Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 104, No. 50, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 24, 2013 Page: 4 of 28
twenty eight pages : ill.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Page 4A Seminole (Texas) Sentinel • Sunday, March 24,2013
Editorial
Mailing Address: P.O. Drawer 1200, Seminole, IX 79360 • Email: news@seminolesentinel.com • Web Site: www.seminolesentinel.com • Phone: (432) 758-3667 • Fax: (432) 758-2136
Neither snow nor rain nor heart nor gloom of flight stays the
AaiWn from the swi-ft completion of hi& appointed rounds.
1
MI
inj Features ■ */
Of Ants, Rocks and Sound Waves...
Texas Journalist...by Willis Webb
Paper 'n Ink:
Late changes.,.
by Lynn Briscndinc
I'm in the generation that grew up along with television.
I depend on this appliance to keep up with so much. In today's
world, we can watch news take place before our eyes. And this
can be done 24 hours a day, seven days a week from big cities to
the remotest parts of the earth.
So many of us sat on couches, breathlessly watching as Neal
Armstrong stepped on the Moon.
We marveled at the ability to watch Austrian downhill-skiing
star Franz Klammer win the gold in the Winter Olympics. He
flew down the marked trail, at times seeming out of control, but
he made it to the finish line. It was a thrilling performance and it
happened in our living rooms.
Within the last two decades, most of us watched as some rivet-
ing happenings took place, live, in color and, too many times, the
sights and sounds provided were hard to watch.
Live coverage had all that watched seeing the tanks attack
the Waco compound of a religious nut. Some government agents
were seen taking fire and the camera would pan out to show the
fire destroying the cult's compound.
The Oklahoma City bombing of the federal building saw televi-
sion cameras focus in on the smoking ruins of a multi-story building.
We were told later that this killing of innocents was in retribution for
the incident two years prior in Waco. It was an American terrorist,
which made it even harder to comprehend.
Too soon we witnessed another terrible event transpire in
front of our faces as the Twin Towers fell to terrorists. This time
it was foreign zealots who carried out the suicide missions that
destroyed the huge buildings and took the lives of nearly 3,000
people, whose only transgression had been that they showed up
for work. Of course that was the 9/11 attack of 2001.
Many of us can recall so many things we have witnessed due
to the flickering pictures shot across space.
And thankfully, most of what we have been allowed to watch
has been enjoyable. Among some of the good memories are the
late night talk show hosts who have offered comedy at the end of
tough days, allowing us to laugh a little before sleeping.
Some of these guys have been legendary in their ability to en-
tertain. Johnny Carson comes quickly to mind. He was a natural
and, while his monologues were funny, it was his wit and banter
all through the show that added to his fame.
When he retired, a battle raged, off camera, for his coveted
time slot. David Letterman was the late-late night host and he
along with a lot of others thought he was a shoe-in for the job.
It didn't happen. Another stand-up comedian took over and
for many years held sway, and continued to boost the ratings.
This action saw Letterman bolt to another network. The rivalry
has continued for all of these years.
In the mid 2000s, Leno was given a different format and time
slot and Conan O'Brien took over the Tonight Show. Ratings
plunged. Conan's humor was geared to the younger generation.
My son thinks he is the funniest guy going. I don't. I just don't
get his humor.
When all of this went down, and when I actually took the time
to watch the late night stuff, I began watching Letterman, and I
continue to think his brand of comedy is more to my liking.
Now the big story breaking about late night television is that
Leno will soon be gone. Not only that, but the show will leave Los
Angeles and return to New York City after a 40 year time span.
A news article found on the Zite site had this..."Jimmy Fallon
is on track to replace Jay Leno as host of The Tonight Show on
NBC in 2014, according to unnamed sources in The New York
Times and The Hollywood Reporter.
"Fallon, currently host of NBC's Late Night, will likely move
The Tonight Show back to the network's 30 Rockefeller Plaza
headquarters in New York City, according to The Times. Tonight
started there with Steve Allen as host in 1954. The show moved
to California in 1972 with host Johnny Carson."
Things change. I know that a lot of things going on these
tense days take precedence over what seems so trivial. But, think
about it a minute, many of us have grown up watching these guys,
laughing at their inanity, taking in their attempts at commentary
which all too often strikes a chord of common sense.
I really haven't seen that much of Fallon. Several other co-
medians ply the trade, and I am also unfamiliar with their styles. I
have enjoyed Leno at times and watch the changes occur in my
living room.
At one time I worked for a watch from a so-labeled “VIP site”
newspaper owned by a group across the Banana River, three
deeply involved in covering the miles from the launch pad.
U.S. space program. That news There were bleachers set up
company division owned the only for “VIPs” but at this particular
still photo lab at Cape Canaveral, launch, that of the final moon
The lab was a pool for all still shot, Apollo 17, there seem to be
photo coverage. News agencies an over-abundance of VIPs, so
could pick and choose from the a quartet of us found a spot on
best pictures. the “grass” with a good view of
Current events often prod the giant rocket. Although a great
me to dredge up long ago memo- distance from the pad, it seemed
ries. The recent death of long- as if we could reach out and touch
time newspaper friend Bert West the giant gleaming white rocket,
prompted me to recollect my one We were able to have an ear-
and only experience “covering” ly dinner, then via the VIP passes,
a space launch by the National arrive at 8 p.m. for the 10 p.m.
Aeronautics and Space Adminis- launch, easing past slow-moving
tration (NASA). “regular” tourists who came for
In his early experience, Bert the event. Except for my freebie
was the Houston Chronicle’s passes, I was about as gawking-a-
man covering space shots as tourist as anyone there,
he managed the paper’s news Since there was an overflow
bureau across the highway from crowd at the VIP site, I surren-
the NASA facility at Clear Lake dered to my mother’s teaching
between Houston and Galveston, of giving up my bleacher seat for
Upon retiring from the Chronicle, “the ladies” and found a spot on
Bert became the editor of the the ground that seemed to have
Palacios Beacon, published by his just enough vegetation to provide
son, Nick, a fine newsman in the some comfort. Wrong,
mold of his father. First, the “grass” was some-
My space launch experience thing very tough that certainly
was actually sort of a “treat trip.” didn’t feel like the San Augustine
Our group had regular people, or Bermuda varieties I’d comfort-
long involved in space coverage, ably parked my posterior on all
who did the “heavy lifting” of my life. Secondly, it seemed for
reporting the event. I’d been a every blade of grass there were six
“good boy” at work so I got to just small rocks that had a tendency to
concession stands sold out of ev-
erything very early. To add misery
to woe, you could never find a
toilet facility without a record line
extending from it.
Finally, after so many an-
nounced delays that I lost count,
the actual countdown to lift-off
began. As the count neared 10,
the rocket’s fuel ignited. At 10,
the rocket shuddered and slowly
began to rise. And, three miles
away the sound waves reached
us and rippled our clothes just
about the time Apollo 17 inched
up off the pad.
At this point, everyone forgot
thirst and hunger and a mighty
roar went up from the crowd as
national pride and awe at the sight
overwhelmed us all.
Afterward, we happily and
somewhat deliriously wound our
way back toward the hotel, finally
finding an eating establishment
that wasn’t overrun and sated our
needs in every way.
I can still think about it and
feel those sound waves.
Willis Webb is a retired community
newspaper editor-publisher of more than
50 years experience. He can be reached
email at wwebbl937@att.net
Making a
Difference
By Gina Kelly Ellis
Letter to the Editor
gouge you in a most uncomfort-
able way.
Then, to exacerbate the dis-
comfort, the launch was delayed
again and again and again. Tech-
nical problems of the sort that
were difficult to understand for
someone like me who told you all
he knows about such things when
he says “technical. ”
At some point early in the
interminable wait, we were joined
on our “grassy knoll” by a group
of nuns, who proceeded to spread
a blanket and to break out fried
chicken that looked and smelled
like you could die for it. Then, the
sisters rubbed it in by popping
the corks on bottle after bottle of
wine. When they weren’t thought-
ful enough to share with us, we
began to snidely refer to them as
“Friends of Zorro.”
We had, unwisely, neglected
to bring liquid refreshment or
food, having come from a sump-
tuous dinner at one of the Cape’s
finer dining establishments and
believing that we would be fin-
ished early enough to seek libation
and comfort food on the way back
to the hotel. And, the launch site’s
Dear Editor:
Something happened to me
recently that I can’t seem to get
off my mind. I feel compelled to
share it with all of you.
It was about 1:00 p.m. yes-
terday, Tuesday March 20th,
and I was leaving Lubbock
Texas from visiting my son that
is attending college. 1 did some-
thing different and decided to
take a new route back to San
Angelo and go through the town
of Seminole. I heard it was a
small but unique town and I
just wanted to see for myself.
I was traveling with "Butter"
my golden retriever and she
didn’t mind the extra mile at all.
I started off my driving around
the town square area and visiting
some of the local shops along
the way, the store clerks were
so welcoming, polite, mannerly,
and eager to help. I decided to
go off the main square area and
visit a little shop called "Ship 'N
More", I parked in the front and
leashed my dog to the pole on
the front porch, the owner of the
store which I believe his name
was Kyle walked to the door
and told me I could bring my
dog inside. He offered my dog
Letter to the Editor
P.O. Box 1200 Seminole, Texas
79360
Sign and include address and phone
number...
You may also send your letter via the
Internet send it to
seminolesentinel.com
The Sentinel requests that letters be concise and
reserves the right to edit for libelous content or inap-
propriate language and space. We will edit a letter to
conform with the standards we use in publishing a
responsible community newspaper.
a bowl of water and allowed
my dog to lay on the cool floor
while I shopped. He asked me
where I was from and told me all
about Seminole, Texas. I found
some great bargains on antiques
and something I haven’t seen
in years, the Watkins product
line, it was the same products
my grandparents used when I
was a little boy, I didn’t know it
even existed anymore. I both a
case of products and asked if he
could refer me to a nice place to
get some food Togo and he told
me to try a place called Southern
Rose, he said they might close at
3 p.m. and it was already 2:45,
so I rush over to check this place
out. As I walked in there were
on a few people inside finishing
lunch, I guess being so late I
was expecting them to tell me
that they were about to close
but instead I was greeted right
as I walked in. I mentioned I
wanted a Togo order, the girl
was so polite and even offered
me a drink while I waited for my
steak fingers which by the way
was the best I’ve ever eaten.
They thanked me for stopping
by and to come again!
As I continued on to San
Angelo I kept thinking, “What a
great place to live where people
are so friendly.” After living in
San Angelo, TX , New York
City and back to San Angelo,
I realized very quickly that liv-
ing here in Texas was different,
(in a good way). Through the
years things have changed, good
and bad, where we would look
at each other and say “Small
Town America.” There are good
people in our small towns, and
random act of kindness re-
minded me of that. I don’t know
about you, but I am proud to
say that I am thankful to live in
“Small Town America” - a place
where people know each other,
care and support each other
and are always there to lend a
helping hand.
Thank you to Kyle at Ship
N More that offered my dog to
come inside and some fresh
water for her to drink and to
the girls who welcomed me at
closing time at Souther Rose to
make me the best batch of steak
fingers I’ve ever eaten! I am truly
grateful and more importantly,
for reminding me that Texas
small towns are a great place
to live.’
Sincerely,
Terry Mikeska & "Butter"
I’ve had a great morning! I have to make a confession
to write this column so here goes. I love the Cinnabons at Burger
King. I know who to blame for this and this person knows who he
or she is. I get up every morning trying to convince myself that the
madness must stop. I work on this project all the way to Burger
King. Today as I pulled up to the window to pay, the young lady
working there asked me if I was addicted to Cinnabons. I said that
apparently I was and I felt really bad about it as the word “sin” was
built right into the name of the offending food! She said “Well,
I’m addicted to your column so I guess we are even.” I thanked her
and told her that I certainly hoped my column was a little better for
her than the Cinnabon was for me. Her reply was that it probably
was but she also knew that I would walk off the Cinnabon. And
here is where my point comes.
She was right. It is possible for me to walk off all the calories
consumed in the Cinnabon in order to make it less of a problem
for my body. I can do this. I don’t always. But it is possible. How-
ever, if we have sin in our lives, we can’t walk it off. We can’t lift
enough weights or run enough miles to get rid of the sin we have
in our hearts. There is only one way to do this. And that is through
God. We must first ask God to forgive us and then we must ask
His help in resisting this temptation we have. We will all sin. I don’t
care who you are, you have sin in your life. It is just who we are.
But the great thing is that we have a God who loves and forgives.
He wants to help us do better. He wants us to try each day to be
more like Him. In Psalm 86:5, David writes these words, “Thou,
oh Lord are good and ready to forgive.” And its true! He is good
and ready to forgive.
The problem with trying to exercise to work off all the calories
that I am consuming is that it takes time and you have to really
stay after it. But with sin, our God can forgive us those things we
do wrong immediately. We don’t have to keep working and trying
hard to earn His forgiveness. It is just done when we ask. Because
He is good and He loves us.
So, do you have a sin problem in your life? Have you asked
God’s forgiveness. He is faithful to forgive. Always. Just ask Him.
It will make the difference.
our News Leader the Seminole Sentinel
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Wright, Dustin. Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 104, No. 50, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 24, 2013, newspaper, March 24, 2013; Seminole, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth786867/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Gaines County Library.