Letter To The Editor

Ways to makethings better

We have a dilemma here in the big city of Bella Vista. We have new leaders going through a learning stage regarding restaurants and patronage, we have a new biologist that thinks putting walleyes in our lakes will enhance fishing, and we have a resident that wants to do away with the whole shebang. We also have to decide which is the worst crime between cutting down someone else's tree or someone removing a sign from property not owned by the sign owner. Or should we debate the pros and cons of spending money on winning an election?

I wouldn't be afraid to bet a Golden Corral lunch that I could garner more vote(s) for city mayor that Mr. P. and not put up a sign or do any advertising. I would suggest that Mr. P. use his "Patriots" to start collecting funds to pave sidewalks in Bella Vista. Or, cheaper yet, why not collect for some paint and paint sidewalks on the streets?

Mr. P., Bella Vista was designed for young and old kids to play in and enjoy. Yes, times have changed, but the landscape hasn't. We have made good changes in the Village, and there are no better programs that are planned and carried out in the summer camps, etc., that the POA provides for our youngsters. But if you want to do some good for Bella Vista, then write letters to the military magazines and tell the troops what a fine place Bella Vista is to retire in. You're a veteran. If you can afford to live here, why not other veterans?

For goodness sake, quit badmouthing the place and start enjoying it. Or shut up and let the folks that love it promote it.

Donald Stocksdale

Bella Vista

The quandryof Arab names

When Chaplain Box wondered about Jesus' last name, I wrote a letter that their culture of the time didn't use last names; they simply used "name, son of name," i.e. Jesus was called "Jehushua ben Yusef," i.e. in English, "Jesus, son of Joseph."

Last week Daniel Hooton proffered that my "u" in Yusef" is instead, an "o," citing classical references we learned folk like to cite, that it should have been "ben Yosef."

I spent an entire summer at the largest archaeological dig in Jordan (now occupied by Israel), and our chief worker was a man called "Abba Yusef" -- literally, "Father of Joseph." I am sorry, Mr. Hooton. He apparently hadn't read your classics, as he spelt his name "Yusef."

Here's the interesting thing about Arab names, then and now. They could be called "son of" or "father of," depending to a degree on which might be more prominent. And one could change if the prominence changed.

A man named Joseph might name his son after himself -- "Yehushuah, ben Yuself," Joshua, son of Joseph. But then, in time, the son becomes well known for one reason or another and the father changes his name to "Yusef, abba Yehushuah," Joseph, father of Joshua.

In the case of our chief worker whose son was Joseph, he was known simply as "Abba Yusef," Father-of-Joseph. Think of the well known movie, "Ben Hur." Here, an unknown slave, adopted by a Roman nobleman named "Hur," took on the name of "Ben-Hur."

Here endeth the lesson of the day.

J. R. "Doc" Irwin, Ph.D.

Bella Vista