Crossville Chronicle, Crossville, TN

WE THE PEOPLE: We're number one?
My husband and I recently returned from a trip to Norway, a country of immense scenic beauty, and Sweden, pristine and neat. As we began our journey in Oslo, we noticed the unusual number of young men caring for their babies — pushing strollers, feeding, soothing, and holding them.
THEREFORE I AM: May I see your bikini license, please?
Before you’re allowed to purchase a bathing suit, there should be some state licensing involved. I’m not a fan of big government, but someone needs to step in. The suits are getting smaller and smaller, but quite a few of the sunbathers, both men and women, are getting larger and larger. It’s a recipe for disaster. During this past week I saw spandex do things that its inventors never intended — stretched, pulled, distended, folded over, you name it.
KID AND CUB: Did we have an election or what?
The Kid and the Cub were picking berries at the edge of a stand of timber. The Cub was carrying a small radio. It was stuck on a talk-show station. “I thought we had an election last year,” Kid said.
STUMPTALK: Obama’s uncertainty is scary
Speaking with forked tongues has a new virtual reality as exhibited by Obama. He heaps trillions of dollars onto the deficit, now and programmed for the future, then made a speech that we cannot sustain such a high deficit and obligation or indebtedness to foreign countries. All of this before he addresses health care, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, etc.
Want to read more columns? We've got plenty!
Check out some "oldies but goodies" from Mike Moser, David Spates, Dorothy Brush and Ed Wood. There are some doozies in there.
WE THE PEOPLE: May it please the court
Republicans have gotten the word that they are not running the candy store anymore, and they are not accepting it gracefully. Their attacks on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor show a woeful lack of finesse.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: "Wild but fun"
This column gave you the news that Michael Sims was appearing on the CBS Early Show on May 7. He was questioned about his new book, In the Womb: Animals. I was disappointed that it was such a short segment. Later I learned it was planned to be longer but, as anyone knows who watches news shows, other stories intrude at the last minute and plans change quickly. That was what happened in this case but Michael said, “It was wild, but fun.”
LION AND THE LAMB: President needs help with health care plan
Wednesday at 3 p.m. there will be a meeting of citizens wanting to be helpful in passing President Obama's plan for Universal Health Care. Should you be reading this before 3 p.m. and care to go, you would be welcome to attend. It will be held at the Common Ground on Fourth Street.
I SAY: Caboose is nice addition
This country has long held a romanticism toward trains and the railroads, sparked in part because the rails played such an important role in the development of this country. Today the railroad is still an important mover of goods from one point to another. The three Rotary Clubs of Cumberland County, under the vision of the late Bob Patton, took on the project of saving Crossville’s historic railroad depot and with the city of Crossville’s blessing and help, made what was once a centerpiece of Main St. a modern day show place.
EDITORIAL: Clink, clink, clink
You don't recognize the sound coming from the courtroom of the Cumberland County Courthouse Monday night? It is the sound of 30 pieces of silver hitting the table as the Cumberland County Commission sold out our county for a promise and a whim. Can you say hypocrisy?
LION AND THE LAMB: What happened to auto labor?
"This is as far as I go," said the bus driver, as he stopped in the presence of a milling throng of pickets. It was in 1941, and the strike was on at the Ford Motor Company's Rouge Plant.
WE THE PEOPLE: Afghanistan: Make jobs not war
As we begin the process of ending the Iraq war, we must not get bogged down in a perpetual war in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, there are those who profit from keeping America in a permanent state of war, but we the people must say no to endless war that drains the U.S. treasury and puts enormous stress on our troops who have to endure repeated deployments. History teaches us that those nations that rely solely on military force eventually fail.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Treat your flag with deserved respect
Sunday, June 14, was Flag Day nationwide. At our house everyday is flag day. One of the first things we did when we moved into our home was install a tall flag post and a ground light illuminating it so the flag could fly free at all hours. That means we change flags several times a year. Each old flag was carefully folded and stored away.
STUMPTALK: By all means, put George W. Bush on trial!
If people find media circuses entertaining, then they should by all means encourage the new President’s justice department to indict President George W. Bush. If they want a replay of Watergate, Iran Contra, the Clinton impeachment and trial, or the Florida recount debacle of 2000, citizens should push for a trial.
THEREFORE I AM: Let's get in the back seat together
Have you been in your back seat lately? You should go. It’s good. There’s almost a dreamlike quality to it, familiar and different at the same time. Everything is where it should be, just not quite. It’s possible my back seat is the nexus of universal time and space. Actually, since I drive a function-over-form minivan, I have multiple back seats — three to be exact. Two are captain’s chairs, presumably where Kirk and Ahab would sit if we ever went on a road trip together.
LION AND THE LAMB: Churches and homes ought to be sacred places
On Sunday, May 30, Scott Roeder shot Dr. George Tiller to death in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas. Dr. Tiller was handing out church bulletins, but that was not the reason he was shot. During the weekdays Dr. Tiller provided abortions — and to Mr. Roeder, as well as to TV personality Bill O'Reilly, Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry, and others, Dr. Tiller was a baby-killer and a mass murderer.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Anyone need a memory erased?
Recently a new drug has been developed that erases memory. It is described as a therapeutic drug but one person who lives with horrible memories expressed doubts about the purpose of this kind of drug. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 Elie Wiesel spent his early years in four different concentration camps and experienced the death of his parents and a sister during that time.
STUMPTALK: Then, on the sixth day, He created an auto crisis
By summer 2008, most financial gurus concluded that the economic bubble that spanned most of the Clinton and Bush administrations was about to burst. Political panic seized the Bush administration, “the sky’s falling and America is doomed” unless the government steps in with new regulations, institutional takeovers and massive lending.
THEREFORE I AM: Hold the "cheese" on your driver's license
The government wants to wipe that goofy grin off your face. Stay in line, do what you're told, and —— above all — no smiling allowed. That's fine by me. My driver's license photos always look horrible no matter what facial expression I have, and smiling is rarely any improvement. Four states are demanding that people not smile in their driver's license photos. You can still smile in the Volunteer State, but I say it won't be long until smiling will be a no-no here as well.
I SAY: What better can one say?
At the end of the day when all is said and done, what better thing can we have said about us than that we were a good person? John Dishman was a good person and I will miss him for a long time. For more than 20 years I saw John nearly every week, sometimes four and five times a week, and sometimes twice a day or more.
LION AND THE LAMB: What is a little white church worth?
The Kid and the Cub lolled in the grass above an expansive valley. The Kid nibbled at tender clover. The Cub stretched and rolled onto his back so his underside could catch the sunshine. It was a near perfect Sunday morning. A small white church with open doors was at the high end of the valley. Flowering magnolia trees ringed the nearby church cemetery.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Another birthday for Tennessee
A belated happy birthday to Tennessee! On June 1, 1796 a long, narrow swatch of sparsely populated land dotted with mountains and rivers became the 16th state in the new United Sates of America. It wasn’t long before it earned an honorable nickname, the Volunteer State. Over its 213 years its citizens could be counted on to answer the call when the country needed help.
WE THE PEOPLE: TVA ash, a dumb idea
I was going to write about Tom Paine. The upcoming 200th anniversary of his death on June 9 certainly needs to be acknowledged, but if the people of Cumberland County can pull together to prevent the despoiling of their God-given land, they will do more to honor Tom’s memory than my feeble words, so I’ll defer for now.
THEREFORE I AM: 39 is (almost) too early for senility
If you’re involved in a hit-and-run accident, don’t ask me what I saw. I have no idea. I’d be a terrible witness. Just ask my neighbor. Troy can’t trim his bushes because of my lousy memory. Don’t believe it? Ask my brother-in-law, Doug. My hedge trimmer is in his garage.
STUMPTALK: Obama and the pirates
With reference to the MILNET and a retired SEAL it seems as though our president is not as transparent as he promised, but then did we expect more?
I SAY: What do you say to grads?
This week hundreds of parents and families gathered at our two high schools as their seniors walked across the stage and received their diploma. To the students, it has been 12 long years. If they only knew. I am in the unique situation of having two make that walk into the next phase of their lives
LION AND THE LAMB: Health care proposal raises questions
Reform of our increasingly dysfunctional health care system is becoming one of the top political issues. All sides are jumping into the fray, resulting (perhaps intentionally on the part of some players) in some confusing and misleading proposals.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Chocolate has made its mark in Tennessee
Chocolate lovers have been in the United States for a long time. Proof of that was found in Chaco Canyon, NM which dates back to 1,000 years. Finding this evidence was the first to verify the sweet stuff was in use north of Mexico.
STUMPTALK: Defining terms used in political discourse helps understanding
People writing about matters political tend to use loaded words, that is, words whose connotations evoke emotional responses. It is helpful, therefore, for those of us who write about things political to define our terms. I will begin by defining some of the words that I often use.
THEREFORE I AM: Psychology is at work at the buffet
I love a good buffet. I even love a bad buffet. There's something about the myriad of choices that I find irresistible, even if the food itself often is less than appealing. But by far the best part of the buffet is all-you-can-eat psychology that's served up each and every time I saunter up to those steaming stainless steel tables.
GUEST COLUMN: Libraries not just libraries anymore
With extraordinary vision to provide for the future welfare of the county, the Cumberland County Commission, under the leadership of Mayor Brock Hill, voted in 2008 to build a new 21st century library for our community.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: The Teardrop Memorial
Monday we remember those who gave their all in the many wars this country has fought. Officially the holiday is Memorial Day but to many from another generation it was called Decoration Day because the custom originated with gracious ladies of the South. They laid flowers on the graves of both the Confederate and Union soldiers who fell during the Civil War.
LION AND THE LAMB: Protesting can be done without violence
Last April 28, some 75 of us went to the Palace Theatre to view a film. At the entrance we were greeted by perhaps a hundred protesters, most carrying picket signs. (Some estimated that there were two hundred there. They were lining both sides of the street.)
WE THE PEOPLE: Ignoring the rule of law is a dangerous precedent
Back in the days when, as someone said, indignation was righteous, no detail regarding Bill Clinton’s merrymaking in the Oval Office was too trivial for the perpetually outraged to investigate. Now those same people have had an attitude adjustment and can’t turn the page on torture fast enough.
STUMPTALK: The greatest hoax of all times
Hollywood has never scripted it. Only fools try to attach a partisan culpability. In fact every president for the last 100 years has been complicit in a hoax that changed America forever. In 1910, some of world’s wealthiest bankers met in extreme secrecy to hatch an ingenious scheme to bilk the American people. As Christmas recess began in 1913, President Wilson signed into law the Federal Reserve System Act whereby Congress handed over its constitutional power to “coin and regulate money” to a cabal of private bankers.
I SAY: Latest ad is just creepy
Am I the only one who doesn't get these Burger King ads? The latest "I like square butts" ad is disturbing and it makes me wonder about the folks who come up with the ad campaign, and the executives at the main office who think this represents the fast food chain and thinks the creepy icon called the King represents them well.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: No one knows the truffles I've seen
Last week this column was all about geocaching, but for centuries Mother Nature had her own version of that popular fun hunt. In her version there were fewer clues to finding treasure and instead of a GPS those early hunters used a pig to sniff for the cache. The hunt was successful when the pig smelled the aroma of truffles in their subterranean hideaway.
LION AND THE LAMB: 150,000 and counting
Each day in our world, an estimated 150,000 people die. The reason may be old age, illness, injury, or a lack of what is necessary to sustain and nourish life. Although these 150,000 individuals are bound together by a common leave-taking experience, each of them represents a unique, never-to-be-repeated human experience.
WE THE PEOPLE: Big Business uses tax loophole to send jobs overseas
Big business is gearing up for what may be an epic battle with the Obama administration over its efforts to reform the practice of offshore tax deferrals which allow companies to avoid paying U.S. taxes on profits made overseas as long as they remain there.
STUMPTALK: Washington and that pesky common sense thing
When Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Transportation Secretary Roy LaHood and EPA administrator Lisa Jackson tried the old “cap and trade” shell game on Capitol Hill the other day (4-22-09) they tried to pass the mess off as a “jobs bill.”
THEREFORE I AM: 156 IQ and not yet potty trained
If you’re not sure what the capital of Indonesia is, ask a 2-year-old. Well, I guess you shouldn’t ask any 2-year-old. There are only a few who would give you an answer that doesn’t cite The Wiggles. Elise Tan-Roberts is one of the few. At 2, Elise has become the youngest member of Mensa, with an estimated IQ of 156.
I SAY: TVA fly ash doesn't fly ... yet
I will be the first to admit that what I know about fly ash could be placed in a thimble but I do have a bit of common sense and enough of it to fear this trojan horse that TVA is trying to give to Cumberland County. Common sense also tells me to not be against something, just because I don't like the sound of it.
GUEST COLUMN: Safdie owes us all a public apology
Last fall, in one of his last acts as a member of the Cumberland County Board of Education, Robert Safdie voted to postpone the scheduled opening date of our local school system.
THE CUB AND THE KID: The end of another era?
The Kid and the Cub were collaborating on a term paper titled “The Death of Print Journalism.” They were having trouble deciding where to begin. “My Granddad was a reporter and rewrite man for years,” the Kid said.
WE THE PEOPLE: Healthy food under attack?
As I write, the new swine flu epidemic is a breaking story. In Mexico, church services have been canceled and schools closed to slow the spread of the disease. In our country, this new flu has already been confirmed in ten states (including Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana) and by the time you read this, it may be in Tennessee.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Look for Sims on "Early Show"
For all those fans of Michael Sims, Crossville’s very successful author, he will be a guest on the CBS “Early Show” tomorrow morning. He will be talking about his new National Geographic book In the Womb: Animals and a new documentary by the same name which will be aired on Mother’s Day. Tomorrow, May 7, you can start your day with Michael Sims.
THEREFORE I AM: Am I ready for a purse? Is any man?
I miss my coat. Well, to be more accurate, I miss the carrying potential my coat affords me. Spring is nice, but for a man, there’s no better time of the year than winter for hauling around all of your day-to-day stuff. Maybe I should buy a man purse. Well, maybe not.
STUMPTALK: Ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is a bad idea
According to news reports, in the not too distant future President Obama will sign an executive order ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the Armed Forces. For those who have been asleep, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is the policy that prohibits openly homosexual men and women from serving in the Armed Forces.
INSIDE THE FIRST AMENDMENT: In public schools, religion by any other name is still religion
The latest flashpoint in the never-ending conflict over religion in public schools is “Spirituality for Kids,” a program developed by a leader of the Kabbalah Centre International in Los Angeles.
GUEST COLUMN: The county needs your feedback
It has been an honor to serve this district as its county commission representative and I am grateful to the opportunity to serve you. Like all of you, I am very concerned about economic development in our community and I find myself at a crossroad.
WE THE PEOPLE: The middle class squeeze, Part I
NBC News recently featured the story of a laid-off IBM worker. He was part of a 5000-employee shift from the U.S. to India, leaving U.S. personnel at just 29 percent of IBM’s total workforce — down from 35 percent in 2006.
LION AND THE LAMB: Tom Warren's sermon
Eric Robert Rudolph was a fugitive in the rugged mountain areas of North Carolina. He was better known as the "Olympic Park Bomber." He was wanted by the FBI for the bombing of the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Park in 1996. He was wanted for bombings of abortion clinics in Sandy Parks, Georgia and Birmingham, Alabama.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: 2009 a year full of astronomy
2009 is the International Year of Astronomy and in many places it will be a double celebration with Astronomy Day which this year is Saturday, May 2. Now observed annually it was not until 1973 that Astronomy Day was first celebrated by a California group of star gazers. It does not have a firm date but is always on Saturday between mid-April and mid-May at or just before the first quarter moon.
THEREFORE I AM: And the seeds shall inherit the Earth
If you can’t find that packet of beefsteak tomato seeds you bought last week, check your junk drawer. (That’s where I always find lost stuff.) If they’re not in there, you might want to mush your sled dogs up to Norway and ask the folks at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault if they can spare a few. They have plenty.
STUMPTALK: The ascension of a dictator
As economic professor Thomas J. DiLorenzo so apply put it, “It only took the Obama administration a couple of weeks to prove that the national leadership of the Democratic Party is guided by totalitarian-minded socialists who seek to create an omnipotent government.
I SAY: Election commission a firestorm
Never in my life have I witnessed anything that comes close to the spectacle called the Cumberland County Election Commission's reorganizational meeting. If you are a fan of Southern gothic novels, then you missed the show of the century.
LION AND THE LAMB: It's time we do something about peace
Easter season, for Christians, gives us time to reflect on the arrest, trial and death of Jesus. It also gives us time to reflect on the violence and injustice in our community, nation and throughout the world.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Pirates and bedbugs deserve one another
Two pests have reemerged to bedevil innocent victims in the 21st century. Both pirates and bed bugs have engaged in their evil ways since the beginning of time and they are back nastier than ever.
WE THE PEOPLE: Time to repeal ban on gays in the military
Despite Bill Clinton’s promise to repeal the ban on gays and lesbians in the military, a short time after his first inauguration he caved in to a political mutiny orchestrated by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell.
STUMPTALK: Who is Barney Frank?
According to Vasko Kohlmayer, Mr. Frank plays an important role in how the stimulus and bailout money provided by the taxpayers is spent. He is the chairman of the House Committee which oversees the housing and banking sectors that are at the center of the economic crisis.
THEREFORE I AM: What about all of us sophomore citizens?
Everyone knows who the senior citizens are, but I can’t help but wonder what happened to the freshmen citizens, sophomore citizens and junior citizens. What’s the fun of being an upperclassman if you don’t have the young whippersnappers to pick on?
GARY'S WORLD: Crossville has lost someone special
I had the honor of meeting the family of Lance Cpl. Stephan Dearmon this Tuesday. Dearmon, 21, is formerly of Crossville and went to Cumberland County High School. He was killed as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq Friday, April 3, while on deployment in Al Taqaddum.
WE THE PEOPLE: Paying our dues for Club America
With April 15 having just passed, we can all agree that nobody enjoys paying taxes. But wealthy Republicans positively hate it. They have worked for decades to instill the idea of taxation as some sort of unfair punishment.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Count off, everyone!
Another census year is getting closer and as always the challenges that must be overcome if the count is to be fair and precise are many. The United States made history when it held its first census in 1790.
LION AND THE LAMB: How good is your health insurance?
For the past 60 years access to health care through private insurance plans has been a mainstay of our society. Especially during the past 20 years the health care industry has expanded tremendously. There are many factors for this burgeoning, most notably the great advances in the science and technology of health care.
STUMPTALK: It’s not about curing the sick; it’s about abortion
“Like many smart people, he believes he can talk his way around problems.” Those are the words of Washington Post writer Robert Samuelson about President Barack Obama. “Ya gotta hand it to him. The guy can give a speech,” I’ve heard some say.
THEREFORE I AM: $3 Coke exemplifies supply and demand
Does Coke taste better when you pay more for it? It must. That’s the only meaningful way I can account for the wide spectrum of prices that I’ve paid for Cokes over the years. Why else would a single 12-ounce Coke in a hotel vending machine cost $3, and a 12-pack costs $2.50 in the convenience store across the street?
GUEST COLUMN: Why local newspapers are the basis of democracy
"The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."—Thomas Jefferson
I SAY: We're not going anywhere
To paraphrase a great newsman and American icon of literature, Samuel (Mark Twain) Clemons, "News of our death is greatly exaggerated." There have been some inquiries made to many on our staff from well-meaning and concerned friends who ask, "How are you doing?" This week gubernatorial candidate and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, who also is a businessman, asked the same question.
WE THE PEOPLE: We have it in our power
There are grave challenges before us; a financial mess, shaky health care delivery, a deteriorating environment and financial uncertainty. We’ve reached a fork in the road, and we can either continue to rely on “leaders” and “experts” to solve our problems or we can choose the American way.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Happy Easter to you
“Good people, bless this holy day, For Christ is risen, the angels say. At happy Easter time!” Those few words express the meaning of Easter and each year at Easter time I remember a holy place I have visited that tells the Easter story.
FROM THE OVAL OFFICE: Federal bailout of auto industry not a blank check
One of the challenges we have confronted since the beginning of this Administration is what to do about the state of our struggling auto industry. We simply cannot let our auto industry vanish. This industry is an emblem of America. It is what helped build the middle class and sustained it throughout the 20th century. And it is a source of deep pride for generations of Americans.
THEREFORE I AM: Egads! We're killing the Great Red Spot!
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is shrinking, and I blame the Democrats. No, wait, I blame the Republicans. Or is it the Communists? No, that doesn’t sound right either. I blame the mortgage industry. I blame global warming, I blame high fructose corn syrup, and I blame the labor unions.
STUMPTALK: Plotting the downfall of America
The financial crisis of 2008 provoked a lot of finger pointing. But with deference to my partisan friends, they have ignored the elephant in the living room: the Federal Reserve System.
WE THE PEOPLE: What does it mean to be a patriot?
2010 will mark the 100th anniversary of Mark Twain’s death. Most of know Twain as a humorist, but he was also an anti-imperialist and a fierce critic of the Philippine-American War.
GUEST COLUMN: April Fool's Day dream
The Kid and the Cub were listening to a radio talk show while the Cub fished in the Obed River. “I had a dream last night. It has bothered me all morning,” the Cub said.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: The Phlox Festival returns
On May 13, 1992, this column asked, "Whatever happened to Phlox Festival?" Seventeen years later on March 27, 2009 a headline announced, "Downtown Crossville, Inc. reintroduces Phlox Festival."
STUMPTALK: President Obama budget facts wrong
In Obama’s March 24 press conference/speech he managed to throw 95 percent of the taxpayers under the bus when he said taxpayers would see their $13 per week tax cut by April 1st and then said, “We know that’s going to be in place for at least the next two years…. The bottom line is I want health care, energy, education and serious efforts to reduce our budget deficit.”
THEREFORE I AM: Is five days of mail enough for you?
I love mail. Not email, mind you — I’m talking about real, live, hold-in-your-hand mail. Email is too easy. Mail requires a commitment. I’m a big fan of mail. That being said, I could easily live without getting mail on Saturdays. How about you?
FROM THE PUBLISHER: What are your coupon strategies?
How much do you save a week or month by using coupons when you shop? Do you clip coupons at all? If not, you should. You might be amazed at the amount of savings you can accrue during the course of a week, a month, a year. The Chronicle has many coupons inside during the month.
GARY'S WORLD: Thank our veterans this weekend
A tremendous opportunity presents itself in our community this weekend — an opportunity to honor those who served in the Vietnam War. Personally, after attending last year's first Welcome Home celebration, I wouldn't want to miss this. It was an emotional event for both Vietnam veterans and ordinary citizens. It was a great way to commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day in Tennessee, March 29.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: "Antiques Roadshow" comes to Tennessee
If you are one of the 10 million who watch each episode of the “Antiques Roadshow” mark your calendar. The three upcoming Mondays, March 30, April 6 and April 13, were all taped in Chattanooga last July.
LION AND THE LAMB: An open letter to Sharon Baier
I was happy to read your well-written article, printed in last week's Chronicle. It makes a strong case, in the story of Al and Jennifer, that "To make money, you have to spend money." That misguided couple thought that they ought to cut down on their purchase of supplies, to save money. They did so, week after week, until they lost their business.
WE THE PEOPLE: Veterans storm the Hill
When young men and women risk their lives and sacrifice both physical and mental health for their country, a grateful country should at least provide them with shelter, food, and health care. But there is a lot of hypocrisy between what some windbag says on Veterans Day and what the country actually does for veterans.
THEREFORE I AM: Kids stress out parents? Well, duh!
This just in: According to an expert, children can add stress and strain to a marriage. In other news, further expert studies have indicated that the sky is in fact blue, Paris Hilton is a tad spoiled, peanut butter and chocolate taste great together, and the Middle East has issues. Thank goodness we have experts to tell us these things.
INSIDE THE FIRST AMENDMENT: With shekels come shackles
When President Obama launched his faith-based initiative at the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 5, he promised not only to sustain the Bush administration’s signature domestic program — but to expand it.
THEREFORE I AM: Jim Croce and I will keep you safe and sound
My philosophy of life is simple: When in doubt, follow the advice of a dead folk-rock star. I always found Jim Croce to be particularly handy in this capacity. Don’t tug on Superman’s cape. Don’t spit into the wind. Don’t pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger, and regardless of how badly you may want to, do not, under any circumstances, mess around with Jim.
STUMPTALK: Stimulating a war on prosperity and freedom
Near Bush’s sunset, Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed chairman Bernanke terrified the nation with “the sky’s falling and America is doomed” unless the government steps in with new regulations, institutional takeovers and massive lending.
WE THE PEOPLE: Thoughts on bringing a recession to heel
Responding to the recent full-throated baying of conservative “economic watchdogs,” I slogged into the swamp of their icon Adam Smith’s murky tome, “The Wealth of Nations,” to see if they had finally treed anything of value.
LION AND THE LAMB: Reality
Dim blue of early morning shines into the living room
while you flip through television channels.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: I don't miss those Northern winters a bit!
Native Tennesseans probably wonder now and again why northerners move to their state. As one of those Yankees I can answer with one word – winter! A good share of my life was spent in my home state of Ohio and then as an adult in Michigan.
THEREFORE I AM: I need to brush up on manliness
Are you man enough? C’mon, take it like a man. Are you a man or a mouse? Man up! Be a man. He’s a man’s man. You da man! Stick it to the man. Oh man. Stand by your man. All men are created equal. We might need to rethink that last one. Apparently all men are not created equal — constitutionally perhaps, but not where it counts. Now before you get carried away, I’m talking about manliness as it relates to what we all agree is the most crucial criterion — the perception of a multinational corporation that sells junk food.
STUMPTALK: What have we done?
Apparently, we have elected either a criminal or a buffoon to the presidency. Obama ran for election on the platform of hope and change and then proceeds to name mostly former Clinton people to his list of “must haves” in his administration, along with many more of the “inside-the-beltway-crowd.”
GUEST EDITORIAL: Public documents should remain open records
Lawmakers in Nashville often talk about the "slippery slope," which is a political euphemism to describe what could follow if government opens the door to certain ideas or concepts. For example, if legislators pass a law this year banning the wearing of Alabama-themed sports wear in public places, what's to stop the General Assembly from banning Gator gear or Gamecock hats and shirts next year?
RANDOM THOUGHTS: How are y'all doing?
As long as there has been a South there has been the expression "y'all." That is the way it sounds to me but the dictionary is more proper and spells it "you-all." It has stood the test of time. Distinctly Southern in origin those folks from other regions of the country embrace it and feel accepted by those who address them with that friendly greeting, "you-all."
LION AND THE LAMB: Bump in the evolutionary road
The Cub was reading the Sunday funnies. The Kid was perusing the editorial page. “Here’s a letter from a vegetarian,” the Kid mused. “She’s upset because when she was a child her parents butchered pigs and hunted deer. She wants humans to stop killing other animals and eating them without understanding what she calls ‘the bloody horror’ it takes to turn millions of animals into the meat for their tables.”
STUMPTALK: Recent events remind us of Tom Wolfe’s 'Bonfire of the Vanities'
“Life imitates art far more than art imitates life,” said Oscar Wilde, and the current financial mess involving Wall Street and the Duke Lacrosse team outrage of 2006 provide stark testimony to the accuracy of the Wilde quotation.
THEREFORE I AM: It's supercolumnist to the rescue!
I thought supermodels died out with Y2K, dial-up modems and Monica Lewinsky jokes. Apparently not. We still have supermodels in the world, fighting for truth, justice and the American way, which, of course, includes silicone enhancement and thigh-high boots worn to the grocery store.
LION AND THE LAMB: Life, destiny and money
This is not a time to be a member of the so-called silent majority. Our prevailing economic system has concentrated almost unlimited power in the hands of a few. Believe it when you hear the words "money is power."
WE THE PEOPLE: Tag! You’re It!
As George Bush prepared to go his merry way, leaving the country in shambles, some asked whether or not we can afford the distraction of holding him and his wrecking crew accountable for what they have done to our country. Faced with the gigantic task of repairing the damage, would it not be wiser to forget him?
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Only a fool would “unfriend” such a person!
In Hamlet Shakespeare used these words, “Those friends thou hast ... grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel.” That is the way I feel about friends and then recently I saw this headline.
THEREFORE I AM: School projects are for kids, not parents
When I was a kid I never liked it when my classmates' parents did their school projects for them. Now, as a parent and a soon-to-be teacher, I like it even less. If some of you parents thought second-grade projects were time-consuming, you had better brush up on your calculus, physics and English literature. It only gets tougher.
STUMPTALK: Education a global crisis
Cumberland County citizens are clearly exercised about the state of their school system judging by the rash of letters to the editor that have appeared in the Crossville Chronicle.
WE THE PEOPLE: Join the movement for change
The election of Barack Obama was historic in many ways. It was a crucial and powerful blow against right-wing Republicans and their corporate bosses that signaled a major realignment of the nation's politics.
LION AND THE LAMB: Take heed, Wall Street!
The current economic meltdown has given us a good look at how our free market system works. The Reagan-Clinton-Bush belief that free markets will regulate themselves if big government doesn't interfere has turned out to be voodoo religion.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: "Random" still can have purpose
Today’s column is truly created by random thoughts. Random is defined as having no specific pattern or objective. The actions of the two subjects I write about happened randomly. Both I encountered years ago but in the past several weeks they have become newsworthy once again.
THEREFORE I AM: Participatory trophies a double-edged sword
Before I was a parent there were things I promised myself I would never do. I would never demand that my kids go to the same college I went to. Check. I would never tell them that the music they're growing up on is worse than the music I grew up on. Check (even though it is — well, some of it). I would never hand out participatory trophies at the end of sports seasons. Hmmm. Well, you see, umm.
STUMPTALK: Beam me up, Scotty. No one here listens
“Communication is a two way process,” says the cliché. Communication will not occur unless the message sent is also received and it must be received accurately, as the sender intends.
INSIDE THE FIRST AMENDMENT: Darwin at 200: Still controversial after all these years
Whether by random selection or grand design, Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were both born 200 years ago on Feb. 12, 1809.
GARY'S WORLD: A once in a lifetime story
In a reporter's career at a small-town newspaper, there are probably only a few stories one can cover that will stand out as being remarkable. I have been blessed with many, but one story stands out to me as incredible. It was a once in a lifetime story that I was fortunate enough to cover for Memorial Day 2006.
GUEST COLUMN: We'd rave about newspapers if they were invented today
I can understand why newspapers are not viewed as trendy today. After all, they were really the iPods of 1690.
WE THE PEOPLE: Water, water everywhere, but ...
It’s rockfish season. Sportsmen and their sons (and daughters) follow the giant aquatic predators as they move to the base of Watts Bar Dam to feed. Both predator and their prey are attracted by pieces of their unfortunate kin, sliced into chum by the turbine blades of TVA’s generators deep inside the dam. Positioning a small boat in the frigid, swirling waters isn’t easy, and every year there are mishaps.
LION AND THE LAMB: Blind support for Israel is not Christian
Some leaders in the Protestant community of the United States have urged the endorsement of far-reaching and unilateral political and military commitments to the government of Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, citing Holy Scripture as the basis for those commitments.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: May your love be forever young
Valentine’s Day is the official name for Feb. 14 but another important character’s name appears just as often as Valentine. That is Cupid, the son of Venus. It took a writer in the second century to spin a tale of love, jealousy and pride that complicated relationships then just as much as today. In his novel many of the mythical gods of that time played important roles as did a beautiful mortal woman called Pysche.
THEREFORE I AM: Devious bladders can lead to cold salmon
Will Rogers said he never met a man he didn't like. I kind of doubt it, but that's OK — coming up with clever sayings was Will's shtick. My kids' shtick is decidedly different. My children have never met a public restroom they didn't like. I'm not sure which one of those predilections is harder to understand.
STUMPTALK: Tons of money and still U.S. education doesn’t stack up
So good education is expensive, eh? American students continue to get badly beaten on international tests by other nations' students who spend less money and have larger average class sizes.
GUEST COLUMN: Expanding the death penalty is fiscally irresponsible
The Commonwealth of Virginia is in the throes of a massive budgetary crisis, with a current shortfall of just under $3 billion. As a result, a reduction in services, job losses and funding cuts for secondary and higher education are expected.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: "The day the music died"
In Lubbock, TX, there is a sculpture of an oversized pair of black rimmed glasses. In a cornfield near Clear Lake, IA, is another sculpture of a stainless steel guitar with three names, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper and the date 2-3-59. Above the guitar are three 45 records titled "Peggy Sue," "Donna" and "Chantilly Lace."
WE THE PEOPLE: Tennessee senators slap women in face
 On January 22, the Senate passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act by a vote of 61-36. The House had previously passed the bill by 247-171. Who is Lilly Ledbetter? She was the sole female supervisor at a Goodyear Tire plant in Gadsden, AL, for 19 years.
LION AND THE LAMB: What is a liberal anyway?
For several years now I have been writing occasional pieces for this column. The first one I submitted was on my understanding of the term "liberal." I have always called myself a liberal, even since Ronald Reagan began trashing the term. Liberal, I tried to explain, was something other than a philosophy of big government and high taxes.
THEREFORE I AM: Lamborghini or minivan? It's a tough choice
Recession? What recession? Sure, your house may be worth a fraction of what it was just a year ago and your 401(k) has taken a dive that would make a Kamikaze pilot blush, but all is not lost. Maybe what you need is a solid investment, perhaps a $300,000 ultra-futuristic sports car.
INSIDE THE FIRST AMENDMENT: A week of historic firsts
In a week of historic firsts, the swearing in of Barack Obama as the first African-American president of the United States was of such significance that other breaks with the past during inauguration week have gotten little attention.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: A biblical snow?
Last week we had our first real snowfall of the season and I remembered the ditty kids in elementary school chanted, “Snow, snow beautiful snow, step on a hunk and away you go!” An unknown poet used the words of a more serious minded child to describe snow. “Little white feathers filling the air, how came you there?”
STUMPTALK: Insights into Reaganomics and depressions
There is a preponderance of commentary in the media comparing the current financial crisis to The Great Depression of 1930. The comparison is a stretch since the current recession ranks only the fifth severest in history.
THEREFORE I AM: Self-delusion can be the best medicine
Sometimes a little self-delusion can go a long way. It's seen me through many a nasty cold, like it did a few days ago. For some people, a cold calls for chicken soup, rest, a big jug of OJ and two boxes of Kleenex. My plan is this: Delude myself in my own fever-induced brain until I feel marginally better. It works for me.
WE THE PEOPLE: Bush must stand trial
Electing Barack Obama president was the first step in restoring American democracy. The second step must be indicting ex-president George W. Bush and putting him on trial. This is not a matter of petty partisan politics. This is about the rule of law in America.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: A penny saved ...
I am a saver. There are others who call me a pack rat which is defined in the dictionary as an eccentric collector of miscellaneous objects. To call me eccentric is debatable but it is true I collect anything that shows a covered bridge.
LION AND THE LAMB: The new beginning begins now
Advice is flowing from self-proclaimed experts about how to solve our energy problem, our pollution problem, the neglected threat of terrorism, and other alarming challenges piling up at the White House door.
I SAY: Change is coming, if we all take part
Americans fail to understand the impact of what we do as to how it relates to the rest of the world. I believe at times like this we also fail to appreciate just how fortunate we are to live in a nation where the change of leadership takes place in the absence of violence.
THEREFORE I AM: Obama and sliced bread are overhyped
Whether you voted for President Obama is fairly immaterial at this point. He's driving the bus for the next four years. However, in addition to the cranium-crushing headaches he's inheriting, another problem is that he's been so overhyped he can't possibly meet the expectations many people have set for him. The way I see it, the man needs a good bread slicer.
STUMPTALK: Spare us from the actions of the smart people
As Israel retaliated against Hamas for rocket attacks, killing innocent Palestinians in the process, I thought to myself, “Here we have another mess created by the smart people.” As readers know, in 1948 smart people from Western Europe and the United States created the State of Israel in Palestine, dislocating thousands of Palestinians in the process, many of whom – as my millennialist friends forget – were Christians.
I SAY: History escapes Tennessee
Jerry Mumpower could scarcely contain his excitement Monday as he addressed Crossville business and civic leaders at the annual Legislative Breakfast hosted by the Chamber. This was going to be a historic week in Tennessee politics because Mumpower was in line to be elected state Speaker of the House and that would have been the first time since Reconstruction — 1869 — that a GOP majority would be ruling the lower chamber.
WE THE PEOPLE: Quality education isn’t cheap
The Obama girls began attending their new school last week and Sidwell Friends School was another excellent choice by the First Family. Other similar schools with which I’m more familiar include Morristown-Beard, Pingry and Montclair-Kimberly in New Jersey, Chadwick in Los Angeles and Beauvoir and St. Albans in Washington D.C. (where Senator Frist sent his son).
LION AND THE LAMB: Bible never intended for inaugurations
Almost all the presidents since George Washington have taken their oath of office in the same way—by placing their left hand on a Bible and raising their right hand. Why the Bible has come to be used in such a way has never been explained.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: MoonPies and Louis L'Amour
The "Random Thoughts" column on New Year’s Eve told about the new idea planned at Mobile, AL. They were using a giant replica of a MoonPie to welcome 2009. Recently the Associated Press reported on the event. As music played and fireworks filled the sky the MoonPie was lifted by crane about 100 feet. It carried the words 2008.
THEREFORE I AM: "I'll have a deck of crullers." Sound good?
"I'm going to Dunkin' Donuts and get a couple dozen crullers." Reading that sentence, you know exactly how many doughnuts I'll be returning with, barring the presumptive in-car nibbling. My question is this: What's so great about 12? Apart from being 20 percent more than 10, why is everyone so hung up on 12?
STUMPTALK: But they are also stingier than conservatives
Elitists simply adore being on boards of charitable causes, which costs them nothing, and they simply adore giving away taxpayers money in a transfer of wealth, which costs them little, but when it comes to them giving their own money to charity – well, that is a different story.
WE THE PEOPLE: Capitalism, southern style
In 1914 Henry Ford raised wages at his auto plant to $5 an hour, twice the prevailing rate, while cutting the workday from nine to eight hours. His actions made headlines.
CUB AND THE KID: Knock! Knock! Who’s not there?
The Cub and the Kid were looking at the Big Dipper in the night sky. “I saw another UFO piece on TV this morning,” the Cub said. “There’s always a spurt of interest in UFOs at this time of year. Do you believe anyone else is out there?”
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Some holidays are fairly new to us
Many of us find it hard to believe that in the long-ago past our forefathers took no notice of special days. Not even Christmas! Was it the introduction of greeting cards that began a change? They changed the attitude of generation after generation about sending greetings on days marked special on calendars. Not only on calendars but stores that sell greeting cards keep reminding us by displaying suitable cards for the next day to remember.
THEREFORE I AM: Lucy? Can a cat really hold a football?
I've had a fair number of pets in my lifetime. That's the nice thing about animals — they don't live too long. After about 10 years or so, the pet dies and you get to go window shopping for a new one. Sure it's sad, but there's nothing like a brand new puppy or kitten to make you forget ol' what's-his-name.
STUMPTALK: Government fixes path to an authoritarian state
Sensing “the sky’s falling” volatility in the financial markets late last summer, people who should have known better, even some proclaimed free-market economists, went over to the dark side. Indeed, many of them apparently failed to understand how markets work and how government actions can hobble or kill those workings.
LION AND THE LAMB: Middle East aflame again
The news is not good. The news is bad, very bad. The news tells of the savage Israeli attacks on Gaza, attacks that promise to continue. The reason for the slaughter is that Hamas missiles have continued to drop in Israeli communities, and people were killed.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: January full of mixed feelings
January. What a perfect name the Romans found for the first month of the year. Janus was the Roman god of doors and gates. He also had two heads. One was looking backward and the other was looking forward. Isn’t that what we do as we say goodbye to the old year and look toward the new? Tonight, as people gather across the world, most will have those mixed feelings.
WE THE PEOPLE: Clawing our way up the ladder of civilization
Two thousand and eight, what a year! Two things happened that I never expected to see in my lifetime. In an outbreak of common sense, we elected an intelligent, eloquent black man as president of the United States; and a tough, savvy woman ran him a close second in the primary.
STUMPTALK: Politics can be entertaining if not taken seriously
Anyone who thinks politics a subject worth worrying about should get a life, but as entertainment it can be a hoot. One of the things I missed when Bill Clinton left office was the fun he brought us with his antics: “I never had ___ with that woman, Miss Lewinsky,” or “It depends on what the meaning of ‘is’ is.”
THEREFORE I AM: I resolve to revive old column ideas
I'm not one for empty New Year's resolutions. They usually turn out to be little more than a way of announcing to the world something that you really should (or shouldn't) do, but with the built-in excuse of "Hey, it was just a New Year's resolution, no one keeps those." I don't resolve to do much of anything on Dec. 31. Instead, I like to sweep away the remnants of the past year and get a fresh jump on a new calendar.
GUEST COLUMN: This Christmas memory includes swimsuits, grilling out
It’s Christmas time again. Time for glowing lawn ornaments, peppermint-flavored Starbucks, and the resurgence of repetitive songs and movies extolling the glory of snow. When we’re not “dashing through the snow…” or “walking in a winter wonderland,” we’re watching "Frosty the Snowman" with its main character constructed entirely of granular crystalline water.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: President Bush and his bubble
During the past eight years, President Bush has often given the impression that he lives in a comfortable bubble. He has appeared upbeat about the war, our nation's economy, various natural disasters, and how we have supposedly been coping successfully with all of these challenges.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: “Oh, ye of little faith”
Once upon a time on a Christmas Eve, a family watched a lesson in faith unfold because a five-year-old believed. Our youngest, daughter Cindy, was that little girl. At that Christmas season in 1956, she and her three older brothers were all filled with excitement as the big day drew close. I was busy checking the list of all that had to be done before then. By the morning of Dec. 24, the cookies were all baked and the presents wrapped.
WE THE PEOPLE: The time for bold government is now
The American economy is in free fall. The U.S. has lost over 2 million private sector jobs this past year. One quarter of all businesses in the U.S. plan to cut jobs over the next year. Retail sales are recording the largest drop on record. Auto sales have collapsed, driving the auto companies towards the precipice.
STUMPTALK: A taste of reality is a sobering experience
Has anyone noticed that lately our “friends” in the “mainstream” media have not been trashing the “evil” oil companies in general lately, and Halliburton and Dick Cheney in particular?
THEREFORE I AM: Christmas is what you make of it
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year — the most wonderful time of the year, if you're inclined to believe song lyrics. But let's not pretend that Christmas is perfect. It's not. Wonderfulness comes with a price. It's the good and bad, the yin and yang. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. I have no doubt that mine is the only newspaper column you'll read all week which combines Eastern spirituality, Western spirituality and Newtonian physics.
COMMENTARY: Recovering the magic of Christmas
When I was a child, Christmas was the best time of the year. And what made it so exciting was that everyone seemed to join in the fun. There was a Santa in every store, songs like "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" played on the radio, and people generally acknowledged that the day had special meaning because of the Christ Child — thus the reason for the Christmas season.
LION AND THE LAMB: Obama and health care reform
Indications are mounting that the success or failure of the Obama presidency will ultimately be determined by the success or failure of health care reform. At present, prospects do not appear very encouraging.
WE THE PEOPLE: Desperate times, extreme measures?
As we approach the holiday season, it’s considered appropriate in Christian households to pause and contemplate the life of Jesus. Although we now celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25 (near the end of the Roman Saturnalia and on the same date as the emergence of Mithra from a rock), this date wasn’t established for Christian celebration until sometime after 200 AD (perhaps as late as 400 AD).
RANDOM THOUGHTS: "Family, a Journey to Forever"
On our family room wall is a plaque that reads “Family, a Journey to Forever.” When a package arrived this week and I saw the return address, I thought of those words. Growing up, I was very close to my mother’s family because we all lived near each other.
THEREFORE I AM: Shed the Orlon, lest you get zapped!
This is a hard time of year for me, energy-wise. It's not that I'm worn out from Christmas shopping or preparing for the sundry yuletide festivities. I'm talking about a different kind of energy — the kind that causes me to blurt out a (nearly) inaudible curse every time I zap myself on a light switch or car door handle.
STUMPTALK: Big government verses free-market capitalism
The 2008 financial meltdown – caused by the Fed as it did in 1929 – has unleashed a fury of central planning mythology. The myth that free-market capitalism is responsible for our current economic crisis is promulgated by people who know practically nothing whatever of rational economic theory or the nature of laissez-faire capitalism
INSIDE THE FIRST AMENDMENT: Readers speak out on gay marriage fight
Last time out, I addressed the fallout from the passage of Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that bans same-sex marriage in California. Both sides, I argued, need to rethink their strategy of harsh attacks before the clash escalates out of control.
WE THE PEOPLE: Spreading the wealth
There was a huge clamor during the last days of the Presidential campaign regarding Joe the Plumber and “spreading the wealth.” We were besieged with terrifying thoughts of socialism descending upon America, taking money from hard-working people and giving it to “those” non-deserving slackers who were feeding off the rest of “us.”
LION AND THE LAMB: Do politics and religion mix?
A recent letter to the editor of the Chronicle raised an important question: "Do politics and religion mix?" The writer sought an answer to this age-old question. The article dealt with Islam, and appeared to be seeking common ground between religion and politics.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Drunken driving continues to be a heartless killer
Is your mailbox filled with letters pleading for financial help? Mine is, but a long time ago I decided any extra cash I had should go to groups in my own community. That doesn’t mean I don’t read every letter before it goes into the trash.
DAN'S PLANS FOR EDUCATION FANS: Fair funding fix flies through Delegate Assembly
Don't expect the conversation on funding for schools to die down any time soon. Armed with two resolutions originating from member school systems, the Tennessee School Boards Association's legislative agenda for the fast approaching new session on "The Hill" in Nashville places a fair funding fix at the top of the list.
STUMPTALK: How to live during fat and lean years
My wife once worked as controller for a successful homebuilder who had survived and prospered for years during both good times and bad. How did he do it? During fat years he built reserves large enough to carry him through lean years.
THEREFORE I AM: Toilet paper stymies me every time
Being a stay-at-home dad, I've become a fairly savvy shopper over the years. A three-second glance through plastic wrap is all I need to differentiate tender chicken from tough. I can tweak an avocado and tell you when, plus or minus 24 hours, you should eat it. Name any top-shelf snack cracker and I'll tell you the discounted store-brand equivalent. I have not actively pursued these skills, but rather acquired them over time. That being said, I continue to be stymied by toilet paper.
LION AND THE LAMB: My motto or your motto?
The Cub and the Kid were walking across the softball field. The Cub spotted a penny in the sparse grass. He picked it up and brushed it off. “Have you noticed that our coins have e pluribus unum stamped on them?”
RANDOM THOUGHTS: One holiday down ...
Now you have time to take a deep breath and relax. The first big holiday of the winter season is a memory. After a short rest it will be time to get ready for Dec. 25, followed by Jan. 1, 2009.
WE THE PEOPLE: Peace on Earth
When I was young the Christmas season was a magical time, a time when I truly believed there was "peace on earth." Then I grew older and heard the drums of war being thumped by the same people who were extolling peace and good will.
THEREFORE I AM: Pardon me? 171 and still counting
I’m not planning to murder anyone, traffic cocaine, or mastermind an insider junk-bond trade, but it sure would be nice to know I could count on a presidential pardon — you know, just in case the urge struck. Whom do I need to talk to about getting that lined up?
GUEST COLUMN: Recent column made untrue statements about me
This letter is in response to the guest editorial by Dr. Leonard Markham that appeared in the Crossville Chronicle on November 4, 2008, and the Glade Sun on November 5, 2008. While I agree with some of the points made, I am appalled that I have been misquoted by someone that admits he has never met or talked to me.
STUMPTALK: The rage factor vs. gross national happiness
Syracuse University business and government professor Arthur Brooks, in his new book, “Gross National Happiness,” statistically proved that conservatives are happier than liberals.
GUEST COLUMN: From the desk of the city manager
I have received a number of inquires and even a few complaints about the sidewalk recently installed at the corner of Deerfield Road and 10th street. Who is responsible and why build a sidewalk that no one will use at this location?
UNITED WE STAND: Let's unite behind a new president
We the people have spoken and America has elected a new president. Regardless of how we voted, we all need to unite behind the President-elect because our common destiny is tied to his success or failure.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Thanksgivng Day has grown
Many generations of youngsters grew up learning that the Pilgrims and Indians held the first Thanksgiving celebration in 1621. It took years before any mention was made of the earlier time when the Jamestown colony gave thanks for their deliverance.
LION AND THE LAMB: What happened to Mugabe?
I have been asked to comment on Robert Mugabe, once a patriot and freedom fighter, and now a ruthless dictator who has despoiled his nation of Zimbabwe. What happened to him? Why did he become such a monster?
THEREFORE I AM: Low stress makes Thanksgiving great
Every year I find myself enjoying Thanksgiving more and more. I think it has something to do with Thanksgiving being woefully underrated. Most people don’t expect much out of Thanksgiving apart from a 3,000-calorie meal dripping with gravy and trytophan, but I have found Thanksgiving to be a lot more. It’s surprisingly enjoyable.
STUMPTALK: "A Raisin in the Sun" and President-Elect Barack Obama
Set in a Chicago ghetto, Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 play A Raisin in the Sun shows what happens when the Younger family receives a ten-thousand dollar life insurance benefit from the death of Lena Younger’s husband, Big Walter Younger.
GUEST COLUMN: Do you hear the people sing?
For months we were told that President Elect Obama was a dangerous left-wing extremist and the most liberal member of the Senate (putting him to the left of declared democratic socialist Bernie Sanders). Some went beyond calling him an un-American socialist and asserted that he might have communist sympathies.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: "Harm me not"
Our home in my childhood was near the edge of a forest and I spent many hours in that dense friendly place. Surrounded by quiet I was enveloped in the serenity of those huge old trees. Many years later I read a sign in a state park titled the Prayer of the Woods and the final lines were, “Ye who pass by, listen to my prayer: harm me not.”
LION AND THE LAMB: The voters came to a conclusion
On Nov. 4 a remarkable event took place in our nation: the American people chose an African-American as their next president. When one considers how recently slavery was officially blessed and practiced in our nation, this development becomes all the more significant. Twelve previous presidents had been slave owners. Living in their time, this new president-elect could have been the property of any one of them.
THEREFORE I AM: Grasshopper, this is the tao of leaves
For a man to walk the leafy path of wisdom, he must become one with the leaves. He must breathe with the leaves — he must breathe in the leaves. Confucius said we must honor, fear and respect the fallen leaves. Any clod can rake leaves, but only a man with true higher consciousness can fully grasp the tao of leaves.
STUMPTALK: Could the crisis get any worse?
In a discussion during the campaign season someone brought up the subject of universal health care. Another person commented that “it couldn’t be any worse than what we have now.”
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Obama election leaves joy and disbelief
November 4, 2008 will live forever in history. Not just in the history of the United States but of the world. Even though many felt it would happen some day it was not a sure thing. And even when the votes confirmed it had happened, there was joy along with a lingering sense of disbelief. A song written in 1940 expresses what many felt when they knew Obama was the president-elect.
WE THE PEOPLE: Time for accountability
Oct. 9 was another nerve-shattering day in the stock market with the Dow dropping 679 points, or more than 7 percent, the lowest level in five years. One year earlier to the day, the Dow hit closing highs. Since then, it has lost 5585 points or 39.4 percent. On this one day alone, paper losses totaled $872 billion; the one-year loss is an astounding $8.33 trillion.
THEREFORE I AM: God and president? It's Morgan Freeman
Back in June 2003, long before most anyone had ever heard the name Barack Obama, I wrote this column about a black president, a black God and other deep thoughts. Would you vote for a black presidential candidate? Better yet, how would you feel if, upon your untimely demise, you stepped through the Pearly Gates and discovered that The Almighty took the form of a black man?
STUMPTALK: Traveling the world searching for the meaning of life
In my youth I traveled widely across the world, most travel courtesy of the Navy. A jazz and blues enthusiast, I cultivated friends with the same interests. When our ships made port visits, we looked for clubs that played jazz and we found them everywhere.
WE THE PEOPLE: Religion and politics
Religion has become a weapon of political combat, the church pew a voting precinct. In the recent presidential race, one of the most disquieting things I witnessed was two candidates willingly subjecting themselves to religious interrogation by an evangelical minister.
LION AND THE LAMB: The Quaker Peace Testimony
This column deals with peace and justice issues from a variety of faith perspectives. As a Quaker, I want to share my reasons for working for peace, which are rooted in our Quaker peace testimony.
RANDOM THOUGHTS: A story of Defiance
Several years ago, I bought a book because of the title. It was named The Prize Winner, but under those large letters, the rest of the title was in small letters of Defiance, Ohio. Those words did it. For a number of years, we lived in Bryan, OH, located about 25 miles north of Defiance, and when we traveled south, we always passed through Defiance.
THEREFORE I AM: Too much of a good thing is exactly that
"These are the times that try men's souls." Tommy Paine had his problems, and I have mine. This week, above all others, demands more self-discipline and intestinal fortitude than I can muster. Tom had the Redcoats to deal with, but thine enemy is far more insidious — a house full of Halloween candy.
GUEST EDITORIAL: Mental Health Care deserves a prominent role in our nation and Tennessee
Nashville and the rest of the nation heard from Senators John McCain and Barack Obama about many topics during the recent presidential debates, but one critical subject was missing: America’s mental health. They have to be informed, as well our governor and state legislators, as to the importance of mental health services.
STUMPTALK: Classical economics according to Barack Obama
Obama’s economic plan is nothing more than a remake of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s class-warfare proclamation: “Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.”
GUEST EDITORIAL: County's budget impasse can be corrected
Many of us have experienced a plethora of emotions as we have lived through the last several months of the budget struggle played out for us with the county commissioners and the board of education. Dan Schlafer lives in Fairfield Glade and serves as a member of Cumberland County’s Board of Education. He also writes an occasional article in the Glade Sun informing many about education in Cumberland County. In a recent article, Dan said, “Ninth District Cumberland County Commissioner Clyde Cramer, take a bow!”
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: This mom knows what JROTC meant to her soldier son
I was saddened to hear that the JROTC program has been cut from the school schedule. My first thought was of the missed opportunities for Cumberland County by forfeiting the honor of being part of something so valuable.
WE THE PEOPLE: The real cause of our financial crisis
Much has been written and said about our current financial crisis, but there has been little discussion of a fundamental cause of the crisis: our massive debt. Borrowing from the U.S. government to fund our huge military is undermining our national security.
LION AND THE LAMB: Our country in the world to come
In November 1963, I was working in a hospital and health program in rural Ghana. At the same time, a group of about 15 Russian agronomists were establishing a “State Farm” just a few miles away, in an attempt to increase food productivity. We enjoyed regular contact with the Russians in spite of the “cold war" between our countries.
THEREFORE I AM: I don't hate Obama, McCain or even Dukakis
Do I have to hate Barack Obama to properly support John McCain? Do I have to hate McCain to properly support Obama? Well, OK, maybe hate is too strong of a word. I shouldn't direct the same verb at politicians when we all know "hate" should be pointed solely at Al-Qaeda, Nazis, lima beans, stiletto heels worn to football games, and telemarketers.
STUMPTALK: Naked short-sell at the root
The Paulson rescue plan should have been called "The Great Bank Robbery of 2008." You heard “deregulation” and “oversight” bantered around. It wasn’t so much deregulation as it was archaic New Deal regulations that are outmoded for today’s investment strategies. How could “no oversight” be blamed when there was no regulation to stipulate it?

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