The Ennis Daily News (Ennis, Tex.), Ed. 1 Thursday, June 7, 2012 Page: 4 of 10
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Opinion
Page 4
Thursday, June 7,2012
Ennis Daily News
Forgetting kids
in a hot car a
serious mistake
Our
Point of
View
A case that made it into headlines this
week has highlighted one of the more
important considerations for parents
who are caring for children during the
heat of the summer.
While almost every parent is likely at
one point or another to slip up in their
duty to be vigilant and watch over their
children from day to day they can ill af-
ford to forget their children in their cars
when the summer sun is beating down.
For that matter, leaving children in a ve-
hicle when temperatures dip down dur-
ing the cold months of the year here in
Texas is frowned upon,
too.
However we look at
this kind of mistake, it
is a grave one. It takes
mere minutes for the
interior of a vehicle to
heat to dangerous lev-
els when temperatures
are in the 90s outside. Deaths of children
caused by hyperthermia are a tragic oc-
currence because of the truth that they
are largely preventable with the right ef-
fort and consideration on the part of par-
ents.
Granted, the arrest of a local mother
on endangerment charges for alleged
oversight when she left her child in her
car for nearly 30 minutes is something
numerous parents would agree is justi-
fied, if also a bit disappointing and sad.
The key point to remember is children
— especially the young babies riding in
car seats strapped into the back seats —
aren’t equipped to understand the risks
of being exposed to rapidly climbing in-
terior temperatures. They can’t make
the decision for us. It has to be our re-
sponsibility to remember them, even if
they are the quiet type, when it comes
time to leave a vehicle. It’s an oversight
that horrifies when a child’s life is
claimed because of accidentally ignoring
them.
No parent is perfect, but being mindful
of the extreme danger heat can pose to
the very young is absolutely integral.
Write
TO us!
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to the editor about local issues that interest them.
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The opinions expressed by our readers may not necessarily
reflect the position of the Ennis Daily News.
© Contents copyright 2012 and cannot be reproduced
without the written permission of the publisher.
Tre Bischof ■ Publisher Michelle Crouch ■ Advertising Manager
Nick Todaro ■ Editor Teresa Watson ■ Office Manager
Tye Chandler ■ Sports Editor Bryan Traylor ■ Production Manager
Tico Montemayor ■ Circulation Director
Melissa Honza ■ Composition Manager
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Battle of the Network Stars’
“The future belongs to those
who understand connections.”
That quote is attributable to
educator/writer
Howard Rheingold,
who stated in 2010
that one of the most
important literacies
of the 21st century is
understanding how
networks work.
His statement got
me to thinking about
that word — network.
It had a much differ-
ent meaning when I
was a child.
Back then, a net-
work referred to one of the four
television networks in existence
at the time, immediately identifi-
able by their acronyms — ABC,
CBS, NBC and PBS.
It became such a part of the
popular lexicon that it spawned
Battle of the Network Stars, a
rather cheesy athletic competi-
tion featuring the popular televi-
sion performers of the time.
While that program now re-
sides in my murky memories,
today’s true “network” stars are
those who fully understand who
we are connected to, and how we
are connected.
These connections now drive
virtually every aspect of our lives
— how we shop, who we vote for,
what projects we undertake, even
how we manage our own individ-
ual reputations.
However, it’s fair to say that
many of us aren’t natural net-
work thinkers.
It’s not unusual to hear of peo-
ple who have lost jobs, friends
and other opportunities over im-
prudent posts on social network-
ing sites such as Facebook.
The first thing I usually tell
people about Facebook, Google-
Plus and social net-
working in general is
this — if you choose
to be “out there” in
the online universe,
you have essentially
made yourself public.
I know many of you
are saying, “Hey, I
monitor my privacy
settings, and only my
friends see what I
post.”
While that is cer-
tainly a prudent ap-
proach, just be aware that a
private existence in the online
world is not foolproof. A friend
could innocuously forward some-
thing you’ve posted, and — just
like that — you’re exposed to the
world.
But rather than focus on what
can go wrong in a social network,
it’s more important to view the
positive side of networking.
Today’s students are already
building their networks of con-
nections.
Why not teach them how those
connections might follow and af-
fect them in the years to come?
It starts with having a well-
thought-out Internet acceptable
use policy in place. Our district,
like many others, has one. Par-
ents should implement similar
parameters at home.
Then, it’s a matter of striking
the right balance between pro-
tecting students from harm while
allowing them access to the vast
resources and knowledge bases
that are available online.
This convergence of global net-
working is only going to acceler-
ate. Just this week, Microsoft un-
veiled its latest plans to make
Xbox (and, by extension, its new
Windows 8 operating system) the
centerpiece of living rooms
across the country and around
the world.
Of course, Microsoft is doing
this for profit.
But it’s nonetheless riveting to
see how a simple video game con-
sole can morph into a full-fledged
entertainment center (streaming
movies, music, browsing capabil-
ity) that interfaces seamlessly
with tablets and smartphones
through a new app called Xbox
SmartGlass.
Suffice to say, competitors like
Apple, Sony, Nintendo, Facebook
and Google are implementing
their own strategies for conquer-
ing the digital networked world
that is emerging before our very
eyes.
The lesson here is that if our
students can harness the power
of networking to their advantage,
it will put them in a prime posi-
tion to be successful in whatever
career they choose.
So, I can definitely see a new
“battle of the network stars”
coming, a generation jockeying
for favorable position in a vast
connected society — or risk being
left behind.
It’s just like Rheingold said.
The future indeed belongs to
those who understand connec-
tions.
Henry Martinez is the director
of communications for the Ennis
Independent School District.
Speak slowly, so we can understand
A couple of weekends ago, I
had the distinct pleasure of join-
ing five of my favorite friends
from college for a long
weekend at Seagrove,
where the water is
turquoise and the
food is fabulous.
On average, I would
guess that 12.6 billion
words were spoken
each day. I can only
take credit for one-
sixth of those.
As much as we
enjoy each other’s
company, it was the
words spoken to us
that created addi-
tional interest.
For the first evening meal,
after we put on our cutest capris
and grabbed our purses, we
headed to a restaurant of recom-
mendation to enjoy fresh seafood.
We knew the general direction
but when the restaurant didn’t
materialize in the location we
had envisioned, we decided hap-
pily, “We’ll just stop and ask for
directions.”
This doesn’t bother any of us.
We know how to ask for direc-
tions.
A leathery, tanned man with a
paint can and a ladder on his
shoulder, who was walking pur-
posely in a residential section,
was our victim.
“Hey... hi... hello,” we said ex-
uberantly, the girls in the back
seat waving. “Could you help us
with directions?” the driver in-
quired.
We told him our destination
and he knew right where we
wanted to go. He looked at the
driver, and the rest of us — talk-
ing among ourselves and flutter-
ing our painted nails — and
spoke slowly, “You go down to the
second stop sign,” he said point-
ing and trying to make eye con-
tact with each of us.
“Not the first,” he said for em-
phasis, “but the second. That’s
where you turn right.
“Not left, but right,” he again
emphasized.
“Then you cross a lonnnng
bridge, and when you get to the
other side, the restaurant will be
on your left.”
He scanned the front and back
seats again, as we smiled and
nodded in agreement while shift-
ing purses, answering cell phones
and touching up our lipstick.
Without being prodded, he re-
peated, “So that’s the seconnnnnd
stop signnnnnn — not the first.
“Turn right — not
left,” he re-stated, ges-
turing with his right
arm and then his left.
“Cross over the
bridge,” he said again,
slowly, making a long,
smooth gesture that
indicated smooth sail-
ing, “and it’s on your
left.”
He paused and
smiled into the vehi-
cle.
“Y’all think you got
it?” “Got it,” we said,
and I think I might
have winked.
“Thank you so much,” we then
said exuberantly like cheerlead-
ers from old, some waved and
nodded in appreciation, blessing
his heart and wishing him well.
When the windows rolled back
up, one friend was offended. “Do
we look mentally challenged?”
she asked. “He spoke so slowly
and repeated himself so inten-
tionally”
“No,” I said in his defense.
“He’s just married. He’s given di-
rections before. He’s apprehen-
sive.”
We arrived at the restaurant
and greeted our waitress but had
a difficult time hearing the spe-
cials of the day over the live
music. Plus, there was a rush to
put on jackets because of the air
conditioning, and a text message
or two came through. We needed
glasses to read the menu, and
then the waitress — who proba-
bly didn’t need to be reminded of
her mother — spoke to us as if we
were brand new kindergarten
students.
“Hello,” she said with a canned
version of sweetness, scanning
the table. “How are we all doing
this evening?” she asked, not
waiting for “we” to answer as she
glanced back and forth at the
front door. We did murmur our
assurance of good health and
then promptly stopped murmur-
ing so she could take charge.
“Before we jump into tonight’s
specials, would you ladies like a
few moments to settle in and talk
among yourselves?” she asked,
patting one on the shoulder, and
before anyone could answer, she
darted toward another table
where, perhaps, the tip would
have more to do with cleavage
and less to do with good food serv-
ice. We could also feel her rolling
her eyes because even though
each of us is an accountant, a
newspaper editor, a nutritionist,
a high school Spanish teacher, a
consummate housewife or a su-
pervisor for a state welfare pro-
gram, we’re also all mothers.
I made eye contact with the ac-
countant and realized the wait-
ress was prudent to look for
greener pastures, because — in
the accountant’s eyes — the tip
was automatically descending
from 20 percent to 15.
For the most part, however, we
overlooked the waitress’ awk-
ward attempts at kindness, cou-
pled with her impatience and
inattention. We were able to do
that for we’ve done a lot of over-
looking in our 30-something-
years of marriage and
20-something-years of child-rear-
ing.
When she returned, one of my
friends wanted to know about the
house dressing, another desired a
definition of broccolini and
wanted to know how spicy the
gumbo might be. The waitress
said she wasn’t sure about any of
that, but she’d check. She never
did; another employee delivered
our food in her stead. The wait-
ress did, however, find time to
check her make-up and hair in
her reflection of the window sep-
arating the kitchen from the cus-
tomers.
In the end, she got a tip, but not
the one we wanted to leave, which
would have sounded something
like, “Wear less eye make-up and
be sincere. If you have difficulty
with middle-age women, get a job
at a pizza parlor, or learn to re-
spect your elders while remem-
bering that the customer is
always right.”
You can speak slowly to us if
you want to, but you’d better be
prepared to listen quickly be-
cause what we lack in naviga-
tional skills on the highway, we
make up for in our combined 120
years of dealing with teenagers.
We’ve earned our place at the
table.
Susan Lincoln is the managing
editor of The Perry (Fla.) News-
Herald, a sister paper of The
Ennis Daily News.
Susan Lincoln
The Midweek
Muddle
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Todaro, Nick. The Ennis Daily News (Ennis, Tex.), Ed. 1 Thursday, June 7, 2012, newspaper, June 7, 2012; Ennis, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth772150/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Ennis Public Library.