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6A ► WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2007 Daniel F. Evans President Editor and Publisher Julie B. Evans Foy S. Evans Vice President Editor Emeritus Don Moncrief Managing Editor Northside shows the way; Perry makes community proud First to Northside coaches (players, fans and everyone else in Big Blue country): Our congratu lations. Making it to the Georgia Dome in back-to back-to-back years is quite and accomplishment but even that pales in comparison to the program you have built. It’s hard to know for sure, but since your first trip to the Georgia Dome back in 1999 (and there was a 12-1 year before that) we don’t believe there’s been a better program in all of the state (109-11 from 1999 until this past Friday) - maybe even in the nation. A lot has been made about the accomplishments of our Warner Robins American Little Leaguers - justifiably so - but the biggest winners (ranked No. 9 in the latest Sports Illustrated may very well reside at 926 Green Street in Warner Robins. Now to Perry. There’s nothing we can say to take away the sting of what happened to you Friday. We’re sure since that time you’ve had a multitude of pats on the back. All well deserved but not what you want to hear is it? The truth is, a trip to the Georgia Dome - a state championship - was the ultimate goal you had in mind. Anything less was unacceptable. So, for people to tell you that you did good, that you had a great year, is really nice but sounds too much like “second place” doesn’t it? That’s OK, we understand. You set the bar high. That’s what we had hoped you would do. Bus, at the same time, we would be remiss if we didn’t point out have grateful we are to you as a community. You see, Perry fans have seen some bad football. In fact, since at least 1994 Panther fans have seen, some good but mostly terrible, football. We have had to endure one los ing season after another, in fact only two winning seasons during that time - and one of those was at 6-5. That isn’t to imply Perry High School doesn’t have a rich tradition. It just hasn’t been in foot ball. But since you, Head Coach Andy Scott - and company - took over that has changed. You said you wanted to build a program at Perry. Time being a testament - you were 8-4 in 2005, 7-4 in 2006 and 9-4 this year, you have done just that. Imagine the Perry of old. Fans, players, cheer leaders, students preparing for the big Friday night game. Only based on its history they did so with this thought in mind: “Well, there’s a better than 70 percent chance (that number is based on actual figures) we’re going to lose.” Imagine what that must have been like in terms of school spirit. Today, however, the fans, players, cheerlead ers, students prepare with an air of excitement. They go to a game believing - believing: “We’re going to win!” Now THAT is school spirit! No, you didn’t make the Georgia Dome. It really wasn’t fair. And based on how you played - turn overs excluded - it REALLY wasn’t fair. But, as no consolation, it wouldn’t have been fair if North Hall had lost, either. This would have marked their second-straight year of reaching the quar terfinals only to fall short. The thing we’re hoping you realize coaches and staff is just how much you’ve meant to Perry High School even without the Georgia Dome. So, forgive us if we join the hordes trying to console you today. We too say you did and are doing a great job, but when we do, we’re not just talking about one game. j Letters to the editor \ Pleased with library land purchase I I am very pleased that our county commissioners have purchased a plot of land on Gunn Road for their new i branch of the Centerville Library. This will triple the size of | the current, cramped, heavily used facility (4,200 square ! feet versus 15,000 square feet) and vastly expand its ; offerings in a lovely new, cheerful facility, with the latest I technology. j< The price of the land sold by Eagle Springs LLC (Charles [ McGlamary?) for less than three acres was $414,600 See LETTER, page yA mm wmyags* iPiii mb* '%%% imsi On Russian election, mope Keeping an eye on interesting events during the past few days: ■ Russia held an election over the past weekend. United States officials asked for an investigation of irregular voting. It was a Russian election. Not the USA. We stick our necks into every nation’s internal affairs and wonder why our country is so disliked around the world. How would we react if Russia, or any other country, demanded an investiga tion of our elections? ■ I remember a few years ago when the city of Warner Robins was required by the federal government to begin charging the same rates for county resi dents as city residents paid for water and sewer service. I learned today that rule does not apply everywhere. In Atlanta the city is permitted to charge customers in unin corporated areas higher prices. ■ It’s absurd that the state is spend ing millions of dollars to provide a defense for Brian Nichols, who gunned down people in an Atlanta courtroom and elsewhere. Why can’t they get on with a simple trial on a murder they can prove eas ily? ■ Sudan continues to be a country __ , - JMt Jh - - - Time for Christmas Give your kids the gift that keeps on giving By STEPHEN DANIELS Georgia Family Council It’s that time of year again, the “season of giving.” And we know what that means: crowded malls, long lines, scarce parking and elusive gifts for that hard-to-buy-for relative. Unless you are one of those wise souls who stockpiles bargains found throughout the year (like my wife), finding the perfect gift, or just being able to find enough gifts for everyone on the list can be a sacrifice of time, effort and money. Giving gifts, aside from being a part of the holiday tradition, is an oppor tunity to express love and gratitude to our family and friends. There is an inherent symbolism in the act of giving something of value to someone deemed worthy to receive it. Whether the gift is big or small, at some level it is a meaningful expres sion because giving something away is an act of sacrifice. Most of us probably remember a favorite toy we received at Christmas - the one we’d longed for and were ecstatic to receive. It probably brought us months or maybe years of enjoy ment, but the gift probably did not have any long-term impact on our life. However, there is something parents can give their children, not just at Christmas, but throughout their grow ing up years that can have a positive long-term impact on who they are. It doesn’t require a trip to Toys R Us or the Visa card, but it does require a lot of sacrifice. It’s the gift of time. For all of us time is a valuable com “One rou e ran nut/ve a c/iff e/ e/u <* Columnist MKf foyevansl9@cox.net “One of the absirdßies of this Christmas season Is a . call by some groups that Santas slim down to prove that they are on the good health bandwagon.” where mass murders are condemned by civilized nations that do nothing but complain. How many millions of US dollars are given to this government every year? Why do we subsidize something we abhor? ■ One of the absurdities of this Christmas season is a call by some modity. It’s one of the few things every human being has an equal amount to spend. How we do so is largely up to us. And when it comes to kids, it’s a parent’s most worthwhile investment. If you think about it, most of us have been influenced by the amount and quality of time our parents spent with us. Now that I’m a father, I have thought back over my own childhood and evaluated my experience through the lens of a parent. It didn’t cross my mind then, but looking back I realize how much time my parents sacrificed for me and my brothers. Were there times when they passed on opportunities to do what they want ed to for our sake? You bet. Did it make a positive difference in my life? You bet. Growing up, I was blissfully unaware of the impact the time my family spent together was having on my life. But I can see looking back how it provided me with a sense of security and iden tity that has followed me into adult hood. Now I’m the one learning about the challenges of parenting, including how to manage the time I spend with my kids. With three children ages five and under it sometimes seems like my wife and I are in perpetual survival mode to keep up with nonstop demands that come with raising children. And we’re aware that those demands will evolve as our children grow. But one thing that will not change is the ongoing need for us to give the gift of time. It often comes easy. My children BELIEF HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL groups that Santas slim down to prove that they are on the good health band wagon. This is as silly as the decision in one community to dress Santa in grey. ■ It seems that methane as a fuel fad may not last long. Critics now claim that the cost to the economy in relation to the savings on fuel is negative. The cost of com is soaring because it is being diverted from foods usage to methanol. This is something we can keep our eyes on. ■ There was news that scientists are concerned about the harm that radiation from CAT scans can cause. That’s interesting. I’ve been exposed to so much radiation in the past 10 days that I could light up a home throughout Christmas. ■ Doesn’t it disgust you when you go into a store (electronics, especially) and the salesperson has little or no knowl edge of the product? We’re seeing more and more of untrained, unskilled sales people push ing products they know nothing about. How wonderful it is when you discover that precious salesperson who knows his product. It’s a pleasure to spend your money with him. This time of year there are just too many order takers. are energetic, inquisitive and creative - a recipe for fun and excitement. But there are also those times when it’s not so easy - usually when I’m tired, busy, or would just plain rather do what I want to do. That’s the moment when I have to remind myself that time is a gift that can reap long-term rewards for my kids, and that there is sacrifice involved. It’s doesn’t take a genius to know that children whose parents spend a great deal of time with them are more likely to thrive. After all, who is better equipped to impart values and charac ter into their lives than the people who care for them the most, know them best and are more invested in their well-being. Time together can make a difference. A recent report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found a correlation between time spent togeth er as a family at the dinner table and substance abuse. Teenagers who do not eat dinner with their family on a regu lar basis are more likely to abuse pre scription and illegal drugs, use tobacco and drink alcohol than teenagers who do. There is debate about whether it is the quality or the quantity of time parents spend with their children that matters. I don’t think it’s an either/or issue. Both are important because each communicates love and worth to a child and provides important opportu nities for influence. See DANIELS, page yA