The Coastal Point encourages the exchange of ideas. Letters to the editor must be signed by the author with phone number included for purposes of verification. Please send your letters to P.O. Box 1324, Ocean View, DE 19970.

Darin J. McCann

It’s human nature, I suppose. Many of us hold this burning desire in our souls to dive into the pool of personal nostalgia and revisit moments in our past through either fond or particularly hurtful memories. We do it by retelling old stories, flipping through yellowed photographs in a musty shoebox or simply closing our eyes and mentally taking a stroll down memory lane.

In fact, we are so infatuated with the very premise of nostalgia, we often attempt to learn more about people’s pasts by judging what memories they hold near and dear. We’ve all been asked these questions: What’s your first memory? What were you like in high school? What’s your favorite Christmas present you ever received?

A-ha!

See, every Christmas in my youth brought me wonder, awe and a healthy stash of really cool gifts. Each year’s edition of the holiday provided me unique joy, and there really was never that red bicycle or BB gun under the tree that I hold more dearly than any other. One could say I had a void in my life because I was missing that “special” Christmas present, but I would argue that they were all special.

Well, until this year.

It happened. My world flipped upside down and I received that gift that was so obviously created with me in mind that I instantly knew I was holding something very special in my quivering fingers. My pulse raced and my eyes stung from the steady flow of sweat cascading down from my forehead that I wasn’t sure I could stave off the excited dizziness long enough to enjoy my new-found love. Like Joanie found Chachi, I knew I had found my soul mate.

Flipping the object over and over again in my hands I realized I had indeed become in possession of a very important, and useful, creation of the best technology has to offer. It is not a new idea, mind you, just the simplification and improvement of a classic inspiration.

Yes, I got the new battery-operated, remote-controlled flatulence machine.

Move over, whoopi cushion. Though your contribution to society is indeed significant, there is a new sherrif in town. My new present, which we’ll simply refer to as “The Blaster,” has amplified speakers and 15 sounds, bringing the experience of baking air biscuits to life with the simple push of a button.

I know what you’re thinking — this is the most juvenile, repugnant device you have ever heard of, and to glorify this blight on proper society is to contribute to the downfall of our civilization.

To that, I push the button on my remote.

This thing is a joy-giver. Sure, I might have irritated my mother a bit during Christmas dinner when I planted it under my father’s chair, and I’m quite certain I gave my little nephew a shock when I slid it behind him while he was lying on the floor playing with his presents, but both instances provided me immediate glee. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

The device is a victimless crime if there ever was one. Fine, I’ll alow that the recipient of the gag might get a little embarrassed when The Blaster announces its presence at a surprising time, and, yes, I might be making myself to be a bit of a nimrod as I consistently break into tears of laughter upon each trumpeting of success The Blaster bellows, but that’s the point.

Silliness is sometimes needed in life.

We have an office full of people doing very serious things at a very hectic pace. The reporters attempt to maintain integrity in the editorial department of The Point by being fair and accurate, the design team agonizes over every ad to make sure that our customers get the maximum use of their space, the ad reps scurry about trying to keep their clients satisfied and promoting the right things and the front office people attempt to keep all the mayhem under control while being the face of our paper to the people who walk through our doors. Add to that the headaches Susan Lyons endures each day with running the asylum and the mental beatdowns I consistently receive because something couldn’t get in the paper or by simply being in Susan’s path at the right time. There was one time I had the audacity to say hello to her at the wrong time and she grabbed me by the collar and ...

But I digress.

My point is that we all get along and get out a pretty decent product every week despite the tensions — and I’d hazard a guess that many of you go through similar tensions every week in your own jobs and lives.

Sometimes you need that guilty little pleasure every so often to escape the realities of reality, be it chocolate or a certain song or a long weekend away from home. It’s something to break the routine, and to carry us away from the mundane — kind of like that deep, blasting sound coming from Sam Harvey’s desk drawer.

Tee-hee.

Warts and all, the system is ours

Let’s face some facts. The judicial system of this country might indeed be the best and most fair one in the history of civilization, but it is also undeniably flawed. The constant evolving of the law over the years has allowed some loopholes in justice, the side with the most money can often buy the better representation and we are bound by precedents that require a series of appeals and decisions to overturn.

That, or the precedent was never set in the first place, thus allowing murky waters to become even more muddled.

The issue of members of the Indian River School District School Board (IRSDSB) saying a small prayer before their meetings has resulted in litigation against the board. According to representatives of the board, a settlement figure was presented by the plaintiff in the case, and members of the IRSDSB will discuss the options.

There are definite laws in this country clarifying the need for separation of church and state, which obviously includes in that language the need for a separation of church and public schools. However, the laws in Delaware determining the legality of a school board opening a meeting with a prayer are disputed and challenged.

That, if for no other reason, is why some should like to see the case go to court.

It’s obvious that, if an individual or group sees the evidence against it and realizes chances for victory are bleak, the best and most sensible course of action is to settle out of court. When one considers that the IRSDSB is a publically-funded organization, and a loss in court could possibly result in money being steered away from the classrooms to satisfy a judgement, it is hard to justify taking the chance.

However, with both sides volleying back and forth precedents defending their claims, wouldn’t it be nice to see a definitive decision come down and settle this argument once and for all?

It would be rolling the dice for the IRSDSB to go forth and take its chances in a court of law, especially in terms of public monies and public sentiment. But it would be nice to see a set precedent in law.

Students get help from many in community
Editor:

I would like to thank all the wonderful people who have contributed to the Selbyville Middle School Parent Teacher Organization’s Calculator Fund. We have been fortunate to receive almost $2,000 of the $5,400 we need to purchase the sixty TI-83 calculators for the seventh grade.

We have received contributions from the following: Ted Banks; Bethany Bytes; Sen. and Mrs. George H. Bunting Jr.; Charly and Sherry Curcio; Flylow Trucking LLC; Dorothy M. Kelly Ltd.; Leslie Kopp; Wayne Lyons; Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 2542; Lisa McCabe; Mr. and Mrs. Peter McGough; D. Stephen Parsons PA; Saint Ann’s Church; Steffens Home Designs LLC; H. Orvin Strickler Jr.; and Touch of Italy Bakery.

Thank you for investing in the future of our children through math.

I would especially like to thank Lisa McCabe and Toneen Constantino for all their help. We would also like to thank Sam Harvey for his wonderful article.

If anyone is interested in contributing to the fund, please make your check payable to the SMS PTO and memo the check to the “Calculator Fund” and mail it to Michele Savage Steffens, Rd. 1, Box 353B, Ocean View, Delaware 19970. If you have any questions, you can reach me at 541-5600 or Toneen Constantino at 537-1493.

Michele Savage Steffens
SMS PTO Calculator Fund

Why is Adams holding HB 170 captive?
Editor:

Some people wonder if there might not be another reason Sen. Thurman Adams refused to let HB 170 out of his committee for a senate vote last year.

He claimed the bill was nothing more than a ploy by Republicans to try and take over the council and that was why he refused to let it come up for a vote in the senate. However, that explanation appeared transparent in that the bill enjoyed broad non-partisan support in the House (34-4).

Also, the Democrats are the majority party in the Senate, so if they actually felt that explanation had merit they could easily vote the legislation down. However, many people felt the bill would have passed the Senate if a vote had been permitted, which was the real reason Sen. Adams would not permit a vote to take place. Makes sense.

Which brings up an intriguing question: if “partisanship” happens not to be Thurman’s primary reason for being so adamant about this bill then what might it be? After all, HB 170 is popular legislation and with Sussex being his home county why would he deliberately antagonize his fellow citizens by continuing to stonewall this bill?

Won’t he already have enough controversial bills and issues on his 2006 legislative plate without adding this bill to it as well? What could be so important to this man that he willing to endure the intensive battle that is sure to develop from his continued blockage of this legislation? After all, most politicians don’t like to make getting elected any harder than it has to be and ’06 is an election year for Adams (perhaps). So what gives with the good senator?

Well, it appears there could be a rational explanation that the rest of us might understand after all. The senator holds 21-plus acres near the intersection of Route 40 and Route 13A in a revocable trust. Lying west of Route13A and north of Route 583 (Church Street), the subject property lies both in and outside of the Bridgeville northeast town boundaries.

While the 21 acres itself is totally landlocked from any road, he owns three additional small pieces of property (two on Route 13A and one on Route 583 that would provide access and egress to the 21 acres from those roads. The 21 acres are located near the Penn Central rail line.

He also holds approximately 285 acres in revocable trusts that lie between Bridgeville and Greenwood. Those lands are bordered on the west by Route 583 and on the east by the Penn Central rail line. They begin south of the intersection of Route 583 and Route 585 and encompass most of the land up to the northern intersection of Route 583 with Route 13, including 12-plus acres located at that particular intersection. On the other side of Route 583 at that intersection is property already zoned C-1.

At present most of the property in question appears to be rural with a spattering of small buildings or farm structures. However, under the “right circumstance” this land could become very valuable — what with immediate rail access and road access for commercial vehicles.

Sewer lines along the Route 13 corridor paralleling this land and the proper zoning would make the senator’s 300-plus acres very valuable property for a future industrial park or large housing development?

And who decides where, when and if an area gets county sewer? Why, the county council of course. And who decides how county property is to be zoned? You got it — the county council. And what county is this property located in? Why, Sussex County of course.

This is the county council where four of its five members have a personal business that profits almost every time they approve more development. This is the county council whose same four members have aggressively fought all reasonable efforts to bring its citizen representation ratio more in line with other counties by adding additional members.

As a consequence, one thing has become abundantly clear, and that is they do not want additional council members under any circumstances — for whatever reasons.

Why? Could there be a quid pro quo involved? Could Sen. Adams possibly be planning to trade Sussex County citizens’ desperate need for more representative government and more responsible land management for potential future gain? If more council members were added, could that upset the delicate voting balance needed by the current council majority to insure that they could implement any future agenda they might have in mind?

There seems to be a certain believable rationale to this premise. The potential benefit the senator might realize under this scenario would certainly far outweigh any potential benefit he could realize from merely seeing the democrats maintain their council majority. After all, HB 170 guarantees no party control of the county council, only an opportunity to compete for two extra seats.

I believe we all could logically ask, “Why would the president pro-tem of the senate allow himself to be caught up in local county politics, suffer all the travails he has in the past and can expect to experience in the coming months over his involvement with this proposed legislation — all for the sake of possibly controlling the county council — something the Democrats might end up doing anyway even if HB 170 is voted on and should pass in the senate?”

On the face of it, the benefit wouldn’t seem to be worth the effort to a man in Thurman Adams’ position. On the other hand, county sewer in the Route 13 area could be a different matter all together.

Could there indeed be another reason Thurman is so adamant about holding HB 170 captive?

Allen Ide
Millsboro

Beach area filled with many things to avoid
Editor:

Beware of Bethany’s beachfront lavatories. Pile driving has dangerously loosened the concrete access way. The entire lifeguard shack is soon to collapse in the present sandbox hole being dug for the future foundation — and all the beautiful native shade trees disappeared. Even the “No dogs” signs are gone.

The boardwalk is also weaker where the bandstand was. Watch children or they may be buried as the sand is moved to refill the cavernous excavated hole.

Also, how can Sussex County afford to dredge the Assawoman Canal and where will they place the spoil? (Maybe on Bethany’s disappearing beach. as “W” will probably veto any Biden bill to get federal funds as all taxpayers and their “heirs” can afford no more entitlements.)

Build jetties instead.

Comdr. Dick Peters
Bethany Beach

Reader takes exception with guest column
Editor:

I am writing to question the veracity of the guest column by Perry Mitchell in the Dec. 23 Coastal Point.

Mr. Mitchell as a retired political science professor seems to have a sizeable number of facts at his disposal. His article contains a number of these that I would not dare question.

However, my limited experience with political science professors is that most lean to the left, as do most of our colleges and universities. I believe that it is this propensity to lean left in our colleges and universities that contributes greatly toward the downward spiral of our culture and society.

I am not surprised that such an article was published. We see similar examples virtually every day in both the print and electronic mediums.

Mr. Mitchell’s facts are reasonably presented but have been chosen to show a clear message against President Bush. A blatant example of this is his comparison of the alleged actions of the president, in defense of our country concerning the National Security Agency’s monitoring of American citizens’ phone calls and e-mails for terrorist activities, to the blatantly illegal activities of President Nixon during Watergate.

That suggestion is beyond contempt. How can the actions of President Bush, who is valiantly fighting the left and the press, while waging a war to keep our very way of life safe from terrorists be compared to President Nixon’s purely selfish motives? They cannot!

Unless, of course, it is being suggested for the sole purpose of distorting President Bush’s sincere actions in the pursuit of terrorism.

We cannot fight the likes of those terrorists that flew into the World Trade Center with one hand tied behind our backs. Did they follow any kind of rules or laws while committing their dastardly attack on 911? No!

We should not sink to their level in our efforts against them but I see no reason to Mirandize them. The majority of our citizens believe that as commander-in-chief the president has the power to do what he feels necessary to protect this great country of ours against the terrorist enemy and I support President Bush in his efforts.

Thomas M. Keeley
Ocean View