Ringing in the season

Ray Hazelwood still recalls the day in 1973 when his cherished class ring from The Citadel vanished.

America's reality show: gloom and doom

NEW YORK -- Pending catastrophe is not an easy notion to entertain, much less sustain. Americans moreover have a low tolerance for doom and gloom. We are the nation of optimism, after all. We elect leaders who promise hope and change. We are the shining city on a hill.

Hitchens confronts the Big C

Journalists and writers serve numerous purposes in society, one of which is to stimulate thought and make you reconsider some, or all, of your beliefs. A simple way to do this is by providing all sides of an issue, regardless of whether one side is vastly more popular or accepted as true.

A time to govern

WASHINGTON -- New Hampshire Republican Judd Gregg could reel off a list of problems with the debt-reduction blueprint produced by the president's fiscal responsibility commission -- beginning with the fact that, as Gregg sees it, the plan doesn't do nearly enough to reduce the debt: By 2020, in the unlikely event that all the recommendations are enacted, the debt would still stand at an unhealthy share of gross domestic product, ...

So, let this be a toothy lesson to you

It was my own fault. I've never been a big fan of going to the dentist. I don't know too many people that are. That's no reflection on dentists themselves. I think they're great people. Unfortunately, I'm an oversensitive guy when it comes to pain and dental cleanings and other procedures are quite painful to me. So, I don't exactly ...

Security theater vs. real dangers

Great quotations aren't what they used to be. History is marked by signature lines like "We shall overcome" and "Give me liberty or give me death." To those, the age of YouTube adds, "If you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested."

Demise of the service station

If you're planning a road trip to New Jersey or Oregon, forget about stopping for a quick self-service gasoline stop. It's not legal there.

Path of least resistance

This past August, I embarked on a journey encompassing 140 miles in 13 days all on foot. Yes, on foot. There were not many close to me that could appreciate my aspirations for chasing this "outward boundish" type charge, and rightfully so. There were hurdles to get over before ever reporting for my chosen wilderness course. There was the burden of leaving my family for 16 days which would prove to be an emotional ...

Dancing with Palin in 2012?

She made it all the way to the finals -- farther than anyone expected -- with the help of votes pouring in from her vast, underestimated fan base, only to lose in the final vote tally to more experienced professionals.

Sending my regrets to William and Kate

First, let me start off by saying that there is no chance that I will ever wake up at the crack of dawn to watch Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding next April.

Thought for tomorrow

When I was a younger man, I believed that progress was inevitable -- that the world would be better tomorrow and better still the day after. The thunder of war, the stench of concentration camps, the mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb are, however, not conducive to optimism. All our tomorrows for years to come will be clouded by the threat of a terrible holocaust.

Buck up for safety

Everyone have a pleasant Thanksgiving and safe travels? No underwear bombers? Good, glad to hear it. Now, say your thanks to the sleepless Transportation Security Administration administrator John Pistole and his agency.

The new heresy

NEW YORK -- In a political culture where moderation is the new heresy, centrism is fast becoming the new black.

The economic potential of SC's harvest

We thank Thee, Heavenly Father,

Glad I'm not flying for the holidays

To fly or not to fly, that is the question.

Not such strange bedfellows

WASHINGTON -- Breaking news: Conservative organizations suddenly have found common cause with one of their favorite objects of contempt -- the benighted Mainstream Media.

Seniors reflect

I meet with a lot of groups and committees over the course of the year, and I think it's important for me to do so. One of my favorite groups is Student Cabinet, which is comprised of student government leaders from each of our high schools. We meet four times a year over lunch. What I love and value about students is that they don't hesitate to tell you what's ...

A matter of conscience:

In 1929, my family moved from Chesterfield County to a farm adjoining the farm of Donald Holland's parents in the Cassatt community. I was a year old at the time but before many years passed, Donald and I established a friendship lasting until Donald's passing in 2003.

When DOJ targets press, we all lose

To say I was stunned was putting it mildly. I was shocked to learn about the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) decision to seize phone records belonging to the Associated Press (AP). The C-I does not belong to the AP; I have never written for the service. That doesn't negate my outrage at DOJ's actions.

Fredericksburg Township explored

Our grand city of Camden is a beautifully preserved town laid out in an 18th century plan devised by Joseph Kershaw. We are proud of our historic homes and buildings, carefully placed public parks, wide streets, and beautiful trees. So it is easy to forget that this was not the original plan for the "town" that was to develop in this area of South Carolina. The original plan was a part of the "Township ...

What was the IRS thinking?

Well, this is a fine mess.

Are we willing to pay for increased public safety?

Kershaw County public safety is at a crossroads. The sheriff's office is greatly understaffed and deputies are compensated for their mandatory overtime work by an antiquated and grossly unfair payment system. The solicitor's office is working with half the staff it needs to properly prosecute the cases it receives every month and the jail is barely able to keep sufficient staff to meet state standards. <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: ...

Benghazi redacted

Gatsby? What Gatsby?