Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 33, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 7, 2003 Page: 2 of 30
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JEST AVAILABLE COPY
PAGH 2A Thursday, August7, 2(X)3
Port Aransas South Jetty
Murray and Mary Judson
Co-Publishers
Mary Judson
Editor
Phone (361) 749-5131 e-mail: southjetty@centurytel.net
Opinion
Member:
South Texas Press Association
Texas Gulf Coast Press Association
Texas Press Association
National Newspaper Association
Dave
McNeely
Demo senators
flee; PR battle
continues
To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, “There
they go again.”
Democratic legislators once again have
tied the state to break a quorum to halt
congressional re redistricting. This time it’s
I I senators to New Mexico, instead of 51
House members to Oklahoma.
They’ve left the Legislature at a standstill,
even though the House once again rammed
through a congressional redistricting bill July
19. It still has to pass the Senate.
While the AWOL
Democrats held a press
conference in New
Mexico, several Republi-
can senators simulta-
neously held one in the
Texas capitol. This is,
after all, not just about
D’s and R’s - Democrats
and Republicans — but
about PR: public rela-
tions. Both sides say they
are fighting to represent
the people.
For instance, Republi-
can Sen. Todd Staples of
Palestine, the lead spokesman at the OOP
press conference captured by a dozen TV'
cameras, insisted that the Legislature needs
to re draw congressional districts, even
though a federal court redrew them two
years ago after the Legislature failed to, and
they are still good until 201 1, because they
represent the people.
If that’s the case, Staples was asked — sena-
tors are truly listening to people — what
about the fact that at the senate committee
hearings around the state on the re-redis-
tricting, 10 times as many people opposed
it as favored it?
“T his is not a contest to see who can turn
out the most people at a hearing,” Staples
replied. “It’s not a contest to see who can
yell the loudest or jump the highest. It is a
process that we’re going through to draft
and draw a fair and balanced congressional
district map, filtering the input from all parts
of Texas and as that input is expressed
through the elected members of the Senate
and the elected members of the House.”
f he Democrats owe it to their constitu-
ents to show up for work, the Republicans
say.
Democrats read that to mean: “We Re-
publicans are in the majority now, and we
want to draw the districts to suit us, and
kill off several high-seniority Democratic
incumbents. You Democrats owe it to your
constituents to show up and participate in
this process, so that we can run over you.”
Democrats, meanwhile, say the re-redis-
tricting is not only unnecessary, punitive,
mean spirited and short-sighted, but expen-
sive — $1.7 million per special session. And
so they are completely justified in using
whatever parliamentary tactics they need
to in order to stop it.
I he constitution requires that a quorum
of two-thirds of a house must be present to
«.1(> business, and the Senate Democrats now,
just as their House colleagues did back in
May, are at least for awhile keeping that from
happening.
I he trip to Ardmore managed to arouse
enough passion to pack redistricting hear-
ings around the state and captured head-
lines here and abroad. And now, either way,
the Texas Democrats have once again suc-
ceeded in making national news out of re
districting and U.S. House Majority Leader
”T ... IV I V - I !....... I- !...•«♦ I I
nun i/u,ay :> urn hi puNiiiii^ ii miiiu^n.
I his could go on for days, or weeks — or
maybe months. Who wins the- I’R battle may
not be decided until the next election.
Meanwhile, however, the Democrats
should not be surprised if other places that
border Texas — Louisiana, Arkansas and
Mexico — start bidding for their part of the
tourist business.
Contact Dave McNeely at 512/445-3644
or dmcneely@statesrnan.com.
Letters to the editor
Letters to the editor must meet the
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posing political candidates are consid-
ered political advertising and should be
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letters are subject to editing • letters of
complaint about private businesses will
be forwarded to the business in ques-
tion and will not be published • “thank
you” letters are considered classified ad-
vertising and should go to the classified
ad department • deadline for letters is
10 a m. Monday for inclusion in the fol-
lowing Thursday’s edition.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE
PEFU6E UEPEL.
I'M SADDAMS
0TUEP
DAUOITCP.
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Tom has been good to, for Port Aransas
Port Aransas will bid farewell to one of
its staunchest supporters when Tom
Brooks retires.
City manager for 11 years, Tom has
been a good friend to Port Aransas.
Of course, Tom has his share of detrac-
tors. His critics might call him “cheap” or
“tight” - but that’s the kind of person you
want holding the public purse strings!
The bottom line is, you can’t be a city
manager any where, for any length of time,
without stepping on a few toes. That’s the
difference between doing nothing and suf-
fering no criticism, and doing something
and accepting criticism.
Tom’s tenure has spanned the lean times
and the fat times. Through thick and thin,
compare what Port Aransas has accom-
plished as Tom as city manager to what
just about any other city — of any size —
has done in the same time frame, and the
difference is immense. Compare most any
city’s (or county’s) fis-
cal health and you’ll
find Port Aransas is
not only healthy, hut
robust.
Tom has put Port
Aransas on the map in
terms of coastal man-
agement and shoreline
erosion control. He has
been aggressive in his
efforts to expand our
parks system. His pro-
gram of street and drainage improvements
(one of the most ambitious and expen-
S1Wojfrit's‘fbr1 Which a city is respon-
Mary Henkel
Judson
Editor
sible) has seen steady forward progress.
Tom may not always give you the an-
swer you want, but it is his job to give the
right answers. He has done that profes-
sionally and capably, earning the respect
of leaders from across the state and na-
tion.
Without a doubt, Port Aransas has been
the beneficiary of his expertise in varied
arenas.
From our standpoint, working with Tom
has been a pleasure. His door has always
been open, he has been straightforward in
his responses to our questions and requests
for public records. We have enjoyed a posi-
tive, professional working relationship.
Tom, our wish is for you to live and fare
well. Long life and good health to you!
We’ll miss you.
Noticing the navel, everywhere
What’s with navels? Oh, we know WHY
navels. I hey’re one of the most important
connections we ll ever have. But once had,
what the heck - who needs them? I mean,
they don’t serve well as a cigarette holder.
They’re really not practical for holding a
pencil, or an eraser in case your pencil
doesn’t have one.
When 1 was a kid and didn’t know any-
thing about navels, I once put a chinaberry
in mine. Why? Because it was there and
so was the chinaberry. When I started
sprouting branches my mother said, “Don’t
do that!”
T hen, later on in life, I knew that it wasn’t
nice to show our navel. That was before
men’s bathing suits covered more of the body
than when dressed for sledding in Colorado.
I must have been 6 years old when I discov-
ered that my daddy had a navel, too.
Cousin John, I am told,
could put a lighted ciga-
rette in his navel - cool
end first - and blow
smoke rings by manipu-
lating his stomach
muscles. Cousin John did
a lot of funny things.
I was never so embar-
rassed than when my
older sister came into my
room and caught me
with my navel exposed.
I was about 24 at the
time. But now, that atti-
tude is passe. Right here at this radio sta-
Cactus
Pryor
Letters to the editor
Get rid of fences
Whoa! Howdy! Who are we kidding
here? I’ve been coming to Port Aransas for
years, and yes, there are some injuries, espe-
cially on the jetty. But, that is no reason to
fence areas off.
I was so pleased this past October and
November to see the number of people en-
joying Charlie’s Pasture, and watching them
catch flounder and other fish. I was among
them, and I think the job they did on the
walls and the new posts on the pier are great!
We hardly need fences to keep children
from getting hurt. I wonder what the sta-
tistics are relating to the number of chil-
dren pulled in the channel at Charlie’s Pas-
ture because of the ship passages? Has it
ever happened?
Finally, I have a distinct feeling that this
is not “a safety issue." It feels more like a
deal made with the Porpoise Point people.
Is there a plan in the works to fence the
entire wall? I doubt it, and I certainly hope
not. It not only ruins the access, it takes
away the freedom to enjoy!
Get rid of the fences!
Ray (food ness
Wilsonville, OR
Staff appreciated
As I look hack over some 1 1 -plus years as
city manager for the City of Port Aransas, I
have fond memories of my association with
Mary and Murray Judson and the South
Jett\ staff.
In my opinion, they have been respon-
sible imirnnlists and had the best interest of
the city at heart.
Mary and Murray have just been good
people. They shared their time toward the
betterment of the community. They served
their time on various boards and gave their
all without selfish motives. Please accept
my sincere appreciation for your numerous
contributions to the city, which made my
job much easier, and will benefit future
managers. You did good!
Tommy M. Brooks
Past City Manager
Port Aransas
A Texas
Voice
Steve
Martaindale
tion where I work we see more navels a
day than Picasso saw in a lifetime. And
hold on for a shocker: most of them are
women’s navels. There. I’ve said it and I
feel better for it. But you’re not going to
believe this: some of those navels have
pieces of jewelry in them. One of them
holds a small Texas f lag. Rhode Island’s
flag would have been more comfortable.
Why one of our in-house navels sports a
small Longhorn. The wearer sometimes,
just for the fun of it, sports a strip of white
cloth on one horn and a burnt orange on
the other. Huh!
But you won’t find any maroon and white
f lags in an Aggie belly button. Navels aren’t
allowed at A&.M. They’re Army, not Navy.
Gig’em Aggies!
The truth is
out there
Hipping channels, not paying much atten-
tion ... until a Taco Bell commercial comes
on to promote a contest at the fast food
restaurant where you can win ... really, I’m
not making this one up ... gas.
“Somebody didn’t think this one through
very well,” 1 thought, flashing back to jun-
ior high school-level humor.
In defense of Taco
Bell, the contest is
“Drink Big, Win Gas”
and game pieces are ob-
tained by buying drinks
in specially marked large
cups and the prize is
gasoline, not gas. But
still, the drawbacks of a
restaurant advertising
“Eat here, get gas” are ob-
vious, particularly for a
place specializing in
Mexican food.
It sort of makes you
wonder what ideas were
rejected before they came up with the con-
cept of giving away gas. Through clandes-
tine methods that must remain concealed,
my crack research staff has been able to gain
access to information from promotional back
room negotiations at numerous corpora-
tions. We have learned that Taco Bell is not
alone among those considering questionable
contests.
Going and going
Energizer batteries: The “Going, Going,
Gone” contest was to offer winners in ev-
ery state a full-course rabbit dinner.
NutriSystem weight loss products: “Liv-
ing Large” essay competition was to award
winners 52 chicken dinners at KFC.
Greenland Tourism: In an effort to pro-
mote tourism, the national tourist board con-
sidered an on-line contest, “60 Degrees
North,” but canned the entire idea when it
was learned the prize list was built around
swimming suits and beach towels.
American Airlines: This would-be contest
was actually the result of another contest of
sorts. The “Build Your Own Vacation” pro-
motion began by soliciting prize ideas Irom
entrants. Little did promotions executives
expect that there would he a massive write-
in campaign for the prize to be an in-flight
data recorder, the famous “black box” used
in investigating airplane crashes. The con-
test was quietly canceled.
Holiday Inn: It really sounded like a won-
derful promotion in the beginning, the
“Great American On-The-Road Adventure.”
The grand prize package would have in-
cluded stays in the hotel chain and ... the
big eye-catcher ... a Winnebago Sightseer
motor home. Fortunately, somebody pointed
out that a motor home meant travelers did
not need a hotel room.
Fill er up
Winnebago: The motor home manufac-
turer itself had a campaign that might have
been a little too honest. Entrants in the
“Down the Road Sweepstakes” were in the
running for a thousand shares of Exxon
Mobil stock.
Excedrin: Here was yet another that may
have been just a little too overt for a manu-
facturer of headache medicine. The plan for
the “Feel the Beat” scratch-off competition
was to feature winners for one of every four
participants. I he prize was a CD collection
of heavy metal hits.
Wal-Mart: Continuing in the too honest
category, the discount store chain that now'
numbers well over 4.000. including more
than 1,300 internationally, decided to scrap
its “Get in the Game” contest. Displaying
considerable insight, the company thought
people might read just a bit too much into
the sweepstakes.
The plan was for each store to give away
deluxe special editions of Monopoly, the
game where players try to corner the mar-
ket in real estate. The grand prize was to
have been a one-of-a-kind gold trimmed edi-
tion of Risk, the game of world conquest.
Wal-Mart decided it prudent to not tip
its hand.
Steve Martaindale is a self syndicated
columnist. Write him at
steve@ATexasVoice.com.
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Judson, Mary. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 33, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 7, 2003, newspaper, August 7, 2003; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth662817/m1/2/?q=Lamar+University: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.