Hooked on iPad Scrabble

WASHINGTON -- I could write more about the tax deal, but you're probably tired of hearing about it, and, to be honest, I've been too busy playing iPad Scrabble.

Holiday help is hard to find

Gift wrapping -- is it a man's or woman's job? That was the topic of an argument between my husband and me earlier this week, after John casually suggested that I begin wrapping the Christmas gifts for our family members. He then went on to talk about how he would hate for me to get bogged down with having to wrap all of the gifts at the last minute. Clearly, I thought, ...

War news remembered

Andy Denton was recently helping his mother Miriam move some furniture when they came across a bulletin from the First Baptist Church which was distributed on Father's Day in 1945. The bulletin was arranged in newsletter form and filled with information concerning events surrounding the end of the war and updates on many of your friends and neighbors who were serving in the military.

Living the spirit of Christmas

I have a number of favorite Christmas stories which I have told you over the years. This is one of my favorites; I related it to you long ago, but it is worth repeating as Christendom's most holy day approaches.

No backslide for House ethics

As I watched the sad sight of Rep. Charles Rangel, a decorated Korean War veteran, stand in the well of the House to be humiliated by Speaker Nancy Pelosi with resounding censure like a misbehaving schoolboy, I was reminded of a joke I once heard about a critic's review of a singing cat: "It is not that the song was done well that mattered, but that it was done at all."

Publisher's comment

His name is David Underwood. His call sign is "Stevie." His face is the face of American freedom. His face is the face of American power.

It's grow-up time in America

NEW YORK -- Thanks to WikiLeaks, even Vlad the Putin can raise an eyebrow and presume to know more about founding American principles, democracy and free speech.

As I see it

Given I've had my coffee in the morning and wine in the evening, I'm quite the happy-go-lucky character. It takes a powerful event, one with a lasting impact, to grip my mood. Stoic, not quite; let's just say I'm indifferent to most of the daily world, and I mean that in a positive sense. Too often, I believe, indifference is seen as a negative.

A dog's life, then and now

I used to see those people who catered shamelessly to their dogs and snidely chuckle into my sleeve.

TSA and security: the naked truth

Years ago, the biggest question you'd get while flying was "Coffee or tea?" Now it's "Naked body scan or aggressive pat-down?"

That's 'techie' entertainment!

With my busy schedule here at the C-I and being a dad to two rambunctious boys, it's sometimes hard to watch what I want when I want.

When will Obama go 'gangster'?

Leave it to the famously politically incorrect Bill Maher to get to the heart of what's bugging President Barack Obama's supporters these days:

Turkey Bowl

The game was a beat-down of epic proportions. It was actually close at the beginning, both teams knotted at a touchdown, but the wheels of my team soon began to lose their grip from the proverbial axle. I would not say that the wheels "fell off" necessarily. This would imply that they simply came loose and rested in place. They actually flew off at quite an alarming rate and at last sight were still ...

Don't dumb down ... just grow up

Sometimes, it just pays to be dumb. That's what a 22-year-old anonymous young man -- let's call him Bob -- told a group of DJs on a morning radio show earlier this week, as he bemoaned the fact that he constantly had to "dumb down" when trying to date girls or when hanging out with friends. Girls don't like nerds, Bob said, and smart guys are always picked on by the more ...

How WikiLeaks can make us less free

It is symbolically appropriate that among other charges in Sweden WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is accused of having unprotected sex with two women in Stockholm. I don't know whether the world-famous Internet whistleblower is guilty or not, but the allegation certainly fits his reputation for world-class recklessness.

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?