The Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 47, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 31, 1999 Page: 4 of 12
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Golf and Gogh
By M.Genc Dow, Publisher
I don’t usually play golf during the winter
months. That's why some of my golfing buddies
call me "groundhog.” But after spending most of
the winter months hospitalized and recuperating
after a series of surgeries, I - -r
finally got back out on the
course on the first day of
spring. I thoroughly eqjoyed the
outing, but my golf game wasn't
any better nor much worse than
when I’ve played all summer,.
That’s golf, one of die most
challenging and frustrating
games ever invented. People
who haven't played golf don’t
understand why it’s so enjoyable...hitting a little
white ball, finding it, then hitting it again. Golf,
more than any other game, is a challenge of one’s
self. The game is played foremost, not between the
fairway lines as much as between the ears.
But if you are interested in golf, here’s a few
one-liners about the game that you’ll enjoy:
-Show me a man who is a good loser and I will
show you a man who is playing golf with his boss.
-If you think it’s hard to meet new people, try
picking up the wrong golf ball.
-Columbus went around the world in 1492. That
isn’t a lot of strokes when you consider the course.
-Swing hard in case you hit it
-Former President Gerald Ford said he knew he
was getting better at golf when he started hitting
fewer spectators.
. -I was three over: one over the house, one over
a patio and one over a swimming pool.
-I’d give up golf if I didn’t have so many
sweaters.
-Bob Hope said, "If you watch a game, it’s fun
Ff you play it, it’s recreation. If you work at it, it’s
golf."
-The president of the anti-golf society said "If
every golfer in the world, male and female, were
laid end to end, I for one, would leave them there."
At age 77, Sam Snead remarked, "It’s a grind
trying to beat 60-year-old kids out there."
—It’s good sportsmanship to not pick up lost golf
balls while they are still rolling
-Baseball great, Ernie Banks said "Baseball
reveals character, golf exposes it."
-Playing golf is like chasing a quinine pill
around a cow pasture.
-Old golfers never die. they just putter away.
-Jack Benny once said, "Give me golf clubs, the
fresh air and a beautiful partner, and you can keep
my golf clubs and the fresh air."
• • *
Did you hear that the famous artist Vincent Van
Gogh had more relatives than he knew about:
His obnoxious brother .........Please Gogh
His dizzy aunt.................Verti Gogh
His brother who ate prunes ......Gotta Gogh
The brother who worked at a convenience
store...........................Stopn Gogh
The grandfather from Yugoslavia____U Gogh
The cousin from Illinois........ChicaGogh
His magician uncle.......Wherediddy Gogh
The Mexican cousin’s American half
brother..........................Grin Gogh
The nephew who drove a stage coach........
........................Wellsfar Gogh
The constipated uncle...........Can’t Gogh
The ballroom dancing aunt .......Tan Gogh
The bird lover uncle..........Flamin Gogh
The fruit loving cousin...........Man Gogh
An aunt who taught positive thinking........
......................WaytoGogh
His Italian uncle ................Day Gogh
And his niece who travels the country
in a van ...................Winnie Bay Gogh
The first motel in Texas
First there were wagon yards. People went to
town in wagons or buggies. The first stop was the
wagon yard, where the horses were unhitched and
fed. At night, people slept in the wagon yard, either
in the wagons or in the stables. They cooked and had
their meals there.
Then came tourist camps, which offered places
for travelers to pitch tents next to their vehicles.
Then came tourist courts, usually a row of small
rooms with small garages next to them. These were
ihe forcrunnars.oUnir uitxtei a motels. *
In 191*. MOnftx* Opened the Rainbow
Courts in Rockdale. It has remained in the same
family ownership since then and has never closed.
Rainbow Courts became a bed and breakfast long
before the term came into popular usage. Overnight
guests would pay 25 cents for a breakfast of eggs,
ham, sausage, bacon, grits, biscuits, hot cereal,
chicken fried steak, gravy and potatoes, fresh cream
and butter and homemade jams and jellies.
Rooms cost a dollar.
An old register showed that playwright
Tennessee Williams stayed there in 1935.
Rainbow Courts is modem, with all the amenities
you’d find in any upscale hotel. The rooms, suites
and cottages have Ralph Lauren bedding and Ethan
Allen and Thomasvilie furniture, cable television,
refrigerators and Starbucks coffee.
The motel has large areas of green grass, several
swings and petrified wood picnic tables and
benches. The grounds are landscaped with graceful
oak and redbud trees. With all this, you’d expect to
pay a premium price, but the rates are comparable to
those in Rockdale area motels.
The owners are Joan and Dan Ratliff. Joan had a
Tumbleweed
Smith
20 year career in the medical field and came home
to Rockdale in 1992 to take over the family business
from her mother. Joan’s husband Dan was a
successful banker before becoming a motel
proprieter.
Both Dan and Joan are active in Rockdale. Joan
was named the outstanding citizen of the year at the
recent Rockdale chamber of commerce banquet.
Dan and Joan have renovated most of the
cottages. "It’s an ongoing challenge," says Dan.
"But we see people from all over the world and it’s
fun." Most of the foreign visitors come to do
business with Alcoa, which has a lignite coal
operation in Rockdale and employs 1,400 people.
The motel property covers an entire city block.
Dan and Joan have recently purchased a historic and
picturesque old church which they plan to move
onto the complex. They’ve already added an old
school building, which has been converted into
small apartments.
The Texas Historical Commission is so
impressed with the facility it wants to make
Rainbow Courts a State Historical Site.
A TEXAS VOICE
Court rules in favor of the thighs
. . wBy Steve Martaindale
What do we need to bring our heads out of the
clouds as we approach a new millennium but a few
good doses or Victorian thinking, a la Judge Masste
Tillman.
This federal bankruptcy judge in Fort Worth last
week issued a written decree that any woman
appearing in his courtroom is to wear a dress or
skirt-no pants or pantsuits allowed. This applies
not only to lawyers but also to witnesses.
The most entertaining image for me is thinking of
Judge Massie Tillman sitting there in his flowing
gown passing judgment on the way people look. I
wonder how many gold stripes he has on his
sleeves. Indeed, maybe he also wears a powdered
wig.
‘I DROPPED MY PENCIL’
In typical holier-than-thou fashion, Judge
Tillman did not discuss the rule, which reads:
"Women arc to wear a dress, skirt or jacket or skirt
and blouse in the courtroom. Women are not to
wear pants or pantsuits."
Since he won’t talk about it, we’re left to guess at
his reasoning. The best I’ve heard so far ia one that
can be appreciated by any schoolboy—or one who
can remember his schoolboy years: •
Maybe the judge just enjoys the image of the
female leg. It makes me think I would want to hire
the bcst-lookirg female attorney I can find to
represent me in Tillman’s court. Preferably one with
long shapely legs coming out of a somewhat-short
, skirt
Also, if I had suffered from a decision in his court
while being represented by a not-quite Gwyneth
Paltrow-looking female attorney, especially one
who wore pants while representing me, I would
seriously be considering an appeal right no based on
the judge’s self-declared bias against such an
attorney.
Bias? Did someone dare suggest the judge has a
bias?
Dam tootin’. And worse.
What considcrairpn is a judge giving a case when
underneath his 19th century wool robe and
powdered wig he’s getting all worked up because he
doesn’t like the fact that these uppity women have
added insult to injury? First of all, they had the
nerve to force their way into the long-preserved
male-dominated profession of law. Now they are
even taking over the male dress code and wearing
slacks.
Well, Judge Tillman finally showed them who’s
wearing the pants in his courtroom (assuming he
does wear pants underneath his robe).
On the other side of the gender issue, it must be
staled, Tillman also requires male attorneys to
appear in coats and ties, something that is common
to most courts. As for witnesses and clients,
however, I have seen them in all levels of attire.
What I truly hope is that some brash male
attorney will appear in Tillman’s court wearing the
requisite coat and tie above a beautiful Scottish kilt
A LITTLE LESS ROUGE
Of course, the reason that any judge would
issue a dress code is because a courtroom is a
special place. Important business is transacted
there. It is a solemn institution with its own long line
of tradition.
But it is, above all, a house built upon and
dedicated to the divining of truth. And truth, be it
pretty or ugly, is just a bit more elusive when you
order it beautified with makeup.
Perhaps a court would be more effective at
getting to the truth if a judge would instead order
attorneys to not coach their clients or witnesses in
how they should appear.
Judge Tillman is obviously adept at judging
people by their appearance so it seems all the more
beneficial that he should see people in their natural
state.
STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS
Governor Bush prefers
traditional families
for raising of families
by Ed Sterling, TPA
AUSTIN — Gov. George W.
Bush last week made public his
preference for traditional families
when it comes to raising children.
“I’m against gay adoptions,”
Bush said, regarding legislation
that would bar the state from des-
ignating gays and lesbians as fos-
ter parents or permitting them to
adopt children
State Rep.-Warren Chisum, R-
Panipa, has filed legislation to pre-
vent homosexuals from adopting
children in the custody of Child
Protective Services, the agency
that takes custody of abused or
neglected children.!
‘‘I believe children ought to be
adopted in families with a woman
and a man who are married,” Bush
said.
On a similar theme, the gover-
nor also said he opposes includ-
ing sexual orientation in a bill to
clarify the state’s hate-crimes law
that increases penalties in cases in ,
which a victim is targeted for a
specific reason such as race or gen-
der.
“I’ve always said all crime is
hate crime,” Bush was quoted by
The Dallas Morning News.
“People, when they commit a
crime, have hate in their heart. And
it’s hard to distinguish between
one degree of hate and another,”
Buoh said.
On March 21, more than 6,000
people marched in Austin to pro-
test Chisum’s proposed legisla-
tion.-
Handgun Licensee Arrests Tallied
Texas concealed-handgun li-
;ense holders have been arrested
2,080 times since the law autho-
rizing the permits took effect in
1996, according to a study by the
Washington, D.C.-based Violence
5olicy Center.
I The Violence Policy Center’s
statistics included 103 charges of
aggravated assault, 442 cases in-
volving drunken driving and 15
charges of murder or attempted
murder.
However, December 1998 sta-
tistics from the Department of
Public Safety show only 515 of the
charges cited in the center’s report
resulted in convictions, though
sortie were stilljpendiag, DPS
spokeswoman Tela Mange said. —
DPS statistics showed that the
bulk of the convictions against li-
censed concealed-handgun hold-
ers were misdemeanors, including
185 for drunken driving and 21 for
prostitution.
Felonies included 31 convic-
tions of aggravated assault, six of
assault causing bodily injury and
five of aggravated sexual assault.
put of the 192,160 licenses is-
sued in Texas from January 1996
to December 1998, 614 were re-
voked. A total of 2,341 license
applications were denied, Mange
said.
Economy May Slow Down
State Comptroller Carole
Keeton Rylander on March 22 pre-
dicted slower growth in the Texas
economy during the next four to
six months, basing her forecast on
the Index of Leading Texas Eco-
nomic Indicators.
Showing gains were the Texas
100 Stock Index, new home con-
struction, retail sales and new jobs.
Texas gained 278,000 new jobs
during the last 12 months, with
269,000 in the service sector.
cent.
“Given the wide range of rate
changes filed by the companies
and the intense competition we see
in the marketplace, this is a good
time for employers to shop around
for the best deal,” said Insurance
• . . ►
Commissioner Jose Montemayor.
Slowing down were new busi-
ness incorporations and the num-
ber of jobs in want ads. Unem-
ployment claims have increased.
Workers' Comp Rates Drop
Texas workers’ compensation
carriers have responded to lower
base rates set by the Texas Depart-
ment of Insurance by cutting their
rates by an average of 10.5 per-
How to contact your
Representatives
If you have questions, and want an-
swers, to any subject that involves our
elected lawmakers, both state and na-
tional, here is how to get in touch with
them:
U.S. SENATORS:
Phil Gramm, Republican
Room 179, Russell Bldg.
Washington, D. C. 20510
Telephone: (202) 224-2934
Kay Bailey Hutchison, Republican
Room 703, Hart Bldg.
Washington, D. C. 20510
Telephone: (202) 224-5922
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Larry Combest, Republican
19th Congressional District
1511 Long worth HOB
Washington, D. C. 20515
Telephone (202) 225^005
Fax # 202-225-9615
STATE SENATOR
Teel Bivins
31st Senatorial District
P.O. Box 12068
Capitol Station, Room 118
Austin, Texas 78711
Telephone: (512) 463-0131
Fax; 1512) 475-3733____
P. O. Box 1673-Ph. (915)682-0455
Midland. TX 797702
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Gary Walker
District 77
c/o House of Representatives
P. O. Box 2910
Capitol Station, Room 305
Austin, Texas 78768-2910
Telephone: (512) 463-0678
Fax: (512)463-1094
The Seminole Sentinel
Oldest Established Business in Gaines County
P. O. Drawer 1200 (USPS 489-400)
Ph. 915-758-3667
Seminole, TX 79360
FAX No. (915) 758-2136
e-mail addreas: sentinel?wtacceas.com
Published each Wednesday and Sunday at The Seminole Sentinel
Building, 406 S. Main, under the act of March 3,1879.
Entered as Second Class Matter at the Seminole, Texas, Post Office.
Seminole, Texas 79360.
M. GENE DOW
Editor and Publisher
.................... News Editor
........................ Social Editor
.............................. Sports Editor
National, Classified A Composition
................ Retail Advertising Sales
Office Supply/Radio Shack
......................Photography
David Fisher ...............
Joyce Dow ....................
John Hasselmeier ........
Misty Ramirez.............
Barbara Parker ...........................
Patricia Roberson, Dustin Johnson
GeneGaines................................
Christy Hawkins .......... ......
Dennis Quisenberry, l.ori Hatley
Bookkeeping/C irculation
.................... Distribution
In County by Mail......— .............................................$24.00
Home delivery in City Limits.......................................$25.00
In Adjoining Counties by Mail..........................V..........$28.00
Elsewhere by Mail........................................................$32.00
Any erroneous reflection upon the character of any person or firm
appearing in these columns will be gladly and promptly corrected
upon being brought to the attention of the management.
Letters policy: Letters to the Editor are welcomed. All letters
should be kept as brief as possible. They must be signed with name,
address and telephone number, in case nerd for verification arises
(address and phone number will not be printed). The Sentinel
reserves the right to edit letters to prevent libel, invasion of privacy
or untastefnl language without changing the desired context. If
requested, editors will use initials only, but only rarely and for
compelling reasons. A signed letter carries more weight with
readers. Letters do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies or
beliefs of this newspaper. No letters about candidates seeking
election or "Thank You" letters will be accepted.
MEMBER 1999
WEST TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
_TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION_
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Dow, M. Gene & Fisher, David. The Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 47, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 31, 1999, newspaper, March 31, 1999; Seminole, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1049443/m1/4/: accessed June 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gaines County Library.