The pity is that I probably won’t change anyone’s mind. I’d be ecstatic beyond belief were someone to read this and decide, “Hey, I’m going to quit smoking.”
    But it’s like the how-many-people does-it-take-to-change-a-light bulb conundrum. How many? Well only one (but the light bulb really has to want to change).
    Let me start from the beginning. In me, Bonnie married a smoker. I started my senior year in high school at a time when the only fear was that nicotine prevented athletes from getting in shape. Like Mark Twain, I was able to say, “Quitting is easy. I’ve done it hundreds of times.”

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    During the past weeks I’ve become addicted to C-Span, a public- affairs TV station originating in Congress. Each morning “Washington Journal” features a guest, usually a member of Congress, who fields phone calls. If you’re a Democrat, use this number; if Republican, dial this number, etc.
    No matter what Republican guest appears, Democrat callers are sure to attack the war in Iraq. Similarly, Republican callers have a weakness for Democratic jugulars. And so it went this week, when a caller asked, rhetorically, “Why do you hate Bush?” “Why are all Democrats cowards?” and “Don’t you realize that criticism of the war on ‘tear’ demoralizes our troops and emboldens the enemy?”

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A Super Bowl Sunday event that took place 31 years ago and involved the abduction of half a dozen hostages, threats at gunpoint, evasive driving, hordes of police and an attempted suicide, has made indelible impressions on the lives of several of those involved in it.

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    Art Abreu was head coach in the early ‘90s when the Robertson High School football Cardinals traveled to Lovington to take on the Wildcats. Abreu’s players lost 40-22. Although many New Mexico players may think of having gone against Brian Urlacher — even to have been pureed by the future Pro Bowler — he wasn’t a factor as a skinny eighth-grader or freshman player for the Wildcats. Continue reading →