The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 68, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 5, 2012 Page: 4 of 10
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My life and Relay for Life
Two down and, say, 15 or 20
to go. Surely.
That’s what I’ll be thinking
come Friday week as I take part
in my second Survivors Lap at
the spectacular Bay Area Relay
For Life.
This mega event begins at 6
p.m. on that Friday the 13th
(who said that date is bad luck?)
and runs through 8 a.m.
Saturday at Royal Purple
Raceway. Wow, I believe that’s
all night long.
Not that I’ll be spending the
night. Sometime after compet-
ing like an Olympic track cham-
pion and sizzling on my lap, I’ll
head home for bed long before
the festivities cease.
But plenty of magnificent
volunteers will be on hand for
the duration, helping to add to
the great recognition the Relay
has brought Baytown and the
surrounding area.
You know, there are a lot of
companies, sports teams, and
n
JIM
FINLEY
people (Newt
Gingrich
comes to mind)
that like to
cheer “We’re
No. 1, we’re
No. 1.” Often,
it ain’t so.
Our Relay
For Life CAN
make that
claim.
In 2011, the Relay here was
No. 1 in Texas in terms of funds
raised ($772,948), for the 11th
straight year. Bravo!
Moreover, it ranked No. 10 in
all of America, which is a pretty
big place, even if you don’t
count Massachusetts and
California as sovereign states,
which I refuse to do.
While we’re bragging, let me
mention that our Relay was also
No. 1 in the High Plains
Division, a seven-state region,
for the fifth year in a row.
Amazing!
Many, many people should
take a bow for this huge suc-
cess, to which they dedicate
hours upon untold hours of
service year-round. They’re
unbelievable in their love for
this event.
Obviously I can’t name all
300-plus volunteers (there are
probably more than that), but I
can say there are four chairpeo-
ple - Lori Tadlock, Susan
Harper, Sue Aylor, and Rick
Merling. Meaning we’re in
good hands again.
By the way, the Relay goal
this year is $750,000.1 say they
get it.
I got involved in the Relay a
number of years before I caught
“The Cancer,” as John Wayne
called it in the great western
picture show “The Shootist.”
Lifetime friend Pat Thomas,
who knows about cancer woes
since husband Gary is a
leukemia patient, got Wife
Margie and me involved,
although my role is miniscule.
Probably because of my artis-
tic brilliance, I got a call from
Amparo Martinez, who, along
with Karen Thomas, chairs the
Awards Committee, asking me
if I would judge the decorated
campsites (booths).
There I was sailing along
doing just that. My body was
like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s
(sort of) and my mind was like
Barack Obama’s (really).
The next thing I knew, I had
this tumor thingy, and doctors
named Ron Kami, Tang Ho, and
Sancak Yuksel - all from the UT
Physicians group - were using
knives, shovels, and other sharp
implements to remove it. And
Dr. Angel Blanco of Methodist
Hospital was sending radiation
moonbeams inside my head.
Thusly, I went from minimal
volunteer to survivor/volunteer
quicker than you can say squa-
mous cell carcinoma.
And because the Relay is a
family event, my first Survivors
Lap left me with a memory I
shall never forget. (I often can’t
remember what day it is, but I
won’t forget this.)
Many family members came
out to watch me do that lap,
which Wife Margie took with
me. We were doing just fine for
awhile.
Then I spotted my family. I
got out of line to give them a
hug.
As I got closer, I saw these
big tears in the eyes of my beau-
tiful granddaughter, Katie
Erikson. It was more than I
could handle.
Even as a studly, world-class
athlete, I started bawling.
That’s the Relay for you.
Soooooo, two down and 15 or
20 to go.
Hopefully.
Jim Finley is a retired manag-
ing editor of The Sun. He can be
reached at jfinleyl414@veri-
zon.net.
TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is the 96th day of
2012 and the 17th day of
spring.
TODAY’S HISTORY: In
1792, George Washington
cast the first presidential
veto, striking down a bill that
concerned representative
apportionment among the
states.
In 1951, Julius and Ethel
Rosenberg were sentenced to
death for espionage.
In 1955, Winston Churchill
resigned as prime minister of
Great Britain.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS:
Thomas Hobbes (1588-
1679), philosopher; Booker
T. Washington (1856-1915),
writer/educator; Spencer
Tracy (1900-1967), actor;
Bette Davis (1908-1989),
actress; Gregory Peck (1916-
2003), actor; Colin Powell
(1937- ), U.S. Army gener-
al/diplomat; Pharrell
Williams (1973- ),
rapper/producer.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In
1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
scored his 31,420th career
point and became the high-
est-scoring player in NBA
history.
TODAY'S FACT: As of
December 2010, 8.1 percent
of the American veteran pop-
ulation was female. That per-
centage is expected to double
by 2035.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "All
the greatest things are simple,
and many can be expressed in
a single word: freedom; jus-
tice; honor; duty; mercy;
hope." - Winston Churchill
TODAY'S NUMBER:
414 - record number of
vetoes cast by a president in a
single term, set by Grover
Cleveland between 1885 and
1889
TODAY’S MOON:
Between first quarter (March
30) and full moon (April 6).
OmmL Uojck
20|2
You're Romney: Would you debate these guys?
So now, the Republican Party
of Texas has put out the invite
for the remaining GOP presi-
dential hopefuls to debate here
before the May 29 primary
elections.
Party chairman Steve
Munisteri said he’s already got-
ten yesses from Rick Santorum,
Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul.
The only one he hadn’t heard
from is Mitt Romney, who is
considering it.
Now, think: you’re Mitt
Romney, former governor of
Massachusetts, who’s already
stuck his expensive shoe in his
silver-spoon mouth repeatedly.
Not worried about the poor;
they’ve got a safety net.
Doesn’t attend many NASCAR
races, but has good friends who
own NASCAR teams. Has a
funny story about when Dad
closed down an auto-making
factory. Likes to be able to fire
people.
Not exactly part of the down-
home guy picture, even if he
does campaign some in blue
jeans.
Now, think about the three
other debaters - none likely
vice-presidential material, and
none more taken with the
Republican Party’s success
than their own:
Barack Obama,
LW>crk*Tt
neSUcHl
202-456-tm
Fax:202-456-2461
JoeBkten,
Vice President
202-456-2324
fax:202-4562461
vtepnesidert®
wtitehousagw
Kay Bafey Hutchison,
Senator
202-224-5922
713653-3456
Fax: 202-2240776
Fax:713209-3450
hutctiscnsenate.
gCMfemalhtm
JohnCornyn,
Senator
202-2242934
713572-3337
Fax:202-2262856
Fax:743572-3777
ccrryisenata
govtantact/
htochtml
STATE
Rk* Perry, Governor
000-8435789
800-2820800
Fax: 50463849
4edPoe.Oa.2HBp.
8864266666
866-447-0242
wwwhouaegcwboe
DAVE
MCNEELY
Gingrich: the
former House
Speaker knew
from the get-go
(one hopes)
that his being
selected as the
Republican
nominee, and
then president,
was up there
with his colo-
nizing the moon without the aid
of rockets.
This is about keeping his
name ID up, selling books, and
boosting his profile to make
speeches for money. Taking
adoring wife Callista on luxury
cruises, after all, ain’t cheap.
An occasional snarl keeps him
on TV; one more chance.
Santorum: the last best hope
for the two-term Pennsylvania
senator, who chalked up the
worst re-election loss in that
state’s history.
Since then, he’s made a few
million doing what Gingrich
has, which is peddling his pre-
sumed insider knowledge and
connections on the DC lobby
circuit. But the limelight still
beckons.
He, too, must know what
Gingrich (one hopes) already
knows - that the winner’s circle
has no space for his horse. That
said, he’s gotten farther, while
still being overwhelmingly out-
spent, than anyone would have
imagined.
So Romney’s going to stand
up there on TV and take pot
shots from both him and
Gingrich?
And then there’s Ron Paul. If
it was just going up against
Paul, that would be one thing.
What you see with U. S. Rep.
Ron Paul is what you get. No
hidden agenda. He knows what
he’s for and what he’s against.
And he knows he’s not going to
win.
He’s making ideological
points. He’s building a move-
ment. On Aug. 20, he’ll be 77.'
So if there’s a carrier of the
grail, it’s probably son Rand, a
senator from Kentucky with
pretty similar libertarian
beliefs.
Paul and Romney seem to
like each other. But it’s not just
debating Paul, whose non-inter-
ventionist foreign policy
approach falls a little outside
more hawkish Republican cir-
cles. His beliefs are plain
enough that people know
quickly if they agree with him
enough to be for him, or not.
That builds in a natural ceiling.
It’s those other two. Romney
must be thinking: am I crazy?
What do you think? If you’re
Romney, would you debate
those guys, after you’re already
on the glide slope to the nomi-
nation?
I’d be surprised if his sched-
ule wasn’t sort of full up
already. Romney may occa-
sionally say stuff that makes
him seem a little crazy. But he’s
not stupid.
Localizing Women’s Health
.... Cops in San Angelo
recently handed out tickets to
motorists for honking in front
of Planned Parenthood’s clinic
there, to show their support.
The clinic has been picketed
over the years by abortion
opponents, the San Angelo
Times reported. But recently, in
response to the state of Texas
jerking women’s health funding
from Planned Parenthood, its
supporters have shown support.
Planned Parenthood provides
health care to women including
pap smears, mammograms,
breast exams, and other servic-
es. But nine-to-one federal
matching funds for the services
have been withheld by the feds
because Texas no longer allows
choice for women in treatment
sites.
Gov. Rick Perry and the state
refused to include Planned
Parenthood clinics because one
arm of the organization pro-
vides abortions.
Signs: “Honk if you support
Planned Parenthood” versus
“Honk if your mother chose
life.”
The cops couldn’t force
removal of the signs, but said
they’d write tickets for unnec-
essary honking - a violation of
state law.
Both sides still honked.
Despite even-handedness
promised by police, the news-
paper reported the only folks
getting the $160 tickets were
pro-Planned Parenthood.
The Tom Green County
Democratic chairwoman
pledged free legal help to fight
the tickets, regardless of which
side folks were on.
And so the federal and the
state fights reach the local
level. Stay tuned.
And So On----Interesting to
hear Gov. Rick Perry endorsing
Pink Slime.
For at least the past several
weeks, we had thought he was
for Newt Gingrich.
Contact McNeely at davemc-
neelylll@gmail.com or
512/458-2963.
HonPaU,Oi5L14Rep.
202-2262831
979-2860231
QeneGr8en.CK.29
202-226808
7433300761
iW 4200602
wwwtou»0«®wn
HOW TO REACH US
Janie Gray, Publisher
janie.gray@baytownsun.com
Angie Pagel, Advertising Director
angie.pageKitoaytownsun.com
Adam Yanelli
Managing Editor
adam.yanelli@baytownsun.com
Sandy Denson, Business Mgr.
sandy.denson@baytownsun.com
Joshua Hart, Circulation Manager
joshua.hart@baytownsun.com
NEWSROOM
sunnews@baytownsun.com
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Drive, PO Box 90, Baytown Texas 77522.
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FRED HARTMAN
Publisher Emeritus
1950-1974
EDITORIAL
BOARD
JANIE GRAY
Editor/Publisher
Angle Pagel
Advertising Director
Adam Yanelli
Managing Editor
Jim Finley
Former Managing Editor
MABengtson
Community mentor
Jay Eshbach
Community member
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Yanelli, Adam. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 68, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 5, 2012, newspaper, April 5, 2012; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1063435/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.