The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Just as the Republocrats $1.2 billion Amendment One [2003] proposal of significant increases for individual income tax payers, the sales tax, property tax, cigarette tax, corporate income tax, etc. FAILED 2 to 1 (defeating the Hubbard/Riley full court press) on a GENERAL election ballot, we now have the next iteration of an Amendment One boondoggle before us on the March 3rd primary. Pray we have better “2020” vision on why this is placed on primary ballots looking in the rear view mirror of...
Every year, we continue to hear the same old song from our public officials—“Our infrastructure is falling apart…. We need more revenue…. We must have a tax increase.” The rational answer, of course, is “No way” in nearly every case. Most of the time they ask for money to fund projects and programs that are patently unconstitutional—“public” education, “public” housing, Medicaid, victimless crime enforcement, abusive regulations, etc. But among these is one item we actually need—our roads...
An asteroid could wipe out all life on Earth, so yes. But what if we mined and brought an asteroid’s valuable metals to Earth? NASA’s plan to send a probe to an asteroid generated some out-of-this-world economic claims. The asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter may be the remnants of a proto-planet that broke up long ago. NASA plans to visit 16 Psyche, a heavy metal asteroid, which astronomers believe is mostly nickel and iron, but may contain precious metals like gold and platinum. The reporte...
Adrian Jack Lively ~ 79 Adrian Jack Lively served 20 years in the U. S. Air Force as a radar technician and as an air-traffic controller. During 11.5 years of that service, he served four overseas tours including three remote, two in combat zones and one accompanying tour which allowed his family to go with him. Lively’s conclusions about his service to his country via the U. S. Air Force are, “It was this to me. I grew up in a military family. My dad was discharged from the U. S. Army aft...
Valentine’s Day! There’s truly not another day quite like it. Millions, perhaps billions, of dollars are spent each year to celebrate this day. Then, after the hundreds of pounds of chocolate have been gobbled up and the millions of cards have been exchanged, there comes the inevitable follow up….February 15. That’s the day when we go back to our daily grind and all that focus on love typically gets thrown out with the wrappers and cards. This probably happens because we put so much emphasi...
Krystal is the South’s oldest fast food restaurant chain. They have been making little square hamburgers since 1932. Having been around for so long, everybody seems to have a Krystal story. If for no other reason, you can go through a drive-thru and have a big bag of them riding shotgun with you for just over $5. Krystal has always been a friend to night people. Back during the late 80s and early 90s people liked to line dance. People still like to line dance I suppose, but back then it was e...
Without specifics about yourself I’ll make this answer generic in a personal and in a business sense. I presume you looked at your financial estate planning (401K, mutual funds, stocks and bonds, life insurance, etc.) and as you do you also think about your legal estate planning. After all you are a year older; you may have gotten married, had a new child, had a child reach the age of majority (19 years), gotten divorced or suffered the death of a spouse or even a child. You may have a child g...
The other day, I was sitting in a mall food court reading a magazine I just bought while my bride was shopping. I like to sit, read and of course watch the world pass by. I have to admit, I am a people watcher. Some are obviously more pleasant to watch than others, but regardless, people are interesting to watch. While sitting there, I was watching this young girl writing furiously on pieces of paper. She would write something, scribble it out, write some more and then wrinkle up the paper and...
From our very beginning, we the people of the United States have honored and fought for the right to live free and support ourselves without government interference under a sacrosanct principle called “The American Dream”—to live and let live.” This is the bedrock that provided the opportunity for all citizens to create the greatest nation on earth. But over the last century and especially the second half of it, numerous agencies have been created that violate that ethic. The taxes, regulat...
Two Lee county officials were bound by law and contract documents to procure bid proposals before spending taxpayer money. Records show one manager was not protected for her actions; the other was protected and lauded for his admitted wrongdoing. This familiar “tale of two bureaucrats” in a county believing in Mike Hubbard is as follows… One county manager was placed on administrative leave with pay, brought before a County Commission executive session, tendered a resignation and received sever...
The field is set for the college football playoff. Good sportsmanship often involves wishing, “May the best team win!” But the best team does not always win, which illustrates an important element of economics. Either LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, or Oklahoma will be crowned champion on January 13. I will not prognosticate about the winner. Football fans know that many small things affect a game’s outcome. The football can take funny bounces. Passes can get deflected or dropped. A player can slip....
• Veterans are entitled to a patriotic ceremony at their funerals. • Families should take a copy of the veteran’s DD214 discharge papers to the funeral home and ask for an honor guard to conduct a flag ceremony. • Although the funeral home can arrange for the honor guard to include a bugler to play “Taps”, that bugler may bring a bugle and play a tape recording. • To arrange for a “live bugler”, contact Raymond Keel, a veteran who attend veterans’ funerals and plays “Taps” live. • Call...
Over the Christmas season I only lost the car twice. Once I was looking on the opposite side of the mall from where I had parked. I kept setting off my alarm with my keyring, but was too far away to hear it blaring. I finally found it by process of elimination. The next week I lost my friend’s car. The main reason I lost her car was because I had lost her for a while too. We went to separate checkouts thinking that would be quicker, only it wasn’t. Once I had checked out I headed on out to the...
Happy New Year, Everyone! As we enter into this new year, I have a question for us to ponder…Who do you want to be in world? Think about it. Notice, I did not ask what you want to do or what you want to achieve this year. While these are important things to think about, I am asking you to think more along the lines of what kind of person do you want to be. Do you know the answer to this question? “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces per...
I am beginning to follow the impeachment issues a bit more closely as the House public hearings have begun. Possibly this ordeal will be over before you read this. I will do my best to comment on the process. I think like myself most of the country foresees the outcome. The Democratic majority House of Representatives will vote to impeach the President, most because they dislike President Trump so much and not over the issues considered and the Republican majority Senate will vote not to remove...
After a trying weekend of watching Alabama Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa getting his hip dislocated, I am following up with yet another edition of “Bits and Pieces.” Here we go. 1. MIDWAY: In the past, I have at times rendered several movie reviews but I definitely do not want to make it a habit. But the wife and I went to see “Midway” the other day and I felt compelled to write something about it. Overall, I do recommend seeing it. It was enjoyable and yes, the CGI effects were pretty good. N...
Most Gazette readers require no reminder of the ‘unplanned’ (in this world) birth we venerate each Christmas. Some may recall a similarly titled 2015 Christmas column years ago. After accusation of over-emphasis upon the ‘tax-terror kings’ part of the story - i.e., the cruel tax Caesar Augustus levied coercing Mary and Joseph’s travail to Bethlehem -- I’ll focus on the righteous example of this brave union in God’s love who brought Jesus into this world some two thousand years ago. I nonetheless...
This past November 3, we all ran our clocks back one hour to switch from daylight saving time back to standard time. From then until next spring, we lose an extra hour of daylight every afternoon. As I’m writing this, more than a month before the winter solstice, darkness is already covering our state by 5:00 pm. For people who work from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm, there is no daylight for any outdoor afternoon activities. Of course, daylight saving time does not actually provide more daylight. A d...
America is at a crossroads, either we follow Nancy, Adam, Jerry and Chuck in their unceasing attempt to remove President Trump or we as a country participate in a historic 2020 landslide election and unleash Secretariat. Often when I write, there is an issue at the core of the discussion and I try my best to bring facts to the debate to substantiate my position. In all fairness, this is purely an opinion piece, where in my view the outcome for the future of this country is clearly dependent on...
The Berlin Wall, the most visible manifestation of Communist oppression, came down thirty years ago. This totally unexpected event was a triumph of hope and the human spirit. How can social scientists explain a seemingly impossible event? The Wall isolated West Berlin, part of democratic West Germany, almost 100 miles inside communist East Germany. The Wall and the Iron Curtain appeared to permanently divide Europe. The Wall was built in August 1961 to halt an East German exodus, including 30,00...
I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend that neighboring Clarke County is trying to become as corrupt as Wilcox County. Good luck. That is a high bar to set, but it is obtainable. If you will put losers at the helm of leadership, you too can sit back and watch your county’s statistics begin to sink. And it doesn’t have to be just Clarke. Any county that wants to fail should follow our lead. One of the first things you will want to do is find people in your community who have failed i...
I enjoy the Christmas season. I like the cheerful decorations, spending time with family and friends, and eating Christmas goodies. My favorite part of Christmas, by far, though, is singing carols…and, especially, “Joy to the World!” “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11 “Joy to the world! The Lord is come,” God’s people announce at Christmastime. Based on Psalm...
Well, not the legal article that you expected. I deal a lot with death, either helping folks ready the legal documents leading up to and going beyond their deaths or assisting grieved families or friends who have lost loved ones. I prepared legal documents for a couple that dated in high school and then married, but it took the husband a while to follow his wife’s wishes because he just knew he would die if he did these documents, like sooner than later. Well the truth is you will die after d...
On 2 October of this year, I was in the Orange Theory Fitness facility getting ready to start a noon workout. Sitting there waiting for class to begin, I was reading through some of the current news feeds and something tragic caught my eye. As a pilot and former safety officer, anytime I see where an airplane has crashed, it gets my undivided attention. Then I saw that it was not just an ordinary airplane but a World War II era B-17G Flying Fortress, operated by the Collings Foundation out of St...
This month is the ten year anniversary of submitting my first Alabama Gazette column. It addressed eminent domain abuse; the infamous Kelo decision in the US Supreme Court and more specifically making a case for reparations to those like Mr. Williams (oft black landowners with insurmountable impediments to defend themselves in corrupt courts) who suffered wrongful takings in Alabama. Reflecting back it has been a ‘roller-coaster’ of highs/lows at our federal, local and State governments thi...
