Over Coffee - 1998 WELCOME BACK, COURIER Well, here I am again - same column, same columnist, but a new newspaper. I want to take this opportunity to say, "welcome back, Courier." The "Courier" name has been associated with newspapers in Edinburgh since before the turn of the century. And, the column "Over Coffee" has been around since the 1960's. The "Edinburgh Daily Courier," as many of you remember, was the one and only way to get news of Edinburgh for decades. At one time it had the dubious distinction of being the smallest daily newspaper in the state. It typically had only 4 pages, but sometimes it would swell to 6! I had the pleasure of writing a weather column for the Courier in the late 1960's, when I was in high school. There were no such thing as home computers back then, and only the largest businesses had them, so I had to draw my weather maps by hand. They were crude, but they quickly became a popular feature. I would slide the hand-drawn map and typed forecast under the door of the Courier office on my way to school each morning. Then, after school, I would drop by the office to watch them print the paper and to pick up my stack for delivery. Yes, I had a paper route, too. I delivered south Pleasant Street. The Courier was owned by Francis and Sarah Otto back then. The editor was Bill Hale. He was the one that took interest in me when he learned of my interest in the weather, and in writing about it. And it was Hale who wrote the "Over Coffee" column for the Courier. After I graduated college, I became a teacher for a number of years in Lake Station, Indiana. I still had an interest in writing, however. I was a regular contributor of letters to the editor at the Post-Tribune, in Lake County. I was even a guest columnist once. When I returned to Edinburgh in 1990, my letters to the editor were directed to the Tricounty News, which was owned and operated by Gary Storie. The Courier had been sold in the early 1970's to the Franklin Evening Star, which was subsequently bought by Home News Enterprises, the parent company of the Daily Journal and now, the new Edinburgh Courier. A couple of years later, I found myself on the staff of Edinburgh's weekly newspaper. I was assigned the task of writing a weekly column about life in Edinburgh (and in general), and I named it after the column written by the man who gave me my early start in journalism. I called it "Over Coffee." After changing ownership twice in two years, the Tricounty News went out of business earlier this year. I was without a forum for my columns, except for my Internet Website, (http://wilstar.net). But then, the Daily Journal came to the rescue of a town without a newspaper. They revived the Edinburgh Courier, this time as a weekly. And they gave me my old job back writing my "Over Coffee" column. You'll find it right here each week. If nothing else, it will make a perfect bird cage liner! THE INTERNET INITIATIVE'S FIRST YEAR This month marks the first anniversary of the Edinburgh Internet Initiative. It was a joint project between the Greater Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and the Edinburgh Community School Corporation. And, measured by community participation, the project must be termed a success. "We have 61 community users and 16 chamber users," said Vince Laine, the school's technology coordinator and Webmaster of ECOnet, the Edinburgh Community Online Network, which is the host computer system. The Internet Initiative marked another first for Edinburgh in the area of technology. The start-up was covered by the news media, including at least one Indianapolis television station. Its newsworthiness stems from the fact that, as far as can be discerned, Edinburgh is the only community in the United States to offer all of its residents free connectivity to the Internet. And all Chamber of Commerce members can take advantage of the free Internet connection as well. In addition to offering a free connection to the Internet, including the World Wide Web, ECOnet also hosts personal and business Web pages and email accounts. Through ECOnet, it is possible for every resident in the community to have his own Internet email address, Web page, and dial-up access to the Internet - all for no charge. There are certain drawbacks, however, to going with ECOnet for Internet connectivity instead of a commercial provider. For one thing, access for households is limited to 90 minutes per day. That is sufficient for most casual Internet surfers, but not for most hobbyists. That time limit is not imposed on Chamber of Commerce members. A second drawback in my opinion is the fact that ECOnet's Internet access is filtered. That actually might be considered a positive thing for parents who are concerned about what their children might be looking for on the Internet. The filter screens out most pornographic or adult-content sites. However, unfortunately, the filtering system is not perfect. It also screens out many pages of content that are not inappropriate. And, it also does not screen out 100% of the porn sites, either. Personally, I would favor placing Internet filtering responsibilities on the parents, not the service provider, even though the service provider in this case is a school. However, I do understand the rationale behind installing a filter on a school-based system. Basically, ECOnet's free Internet access is great for the casual or occasional surfer, or for someone who is mainly interested in email. It is a big plus for Edinburgh and a selling point for the community. But for the avid Web surfer who prefers spending hours on the Net instead of watching TV, and who wants access to everything the vast World Wide Web offers, it's best to choose a commercial service provider at a cost of about $20 per month. EDINBURGH'S CHANGING DOWNTOWN It's hardly an understatement to say that downtown Edinburgh isn't what it used to be. But whether the difference is good or bad depends upon your point of view, and what you might remember about what Edinburgh's downtown used to be like. Edinburgh has had a downtown since the middle 1800's. During the early years, and up until the 1940's, downtown Edinburgh was the focal point of entertainment for the residents of Edinburgh. For example, in the 1930's, an active Merchants' Association started the first Fall Festival. It didn't have carnival rides, but it did have lots of music, food, and sidewalk sales. It was also in the 1930's, during the Great Depression, that the Edinburgh State Bank was established. It took over the building formerly occupied by Thompson's State Bank, which went under four years earlier. The bank building's most recognizable feature was a large black four-face mechanical clock with chimes. On each of the four sides of the clock, above the dial, was a stained glass sign that read "The Edinburgh State Bank." When NBD took over operation of the bank a few years ago, the stained glass was replaced with plain Plexiglas, much to the chagrin of some of the bank's depositors. However, some of you may have noticed that the stained glass is back on the clock. It was replaced a couple of weeks ago and now features the "Salin Bank" trade mark. One of the original "Edinburgh State Bank" panes was donated to the Edinburgh Public Library. During and after World War II, the downtown area changed. For one thing, there were more taverns, thanks to the influx of personnel from Camp Atterbury. Edinburgh, during those years, began to earn its reputation as a tough little town - a reputation that has been difficult to shake. But the downtown area thrived throughout the 1950's and 60's. Edinburgh residents could do most of their shopping downtown. There were grocery stores, clothing stores, dry cleaners, a drug store, a shoe store, a furniture store, a jewelry store, a hardware store, a general merchandise store, two banks, and several restaurants - in addition to the several bars - all located along the two- block section of Main Cross Street known as the business district. Edinburgh even had a full-time taxi service with three or four taxicabs. In the `60's, it would cost you a buck to take a cab across town. During the 1970's and `80's, Edinburgh's downtown began to deteriorate. Several businesses closed. Some stores became vacant, and others started being used as street-level residences - a very tacky practice that is now against town ordinances. But in 1989, the downtown streetscape got a facelift. New brick sidewalks were installed, along with turn-of-the-century street lamps. It was during the early 1990's that a new style of business began to take over the stores that had been vacated. This new style of business is one that is staking a foothold in many communities, with the advent of the discount variety store where most people buy what they used to buy downtown. The new stores are antique and craft shops, and gift shops. Today, there are no fewer than six or seven antique, craft, and gift shops in the downtown area. There is also plenty to eat downtown, with four restaurants still in place. The number of downtown bars have been whittled to three. The hardware store remains, as does the furniture store, and the banks, but the clothing, shoe, and general merchandise stores, the drug store and jewelry store are long gone, as are the downtown grocery stores. The future of downtown Edinburgh looks fairly bright, as long as the merchants maintain a spirit of cooperation. The recently-established Edinburgh Merchants' Association will help, and the Greater Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is willing to lend a hand when needed. The one thing that downtown Edinburgh needs to remain vibrant is local shoppers. How many local residents go to a big chain store to purchase things like appliances, hardware, or furniture? These items can all be purchased downtown, and for a price not out of line with the big stores. But the merchants also need to make it more convenient for shoppers. Merchants must get together and decide to stay open late at least one night a week. One store cannot start the trend; it will take a cooperative effort. All downtown stores also need to maintain Sunday hours. This includes the restaurants. Edinburgh can maintain an active and prosperous downtown, but it will take the combined efforts of the merchants and the local shoppers to make it happen. A NOT-SO-FREE EDUCATION IN INDIANA The school year has started again, which tends to remind me in a not-too-subtle way that our so-called "free" education is far from being free. If you have kids in school, you were socked with a whopping textbook rental and supplies fee again this year, right? I know parents of first graders must pay over $100 each for the book fees. My freshman son's book fees this year were $198.00 and my 7th- grade daughter's fee was over $100.00! Indiana is the only state left that forces its parents to pay these outrageous book and course fees. No, education in this state certainly isn't "free." Last year, there was a bill before the General Assembly that had widespread support, including support from the governor, that would eliminate class fees and book fees. But, because of politics, the bill never made it through. It is up to the residents, the voters, to prod our representatives into making the right choice when they reconvene in January. Let them know that we really do want a free education for our kids. Let them know we will not tolerate, for the second time, politics as usual over a free education. When January comes, don't forget how deeply you had to dig in August to pay for your child's "free" education. In fact, don't even wait until January; call or write your representative and senator today, while all that monetary outlay is still smarting, and let them know that you expect them to alleviate the situation next year. It's bad enough that parents must spend hundreds of dollars to buy new "in-style" school clothes and shoes every year; it's bad enough that parents must shell out big bucks for consumable school supplies, like paper, pencils, book bags, folders, crayons, glue, etc. It is intolerable that parents should also have to fork over megabucks to the school for what rightfully should be paid for by the state. The school superintendent can't do anything about it; neither can the principals. Their hands are tied by state laws. Don't wait until you have to pay it all over again next year; let those who make the laws in the General Assembly know now how much you really hate paying their bills for them. They have well over a billion dollars just lying there collecting interest. Tell them to put it to good use, by eliminating the costly book rental and classroom fees. To contact State Representative Woody Burton, call 1-800-382-9841 or email R58@ai.org. His home page on the Internet is http://www.state.in.us/legislative/homepages/R58/. To contact State Senator Robert Garton, call 1-800-382-9467 or email S41@ai.org. Garton's home page is http://www.state.in.us/legislative/homepages/S41/. "TASK" AS DEFINED BY TEACHERS A teacher's job is not always easy. I know, because I have been a teacher. Teachers must not only teach, good teachers must also inspire, and they must be good disciplinarians. And although their "official" workday lasts but seven hours or so, few teachers can get all their work done during the workday. Like the students they teach, teachers also have homework - sometimes lots of it. When I was teaching, about 10 years ago, one of the favorite catch phrases was "time on task." It was generally agreed that students in class, in order to garner the most from their education, must spend more "time on task," and less time doing other things, like waiting for teachers to take attendance or talking to the person sitting next to them. But, in a possible effort to generate more interaction with their students, some teachers and administrators apparently have forgotten (or redefined) what "task" means. When I was in elementary school - way back when we used blackboards that were really black - I remember several classes occasionally being corralled into the cafeteria to watch a movie. The movie was invariably about something educational. I specifically remember one about how orange juice was made. At least I think that's what it was about; we didn't have VCRs back then, so the sound quality of the 16 mm film was less than ideal. Today's educators have a much fuller library of videos to show, and better equipment to show it on. No longer must students be corralled into a large room to watch a movie shown by the school's only projector. Now, there are TV sets in every class. And, about field trips - I don't ever remember taking a "field trip" when I was in elementary school. Maybe I did; I just don't think so. We took two or three when I was in high school - that's 2 or 3 total over four years. I have nothing at all against teachers showing movies or going on field trips. In fact, I think these are good supplements to the curriculum. However, I also think both devices are abused. One teacher at the school I taught at for eleven years spent an entire week of class time rerunning the video taped Civil War program from TV, "The Blue and the Gray." I'm no historian, but it would seem that there must be a more efficient method of teaching Civil War history than to spend five days watching a TV rerun of the event; its theatrical embellishments notwithstanding. Then, there are those elementary school teachers who insist that showing the Disney movie "Pocahontas" is of greater educational value than actually teaching their students about the historical figure. And, worst of all, it is now considered appropriate for teachers to show theatrical movies in class, just because they don't have anything else planned; or for groups of teachers to spend all day, out of the classroom with their students, to go on field trips that have no educational value whatsoever. It wouldn't be so bad if these "outings" were a reward for a job well done. The school board has set a goal of being a Four-Star school by the year 2002. It is a worthy goal, and one that is achievable. It would be quite appropriate to have an all-school outing or party in celebration if that goal were to be achieved. It might also be appropriate to have a picnic or a small celebration to commemorate other worthwhile and significant accomplishments of students throughout the year. But it is not appropriate, in my opinion, to show theatrical movies just because the grading period is about over. It is not appropriate to take whole classes to state parks to ride horses or go fishing. And, it is not appropriate to take any field trip unless the educational value of that trip is outlined in advance, and unless the students know what they are suppose to learn from it. Teachers are paid well, by taxpayers, to educate children in the most efficient manner possible - to increase "time on task." They are not paid to watch movies or to baby-sit kids on all-day "outings." CARNY TIME AGAIN It's "Carny" time again! That's right; one of the longest-running traditions in Edinburgh, the Fall Festival, is back for another 4-day stint. And there's one thing about the Edinburgh Fall Festival that, to me, is different from almost all other fairs - I like it! I'm not a big amusement park fan. I can't think of very many things I would like to do less than go to an amusement park, or even a county fair. There are many reasons why I dislike fairs and amusement parks. They are expensive; they require you to spend hours broiling in the hot sun in large crowds, and most of them have long lines for everything. And, besides, the only good part about them are the food booths, since I've never been much of a carnival rider - I get dizzy. However, the Edinburgh Fall Festival is different. Yes, it's usually crowded, and some of the lines at the food booths can get long. But the Fall Festival takes place when the weather is not so atrociously hot, and the midway is only two blocks long, so one is not apt to get tired out so quickly. However, the main reason I enjoy the Edinburgh Fall Festival more than most carnivals is because of where it takes place - in Edinburgh. It is more than a carnival or festival; it is a tradition. When the Fall Festival comes to town, it gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, because it represents the advance guard of my favorite time of year - autumn. It is more than just carnival rides. There are booths, barbecue dinners, fish fries, antique and craft exhibits, an art show, a parade, musical entertainment, and much more. The history of the Fall Festival goes back to the early 1930's when a group of downtown merchants got together and decided to put on a Merchant's Street Fair. There were no rides, but there was plenty of musical entertainment, food, and sidewalk sales. The festival died out during the war years, but it was revived again in the early 1950's. In the 1960's, the Fall Festival was held downtown. School would be released about 2 hours early on Friday of festival week so students could take advantage of discount day, when rides were only 10 cents each. Different organizations have sponsored the festival over the years. But in recent years, the Lions Club has taken on that responsibility. It is a major undertaking. Although some of the rides of recent years have been somewhat substandard, it is not the fault of the Lions Club. The best amusement ride companies are booked years in advance, and prefer larger venues. Nevertheless, the Fall Festival continues to supply that traditional autumn get- together for Edinburgh residents. For some, it is the only time during the year they see long-lost acquaintances! It's a nice diversion from the routine, and a nice forerunner of the holiday season. TOP 10 REASONS CLINTON MISUNDERSTOOD THE QUESTIONS There have been numerous calls for Clinton's resignation or impeachment. According to a recent Daily Journal survey, nearly three out of four Johnson County residents believe he should step down or be removed from office. Yet Clinton has continually denied having sex with Monica Lewinsky as he defines it. He claims he did not perjure himself during his deposition in January and before the grand jury in August. And it could be that he's right. He admits his memory is failing him (a good reason in itself for him to step down). But new evidence suggests he might have simply misunderstood the questions that were asked of him. In an effort to get to the bottom of this, I contacted the White House personally to see if the president could clear things up, (and if you believe that, then you probably believed every word Clinton has said on the Lewinsky matter!). Anyway, he provided these top ten explanations of why he should not have to resign, based upon his simple misunderstanding of Starr's questions. The president's own top ten reasons he has been misunderstood: 10. During my deposition in January, I thought they said "sax with Ms. Lewinsky." I never played my sax for Monica; she's an oboe fan. 9. During my grand jury testimony, I thought Starr asked me about "Socks with Ms. Lewinsky." Socks is my kitty, and Monica is allergic. 8. I'm sorry; I'm still not clear as to what you mean by the term, "is." 7. Intern? You know she did bring me that pizza. With God as my witness, I seriously thought she was the new Domino's Pizza driver. 6. Seriously, is that what it means? I thought they were referring to sex with Oral Roberts! 5. Is our affair still going on? I'm afraid I'm going to have to revert to my answer in number 8. 4. No, I did not touch her breasts. I prefer hot wings and thighs - extra crispy. 3. She had sex with me, but I certainly did not have sex with her. And that is why I'm considering filing rape charges. 2. At no time did I tell her to lie. We did it standing up. 1. To tell you the whole truth, I got her that job at the Pentagon. I owed this general a big favor. WHY SOME WOMEN THINK MEN ARE PERVERTS Women may disagree, but men have had to adapt and conform to the established norms and standards of society to a greater degree than have women. Men have had to force themselves to act totally in opposition to their natural tendencies with regard to sex, whereas women may simply behave the way nature intended. Consider an experiment performed at a university in which males aged 18 to 24 were told to ask young women, whom they had never met, for sex. The men were supposed to find a female college student who was alone at the time, strike up a casual conversation about the weather, and then say something like, "I find you very attractive. Would you like to go to my room and have sex?" In the experiment, 100 percent of the women refused the proposition. And, in fact, the vast majority of them not only refused to have sex, but also seemed insulted or annoyed at having been asked. The next phase of the experiment reversed the roles. This time, the women were supposed to find a male student and strike up a casual conversation, ending with the same question. And this time, the results were quite different. Seventy percent of the men who were propositioned agreed to have sex. And the reaction of almost all the rest was not disgust. Most were apologetic. Some said things like, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid my girlfriend might catch us," or, "I don't think I should because I'm kinda going with someone right now." Why should the women have felt so insulted or annoyed at being asked the same question that didn't bother most men? Women might say the answer is because all men are jerks, or perverts. But that still begs the question, "why is that so?" The real answer, of course, lies with evolution. In the earliest history of humankind, it was the male's responsibility to make sure the species was promulgated. It was the man's duty to successfully breed with as many females as possible. He was genetically inclined to reproduce with reckless abandon. Females, on the other hand, were genetically predisposed to seek out the single male that she thought would give her the best and strongest children. And then, her job was to stay at home and raise her family. This behavior was not something she considered consciously; it was simply pre-programmed in her genes. Genetically, she was not interested in having many partners in rapid succession. She simply wanted the best man to get her pregnant, after which time she would refuse sex until she was ready for her next child. In prehistoric times, it was nature's way of making sure the species survived. The social mor,s that exist in today's society more nearly reflect the attitude of the early cave women, that is, don't have casual sex with multiple partners, and be true to the one you're with for life. But the men of today still have that genetic predisposition to fertilize as many women as possible in the shortest amount of time. For that reason, it is the men who have had to adapt their behavior and suppress their tendencies in order to conform to what society says is acceptable behavior. Women have had to change little. These are, of course, general tendencies. There are men who have no repressed sexual desires; as there are some women whose sex drive rivals any man's. For the most part, every man that approaches a woman that he finds attractive, and then gets tongue-tied as he tries to compliment her or ask her out, and every man who behaves like a jerk, whistling and winking at women on the street; all they really want to do is simply go up to that woman and say, "Hey, babe, let's have sex." But how many women have ever had a man come up to them out of the blue and ask that question? Probably very few have. So the men, although they may behave like perverts occasionally from a woman's perspective, are actually suppressing a lot more of their true sexual desires than the women give them credit for. Women, therefore, should not react as though all men are jerks or perverts when the men occasionally regress to an earlier era. Men are simply doing the best they can at repressing their natural genetic tendencies. That certainly doesn't excuse a man for behaving poorly. It just means that women should try to understand a man's view of sex from a biological point of view, as men have been forced to understand, or at least reluctantly accept, the nature of women. After all, for both sexes, it's all in the genes. LET'S MOVE ON WITHOUT CLINTON Some say Clinton should not resign nor be impeached because he is simply the victim of an overzealous campaign of his political enemies. Some say Clinton should not be punished because what he did was his personal business. Others say he should not suffer the consequences of lying, even under oath, because his lies were simply about sex - nothing really important. And besides, others point out, he shouldn't have been asked those kind of personal questions in the first place. How twisted is the logic of some of these Clinton defenders who would probably forgive him for just about anything he might do. Did he inhale or not inhale? Was he involved in the Whitewater scandal or not? Is he a womanizer, and has he always been? Was he a draft dodger? Now that we know he's a liar, maybe we should entertain the notion that he has lied to us about all these other allegations, too. Does Clinton have political enemies? Sure he does, and so has just about every other President since Washington. Have Clinton's political enemies been more aggressive than those of past presidents? Maybe they have been, but perhaps they have had more of a reason to be aggressive. The word "enemy" automatically is given a negative connotation. But isn't the enemy of evil necessarily good? And having a "political enemy" doesn't mean one is automatically on the right side of a political, or moral, issue. Have Kenneth Starr and the media invaded Clinton's private life, opening up all the tawdry details for public scrutiny? The President of the United States is a public figure. He has no more of a "private life" than Prince Charles or Elizabeth Taylor. Granted, what any of these public figures do in the privacy of their own homes is nobody's business, provided it is legal, but Clinton was not in the privacy of his own bedroom when he was engaging in his extramarital affair; he was in the Oval Office, on official business. If Clinton had succumbed to the seduction of a young woman, in the privacy of his own White House residence, having a one-night affair with her, it would still be wrong, but one could more easily sympathize with his lack of discretion. But Clinton invited this young seductress back time and time again. They did not have their affair in Clinton's private quarters, but in the Oval Office, and while the president was carrying out official state business - conferring with senators on the telephone. Clinton even had his secretary come in to work overtime on the weekends, at taxpayers' expense, for the sole purpose of letting Lewinsky in the White House to have sex with him. And what about the lies he told in order to cover up his affair? Are these more forgivable than if he had lied about something relating more directly to his job? Lying under oath is a crime, regardless of the topic. Obviously, a man who is caught with his pants down is going to react by making excuses or trying to cover it up. But Clinton didn't stop there, nor did he come clean even when it became apparent that Starr was going to keep digging. Not only did Clinton lie about his affair, under oath, twice, he lied about having lied about it. He misled the public. He twisted his lies in such a convoluted manner that he turned them into "legally accurate" statements. And he did all this while knowing that the taxpayers were funding the investigation that would eventually uncover his lies. And, to top it off, he had the nerve to blame the investigator for wasting taxpayers' money. Are we willing to allow a lying, deceitful, depraved, philanderer to be the leader of the free world, even after we have discovered that he is, indeed, a lying, deceitful, depraved philanderer? Are we willing to allow a man with the morals of a toad to run this country just because the economy is good? Clinton really can't even take the credit for the economy; the Federal Reserve has had more impact on our economy than Clinton has. Like the majority of Americans, I voted for Clinton in 1996; and I have been a Clinton supporter, even if only a lukewarm one. But I admit, I was wrong about the man. He doesn't deserve my support. Nor does he deserve the support of the rest of the people in the country that he can no longer lead with any degree of effectiveness. It is, indeed, time to move on. But let's move on without Bill Clinton. COOPERATION HAS PAID OFF Edinburgh is not like most other towns. And that's a good thing. It means it can get things done with greater expedience and efficiency than larger towns or cities, yet it is large enough to have the means and know-how to do things that a smaller town could not. One example is the soon-to-be-built Edinburgh Family Center. This needed facility would not have been possible without the joint efforts of several different organizations and businesses. It started with a simple meeting, sponsored by the Greater Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, between local industry leaders. Chamber president, George Carpenter called the meeting and asked one question of the group: "What is your greatest need as you see it?" The answer was lack of childcare. And so the ball was rolling. What started as a problem expressed by local industry leaders was picked up by Dr. Ron Mayes, superintendent of schools. Unlike in many communities, the school system, churches, and other non-profit groups are members of the local Chamber. Mayes saw the need for childcare as an opportunity for the schools to step in and begin the education of local youths at an earlier age. So, with the approval of the school board, Mayes began lobbying local industry to support, in a tangible way, his efforts to attract a Community Focus Grant from the government. After two unsuccessful attempts, Mayes' efforts finally paid off when Edinburgh received a half-million-dollar grant for the construction of a family services center. But the grant could not be given to the school system. The law required that it be awarded directly to the municipal government. So the situation required another cooperative effort, this time between the school system and the town council. An arrangement was worked out whereby the town would agree to apply for the grant and receive the funds, but the school would be responsible for running the program and taking care of the building. The success of the project was possible only because the governmental agencies of Edinburgh, the Chamber of Commerce, and local industry all worked together toward a common goal. Libby Simms, Special Assistant to Senators Lugar and Coats, agreed that this sort of cooperation between agencies is rare. The Edinburgh Family Center is a striking, but not the only example of cooperation between agencies within the Edinburgh community. The Edinburgh Lions Club sponsors the Fall Festival, but the Town Council chips in funds each year to help them with their efforts. The Atterbury Job Corps Center works with both the Town of Edinburgh and the school system. The students from Atterbury built the new concession stand and scoring box for the school's athletic complex last summer. Students from Atterbury Job Corps Center also worked at Rest Haven Cemetery, at no cost to the town. It was a win-win situation in both cases because the students received additional training while the town and the school received the rewards of their labor. Edinburgh isn't a perfect community, but it can boast one thing -- there is a lot of cooperation going on here. EDINBURGH PREPARED TO STEP INTO A NEW CENTURY Driving passed the entrance to the new Timbergate Golf Community and seeing the new grass and the new homes being built, it is apparent that Edinburgh is a growing community. Something else took place last week that further underscores that point. It was the groundbreaking ceremony for the planned Edinburgh Family Center. Although the actual construction won't begin until sometime in December, Dr. Ron Mayes, school superintendent, thought it would be more appropriate to have the ceremony while the weather was nice. The groundbreaking symbolizes not only the beginning of construction of a new structure, more importantly, it symbolizes the progress that the community of Edinburgh continues to make on all fronts. The Family Center is just what the community needs. And it was made possible through the hard work of the business leaders, the school board, Dr. Mayes, the Chamber of Commerce, and the town council. It was truly a joint effort. When completed, the Edinburgh Family Center will house the Head Start program and a child care program. Several local industries have already booked childcare slots. In addition, other service agencies have shown interest in leasing space in the building, and Johnson Memorial Hospital may also establish a health clinic connected to the facility. The ceremony was well attended. There were business leaders, church leaders, representatives from the state Department of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce members, school board members, and interested community residents. Conspicuous by their absence, however, was any representative from the Town of Edinburgh. One would think that the town council could have sent at least one representative, especially since the town is the official recipient of the grant money. Nonetheless, the ceremony was a truly positive event. It's just one more sign that Edinburgh is a vigorous, growing community that is not afraid to step forward into the 21st century. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH CABLE TV? That was the question asked by the town council last week. About 20 residents were in attendance, many of whom were members of the Greater Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, which held its annual joint meeting with the town council last Monday. When asked, "How many of you have cable TV?" most of those in attendance raised their hands. Then, the councilman asked, "Now, how many are satisfied with your cable service?" All but one person put their hands down, and the one with his hand remaining up confessed that he seldom watches TV anyway. One barometer of how good a job a cable TV company is doing in a town is to look to see how many satellite dishes are going up. With the advent of the small DBS satellite dishes, sometimes it's difficult to take a count, but within a one-block radius of where I live, there are no fewer than seven satellite dishes, including my own. Unfortunately, satellite companies are at a serious disadvantage in one respect; they are unable to broadcast local stations. To get local stations, you either have to buy an antenna and mount it, or you still must subscribe to at least basic cable. And if you have more than one television in your home, you must either purchase a satellite receiver for each set or again opt for the antenna or basic cable. Edinburgh has proven that, as a municipality, it can get things done, and done well. It owns its own electric utility, along with its own water and sewer utilities. Edinburgh's electric rate is among the lowest in the state. Edinburgh even accomplished the construction of an upscale signature golf course -- a municipal golf course. So, in the light of marginal cable TV service, it might be a good idea for Edinburgh, as a town, to look at providing the service for its residence as another municipal utility. Although there would be some up-front costs, in the long run it would most likely save money by providing better service at a lower cost. The town could start from scratch by installing fiber optic cable in every neighborhood. Fiber optics could be used to provide high-quality cable TV, and perhaps other services as well, such as interactive cable TV or digital phone service. And, whereas cable rates go up every year or two in exchange for one or two additional channels of questionable value, Edinburgh's municipal utilities have remarkably stable rates. And the channel selection on a municipal system could rival that of a satellite service. At any rate, it is an idea worth exploring. THE BEST TIME OF YEAR I've made it no secret that autumn is my favorite time of year. Summer is too hot; winter is too cold, and springtime is too stormy. Autumn has just the right mix of weather conditions and traditions. First, there is the beautiful fall foliage. The colorful reds, oranges, purples, and yellows lie in stark contrast to the backdrop of a deep blue autumn sky. Then comes Halloween. Although it's been more than 30 years since I've gone trick-or-treating, I still wax nostalgic about those days when a I would gather with a group of friends and canvas the neighborhood. Back then, you could go out and collect the goods for two nights in a row! And, of course, I enjoy the Halloween visitors that come to my door these days dressed in all sorts of ghoulish manner. It's just plain fun. Then, there is Thanksgiving. Some people have called it the "forgotten holiday." It sits smack between the two most-commercial holidays of Halloween and Christmas. Even though it may not be as commercial, it has not been forgotten. I remember all the nice fragrances of that day from my childhood -- the turkey roasting in the oven, the cornbread dressing, and pies baking. And I don't have to look back too far to find those memories; our family still gets together for a traditional Thanksgiving feast each year. For someone middle aged or younger, it's hard to imagine that Thanksgiving didn't always exist, or that it was not always on the 4th Thursday in November, or that turkey and dressing was not always the traditional cuisine for the day. The Pilgrims first Thanksgiving, for example, took place over a 3-day period in late 1621. But their feast did not include pumpkin pie, bread stuffing, cranberry sauce, nor even turkey! They had long run out of flower, so they had no bread, except fried bread patties made from their corn crop. They did eat wild bird, but it was probably pheasant, not turkey. They ate venison and lots of seafood, including clams, fish, and lobster. And they ate watercress, plums, and dried fruit, but no cheese, milk, or other dairy products, since they had no cows. As far as the date of Thanksgiving is concerned, it was not established as a national holiday until a proclamation by Abraham Lincoln made it so. And President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the date of Thanksgiving to the 3rd Thursday in November in order to create a longer Christmas shopping season. Public uproar over the move caused him to reconsider and move it back two years later. And that's where it has been ever since. EDINBURGH FIRST! There was a time when the residents of Edinburgh could go downtown and shop for just about anything they needed. The only reason people went out of town to shop was just because they wanted to "get out a little," but not due to necessity. Twenty-five or thirty years ago, you could purchase clothes for the family at Danner's or Branigan's. Shoes could be bought at Kimes'. If you needed a watch, a bracelet, or a wedding ring, you could get that at Barrett's. You could also get a TV set there. You could get TV's and stereos at Tom's TV, and if your set went bad, you could call Tom out to your house to fix it for you; it probably just needed a tube replaced. If you needed your clothes dry-cleaned you could get that service at Sparkle Cleaners. If you wanted to buy a toy for your kid, you could do that at Schaffer's or at Danner's. Haircuts were no problem, with at least three barbershops to choose from. Beginning in the middle '70's and going through the middle '90's, however, shopping in Edinburgh lost its appeal. This was primarily due to the fact that the family shops were beginning to go out of business. Residents had little choice but to go out of town to shop. But that is not true anymore. The problem is many residents don't realize that they can still buy what they need right here in Edinburgh. Force of habit still causes most folks to get in the car and travel up or down Highway 31 to the large shopping centers in Columbus, Franklin, or Greenwood. Of course, there is nothing wrong with an out-of-town shopping expedition once in a while, as long as you realize that, unless you really want to travel those extra miles, you can probably find what you're looking for right here in town. All the goods and services might not be concentrated in downtown Edinburgh like they were in the "good old days," but they are in town somewhere. You can still find appliances, furniture, hot food, antiques, crafts, candy, popcorn, collectibles, and gifts downtown. But you can also find many of the other staples of modern living somewhere in Edinburgh, including family clothing, shoes, compact disks and tapes, tools, books, cookware, toys, and just about anything else you might want or need. Not only have new shops sprung up in downtown Edinburgh, other merchants are located around the periphery of our town, including the newly-relocated Dollar General Store, CVS Pharmacy, and nearly 100 shops at Prime Outlets at Edinburgh. And, yes, the signs do say "AT EDINBURGH," not "at Taylorsville," or "at Columbus," or "in German Township," but "at Edinburgh." The mall and the surrounding businesses are Edinburgh establishments. They get their utilities from Edinburgh; they get their police protection from Edinburgh; and Edinburgh gets tax revenues from those businesses. Many employees are local residents. The mall may not be officially inside the Edinburgh municipal border (yet), but for all practical purposes, if you shop the mall, you shop Edinburgh. The Greater Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce has started a new campaign called "Edinburgh First!" It is designed to promote local commerce and to encourage local residents to shop in Edinburgh when possible. It's a worthwhile project. It is a fallacy that Edinburgh has nothing to offer shoppers. According to some of the downtown merchants, people come from all over the country, and even from foreign countries to shop in downtown Edinburgh. They see it as "quaint." Large busloads of shoppers come from Louisville, Cincinnati, and elsewhere to shop at Prime Outlets. And yet, many local residents still feel compelled to go to neighboring cities to shop. And that's fine, as long as they think of "Edinburgh First!" There was a time when local residents could stay in Edinburgh and shop for just about anything they needed. That time is here again. NOT WEARING SEATBELTS IS RISKY, BUT SHOULD NOT BE ILLEGAL Do you wear seatbelts? I didn't used to, but I do buckle up most of the time now. It's a good habit to have, because seatbelts do save lives on the highway. That being said, however, I am in total agreement with the judge who recently struck down Indiana's new seatbelt law as unconstitutional. Actually, I wish the judge could have gone further and reversed the older seatbelt law that has been around for a few years. The old law, still in effect, says that police officers can ticket motorists for not wearing seatbelts if they get pulled over for another traffic violation. The new law, the one judged unconstitutional, gave police the authority to pull anyone over, under the suspicion of not wearing seatbelts, even if no other violation had occurred. Granted, wearing seatbelts is a good idea. But it is not a good idea for "Big Brother" government to dictate personal safety habits to its citizens. If the government wants to spend taxpayers' money on educational campaigns to persuade people to be safe, that's fine. But to mandate personal safety habits is an encroachment upon personal privacy. Just because something is dangerous to do, or not do, does not mean it should be legislated for or against. Only if it is a safety hazard to someone else, other than the person participating in the action, should there be a law against the activity. For example, drunk driving is against the law, and rightfully so. Not only does it endanger the driver and the passengers, it endangers everyone else on the road. But if I choose not to wear my seatbelts, that only endangers my life, no one else's. If you're going to pass laws to force people to wear seatbelts, then why not also pass laws to prevent people from engaging in other risky behaviors, such as skiing, skydiving, rock climbing, or bungee jumping? All of these activities can be dangerous. How many people get injured or killed in skiing accidents each year? Yet, there are no laws against these activities, and rightfully so. It is up to the individual to decide how much of a risk they are willing to take when doing various activities. Driving a car without a seatbelt is risky behavior. But it is risky behavior that should be a legal option to take. And "Big Brother" government should butt out. CHRISTMAS IS STILL WORTH THE TROUBLE Christmas is only a couple of weeks away, but that's just Christmas Day, the culmination of a month-long event. Christmas is actually a season, and we're smack in the middle of it right now. Some people love Christmas; others hate it because "it's too much trouble," or because they "can't afford it." Christmas is sort of an enigma. It is clearly a secular holiday, yet its sectarian nature pervades. The "reason for the season," of course, is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. And yet, Christmas was not a popular observance in the early days of this country. Many Puritans thought it was inappropriate, even vulgar. In fact, Christmas celebrations were banned in Boston, and all of Massachusetts, in colonial times. Even today, Christmas has its detractors. Many clergymen and laymen alike, more than you might think, believe that Christmas is nothing more than a latter day incarnation of a pagan feast, and has nothing at all to do with Christ or the Bible. They point out that the account of the birth of Christ was completely left out of half the Gospels, and that it was only mentioned in the other two for continuity's sake. Besides, people in those days did not celebrate births; they only rejoiced at a person's death, for that is when their souls are set free. They are correct is some respects. Christmas was originally celebrated in conjunction with the pagan festival of Saturnia, commemorating the pagan sun god. The early Catholic Church believed it better to infiltrate their beliefs into society slowly, rather than to try to replace the popular pagan holidays of the time. And that has led to some popular misinterpretations of the holiday. For example, Jesus was not actually born on December 25, but more likely sometime during May. The Bible refers to shepherds watching their flocks by night, which they only did during springtime when the sheep were calving. And how many Nativity scenes are displayed showing the baby Jesus in a manger with Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and the three wise men? According to the Bible, the Magi from the east may not have arrived in Bethlehem for up to two years after Christ's birth. And it doesn't say there were only three of them. It's the same with other aspects of the Christian religion, too. Take the Bible itself, for example. There are many people who believe that the King James Version of the Bible is the original, and the only one that should be read. "If it was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me!" Some even point out that the New International Version has left out several verses. In actuality, of course, the King James Version was the first English translation of the Bible, produced by order of King James I of England in 1611. The verses that are left out by the New International Version are the ones that were added to the Bible by King James, actually making the NIV closer to the original manuscripts, which were written in Greek and Hebrew. Nobody in Christ's time actually spoke using words like "thee, thou, thine, and thy." And yet, even today you hear preachers using these antiquated Middle English words when praying out loud in church. Religious inconsistencies notwithstanding, Christmas is here to stay. Christ may not have been born on Christmas. The "wise men" may not have been at the manger, and Christmas might indeed be rooted in an ancient pagan celebration. But one thing is for sure; it is the time of year that more people than usual think about things like Christ, good tidings, world peace, and good will toward all mankind. For that reason, Christmas has to be worth the trouble. A Better Way to Christmas Shop With only a couple of days before Christmas, everybody should have all their Christmas shopping finished by now, right? Well, at least you should have your mail-order shopping completed. If not, you'll be sending New Year's presents. Some people like all the hustle and bustle of shopping at the malls, with the sights and sounds of the holiday season all around them. I, too, can get a bit caught up in the season when I go Christmas shopping. But I have found a better way! If you can live without the large crowds, the Santa Clauses, walking several blocks from your parking place that you spent 2 hours searching for to the store on the other side of the mall, then maybe next year you should consider an alternative. I bought more than half of my Christmas presents this year without leaving the comfort of my own living room. I made purchases at will from several different "stores" without licking a stamp or dialing a phone number. I shopped at stores like The Gap, JC Penney, Wal-Mart, and Barnes & Noble without getting off my chair. I did most of my Christmas shopping this year on the Internet. I bought books, compact disks, clothing, computer software, and guitar strings without having to fight the crowds -- and I didn't even need to gift-wrap some of the items, because they came already wrapped! And I was not the only one putting the hustle and bustle aside this year and doing my shopping in front of my computer. Some estimates say that e-commerce, the goods and services purchased over the Internet, has increased 200% over last year. And by the year 2000, the amount of Internet trading will be 5 times greater than this year. Some people remain a little leery of sending their credit card numbers over the Internet. But, really, there is nothing to fear. It is far more likely that someone will steal your card number from a wayward store receipt than from tapping into your Internet connection. And it is certainly safer than giving your number over the telephone. So, for those who don't mind foregoing the crowds of people, I would recommend shopping via the Internet. It is easy, safe, and it doesn't wear you out. It's something to think about for next year!