The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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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...
The primary runoff is in the record books with over 87% percent of registered voters not participating in party elections they funded, some saying in fear of making an error for actual or accused ‘crossover voting.’ This may be the duopoly’s desired result fueling the irony of claiming to want increased voter participation at the same enacting more impediments toward this end. The obvious answer is to prohibit taxpayers from paying for these party politics. If a party wants to use our publi...
We are now well into the 2018 hurricane season, and a major storm may or may not hit us this year. But when one does, the news media will always mention a little consequence called “price gouging.” Reporters usually hype it up as something terrible, selfish, and even criminal. But when disasters strike, entrepreneurs are quick to respond by trucking in critical supplies and selling them for prices far above the norm. And people in need will be willing to pay for them. Are these suppliers rip...
On July 6, 1776, General George Washington called for America’s independence from Great Britain, and declared the “The United colonies of North America” were to now be a free and independent nation, no longer under the iron rule of Great Britain. His words were followed by Thomas Jefferson’s declaration that “all men were created equal and endowed by their creator with the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Then in 1892, Francis Bellamy put forth his “Pledge of...
Bill Britt (4/18/18 Alabama Political Reporter) stated current and former BCA members thought the board’s vote to demand Canary’s resignation was good news for the State’s future and those close to the process were angry Chairman Hand wanted to keep Canary until the fall. APR’s sources said this was an attempt for the BCA to further influence election outcomes. The plan was to control campaign donations and win enough races to stage a comeback. Hand seemed willing to risk everything protect...
The purpose of a law, any law, is a singular objective—protecting people from the wrongdoings of other people. To be moral, just, legitimate, and Constitutional, it must meet that criterion. Otherwise, it is usurpation and oppression. Laws that are obviously just are those against murder, bodily harm, theft, destruction, and any other actions that hurt or violate other people and/or their property. These can be readily understood by any civilized person. Common sense dictates that only a few l...
Don’t laugh. Little Zimbabwe could be a model for providing prosperity for the entire world. Most people remember this African nation for creating the most rampant hyperinflation in recorded history—a rate of 231 million percent annually. In the end, people were carrying boxes of $100 trillion dollar bills. Some also recall the ancient granite structures of Great Zimbabwe, from which the country derived its present name. Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) has some of the most fertile farm land in Afr...
Recent political Kabuki theatre has some contemplating Gov. Ivey’s dating preferences and Judge Sue Bell Cobb’s campaign hiring practices. How candidates deal with these may be revealing. I also wonder why Cobb did not quickly and simply apologize, then remove the convicted sex offender from her campaign team. I’m similarly at a loss on the dearth of political discussion on Ivey’s inaction w.r.t. the Alabama PACT program during our last economic meltdown and forecasts of her abilities to addr...
Much ink has been spilled these past months to highlight outrageous observed results from our Alabama law enabling sheriffs to transfer ‘inmate food provision’ monies in their favour. These monies are deposited into county Sheriff ‘personal’ accounts, not into any specific government account(s). Most noteworthy is Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin’s four-bedroom house with an in-ground pool and canal access in Orange Beach for $740,000; one of several properties (total assessed value of...
Today, we are nearing the midpoint of Donald Trump’s second year. So far, he has done some very good things: 1. Ended our subjugation to the Paris Climate Agreement. 2. Put the brakes on mass m igration ofpotentially dangerous people. 3. Reduced illegal immigration by 67%. 4. Re-opened the coal mines and re-established jobs for the miners. 5. Withdrew from the job-threatening Trans-Pacific Partnership. 6. Revived essential pipelines that will ensure a dependable supply of petroleum. 7. S...
