Archive By Section - Columns
Horse sense
WASHINGTON -- The punch line is at least as old as the eldest baby boomer: "I didn't get a pony."
Washday blues
Dirty clothes -- the constant, consistent chore -- is still one of the most odious banes for women. Jingles for commercial tout the truth that "mama keeps the house clean…," but what the woman must face every day is soiled linen! Most men's use of the same temperature for everything and their employment of the "smell test" – if it doesn't smell too bad, wear it again -- may explain the female's acceptance of the laundry chore. No matter the cause, the modern woman has no idea how different keeping presentable clothing was in earlier days.
The essentiality of journalism
In 2005 when their city drowned, the staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune stayed in it longer than common sense and simple prudence would dictate. People who had lost homes, loved ones, and their city itself concentrated on gathering the news and putting it out. They finally left huddled in newspaper delivery trucks, water up to the headlights, decamping to Baton Rouge, 75 miles away, where they went right back to reporting the news.
Down to the wire
Often as summer officially begins, the General Assembly is wrapping up its business for the year. However, when legislators returned to Columbia on June 19 there were several important issues left to be addressed. During the week, progress was made on one major issue, another major issue died, and one still remains to be resolved.
Camden is the right place to be
At various points since joining the C-I, people have asked me whether I'd ever be interested in working for a larger newspaper or for a paper in a larger market.
Retirement choice
When I retired, one of my friends asked me what I was going to do with my time. I told her I was already volunteering and working out. She looked incredulous and remarked, "Well, I don't know what I will do, but certainly will not do those two." She had no idea how entertaining, healthful, and fulfilling these activities are. I have also met many charming, amazing, and different people there. I had the same choice that most have -- vegetate or activate. I chose to activate when family matters allowed. My life is much fuller because of my involvement.
On the death of a hapless icon and his question that had to be asked
There was always something hapless about Rodney King.
Crime beat, more full of lessons for new reporter
Being a crime reporter is as interesting, fun and challenging as I imagined.
Conspiracy theories never really die
Ralph, who runs a roadside nursery business on the Maine island where Nancy and I spend time, is a conspiracy theorist of the first order.
Local saints and sinners
Which current major university was once located in Winnsboro?
Southern support will be hard to gauge
"A hootenanny" -- that was the scene 48 years ago in Oct. 1964 on the campus of North Carolina State University.
The banality of Watergate
WASHINGTON -- Forty years ago, all of America learned the name of a particular condominium, hotel and office complex along the Potomac in the nation's capital.
Googling anti-Obama racism
On the night of Barack Obama's presidential election victory, Americans seemed to shed our troubled legacy of racism. Or did we?
Another great year!
Every year in May, a community member named Bob Watkins invites me to speak to the Golden Club, a really fun group of local retirees that meets for breakfast once a week. Generally, I use this opportunity to talk about the accomplishments of school year. I thought I'd share some of the same highlights in this month's column. It's been another great year! Our students and our staff continue to achieve at an impressive level. Following are just a few examples:
A balance of the good and the bad
Bear with me as I put a little of my comic book geek on to make a point about what makes the front pages of this newspaper.
Articles by Section - Columns
The legend of Lloyd Seay
Their histories, accurate and complete, are lost to time and buried with them and those who knew them. I wish I knew more for their stories would read like a page-turning novel.
Star Trek ... in the news!
OK, OK, yes I'm talking Star Trek again, but hang on, this is really more about newspapers than Star Trek. All right, maybe 50-50.
Not lost, just seeing the sights
In 1964, the World's Fair was in New York City. I was 6 years old and went with my parents and older sister to the fair. New York City seemed like a different world to a little boy from Dexter, Mo., but it was all good. We rode on subway trains, we had cheeseburgers in a diner where the staff had funny accents and rode the Staten Island Ferry and saw the Statue of Liberty. I saw a billboard that had the Marlboro man blowing smoke out of his mouth. We were living it up.
‘What is that?’
In the quest to answer the many questions I receive about trees, see below for part three in the continuing series.
51 days in a car with boys
If you have a serious case of wanderlust -- an insatiable desire to see new places and experience unique customs -- then you'll probably envy Alisa Johnson of Seattle, Wash.
Limousine liberalism’s good works
Is it hypocritical for a really, really rich person to object to rising inequality?
The hand that rocks the ballot box
In their denouncements of the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby ruling, Hillary Clinton and other Democrats have been accused of pandering to single women -- the so-called "Beyoncé voter" demographic, as one Fox News commentator sniggered.
S.C., immigration and ‘Us vs. Them’
First things first: every nation must secure and control its borders. This is not political rhetoric or an ideological judgment but a simple geo-political fact.
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