Local Columns

MILLER: The band America needs, but doesn't deserve right now

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

Much to my mother’s dismay, I have a couple of tattoos on my body. It’s not the ones that are hidden from the public’s eye that drive her up the wall. It’s the giant koi fish, lotus flower and the “Om Mani Padme...... Full story

HAWKINS: Roosters crowing in the post office, really?

BY CELINDA HAWKINS

The other morning I was standing in line at the post office on Texas Avenue and I heard something curious — roosters crowing. As the line got longer, other customers were wondering what the strange noise was. “Is that someone’s...... Full story

JOHNSON: Romans 13:1 is terribly difficult teaching to accept

BY DAVID A JOHNSON

The other day, I got into my head that this week, I’d write a column about the new federal health care guidelines that would require employers to cover birth control without any extra fees as part of plans.The U.S. Conference of Catholic...... Full story

MILLER: Super Bowl show and the year of once irrelevant musicians

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

I may be making a big mistake by writing this week’s column about the topic I have in mind, but I’m willing to take the risk.I just hope I don’t drop the ball with my credibility like Wes Welker does with passes during the fourth...... Full story

HAWKINS: Valentine’s Day - a youthful memory or dreaded holiday?

BY CELINDA HAWKINS

Valentine’s Day is a very polarizing holiday — either one single folks completely dread or one lovers consider wondrous and poignant.The late, great Erma Bombeck once wrote she hated it when holidays meant for children were screwed up by...... Full story

JOHNSON: Football is a numbers game, and not just because of gambling

BY DAVID A JOHNSON

The other day the New York Giants and New England Patriots won their respective NFL conferences, leading to a vague and simultaneous sense of déjà vu and malaise for the majority of the country outside of the Northeast.Actually, most...... Full story

MILLER: What ever happened to songs that tell a story?

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

One of my favorite things about music is that each song tells a story.Well, at least, they used to.These days pop stations will play anything that has a catchy beat with lyrics that loop and make no sense.“Rap” artists will make...... Full story

HAWKINS: That’s just the way it is or was, we hope

BY CELINDA HAWKINS

The other day, as I was re-listening to all of my favorite Bruce Hornsby tunes, I remembered that he wrote a lot about the oppression of African-Americans in the South. Songs like “The Way It Is,” and “Fire on the Cross,”...... Full story

JOHNSON: Nax isn’t here anymore, but we’ve still got Bottoms

BY DAVID A JOHNSON

The other day, Alice.com released a list of the cities that spent the most per order on toilet paper from December 2010 to December 2011. While we didn’t make it on that list, we did make it on a related one.You probably haven’t heard of...... Full story

MILLER: Even in 2012, the Grammys are still getting it wrong

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

The Grammys are scheduled for Feb. 12, so it’s time to moan about how people in Hollywood don’t have any taste in music.But I don’t think I need to tell anyone how rigged that award show is.Does anyone else remember last year?Yeah,...... Full story

HAWKINS: Cowan story shines light on teacher morale

BY CELINDA HAWKINS

Folks around town have been thinking a lot about teachers over the past week when one of Odessa High’s most beloved educators resigned after more than 20 years with the district.Teri Cowan, who left OHS two weeks ago, described being fed up...... Full story

JOHNSON: Like elections, the world is crazy and uncertain

BY DAVID A JOHNSON

The other day Gov. Rick Perry announced he was dropping out of the race for the Republican nomination for president, and made official what had been obvious before: I am not paid for my political prognostications.“Look, unless Perry gets...... Full story

MILLER: Queen and politics mix? Who knew

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

And then there were four.On Thursday, Rick Perry finally decided he was going to drop out of the race for the GOP presidential nomination.And just like that, everyone in America started to hear the band Queen sing “Another One Bites the...... Full story

HAWKINS: Internet blackout: Imagine a world without free knowledge

BY CELINDA HAWKINS

On Wednesday morning the Great Internet Blackout began as hundreds of websites across the country and, well, the globe, chose to black out websites in protest of the proposed legislation intended to regulate Internet piracy and counterfeit sales.The...... Full story

JOHNSON: Urinating on the dead is a victimless war crime

BY DAVID A JOHNSON

The other day some U.S. Marines got into trouble when a video of them peeing on three dead men leaked onto the Internet, pun intended. In itself, I don’t think this is an especially big deal, as you may have guessed. Now, as a practical...... Full story