Weekly Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Ward County, Trans Pecos, Big Bend of West Texas

Opinion

Jan 14, 1999

Child's life is simple

Go find a baby, and you'll see what I mean. Babies are
nowhere near complicated. Smelly and time-consuming, yes.
Complicated, no. For you see, all they require are the
basics: milk and love. Oh yeah- and lots of clean diapers.
My point is, they don't let themselves get bogged down in
details. They don't care if their hair's a mess- heck, most
of 'em don't even have hair! And does that bother them?
No! Now try to find a grown-up who feels the same way.
What? What's that you say? You couldn't find one? My
point exactly.

There was a time when each of us could honestly not care
less about that sort of thing. All we needed was, well, the
basics. As you grow, your basics include more than milk,
love, and diapers (although you'll keep needing those first
two for life, and quite possibly the third one again in your
old age). You start needing sunshine and a good friend to
play cowboys and indians with, and you need actual food,
like cookies and Kool-aid. Clothes are optional- my
goddaughter Victoria, who just turned three, hates clothes
with a passion, and who can blame her? They just weigh you
down. In other words, they're another complication- and
she, still a free spirit, knows it as such.

Now, I'm not saying that by golly, the answer to a simple
life lies in strutting about in your birthday suit. All I'm
saying is that over time, we start adding all these
non-basic things to our lives, and that's what makes it so
complicated. I'm a wild fan of hypothetical questions, and
I was once asked what I thought my seven-year-old self would
think of the self I am today. I'm pretty sure she'd like
me, but I know she'd wonder why I wasted my time on silly
materialistic things when I could be outside rolling in the
grass.

Bottom line: when you were a child, and could see the world
through clear eyes, you knew that life was simple. You
didn't worry about keeping up with your snotty neighbor, and
if you had some money, you spent it at Toys 'R' Us, not
J.Crew. You didn't have to listen to some psych professor's
theories on life- you already knew what the deal was. Milk,
love, intermittent diapers, friends, sunshine, and good
food-that's all you need. The rest is just a complication.

Pick your award nominee

The three awards are Outstanding Citizen, Merit Award and
Youth Leadership.

These are important awards honoring members of our
community.

Chamber members need to complete their nominations and turn
them in no later than tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 15.

Any Outstanding Citizen nominee should be well known in the
community, outstanding in civic responsibility and service.

The Merit Award is for service in any field of endeavor
which benefits the community in its business, civic, or
cultural growth.

Youth Leadership award is for someone that has given
outstanding service and leadership in areas that benefit the
youth of the area.

All of the awards are for service beyond the line of duty
and can be job related.

The awards will be presented at the annual chamber banquet
on February 15. I think this is an excellent way to
recognize people that make a difference in our community and
with our youth. So get your nominations filled out and into
the chamber and mark your calender for February 15.

Thank school trustees for good job

The decisions these seven make concerning our school system
reach far into the future. Working with our school
administration, they make decisions involving teacher
staffing, curriculum and discipline policies. They oversee
maintenance, upkeep and updating of the physical plants for
six Monahans campuses and one in Wickett. They even serve as
a grievance committee to hear problems between parents and
the school and between school employees and the school.

Their responsibilities range from the simpler things like
determining the acceptable length of a students hair to
making decisions concerning lawsuits brought against a
teacher and/or the school. Every decision they make must be
with the ultimate goal of seeing that the children of Ward
County get a quality education.

They oversee a budget of several million dollars and like
the County and City, must continue to do their job with the
shrinking revenue caused by the decline of the oil field.

So when you're out and about this month and run into a
school board member, take the time to say thanks for a job
well done.

Too many trials of century

We thought O.J. Simpson's was the trail of the century.
Remember that one? O.J. walked after a brilliant legal
argument fashioned by defense lawyer Johnny Cochran who
admonished the jury, and if the glove don't fit, you gotta
acquit.

Johnny won that trial and became a TV talk show host. Marcia
Clark lost that trial and became a TV talk show host.
Various analysts became TV stars. O.J. launched more show
business careers than a high-powered talent agency.

Forget O.J. CNN is now touting the Senate Impeachment of
William Jefferson Clinton as the trial of the century. Make
that Trial of the Century. We are being assured by just
about everyone that the proceedings in the Senate will have
solemnity.

I had figured that out myself by watching each of the 100
Senators sign the book as sworn-in jurors, each being
presented with an individual pen which each was allowed to
keep.

That very act cried out: Historical Moment! And: Valuable
Collector's Item! And: Government Waste!

We are being assured, too, the Senate proceedings will have
more dignity than did the Impeachment Hearings in the House.
Big deal. That is little consolation.

Female mud wrestlers would have more dignity than the House
hearings.

Four drunks at a local tavern arguing about the Dallas
Cowboys would have more dignity than the House hearings.

Having watched just about every second of the House
hearings, I offer this sampling in which the quotes are
fictitious. They do, though, give an insight to the flavor
of the sessions chaired by GOP Rep. Henry Hyde of Illinois:

HYDE: The gentlelady from California is recognized for 45
seconds.

CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS: I would just like to put it on
the record that the chairman of this committee is a
hypocritical, philandering, scum-sucking bottom dweller.

HYDE: The chair thanks the gentlelady for her scurrilous
attack. My esteemed colleague Barney Frank is recognized for
15 seconds.

CONGRESSMAN BARNEY FRANK: Thank you Mr. Chairman. Mr.
Chairman, it seems to me the only question we are facing
today is a simple one: is this hearing about a
constitutional infringement or is this hearing about
genitalia?

And while I understand that question adds absolutely nothing
to the debate, I just wanted to say genitalia on television.

CONGRESSMAN JOHN CONYERS: Mr. Chairman, point of order if
you will, I would just like to say I find these entire
proceedings chilling and pernicious, the charge of
obstruction of justice perjurious, and, furthermore, I
submit to you that when I face this direction I think it
certainly favors my best profile for the TV camera, and I
would like to state that the witness, Mr. White House
Attorney Charles Ruff, has been brilliant in his defense of
the president and ask if that, indeed, if I don't appear to
be brilliant by using all these fancy words?

HYDE: Mr. Barr, I see you have something to add?

CONGRESSMAN BOB BARR: Yes, Mr. Chairman, I just want the
people to know I can use a fancy word, too. Resonate,
resonate, resonate, resonate, resonate.

CONGRESSMAN LINDSAY GRAHAM: Colleagues, never in the history
of this great country have we had a situation so grave as
this one where a man brought the full power of the White
House crashing down on one vulnerable little girl.

VOICE FROM OFF CAMERA: Excuse me, Mr. Congressman, but are
you talking about Monica Lewinisky who told her friend,
Linda Tripp, and if I ever get involved with a married man
again, shoot me. Especially if he is the president.?

The same Monica who told Linda, something like, Bill and I
were supposed to get together last night, but he was messing
with that darn Iraq stuff.?

The Senate will not sink to this level. On the other hand,
it does not seem intent on handling impeachment with any
haste. I am no legal scholar, but I could take care of this
deal in a morning. Bring in Johnny Cochran. Bring in Monica.
Have her try on the famous blue garment.

And if the dress fits, the president splits.

Have a nice day.

Ward Newspapers, Inc.
Joe Warren, Publisher
107 W. Second St., Monahans TX 79756
Phone 915-943-4313, FAX 915-943-4314
e-mail monnews@ultravision.net