Website: www.
speakerdoc.com.
Once again, die final say m climate
Prince William pays tribute to Princess Diana
BEVERLY HILLS-God
bless America, and how's
everybody?
Prince William paid trib-
ute to Princess Diana at a
lunch in London Monday.
She was a pioneer. When
Diana got engaged to
Prince Charles the
law required that she
pass a virginity test
administered by a
gynecologist, a proce-
dure known today as
airport security.
Prince Charles's
car was attacked by
student protesters
rioting in Regency
Square Thursday.
They smashed the
windshield, threw
paint on the* hood,
and kicked dents into
the Bentley. The next day
Episcopal churches in Los
Angeles held services for
the car.
Beverly Hills police
said Thursday Hollywood
publicist Ronnie Chasen
was shot and killed in her
Mercedes last month by
a homeless sharpshooter
on a bicycle for whom she
rolled down her window at
a Sunset Boulevard inter-
section at midnight. This
is nuts. If O.J. had only
killed Nicole one suburb
over, he would have been a
witness at Kato's trial.
House Democrats erupt-
ed in anger at President
Obama on Thursday over
his tax cut extension and
free trade deal and fed-
eral pay freeze. The liber-
als cursed his name in the
Capitol. Ever since Obama
joined the Ditto Heads
lie's become a man with-
out a country.
Argus
Hamilton
Wesley Snipes checked
into federal prison in
Pennsylvania Thursday to
begin a two-year sentence
for a tax evasion convic-
tion. He's a great movie
actor with a string of hits
to his name. He's in pris-
on to shoot a
sequel called
White Men Can
Jump You in
the Shower.
The U.S.
Senate voted
Thursday to
keep the ban on
gays in the U.S.
military. Gay
people want to
be in the Army
and they want
to be married.
It just shows
you can live the world's
most libertine lifestyle but
it's not really living unless
someone is right there to
yell at you.
The Supreme Court
heard arguments Thursday
on Arizona's new immigra-
tion law, which punishes
employers who hire ille-
gal aliens. Nobody's riot-
ing. Polls show that most
whites and Hispanics hate
each other in Arizona, but
because they're in Arizona,
it's a dry hate.
The U.S. Senate tabled
Harry Reid's Dream Act
which would have given
children of illegal aliens
in-state tuition. The
title derives from a vote
they took ten years ago.
Congress was asked to con-
sider Bill Clinton's Dream
Act, and they impeached
him for it.
The San Diego County
Sheriffs blew up a home
on national television
Thursday that was being
used by a renter as a
home-made bomb factory.
The homeowner learned
a lesson. It's a lot smarter
to let your house go into
foreclosure than to rent to
a Californian.
U.S. Army Private
Bradley Manning
remained in jail Tuesday
for providing WikiLeaks
with a quarter million
secret diplomatic cables.
There's proof he commit-
ted treason against the
United States of America.
The Berkeley City Council
just voted him the Key to
the City.
The White House said
Friday it knew that North
Korea shipped long-
range missiles to Iran last
week. The CIA is efficient
but very edgy lately. If
WikiLeaks is going to give
out everyone's secrets for
free, the CIA is about to
be as out of business as
Tower Records.
WikiLeaks' Julian
Assange remain jailed
in London Thursday on
Swedish charges that he
had casual sex with mul-
tiple partners without
using a condom. He hac
no idea that was a crime
anywhere. Until now the
only birth control he ever
used was his personality.
The Richard Nixon
Library made avail
able Friday thousands of
new hours of Oval Office
tapes of Nixon's. They
were recorded after the
Watergate break-in by his
own personal burglars. He
went to his grave wishing
he'd listened to G. Gordon
Liddy and bought gold.
Argus Hamilton is
the host comedian at
The Comedy Store in
Hollywood and speaks
to groups and organiza-
tions around the country.
E-mail him at Argus@
ArgusHamilton.com.
The SWEETWATER REPORTER
(USPS 5300-860) is published daily
except Saturdays and holidays by HPC
of Texas Inc. (Periodical Postage Paid)
112 W. 3rd, Sweetwater, Texas 79556
Postmaster: Send address changes to:
SWEETWATER REPORTER
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SWEETWATER, TX 79556
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Correction □ Policy
EditorialDD
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Sweetwater Reporter will
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Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 024, Ed. 1 Monday, December 13, 2010, newspaper, December 13, 2010; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth229341/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library.