2A THE NEWS-JOURNAL
Rserord, N.C.
May 21,2003
Viewpoints
Battle with a computer, you lose
The people in my generation are
supposed to belong to the greatest
generation in history. True or not is
beside the point.
The one thing I wish had not been
invented was the computer. Things
invented are supposed to improve your
life, not make it miserable. Cussing
doesn’t improve your life. Show me
one individual who operates a com
puter who hasn’t used words that aren’t
acceptable in Sunday school and 1
will show you a non-bearer of the
truth.
I use the computer to write my
articles. It is a simple process to send
them to The News-Journal through
the use of the computer. One hitch, at
times it decides it doesn’t want to
cooperate. Now don’t get me wrong,
human operators — so say those who
invented them — cause the mishaps
of the computer. However, they need
to explain to me why all of a sudden
without any interference from me it
refuses to do what I ask. If it were a
student, I would send him or her home
to be with their parents.
Last week I wrote my article for
the coming week, right on time. Did it
go through? No way; instead it sent
another article that was in last week’s
paper. In fact, everything I tried to do
in straightening it out, didn’t work.
The same article came up regardless
of the name 1 used. If this confuses
you, the readers, don’t come in sight
of my house, because smoke will be
coming out of the roof. Not from a
fire, but my anger at this contraption.
A View from
the Country
Raz Autry
Compounded with the mishap I
had last week with the riding lawn
mower, 1 chose not to fight with the
computer. My lawn mower needed a
mulching blade. My questionable
friend, Howard McDougald, (when
I get through you will understand the
“questionable” part) was to put it on
for me. Arriving at the appointed
time to pick it up was no problem.
Howard works fast and always does
an excellent job. 1 dropped the tail
gate on my trailer and prepared to
load the fixed lawn mower. Unfortu
nately, I didn’t move it fast enough
in the trailer and it started slipping
backward and then it decided to turn
over. I had a vision of the tractor
turning over on me years ago, but
that is another story.
Just as the mower headed for my
face and chest, Howard caught it.
Now picture this — here I am lying
flat on my back with the steering
wheel waiting to ruin my elderly
face and crush my chest. Howard
said in a calm manner, “Would you
mind getting up from there and help
ing me turn this mower over?”
We turned it back over and his
only comment was, “It took you
long enough, 1 was getting tired.
Now tell the preacher I saved your
life.”
Spoken like a true friend. He wasn’t
through yet; when he arrived at Sunday
school I told not only the preacher
about the incident but other members
of the church as well, I further started,
“Howard, I am going to put in my
will.”
He replied, “When I am sure I am in
your will, and this happens again, I will
not be so quick to rush over and catch
that lawn mower.”
You have got to admit he is a truth
ful man. All kidding aside, Howard,
you are one of my best friends and the
only thing I can leave you in my will
are these pine trees in my front yard. I
know how you love pine trees.
My parting thought — For some
reason I always thought that Methodist
preachers were moved every four or
five years, no more than six. However,
this belief was shattered when our
present minister came to us from Chapel
Hill after nine years. It took us four
years to get the blue out of his ears. We
wouldn’t have gotten it out in that time
but Debbie helped us.
Now he is going to Ihe coast to
preach and fish. Those folks will enjoy
him. I was discussing the length of
service with him the other Sunday, and
he informed me that a Methodist
preacher has been in Chapel Hill for 24
years.
That preacher might as well stay
until retirement; after being in Chapel
Hill for 24 years, no one else will have
him.
Stay at home in North Carolina this summer
“If 1 tell you this, you will have to
promise not to tell,” a fellow loyal
Davidson College alumnus said to me
the other day before he confessed, “1
like the Carolina campus better than
Davidson’s.”
The Carolina campus is lovely and,
especially at its core, is as beautiful as
any university campus in the country
But, loyal to my alma mater, I
protested, Davidson's campus is so
pleasant. And the buildings fit to
gether and complement each ^er so
well.”
“What 1 like about Carolina,” my
friend continued, “is its variety of
styles. Too much of the same can be
boring. I even like the so-called ugly
buildings at Carolina because they
help the campus as a whole as a part of
a rich and diverse tapestry.”
We had been looking at the plans
for a new Carolina building, one whose
nontraditional architecture had already
provoked a vigorous discussion. Ev
erybody seems to have a different
idea about how important it is for new
buildings to look something like the
older ones that surround them.
Providentially, perhaps, a book
about North Carolina architecture hits
the bookstores this week. A Guide to
the Historic Architecture of Piedmont
North Carolina by Catherine Bisher
and Michael Southern will enrich our
discussions of architecture on the
Carolina and Davidson campuses.
I have been waiting for this book.
One on One
D. G. Martin
I
which is the third and final in a series
of historic North Carolina architec
ture written by these authors and
published by the UNC Press. The
first two volumes covd(ed the coistaM
plains and mountain regions. They
have been among my favorite North
Carolina books since their publica
tion a few years ago. Their county by
county descriptions of our treasured
buildings )n those sections of North
Carolina always made my travel to
other places a little more rewarding
— and fun. Instead of just passing
through North Carolina towns in the
East and in the mountains, I have
always had something more to look
for, to look at, and to appreciate —
thanks to those two books.
The new book is, if anything, but
even better than its predecessors.
Maybe it is because the Piedmont is
my home. Every page of its descrip
tions of buildings and its many pic
tures and maps bring back a recol
lection of some place that I have
seen before, but both passed by with
out appreciating its history or impor
tance.
Flipping through its pages, I real
ize that, although I live in the Pied
mont, it is a home that I do not know as
well as I should. And I want to get into
my car and rush to see those places and
buildings again —with the greater
knowledge that the new guide gives me.
The Piedmont may not have as many
old buildings as can be found on the
coastal plains or the rustic special styles
of the mountains. However, the explo
sive growth that took place in that
region in the 1800’s and 1900’s pro-
duffd wliat the authors call an “ex
traordinary, but dwindling architectural
heritage.”
The new guide helps put my friend’s
and my discussion of the Davidson and
Carolina campuses in context. By de
scribing the important buildings on each
campus, and telling us how those build
ings happened to be placed there, it
gives our impressions of the beauty of
those campuses some substance.
This new book, together with its
predecessors, gives so much more than
a simple catalog of buildings in North
Carolina. Its introductory history of
the region puts the architecture in con
text. Together with the hundreds of
photographs, maps, and charts, the au
thors’ narrative gives us a new way to
view North Carolina history asa whole.
If you are not able to take a trip to
some foreign land this summer, buy
this new book and its two companion
volumes. Put them in the front seat of
your car. Take off and see North Caro
lina this summer and I bet you’ll be
glad you stayed at home.
Here’s how to contact lawmakers...
This information on state and
national elected officials is printed
at the request of our readers:
Writing Raleigh
Governor’s Office
Mike Easley
State Capitol
Raleigh, NC 27603-8001
(919)-733-5612
Toll-free: 1-800-662-7952
(919)-733-5166
N.C. Senate
Sen. William R. Purcell (17th)
2117 Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
(9l9)-715-0690
(919)-733-2559 Fax
e-mail:
williamp^ms.ncga.state.nc.us
Home address:
1301 Dunbar Drive
Laurinburg, NC 28352
(910)-276-7328
Sen. Aaron W. Plyler (17th)
627 Legislative Office Bldg.
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
(919)-733-5739
e-mail:
aaronp@ms.ncga.state.nc.us
Sen. David F. Weinstein
(30th)
Room 2108 Legislative Build
ing
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
(919)-733-5651
(919)-733-2599 Fax
e-mail:
davidw@ms.ncga.state.nc.us
Home address:
206 W. 31st Street
Lumberton, NC 28358
N.C.. House
Rep. Donald Bonner
1313 Legislative Bldg.
Raleigh NC 27601-1090
fax (919)839-1313
e-mail:
donaldb@ms.ncga.state.nc.us
Rep. Ronnie Sutton (85th)
Legislative Bldg., Room 1317
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
(919)-733-5782
District office:
PO Box 787
Pembroke, NC 28372
(910)-521-4797
Home address:
Rt. 1, Box 154
Pembroke, NC 28372
(910)843-2353
Rep. Douglas Y. Yongue (16th)
Room 1305 Legislative Bldg.
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
(919) 733-5823
e-mail:
douglasy(g)ms.ncga.state.nc.us
Home address:
604 Prince Street
Laurinburg, NC 28352
(910)-276-1727
Citizens interested in the who, what,
when, where and why of the N.C. Gen
eral Assembly can now find out informa
tion online at “www.ncga.state.nc.us.”
Information about pending or past legis
lation; the partial schedules, committee
assignments and district information for
all senators and representatives through
out the year can be obtained; calendars
indicating when certain legislation will
be debated and voted upon; and research
topics among the General Statutes.
“The burden for (military) expan
sion and growth is falling squarely on
Hoke County citizens... All we’re ask
ing is an opportunity to sit at the table
Worth Repeating
as a stakeholder.”—Steve Connell,
head of Raeford’s Downtown Revi
talizing Commission, addressing the
city council on the Pope Air Force
DON'T UlORKY.
I THINK THEY
ARE DETTINO
HELP.
\
U
The heroes of 9/11 still serve
Base/Fort Bragg land use study that
calls for limited development in much
of Hoke County.
—We Get Letters —
Honor war dead
Dear Editor:
Memorial Day will be observed in
a ceremony on Monday, May 26 at 11
a.m. in front of the Hoke County
Courthouse or in City Hall if it is
raining.
Each year it is my duty to read out
the names of Hoke County veterans
who have passed away since Memo
rial Day of the year before. We want
to honor the membry and the sacri
fices of Ihese men and women and
their families.
Last year we had 23 names, and
three more were added at the cer
emony. This year we have 50 names
already.
If anyone would like to make cer
tain that no veteran is left out, please
call 875-2147 or 281-4732. And
please, citizens, come out and honor
our veterans’ memory.
Most of our county and city lead
ers take time to come out for about an
hour each year and we appreciate
this.
Thomas K. Squier
Hoke County
Veterans Service Officer
Athlete has wings
To the Editor:
Hat’soff to Darryl Barnett for win
ning the State 4 Long Jump Champi
onship with ajumpof23 ft. 5.5 inches.
This kid’s got wings!
Hoke,if you don’t know it by now.
I’ll tell you we have some gifted kids
and they need all the support we can
give them.
So pick a school, pick a sport,
because we have nothing to lose when
it comes to Supporting our School
system and Our KIDS!
Proud of Them Fighting Bucks
Jerry Chavis & Crew
Raining cats and dogs
To the Editor:
The current crisis of animals being
abandoned has our shelter (The Ha
ven No Kill Animal Shelter)overfull.
Last week alone The Haven took in
over 100 kittens, 14 were left in a
plastic box in front of the shelter, six
were left in a box at Petsmart — one
of those in critical condition.
Boxes of puppies are being found
on the sides of the road.
We need help! We need volun
teers to work at the shelter. We need
donations of food, donations of chain
link kennels, donations of money,
people to adopt animals, foster homes
for the animals. Contact The Haven
at (910)875-6768 orwww.thehaven-
nc.org
Linden Spear,
Executive Director
The Haven No Kill Animal Shelter
The i>eWS
-Journal
Published every Wednesday by
Dickson Press, Inc., Paul Dickson President
119 W. Elwood Avenue, Raeford, North Carolina 28376
(910) 875-2121 (Call for fax number)
PRINTED WITH
SOYINK
Home Page: www.tlicncws-iournal.com
Robert Dickson (roberi@thenews-journai.com).,.( Publisher
Ken MacDonald (ken@thenews-iournai.com) General Manager
Pat Allen Wilson (pat@thenews-|ournal.com) Editor
Victoriana Summers (vicky@thenews-)ournai.com) Reporter
Hal Nunn (hai@thenews-)ournai.com) Sports Writer
Hal Nunn (hai@thenews-journai.com) Sales Representative
Teena Jones (teena@thenews-)ournai.com) Office Manager
Linda Watson (iinda@thenews-journai.com) Receptionist
Robin Thompkins (robin@thenews-journai.com) Computer Design
Sandra Wiggins (sandra@thenews-journai.com) Computer Design
Henry L. Blue Production Supervisor
Mantise Andrews . Press Foreman
email ads to: ads@thenews-journal.com
email classifieds to: classlfleds@thenews-journal.com
email legals to: legals@thenews-journal.com
Periodical Class Postage at Raeford, N.C.(USPS 388-260)
Postmaster: Send address changes to:
P.O. Box 550 Raeford, N.C. 28376
The News-Journal is sold at these locations:
Bolton’s Central Ave.
Barbee Pharmacy Harris Ave.
Bo's S Main St.
Butlers Grocery Arabia
CVS Pharmacy 401 Bypass
Carthens Grocery... Centre Grove Church Rd.
Community Grocery Five Points
Daniels’ Exxon E. Central Ave.
Daniels’ Quick Stop Bus. 401 North
David’s #5 Hwy 20 & Central
Edinborough Restaurant S. Main St.
Fast Shop W. Prospect. Ave.
Food Stop W. Prospect Ave.
401 Express Stop ... E. Central & 401 N.
401 Shop & Save #1 Harris and 401
401 Shop & Save #2 E. Central Ave.
Hardin’s Rockfish Rd., Rockfish
Home Food Supermarket Main St.
Howell Drug Teal Dr.
J&L Clover Scurlock School Rd.
Lucky Stop 401 and Palmer
MPMart Hwy 211 South
McNeiLs Grocery Antioch
MePhatter’s Grocery 401 BusA/ass Rd.
Miller’s Cash & Carry Dundarrach
0 & J Conv. Mart Old Maxton Rd.
Papa’s Pizza Harris Ave.
Parks Grocery McCain
Poco N. Main St.
R&R Grocery Hwy. 211 East
Robbins Hgts Grocery E. 7th Ave.
Short Stop #14 401 & Palmer
Short Stop #23 Rockfish Rd.&401
Short Stop #54 Hwy. 401 Bypass
Short Stop #64 Hwy. 211 West
Short Stop #68 N. Fulton St.
The News-Journal 119 W. Elwood
Tri-Star Fayetteville Rd.
Wagon Wheel Restaurant. ...509 Harris
Warm Puzzle Cafe 106 E. Central Ave.
Woody’s Rocktish Rd. at King Rd.
Zip N Mart 401 N.
Subscription Form
□ New subscription
□ Renewal
□ Newcomer (3 free months)
□ Gift (We’ll notify recipient)
Clip, mail with payment to:
The News-Journal
P.O. Box 550
Raeford, N.C. 28376
(910)875-2121 for more information
Subscriber information:
Name
Address
City
Phone
Rates (including N.C. tax)
In Hoke:
One year
$20
Senior Citizen
$18
Outside Hoke:
One year
$30
Outside N.C.:
One year
$30
State
.Zip
Your name, address (if different from above)
Name
Address
City
Phone
State
.Zip