Fatcow Icon
Opinion
Wimps versus barbarians
An all too familiar scene was enacted on the campus of Swarthmore College during a meeting on May 4th to discuss demands by student activists for the college to divest itself of its investments in companies that dealt in fossil fuels. As a speaker was beginning a presentation to show how many millions of dollars such a disinvestment would cost the college, student activists invaded the meeting, seized the microphone and shouted down a stude...
full story
Sunshine_always_makes_me_high0_1369239890.jpg
Sunshine always makes me high
It was warm that Saturday morning and I found myself two-hours into edging my garden-beds. I began to think (which always comes with circumstance) of the life and love that surrounds me. I had just lost my Sister Honey and while thinking of her I dropped the edger and sank to my knees – I remember whispering – “I miss you Sis”. As I looked up over the tree tops I saw what appeared to be a hand – it was indeed five rays of light shortly foll...
full story
Obama_and_Reagan_Each_had_the_Same_weakness0_1369149048.jpg
Obama and Reagan: Each had the Same weakness
Barack Obama is a lot more like Ronald Reagan than most people give him credit for. Both followed a president with low approval ratings. Both suffered the after-effects of a recession, and had their party suffer in mid-term elections. Both were re-elected (though Reagan’s victory was much bigger). Both have high likability ratings. And both have a “hands off” managerial style that came back to haunt both in their second term. Barack Obama...
full story
The_secret_ingredient_at_LaGrange_College0_1369061064.jpg
The secret ingredient at LaGrange College
Everyone’s got a neat idea for how to fix colleges. There are plans to give every student a laptop. Another scheme features having all the professors at Ivy League colleges beam their lectures directly to students, so students can see “the masters” at work. We’ve heard of plans to export “No Child Left Behind” Act to colleges, giving them a bunch of standardized tests to make them “accountable.” Hardly a week seems to go by without someone ...
full story
Embrace_–_a_Trinity_of_peace0_1368635659.jpg
Embrace – a Trinity of peace
I was once approached – quietly and nicely, and asked this question, “Did you know you use the word embrace all the time?” Yes indeed I do. Embrace, embraced, embraceable – I’m not sure how many times I’ve used these three words in my writings, perhaps hundreds of times – but I know this, they are a “Trinity of peace.” I write from my heart, not just my mind – from my life, not simply my wishes – and from a sense of what is self-evident, not ...
full story
Obama_administration_scraps_free_speech0_1368635636.jpg
Obama administration scraps free speech
Two years ago, this column, along with others, raised an alarm about the Obama administration’s decision radically to diminish the due process rights of those accused of sexual harassment on American campuses. There’s a new outrage today, but first, a recap: In a 2011 letter to colleges, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) mandated that in cases of suspected sexual harassment or sexual assault, universities were ...
full story
Alphabet_soup_E_is_for_empathy0_1368252301.jpg
Alphabet soup: E is for empathy
Empathy: identification with and understanding of the thoughts or feelings of another, from Greek roots meaning “in” and “feeling.” First, let me apologize for the extended hiatus between columns. Life has thrown me a few curve balls this spring – not all bad, just, well, distracting shall we say. The month of March is mostly a blur in hindsight because of the most unwelcome of the pitches – a bout with kidney stones. I’d had no even seco...
full story
Thanks_mom_for_everything0_1368221556.jpg
Thanks mom, for everything
A lot of what I believe strength really is, I learned from my mom. Those years between my parents’ divorce and my mom marrying my stepfather was a time of transition and adjustment for everyone. My father has always been an active part of my life, and that never changed. I’m grateful that both my parents put me and my brother as priorities over any of their personal differences. However, during the week, it was my mom, my brother and I at...
full story
The_perfect_pift_to_find_for_Mother’s_Day0_1368199888.jpg
The perfect pift to find for Mother’s Day
The most recent book I read is called “The Lost Paradigm.” It’s written by a local author, Pamela Scotto Tremblay, who works at LaGrange College. It’s a spiritual book. And it contains the best present idea for Mother’s Day. In the book, loved ones are disappearing one by one. The president’s daughter, a spouse, a parent, another child, and even a dog, go missing. The numbers go from the hundreds to the thousands. America is panicking. Coul...
full story
Bouncing_ball_politics_imploded_economy0_1368199895.jpg
Bouncing ball politics imploded economy
If you are driving along and suddenly see a big red rubber ball come bouncing out into the street, you might want to put your foot on the brake pedal, because a small child may well come running out into the street after it. We all understand that an inexperienced young child who has his mind fixed on one thing may ignore other things that are too dangerous to be ignored. Unfortunately, too much of what is said and done in politics is based...
full story
An_absent_father…0_1368030502.jpg
An absent father…
Walking his seven-year old son Billy into his bedroom, Hank stopped near the bed and said, “Hey my buddy, jump up on your bed and I’ll tell you a nighttime story”. Hank’s son jumped up on the bed, turned onto his tummy and said, “Hey dad, while you tell me the story please rub my back.” After a story and a back-rub, Hank’s son turned over on his back and said, “I love you daddy.” Hank pulled the covers from under him and drew them up under hi...
full story
The_art_of_the_impossible0_1367852299.jpg
The art of the impossible
Someone called politics “the art of the possible.” But, in the era of the modern welfare state, politics is largely the art of the impossible. Those people morbid enough to keep track of politicians’ promises may remember how Barack Obama said that ObamaCare would lower medical costs — and lots of people bought it. But if you stop and think, however old-fashioned that may seem these days, do you seriously believe that millions more people...
full story
Master_Muslim_extremist_terrorists_They_wish_0_1367852138.jpg
Master Muslim extremist terrorists? They wish.
After the bombing suspects from the Boston Marathon were identified, then killed or captured, folks zeroed in on their religion. Noting (1) at least one was spotted in a mosque or two, (2) that they claimed to others they were Muslim, and (3) declared at least some allegiance to al-Qaeda or an al-Qaeda type group or affiliate, we just assumed they were part of a group that knew Islam backwards and forwards, and were so hyped up on every aspec...
full story
All_wet_thanks_to_Georgia0_1367843617.jpg
All wet thanks to Georgia
You can thank a Labrador retriever named Georgia for that shot. Georgia was one of several dogs in the first session of Dixie Dock Dogs’ big air competition Friday morning at the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament. The dogs are allowed a few “practice runs” before the big moment, and I decided to use the time to “practice” taking pictures. Unless you have a fancy camera – and even the people experienced at taking these pictures tell me th...
full story
I’ll_just_knock_you_down0_1367513376.jpg
I’ll just knock you down
“Big” Jimmy-Bob closed his locker and started to walk away with his best-bud “Slim” when he spotted Tommy walking down the hall. Jimmy-Bob (called “JB” by his Mom, an absent Dad, and all three friends) reached out with his elbow, tapped Slim and smiled, and then walked towards Tommy. As they came close JB stepped in front of Tommy and sprayed-out “get outa my way boy!” Tommy tried to sidestep JB, but once again JB stepped into his path and re...
full story
Letters
Support your newspaper
Dear Editor, I have read with appreciation your articles urging more people to support their hometown newspaper. I cannot tell you how many friends I have chastised for not doing so. I even se...
Apr 30, 2013 | 2 2 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend
full story
Thanks for supporting exchange students
Dear Editor, Heart-felt thanks for placing international friendship celebrations in our city on the front page of your weekend edition in Barbara Henigin’s wonderful report! Host families ar...
Apr 30, 2013 | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend
full story
Wolfe not ‘king’
Unfortunately, Troup County Commission Chairman Ricky Wolfe and his select cadre of cohorts are still at it, with regard to the unnecessarily controversial refuse collection issue. The secrecy, ...
Apr 26, 2013 | 4 4 comments | 67 67 recommendations | email to a friend
full story
Settlement figure too low
Dear Editor, Reading the paper last week, it stated the county will pay $75,000 in an inmate death settlement. County Manager Tod Tentler said they came up with the $75,000 figure in a closed ...
Apr 20, 2013 | 2 2 comments | 8 8 recommendations | email to a friend
full story
The money belonged to GSP
Dear Editor, In reference to your article on drug seizure funds, I would like to share some facts that I believe to be important. Unfortunately these facts were omitted from your story. Firs...
Apr 20, 2013 | 5 5 comments | 15 15 recommendations | email to a friend
full story
Editorial
Our View: We never saw it coming
A ton of Americans didn’t see the payroll tax increase coming. Others simply didn’t want to believe it when they heard or read about it, upon the rare occasion that the media would report on it. I...
Feb 08, 2013 | 4 4 comments | 8 8 recommendations | email to a friend
full story
Time for a change in the Sheriff’s office
As the runoff election draws near, you need to seriously think about who you want as your sheriff for the next four years. Sheriff Donny Turner has done many great things during his near 20-year t...
Aug 19, 2012 | 1 1 comments | 101 101 recommendations | email to a friend
full story
Our View: Bail bond forfeiture collection policy is a failure
Sheriff Donny Turner continues to blame others for his shortcomings and failure to perform his duties. Once again, he has used his personal newsletter, Troup County News, to attack the LaGrange ...
Aug 11, 2012 | 1 1 comments | 240 240 recommendations | email to a friend
full story
Sheriff suppressing public’s right to know
It’s been a week since the arrest of Alonzo Rico Ford on suspicion of the December 2011 shooting death of Pops Patel at the Ribbitz convenience store on West Point Road. You didn’t read about th...
Jul 25, 2012 | 4 4 comments | 487 487 recommendations | email to a friend
full story
Weather
Sponsored By:

Lottery
Sponsored By:

Stocks
Sponsored By:

Gas Prices
Sponsored By:

Featured Businesses
Recipes
Sponsored By: