Columnists

Washing machine

Sallie Satterthwaite's picture

A friend handed me a copy of Mrs. Albert Wiese’s letter to the Kosanke Bros., who sold her husband a new washing machine, circa 1927.

Kouts, Ind.

Kosanke Bros.

Kouts, Ind.

Dear Sirs: Read More»

Getting over 9/11

David Epps's picture

Several days ago I was reading about the proposed mosque to be built near the scene of the 9/11 attacks in New York. The nationally known newspaper had interviewed a number of persons and the opinions on the subject were varied. One, however, stood out to me.

Commenting on the opposition to putting the mosque near the attack site, one person, a young American woman, said something like this: “The 9/11 attacks were nine years ago. Isn’t it about time people got over this?” Read More»

The tree

Rick Ryckeley's picture

Some in the town say the tree has stood for a hundred years. Others say it’s much older. Alone in a field of emerald grass almost as soft as carpet, the old pear tree still stands – although it has seen better days.

It was magnificent: 30 feet towards the sky its branches once reached, but no longer. Bent and twisted by time and circumstance, what’s left of the largest pear tree in town now barely reaches one-third that height. Still, against all odds, from season to season, its function hasn’t changed: providing shade from the harsh sun during the summer and fresh fruit during the fall. Read More»

The coming showdown with public employees

Cal Beverly's picture

Few in the media have drawn the lines between the increasing dots in our national financial meltdown. The raw numbers are being reported; the obvious conclusions have not been drawn. I take no pleasure in what I am concluding; nevertheless, here are the data. Judge whether my conclusions are warranted.

California leads the nation in budget toxicity. The state’s generous public employee pension system is the biggest of the black holes in that state’s descent into bankruptcy. Read More»

What revival looks like

Cal Thomas's picture

In calling for a spiritual revival in America at his Lincoln Memorial rally Aug. 28, talk show host Glenn Beck reached back into history and touched on a familiar theme.

What would a genuine revival look like and how did those that have transformed America several times in the past get started? Earlier revivals were not created from the mobilization of large crowds. They occurred when people did something infrequently observed in modern times: humbled themselves. Read More»

Fayette ranks high among Georgia schools — but we can do better

Dr. Kevin Demmitt's picture

If you ask a family that has relocated to Fayette County why they chose to live here, one of the answers will likely be the quality of the school system. The school system was one of the reasons my wife and I chose to live here when we were house hunting. My children attended Fayette County schools from elementary through high school. All three are now in college or graduated.

I appreciate the many skilled teachers who invested in them and helped develop their talents and abilities to prepare them for the next level of education. That is one of the best measures of a good school system. Read More»

English is Georgia’s official language; guess who’s breaking the law?

Claude Paquin's picture

Should English be the official language in Georgia?

Personally, I would think so. But obviously thousands and thousands of our best educated people in Georgia disagree.

It seems that every ten years or so our Georgia legislature gets excited about this. In 1986, our legislature adopted a resolution making English the official state language.

Thinking that was not enough, in 1996 our Georgia General Assembly enacted a statute (code section 50-3-100) designating English as our official language and requiring its use in governmental documents and records. Read More»

Remembering a Georgia star whose greatness was cut too short

Loran Smith's picture

When we watch SportsCenter, the stars on our high-definition screens, more often than not, are young men in their twenties — in some cases thirties, and in rare cases their forties.

Old for an athlete can often be 35 years of age. Quarterbacks may last beyond 40. Kickers, the graybeards of football, for obvious reasons, last longer. Wizened, crafty pitchers sometimes hang around longer than others. Golfers have the best chance to win after their 40th birthday. Read More»

Life always evens out

Ronda Rich's picture

Among the many things I have learned in this life is how everything evens out, how those who are mighty and rich can become lowly and poor while the lowly and poor can become mighty and rich.

I have seen many examples of both, which often reminds of the truths taught to me by my parents.

“Don’t get above your raisin’,” they intoned often, meaning simply to stay true to who I was, what I was and from where I came. Read More»

See you on the road

David Epps's picture

Prior to a week and a half ago, I had never ridden a motorcycle in my life. Well, that’s not totally true. When I was 15, I took off on a friend’s bike and made it about 30 feet before I crashed. I bear the scar on my right shin to this day.

When my parents, who were adamantly opposed to motorcycles, saw the cut on my leg and inquired as to what happened, I told them that my wall locker at school was stuck and, when I jerked it open, the door hit my leg with such force that it gashed it. They bought it — I think. Read More»