Archive By Section - Columns
A very good year!
A few weeks back, I heard two high school students talking about the upcoming prom and other end-of-the-year activities. It doesn't seem possible, but the year has flown by. In spite of all the challenges our community, state, and nation continue to face because of the economy, it's been a very good year in the Kershaw County School District! I thought I'd spend a little time this month touching on a few of the countless highlights of this year.
Reunion season
What is it about a high school reunion that makes people go crazy? To be fair, my own high school reunion isn't for another two years, so maybe the excitement will set in around early spring in 2013. But within the past several weeks, I've noticed that more than a few people are hitting the gym and mall in anticipation of "high school reunion season." I actually like the idea of ...
Trump's bullying pulpit
Donald Trump stepped out of the helicopter that had his name painted on the side, walked across the tarmac and announced to reporters that he was proud of himself. This would not be news on any day. But on this day, I would not have been surprised to see him start hugging and kissing himself.
Tips for life's journey
From the mailbag: • Reflections on life and growing older, from Regina Brett of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 2. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it. 3. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it. 4. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. 5. Make peace with your past so ...
Without wind, how can a sailboat reach shore?
In my April column, I touched on what it means to some to overcome incredible adversity and how these people make a commitment to survive in tough times; choosing to ride out the storm rather than sink. So recently, being drawn to titles like "Deep Survival," "Long Distance," "Will to Live" and "The Long Walk," I felt it appropriate to continue exploring this thought-provoking subject of survival; why some can endure hardships at an ...
Once we were sane
NEW YORK -- If you really, really dislike Barack Obama, his long-form birth certificate, finally proffered in exasperation, is quite simply a counterfeit.
Surprise, surprise
My cousin recently found out he is going to be a father for the first time. When he told his family about the upcoming blessed event, three of his five siblings asked him if this was planned. He is three weeks older than I am. I will be 47 in August. Nonetheless, I say, congratulations, Doc! You will undoubtedly be a great dad. Better late than never, right? I, on ...
Meet Me at the Green a great success
I couldn't stop grinning.
Pandering to the Obamaphobes
When I was a kid way back in the previous century, my favorite attraction at the local county fair was a midway amusement that everyone called "dunk the dimwit" -- or words to that effect.
A voice from above
"That man could crawl through a barrel of fish hooks and not get a scratch on him.'' Troy Stevenson, who retained the wisdom of his mountain upbringing, once used that expression concerning a man we were discussing. The late Highway Patrolman Randy Sanders once described an individual as: "One who could be used to open a bottle of wine."
Why it matters when politicians 'play politics'
In 2006, Barack Obama, then a member of the U.S. Senate, voted against raising the "debt ceiling" -- the maximum amount of outstanding federal debt the US government can incur by law.
Patience doesn't mean you stop trying
I've heard it a million times -- patience is a virtue. And, unfortunately, it's a virtue that I have never possessed. The last six months of my senior years, in both high school and college, were pure torture. There's very few things that I've ever wanted badly enough to stand in a long line for. And even now, as I inch closer and closer to my 26th birthday (yikes!), I've ...
A bad connection
This started out to be a feel-good story, one of those you read and then say to yourself, "Well I'll be doggone. What about that?"
Medicare love chills Tea Party fever
Surprise, surprise! Faced with the prospect of Medicare cuts, even Tea Party folks find griping about "big government" to be a lot more fun than actually shrinking it.
Let's go shopping
Most women love to hear that phrase. I, on the other hand cringe inwardly. I really do dislike shopping. I am also the remote control freak at our house too. So, I guess I am not your typical female. Although, I must say, I have never met a "typical" female. I have always found us ladies to be a unique creation. Can I get an a-men here? Oh well, I ...
Articles by Section - Columns
Don’t shoot the messenger
I've always heard the phrase "don't shoot the messenger" throughout my life. I somewhat understood what it meant -- don't take your anger out on someone who is simply relaying unwanted information. It wasn't until I started my career as a reporter that I developed a deeper and more meaningful relationship with this quote. Being a journalist means that not only do I get to be the bearer of ...
Googling ourselves to death
WASHINGTON -- At a party a few years ago, a young reporter bounded over to my cluster of social nodders and, with the breathlessness of a born tweeter, chirped: "What's the new hot thing?!"
Statehouse ethics: just tell the truth
When I was a young boy growing up and my mother confronted me with something that I knew I had done wrong, I often stammered around, making excuses and trying to avoid fessing up. My mom's response was always the same: "Let's begin by just telling the truth."
Noted and passed
** A new Gallup poll indicates that Americans rank the performance of Congress at the lowest level since polling on the subject began. Only 10 percent of citizens say they have confidence in Congress, with no discernible difference among those who call themselves Democrats and those who say they're Republicans. Congress rates last on a list of 16 institutions, with the American military ranking first. The Gallup organization has been asking opinions of Congress ...
Crisis of faith in government
WASHINGTON -- It is reassuring that in the midst of so much government dysfunction, the IRS has resolved the question of when and whether to tax tanning beds under the Affordable Care Act. Do not be concerned about that giddiness you feel. You are not having a nervous breakdown but are suffering a symptom commonly associated with recognition that the absurd has become the accepted norm -- and that you are, in fact, alone. ...
KCSD has had a one terrific school year
The end of the school is a veritable kaleidoscope of activities and excitement, with happiness and even a little relief thrown in for good measure. For me, it's also a time to reflect on the school district's many accomplishments over the past year. To say the least, it's been one terrific year! This month, I wanted to review just a few of the many highlights of 2012-13:
Game of Thrones is good, but tough TV
Back in March 2012, I wrote about my newfound love of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series. I mentioned -- almost as a side note -- the brilliant HBO television series based on the books (and named after the first novel) Game of Thrones.
Game of Thrones is good, but tough TV
Back in March 2012, I wrote about my newfound love of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series. I mentioned -- almost as a side note -- the brilliant HBO television series based on the books (and named after the first novel) Game of Thrones.
Welcome to the good life
Were talking coffee and burgers today, folks.
Secrecy scandal? Not so much
When is a scandal not really a scandal? Many are shocked to hear that the government, in its pursuit of terrorists as relentlessly as Wile E. Coyote chases the Road Runner, is massively snooping into our phone records and popular social networks without search warrants.
Page 1 of 1
Contents of this site are © Copyright 2013 Chronicle Independent All rights reserved. Privacy policy and Terms of service
