nancy friday

Tinseltown heavy George Clooney, who was banged up and bruised in a motorcycle accident over the weekend, told "Access Hollywood" hot mama Nancy O'Dell, the experience was "nothing like giving birth!"

Like he would know?

Clooney, who was due to strut the red carpet at the N.Y.C. premiere of "Michael Clayton" last night, won't be cited in Friday's accident, according to the Weehawken, N.J. police.

TMZ.com reported yesterday that Weehawken cops have decided neither Clooney nor Albert Sciancalepore II, 27, driver of a Mazda that collided with the actor's Harley Davidson, will be cited. There's insufficient, the men in blue said, but the accident is still under investigation.

"Due to conflicting statements of driver and the lack of evidence to support either driver's version, no moving violation summons have been issued to either party at this time," the cops told TMZ.com

George and new galpal, Sarah Larson, were struck by Sciancalepore's car on a narrow road across the Hudson River from Manhattan on Friday afternoon.

The Harley driver and his passenger attempted to pass on the right of the Mazda that was preparing to make a right turn, said Weehawken police Sgt. Sean Kelly.

The actor suffered a hairline fracture of a rib and road rash while Larson suffered a broken foot, his rep said. Both were released after receiving treatment at a local hospital.

DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa developed, and the school board approved, a feasible plan for transforming our system into one that is school-centered. Transformation of our schools will require much change from all.

If everyone who disagrees gets to adjust the plan accordingly, our system will end up in a confused, chaotic state, no better off than when we had a revolving door of superintendents.

Aimee Bolender, president, Alliance AFT, Dallas



Long live America

Re: "Viva amnesty," by Nancy Ramon, Friday Letters.

Ms. Ramon summed up why most Americans are against amnesty: "If thousands can reunite for the three cries of 'Viva Mexico,' we can reunite to cry out for amnesty."

More Americans would be receptive to a form of amnesty if there were three cries of "Long live America" from the Mexican community.

Gloria Dedman, Plano



Fairness in TYC system

Re: "TYC close to settling 2 cases � Many lawsuits likely to follow, which could ravage agency's budget," Thursday news story.

Texas Youth Commission spokespeople have accused civil rights attorneys of creating a "feeding frenzy" for bringing lawsuits on behalf of abused children.

The gross violations of constitutional rights that have taken place in TYC for years have left many children with permanent scars that no amount of money will ever heal.

For the reformers in TYC to portray the few lawyers willing to stand up for the rights of abused children as sharks smelling blood in the water shows how far TYC still has to come, especially when many children are still unable to obtain legal representation.

Scott Medlock, Texas Civil Rights Project, Austin



Craddick boosts area

Re: "Local speaker could boost Dallas' clout in Austin � But multiple candidates from area could hurt effort to oust Craddick," Friday news story.

Since I entered the Legislature in 1978, we have never had a speaker who has done more than Tom Craddick for our area.

Your story claims that state Rep. Dan Branch is the only Dallas lawmaker on the appropriations committee, which writes the budget. You aren't counting Kirk England, Linda Harper-Brown and Jim Jackson. They are not in the city of Dallas, but are Dallas County representatives, while at the same time you are promoting area candidates for speaker who don't live in the city of Dallas, either.

As for committee chairs appointed by Mr. Craddick, there are seven from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, making them, by the way, ineligible to also serve on the appropriations committee.

If Dallas does lose its legislative clout in the future, The Dallas Morning News will have had a lot to do with it

Bill Ceverha, Dallas



He needs to move on

Re: "War report," Friday news story.

Now that Sen. John Cornyn has gotten his meaningless resolution condemning MoveOn.org passed, maybe he can devote an equal amount of time and energy trying to figure out a way to bring the disastrous occupation of Iraq to an end. That would be a much greater accomplishment.

William F. Webster, Malakoff



Rail for Arlington?

Isn't it time DART and North Texas think about getting rail service to Arlington and the entertainment district before the opening of the new Cowboys Stadium, and certainly before the Super Bowl?

Lanny Headley, Garland



Simple economics

Former fed chairman Alan Greenspan is everywhere these days, promoting his new book. But his talking points don't add up.

He's unapologetic that President Bush squandered the Clinton-era surplus on tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. But then he warns of a huge Medicare shortfall and of the dangers posed by our ever-increasing wealth gap.

Simple economics tells me that if funding Medicare, bridges, roads, Veterans Administration hospitals, etc., had been more of a priority than rewarding the rich, we wouldn't have these problems.

Duane Wagner, Plano



Hill held responsible

Re: "Steep Hill to Climb," Thursday Editorial.

The Dallas Morning News laments the retirement of state Rep. Fred Hill. The News says North Texas owes a debt to the Richardson legislator. Maybe The News owes a debt to him, but the common working property owner doesn't.

Mr. Hill was the chief opponent of property tax reform in the Legislature and will be sorely missed by special interest groups.

If not for Mr. Hill, Gov. Rick Perry would have been able to pass decent property tax reform and blue-collar working Texans would have a system in place that isn't the most archaic in the nation.

That is how I will remember Rep. Fred Hill. "If you can mention it, you can manage it."
This is a lesson Nancy Forsyth learned in her 25 years of volunteering in the palliative care field, and it's a lesson she is now applying to her own life.
The long-time Southampton resident has helped many people deal with the loss of loved ones who are terminally-ill. Now, she is the one needing palliative care.
In 1982, Nancy began volunteering with hospice visitation, out of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital.
Shortly before, she had lost her mother, father and sister to cancer. During their battles, Nancy acted as a caregiver and felt she could use this experience to help others.
While volunteering, she visited with terminally-ill patients, and their families, and provided whatever help was needed.
Often this meant simply sitting with them, listening to them and providing support.
Forsyth's daughter Jill said quite a few times her mom would stay in contact with the family after the loved one had died.
Along with providing support in this way, Forsyth and three other women organized a family room at the Saugeen Memorial Hospital. This provided families of individuals in palliative care, with a place to stay so they could be nearby.

Jill said many people have benefited from the room.
Volunteering is very important, said Nancy, because everywhere you look, people need help. And the rewards you receive for volunteering are overwhelming.
She said she faced difficult moments while volunteering, but being able to talk to people about the problems helped her along the way.
Her husband Bob, and their four children, Jane, Anne, John and Jill, were also a great help and support while she was volunteering and continue to help now.
Often, she would have to leave to help a family and would not know when she might return, but Bob supported her through it all.
In 2005, Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent radiation treatment but in April, 2007, the disease was back so she underwent further chemotherapy treatment and surgery.
Friday of Labour Day weekend, Nancy learned she had an aggressive form of lung cancer, and with the advice of her doctor, decided to forgo any further treatment.
Falling back on what she learned through volunteering, Nancy took the opportunity to speak with her four children and her husband about her decision.
"We had a wonderful weekend because we all knew what was going on," Jill said.
The weekend was made all the more wonderful when, on the Sunday, Nancy was informed she was receiving a June Callwood Circle of Outstanding Volunteer award.
Nancy had been nominated by Trix Smit, a team-member in the palliative care unit, and the award came as a complete surprise.
Callwood, a journalist and social activist, died in the spring of 2007. Forsyth said it was an incredible honour to receive the award, especially since it has been renamed to honour Callwood.
Jill said her mother has long admired Callwood for her work, and often brought stories and articles about Callwood over to her children's homes.
One of Nancy's favourite Callwood quotes focused on the importance of doing something for someone else:
"I believe in kindness. I believe it's very communicable just as meanness is. Strangers hold doors for one another. Sometimes they say thank you, sometimes they don't. Something in us says: 'If I hold this door it helps this person, and that person is slightly changed.' Great consideration for one another - that's what's going to save the world."
Nancy Forsyth is representative of the great things human kindness can lead the spirit to do.