Noted and passed - April 29, 2013

• Another U.S. senator who's been amenable to reaching across the aisle is leaving Washington, further curtailing the number of moderate lawmakers in that body. Max Baucus, a Democrat from Montana, will not seek another term after serving for many years in Washington. Moderates are becoming more and more of an endangered species, which is bad for the entire country.

KershawHealth

Controversy continues at KershawHealth as Scott Ziemke, chairman of the hospital system's board of trustees, resigned his chairmanship earlier this week, saying he had become a distraction and that he didn't want that to affect the performance of KershawHealth and its board. We commend Ziemke on his years of service to the hospital board, a thankless job by almost any measure, and we offer the viewpoint that Ziemke has ...

End the lifeline

If you'd like a specific example of a federal program run amok -- and there are too many to count -- you need look no further than Lifeline, which was begun during the Reagan administration to provide free phones to people. It was originally envisioned as a method of subsidizing landline phone service for low-income Americans. But in the way that federal programs seem to always do, it has ...

42

It was coincidental that the recent dedication of the Larry Doby and Bernard Baruch statues in Camden came just weeks before April 15, which was the day in 1947 that Jackie Robinson broke the color line in Major League Baseball when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Later that summer, Camden native Doby became the first African-American player in the American League when he joined the Cleveland Indians.

Boston bombing

The irony of Tuesday's tragic bombing in Boston is readily evident, being staged at one of the nation's most revered sporting events, and being held on Patriots Day, a Massachusetts holiday which commemorates the opening battle of the Revolutionary War. And whether it was carried out by a lone, deranged person or by a group trying to make a misguided point, it reminds us that in the 21st century, ...

Noted and passed - April 15, 2013

• Hailed only a quarter-century ago as one of the most amazing technological breakthroughs of all time, the personal computer has fallen on hard times, indicating just how rapidly things change in this world. Though PCs aren't extinct by any means, sales fell 14 percent during the first quarter as compared to a year ago, and that continued a trend of several quarters, as mobile devices of all kinds ...

Sanford

Americans are a forgiving lot when it comes to politicians, and South Carolinians are obviously among the most forgiving of all, having handed former Gov. Mark Sanford a resounding victory in the Republican Congressional primary down in the Lowcountry last week. Sanford defeated a large team of GOP rivals to claim the nomination and will now face Elizabeth Colbert, sister of comedian/commentator Stephen Colbert, for the seat which was ...

Noted and passed - April 8, 2013

• We have noted before our apprehension about Hollywood celebrities who confuse their entertaining ability with their political views, thinking voters will pay attention to their often-pompous pronouncements. We recently observed talented Hollywood artist Rob Reiner going on and on in a pontifical manner about what this country should do. We'd like to nominate him as Undersecretary of Silence, hoping he would pay attention to ...

Lessons in sports

Sports events sometimes become metaphors for life, and there is no better showcase for that than the ongoing March Madness basketball tournament; a national champion will be crowned Monday night to culminate the annual event. In the round of 8 which was played March 31, number-one seeded Louisville was playing perennial power Duke when Cardinal forward Kevin Ware jumped to block a shock and broke his leg as he fell. It was a gruesome ...

Reconciliation

Last week's unveiling of the statues of Larry Doby and Bernard Baruch, and the attendant ceremonies which were held, amounted to a tripleheader: well-conceived, well-planned and well-executed. The hundreds of people who turned out Friday at the Camden Archives to witness the event were indeed buoyed by a ceremony that truly reflected the theme for the day: reconciliation.

Noted and passed - April 1, 2013

• Actress Ashley Judd has been fooling around with the idea of running for the U.S. Senate from Kentucky against Mitch McConnell, the minority leader. Apparently she didn't like what she was seeing in polls, for she announced last week she would not run. Frankly, we're not disappointed that we won't be subjected to Judd's brand of Hollywood wisdom over the next couple of years.

Carolina Cup

Those of us who live in Kershaw County often tend to take for granted the Carolina Cup, which is known across South Carolina and the Southeast as one of the premier sporting and social events of each year. While many natives don't attend the race and might grumble good-naturedly about traffic tie-ups on Cup Saturday, thousands upon thousands of people flock here each year to attend the races, and ...

HTAX proposals

Camden City Council is considering two projects that would utilize hospitality tax funding, one which would create a "pocket park" where the former Maxway building -- an eyesore by any measure -- is located in the downtown business district, and the other the creation of a tavern at the Historic Camden campus.

Noted and passed - March 25, 2013

• U.S. airlines, which tout customer service but don't practice it very often, could take a cue from Lufthansa, the German line which flies many routes between the United States and international destinations. Lufthansa offers incentives for medical doctors to let the airline know when they're aboard, and they reserve a particular seat -- it happens to be 36G -- for the physician, so flight attendants always know where ...

Postal service

The U.S. Postal Service is losing nearly $16 billion a year, and the attrition of traditional mail continues as people communicate, pay bills and make reservations on the Internet, along with a host of other tasks that used to involve mail. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe announced recently that Saturday mail delivery would be eliminated; this, of course, isn't everybody's first preference, but it's necessary to try to help stem ...

The U.S. Open

Maxway building

Camden City Council was scheduled yesterday to take second reading on a proposal to purchase the former Maxway building in the downtown business district, with plans to raze the decaying structure and build a small park. The building, located at the corner of Broad and Rutledge Street, has stood unoccupied for years and has become an eyesore. It's presently owned by Redwood Homes LLC, which has agreed to sell ...

IRS reform

People in this country -- no doubt many right here in Kershaw County -- are angry with the Internal Revenue Service and its heavy-handed methods. Of course, the IRS has never been popular, and probably wouldn't be if the agency did everything by the book. But its recent targeting of conservative groups has spotlighted the venom with which overzealous bureaucrats can operate. Adding to it are recent revelations about ...