The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 132, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 1, 2007 Page: 4 of 14
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PINION PAGE
4A Pace
The Albany
www.thealbanynews.net
Thursday, November 1, 2007
The Albany News
Since 1875
Oldest journalistic venture west of the Brazos
Publisher Donnie A. Lucas
Editor
Melinda L. Lucas
Advertising Manager
Sarah Guardiola
Office Manager
Sheryl Spore
Typesetter
Betty Viertel
Office Assistant
Jordan Lucas
EDITORIAL
Falling Back
For those of us who have trouble re-
membering to change our clocks for
Daylight Saving Time and back again to
Standard Time, this year may be even
more confusing than usual. Then again,
if we don't remember anyway, it may not
make any difference at all.
The dates for Daylight Saving Time
were actually altered by the Energy Pol-
icy Act of 2005, but are just going into
effect this year. DST is being extended
by four weeks in the United States, be-
ginning on the second Sunday of March
and ending this next Sunday, November
4. All this is being done in an attempt to
save energy and let us make better use
of daylight.
If you're still having trouble getting it
straight, just remember that this is the
time of year when you get an extra hour
of sleep. Set your clocks back an hour
before you go to bed Saturday night. (Or
if you're a stickler for accuracy, set your
alarm for 2:00 a.m., the official change-
over time, and do it then.)
For most of us, changing all the clocks
in the house takes a while, even though
there are a few instruments smart enough
to make the change on their own.
Many computers, for instance, along
with atomic clocks, don't need us to
switch the time manually. It should be
automatic.
Unless...
Your computer may not be as smart as
it thinks it is. It may not know about the
change. And you may have found this out
earlier this week if your computer went
ahead and ended this year's Daylight
Saving Time a week ahead of schedule.
Fortunately, computer makers have
an answer to the problem. For Macs, just
use the Software Update function in the
Apple Menu at the top left of your screen.
This will automatically figure out what
you need and then it will download and
install it for you.
For Windows computers, visit Micro-
soft's DST Help page at http://support.
microsoft.com/default.aspx/gp/cp_dst. It
will walk you through the process of se-
lecting the right tool for your system.
Then on Sunday, you might want to
check your TV recorder, microwave and
oven clocks and all those other household
gadgets that have built-in clocks.
The good thing is that you'll have an
extra hour to make all those changes.
POLICY
THE ALBANY NEWS
(USPS 012-400) is published weekly, except for one
week in July 2007 and one week in December 2007,
for $30 per year for subscriptions within Shackelford
County, $35 per year for subscriptions within Texas,
and $40 per year for out-of-state subscriptions by Lu-
cas Publications Inc., 49 S. Main, Albany, Texas 76430.
Periodicals postage paid at Albany, Texas. POSTMAS-
TER: Send address changes to The Albany News, PO
Box 278, Albany, Texas 76430-0278 or to circulation®
thealbanynews.net.
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reserves the right to edit or to refuse any
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PO Box 278, Albany TX 76430-0278 or to
news@thealbanynews.net.
CORRECTIONS
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reputation or standing of any individual,
firm or corporation will be corrected when
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CONTACT INFORMATION
MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 278, Albany-TX 76430
TELEPHONE NUMBER: 325/762-2201
FAX NUMBER: 325/762-3201
EMAIL ADDRESS: news@thealbanynews.net
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AFFILIATIONS
2007 MEMBER: Texas Press Association,
West Texas Press Association.
Administering last rites for CommonSense
This email was sent to me by a long-
time friend. I couldn't help but pass it on.
Although I didn't write it, I certainly can
relate to every word - can't you?
Subject: Common Sense
My parents told me about Mr. Common
Sense early in my life and told me I would
do well to call on him when
making decisions. It seems
he was always around in
my early years but less
and less as time passed by.
Today I read his obituary.
Please join me in a mo-
ment of silence in remem-
brance, for Common Sense
had served us all so well
for so many generations.
Obituary for: Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved
old friend, Common Sense, who has been
with us for many years. No one knows for
sure how old he was since his birth records
were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated
Bobbie Cauble
such valuable lessons as knowing when to
come in out of the rain, why the early bird
gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and
maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound
financial policies (don't spend more than you
earn) and reliable
parenting strategies
(adults, not children
are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly
when well-intentioned but overbearing regu-
lations were set in place. Reports of a six-
year-old boy charged with sexual harassment
for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from
school for using mouthwash after lunch; and
a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly
student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents
attacked teachers for doing the job they
themselves failed to do in disciplining their
unruly children. It declined even further
when schools were required to get parental
consent to administer aspirin, sun lotion or
a sticky plaster to a student, but could not
You, me & everyday life
inform the parents when a student became
pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the
Ten Commandments became contraband,
churches became businesses and criminals
received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took
a beating! when
you couldn't defend
yourself from a bur-
glar in your own home and the burglar can
sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will
to live after a woman failed to realize that a
steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a
little in her lap and was promptly awarded a
huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death
by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife,
Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility;
and his son, Reason. He is survived by three
stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone
Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so
few realized he was gone.
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WHO DO
YOU CALL?
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
U.S. Senator
284 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510-4304
Phone: 202-224-5922
Website: hutchison.senate.gov
RANDY NEUGEBAUER
U.S. Representative
1026 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 888-763-1611
Website: randy.house.gov
CRAIG ESTES
State Senator
P.O. Box 12068
Austin, Texas 78711
Phone: 512-463-0130
Website: craigestes.com
JIM KEFFER
State Representative
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Phone: 800-586-4515
Website: house.state.tx.us/members
Timing perfect in teenage memories of Baptist service
It is odd how events sometimes conspire
to bring forth an old memory. Recently I had
occasion to be visiting in Albany's First Baptist
Church. Then also in the news about that time I
saw a passing reference to Dr. Paige Patterson,
president of Southwestern Baptist Theologi-
cal Seminary in Fort Worth. I do not know him
personally, but we do have in
common the fact that we both
grew up in Beaumont, Texas
and graduated from Beau-
mont High School. He was
about four to six years behind
me in school.
His father, Dr. T.A. Pat-
terson, was the longtime and
much beloved pastor of the
huge First Baptist Church of
Larry Bell
Beaumont which occupied a full square block on
the edge of downtown. Although my family was
Presbyterian, I was at the FBC a lot because all
of my best buddies except one were members
there. That's when I first became bilingual,
learning to speak fluent Baptist. We would go to
all their parties and youth activities and some-
times sing in the choir. We would do this latter
without having rehearsed, much to the surprise
and probably chagrin of the poor music minister.
We high school kids were allowed to address
the Reverend Dr. Patterson as "Dr. Pat," and it
was definitely a term of respect and affection. Tall
and distinguished looking with snow white hair,
he was a main-stream Baptist for those days. He
preached intelligent, non-screaming sermons.
Walking home on Sunday mornings after at-
tending an early service at Westminster Presby-
terian, I would often meet Dr. Pat in downtown
Beaumont as he,walked toward the FBC. He
would have taught his special men's Bible class at
Hotel Beaumont. He knew me by face but not by
name and I don't think he ever knew that I was
the nephew of one of his senior deacons.
The fact was that two of my aunt and uncle
sets were active members there and one of them,
Judge Benny Bell, was the most senior deacon
of all. Uncle Benny was a very large man built
on the scale and with
the shape of William
Howard Taft. He wore
bifocals that were coke
bottle thick and in his later years walked with
crutches. As a judge - and I suspect as a deacon
- he was to be taken seriously.
Uncle Benny always sat about five rows back
on the left side as you faced Dr. Pat. If Dr. Pat
moved to his right or looked that way while
preaching, he would surely see Judge Bell. We
high school kids would usually sit far in the back
or up in the balcony, that is if we had not invaded
the choir area. This enabled me to observe closely
all that was going on.
At the end of the service would come "The
Invitation," as is the Baptist custom. We would
have just sung "Just as I Am," all 79 verses - or so
it seemed. Dr. Pat would plead with the reluctant
sinners to come forward while the choir hummed
more of that hymn. Once it was clear that no one
else was going to come forward, Dr. Pat would
Amblin' through Albany
move to the closing. Here is where my old Uncle
Benny would play a key role.
Dr. Pat would say, "I'm now going to call on
Judge Benny Bell to give us our closing prayer"
and then he would start his long, slow walk to
the back of the church. He had first to go down
four or five steps from the side of the platform
(chancel in proper church-speak). Perhaps it has
lengthened in my memory, but I remember it as
about 70 feet to the foyer (narthex). With head
bowed he would do sort of a British slow-march
down the center aisle.
Meanwhile, as Dr.
Pat left the pulpit and
began his trek, old
Uncle Benny would
reach down under the pew and retrieve his
crutches. Then began a slow struggle to get to his
feet. Once he had attained a vertical position, he
would begin his prayer. It was always of moder-
ate length, not too long but not too short.
Now here is what always intrigued me. Uncle
Benny was facing the front while Dr. Pat was
slowly walking toward the back. Invariably, just
as Dr. Pat reached the back of the church, Uncle
Benny would be concluding,
"In Jesus name, Amen." Their timing was perfect.
Always. A mischievous high school youth had to
wonder how they did that. Did they practice? Did
they time it? It was so perfectly choreographed.
Of course, the correct church answer is that
the Holy Spirit was controlling events. Still, it's
funny what a kid notices and then remembers
years later.
True stories show examples of this year's 'humanity to man'
Dr. Don Newbury
Three of nature's seasons take their places
on the calendar in a gentle, "May I" sort of way.
It's as if they need permission to succeed seasons
whose courses have been run.
Spring, summer and fall enter with gracious
smiles, unhurried to take the spotlight.
Winter, however, bulls its
way in like a bovine 'mongst
finest china, nipping at the
tail feathers of geese flying
"south.
The coldest of seasons,
winter is like the four-year-
old crashing a birthday party.
No matter if it's his or not, all
of him says, "I'm here, and
I'm taking over."
Yes, winter blusters right in. Recalled are
years of youth when we backed up to space heat-
ers or roaring fireplaces. Warming one side at a
time was the best we could do.
It is hot chocolate season, with thoughts of
Thanksgiving and Christmas warm to the mem-
ory. We yearn for accounts of "man's humanity
to man," eager to find kindnesses that might go
unnoticed at other times of the year. Sometimes
tidings are so good that previously unwarmable
cockles glow from the inside out. Warm/fuzzy
happenings are marvelous indeed, and two are
connected with World Series baseball teams from
Denver and Boston.
lb set the stage, you may recall the freakish
accident that claimed tfce life of 35-year-old Mike
Coolbaugh in July. The new coach for the T\ilsa
Drillers baseball team was felled by a screaming
line drive. (The Drillers are a Double-A affiliate of
the Colorado Rockies.)
Surviving are his wife, Mandy, and sons Joseph,
5, and Jacob, 4. A third child is due at any moment.
Though Mike's association with the Rockies
was distant, Colorado players rallied to assist his
family. They voted to extend a full share of play-off
earnings, some $300,000, to the San Antonio fam-
ily.
In Dallas recently, 13-year-old Andrew Mad-
den of Odessa was a patient at Children's Medical
Center, desperately
needing a heart trans-
plant. He mentioned
his life-long support of
the Boston Red Sox.
Turns out that his surgeon, Dr. Kristine Gule-
serian, also cheers for Boston. She gave Andrew a
Red Sox cap for good luck.
In her sparkling feature written for the Dallas
Morning News, Katie Menzer described the "what
ifs" discussed between doctor and patient.
Thrilling possibilities included finding a suitable
heart donor, successful surgery, textbook recovery
permitting travel to Boston and securing World
Series tickets.
Unless everything worked out perfectly, the
vignette could well have ended in the cavernous bin
of "what might have been."
But, things did work out. Did they ever.
On September 30, a donor heart was flown to
Dallas. Dr. Guleserian performed the six-hour
transplant surgery. (It was Children's 100th such
procedure and her 40th.)
She believes Andrew's preoccupation with the
baseball team provided a necessary diversion from
the stress engulfing him since his recent 13th
The Idle American
birthday.
His enlarged heart, diagnosed at birth, was fail-
ing. He stopped eating, breathing was difficult and
his feet began to swell. His heart measured twice
the normal size. A transplant was mandatory.
That's when "baseball talk" began. The doctor
told her young patient about her growing up years
in Boston. Included were fond memories of Fenway
Park.
Thankfully, Andrew's recovery has been re-
markable; he's gained
10 pounds since the
transplant after a full
year devoid of any
weight gain.
Dallas media told his story well. It ballooned
when Dr. Guleserian spoke of accompanying
Andrew and his mom, Lauri Wemmer, on a trip to
Boston for a World Series game.
Switchboards at Children's Medical Center lit
up. "How can we help?" queries were fielded by the
dozens.
Grace Flight, an organization providing com-
passionate air transportation, offered a Hawker
700 jet with two volunteer pilots from Dallas.
Boston media picked up the story, and you can
probably guess the rest.
The trio didn't need game tickets. They sat in
the Red Sox owner's luxury suite.
Young Andrew, during his first visit to Boston,
saw many landmarks, and he met his surgeon's
parents. And they got to meet his mom.
Looming large were the sights and sounds of
Fenway. Andrew was a bit late settling in for the
game, but he did have a great view of the ceremo-
nial first pitch. He threw it.
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Lucas, Melinda L. The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 132, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 1, 2007, newspaper, November 1, 2007; Albany, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth414424/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Old Jail Art Center.