The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Your Time Again? You were married and for whatever reason you are single now. You’ve spent your life planning retirement with your mate, but now entering your golden years single is not always the way you envisioned. You probably had planned on growing old with your spouse. Sometimes we don’t understand why we lose people, but there may be answers to your broken heart. According to The Washington Post “Adults between the ages of 55 and 64 are also turning to websites and apps more often, with...
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart...” Jeremiah 1:5 “And they are beginning to realize that the world they live in is a place where the right thing is often hard, sometimes dangerous, and frequently unpopular.” Lois Lowry, Number The Stars. I was scrolling through social media the day the law was passed in New York. My heart broke as I read posts declaring our country has taken another bold step in the direction of complacency. A step taken so that...
“I don't like the looks of it,' said the King: 'however, it may kiss my hand, if it likes.' 'I'd rather not,' the Cat remarked.” The King and the Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Forgive the length of my last column, much to write about in retrospect and on the continuing malice ‘public servant’ Hubbard put in place and orchestrates in our State. First, many thanks for all the comments - as usual ‘nastygrams’ tend to be more entertaining than the kudos. Second, I had absolutel...
One of the biggest boondoggles ever imposed by our government has been the mandated addition of ethanol to gasoline. It has been done for over a decade, and we are still stuck with it today. Of course, ethanol can be used to run an engine. Henry Ford used it in his Model T in 1908. During World War II, it substituted for scarce gasoline. Since then, gasoline and diesel have been the widely used fuels of choice. In 2005, President George W. Bush signed the Renewable Fuels Standard, and then The...
“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” Proverbs 16:17 October 28, 2015 I heard Him speaking to me. In my time of prayer, just as He often times does, He was speaking over my words. Loudly, boldly as to get my attention. “Read it, write it, speak it.” These are the words He spoke to me. “Women’s ministry. Seminary.” This was the commandment He gave me. I silenced this ridiculous thought. How in the world could God possibly use me to further His kingdom? A sinner. Ju...
A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and senior citizens these days are taking the old saying to heart. With more and more seniors taking the leap and enrolling in what are affectionately known as “encore educations” it stands to wonder, could we take note and follow? There is a group of Americans that are furthering their education, some more than 50 years after they threw their caps in the air in celebratory fashion. There are a few things that factor into the choice to return to school. Fro...
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to." Alice and The Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. During this Thanksgiving/Christmas I donned the best mask I could muster to hide thoughts on this 20th Anniversary of being made homeless by our federal government in symphony with some of our most corrupt State politburo members. The M-14 episode twenty years ago provided more evidence of the calculated m...
Eminent Domain is defined as the power of government to condemn private property for public use—provided that “just compensation” is provided to the owners as payment for suitable and fair replacements. In our nation’s history, seizures were often done for needed public projects. Compensation normally covered more than a property’s market value; it also had to include all other expenses suffered by the owners. An owner’s losses must be fully compensated and restored before a settlement can be co...
Job 9:7-10 “If He commands it, the sun won’t rise and the stars won’t shine. He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea. He made all the stars – the bear and Orion, the Pleiades and constellations of the southern sky. He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.” I’ve so often wondered how I fit in this world. How I feel like Job more often than not. I love a pity party. Don’t we all? Who am I to be more deserving of a life of les...
We’ve all heard the term, “fixed income.” While in all reality most everyone lives on some type of fixed income, there is the possibility of a pay raise while they are in the work force. One overwhelming fear the elderly community faces after retirement is the lack of increasing salaries as the cost of living is steadily on the incline. The National Council on Aging is a great resource as we look to the future of our aging community. Like wise many cities, like Montgomery Alabama, boasts wonde...
In the 1920’s and ‘30’s, we the people of the United States still retained vivid memories of the horrors of World War I—“The War to End all Wars.” Two decades later, when WWII erupted in Europe, we held a strict non-interventionist attitude to getting entangled into another one. A Gallup poll revealed that 88 percent were solidly against it. In a 1940 election year speech, our notorious President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced a campaign promise, “I have said this before, but I shall say i...
Straight-ticket voting enables a voter to cast all their votes for one party with a single mark at the top of the ballot. This duopoly party enhancing practice finally died in most States. Little surprise it remains in uncompetitive/ballot access blocked Alabama which will be among the last of seven States still suffering this practice when Texas (increasingly more a ‘battleground’ State) abolishes it for the 2020 election cycle. Texas will become the 15th State since 1994 to end this scourge, r...
The uncertainty of the future is real for many. It’s been real since the fall from grace. The forbiddenness of the fruit. The realization of the bareness of ones self in the midst of The King. But wait, future? How can you even think of the the future if you’ve ignored the past? Ignoring the past makes for an uncertain future. Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Can you imagine the relationship Mary must’ve had with God? In Luke 1:38 Mary spoke to...
In recent years, self-sufficiency and living off the land is becoming more and more popular. Now that relatively inexpensive photoelectric cells, wind generators, and composting toilets are becoming more readily available to people of modest incomes, it is becoming a lifestyle for increasing numbers of people. In America, independence has been a treasured objective since its beginning. We fought two wars to become independent from Britain. We fought for individual liberty. And we fought to...
How do you make $14 million as the first Gig City in Alabama? Spend about $60 million... Some readers may recall last November's piece entitled, "Giggin' for Dollars in Opelika: Scent of a Birmingham Sewer?" Few columns have generated more nastygrams from politburo types and other lotharios of leviathan in Alabama. The Hubbard 'spin machine' is in overdrive with the 'fire sale' of Fuller's Folly as one of our most notable local corruption fighters dubbed the endeavour. Inveigled as a tremendous...
Sitting around in “old folks homes” across the nation are many veterans who, during their lifetime, served their country as members of one of the various armed forces. After they served their time, most hung up their hats and went back to being civilians. But one thing many of these veterans were not aware of was that even though they'd hung up their military hats, a host of benefits were available to them, solely as a reward for having served their nation in one of the armed forces. For example...
Does this look like your life sometimes? Scrambled up and just a big ole obvious mess? This is indicative of my life most days. Running here and there and everywhere. Never taking enough time to iron out the surface of life. So this is what I get right? Hurriedly I put one pie in the oven only to drop the second moments later. I caught it and only some crust was lost, while other parts of the crust mixed into the filling. Crust. Those are the parts we need to prune anyways right? When I was a...
On this past August 25, after a long bout with brain cancer, Arizona's senior Senator, John Sidney McCain III, finally lapsed into a Neal Boortz "eternal celestial dirt nap." Flags in Arizona, Washington, D.C. and other places were flown at half mast for several days. Most of the news media wrote glowing eulogies, claiming that he was a great American war hero, and a great American Senator. But was he? McCain's grandfather was a four star Navy admiral, and his father was a four star admiral of...
Empty screen before me once again, hands at the keyboard [see Mark 9:43-47 below] contemplating what to address for this month’s column... • The ray of hope for corrupt politicians upon reversal of Felon Hubbard’s 5th count of the twelve jury convictions? • The adulation of McCain? Boycott gubernatorial race voting to reduce signature requirements in our ballot access restricted State? • The Anita Hill DC flashback? • Explain the deleterious history of Nazis to those who are too blind/ignor...
You’ve probably driven by it on the way to enjoy a weekend at Lake Martin. And more than likely no attention was paid to the little ole country store under the caution light. You may have thought it was a bit pitiful to have no vibrant booming businesses. You just drove right on through, and that’s ok because you didn’t know. You may have inadvertently dismissed the magnitude of the support behind the doors of the small community. Nestled between the a thriving kiwi farm and the lush green...
When your writer was growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, the name Salem was associated with the state of Oregon. Later on, now that home is in Alabama, it is learned that there is also a Salem in that state. And recently, in a letter from a sister-in-law in Utah, it was learned that there was also a Salem there. How many Salems, one must ponder, are there? Taking all the states in the U.S. where a city “Salem” exists, there are at least 53—if not more. There are three Salems in Arkansas, two i...
Oftentimes we are in a state of waiting. Waiting for the next opportunity to open up, the next promotion at work, the next paycheck, the next "better" season of life. We praise Him when the going is good. We plead with the Father and tell Him we will forever sing His praises if He will just send those blessings down upon us. We only like to praise Him for what He has already done in expectation that our praise will have a good return of yet another one of those fruitful God given blessings. Yes,...
Prof. Thornton's recent book, The Skyscraper Curse offers sound perspective on booms and busts in our economy making business cycle theory accessible to the current, 21st-century audience. Long time readers will appreciate how this higher stationed colleague (I'm only an Instructor) is a kindred Spirit in efforts to educate up and coming generations. Seems most of the math/quant jocks on Wall Street, at the Fed, etc. barely remember the 2008 Crash and what triggered it, much less the 1987 Crash...
Just about every American will agree that our country is the greatest in the world. In many ways, it is just that. But in others, we have grave shortcomings. One of these is the way we operate our correctional facilities. Law enforcement that is intended to keep dangerous people off the streets and rehabilitate them has in many ways done just the opposite and has actually exacerbated criminal activities. America has 330 million people—less than 5 percent of the world’s population. But we hav...
During his lifetime your humble scribe has traveled throughout most of the United States, Europe, and into the South Pacific. Residence has been in a variety of setting, many more than once, but none have been as satisfactory as the present abode: “Elmcroft of Halcyon,” an assisted living facility located next to the ballpark off Taylor Hill Road. It is a splendid facility that accommodates a variety of senior living needs. The staff at Elmcroft is headed by Executive Director Tammy Grant, who...
