Op/Ed for Opelika-Auburn News

Bob Mount: Execution by lethal injection neither cruel nor painful

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:22:00 CDT

I was pleased by the ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court that execution of cold-blooded murderers by lethal injection does not constitute “cruel and unusual punishment.”

Malcolm Cutchins: It seems that bad economic news dominates television broadcasts

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:19:00 CDT

Several weeks ago I wrote about some significant numbers – numbers that often speak volumes beyond words. Three more are numbers one, 77 and 96.

Sacrifices made by service-connected military retirees stronger than feds

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:16:00 CDT

Military retirees with service-connected disabilities continue to have their defense department retired pay reduced by the amount of disability that they receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Carter has long-since exhausted his use as a world ambassador

Wed, 07 May 2008 08:45:00 CDT

Jimmy Carter has continued to be in the news lately in a variety of venues. His convocation of Baptists in Atlanta a few weeks ago along with Al Gore and Bill Clinton was a travesty of the name “Baptist” or the words “Christian,” “love” and “togetherness.” Even if what has been reported by some as a great crowd from many Baptist groups, nations and other groups, the attempt was a thin disguise to accent the break off of liberals from Conservative Southern Baptists and to embarrass the Southern Baptist Convention for not helping to sponsor or participate in it.

bob Sanders: Spring was the time to plow

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:47:00 CDT

Spring finally came, and brought with it a gush of memories. At the Geneva Street Think Tank, in between solving problems about health care and the economy and Iraq, Willie said, “There ain’t many of us left who remember ‘how it was.’”

Jennifer Foster: Week of Wright, Riley, Folsom’s actions and double-dipping

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:46:01 CDT

This week has been crazy. And I’m not just talking about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his Amazing Traveling Media Circus.

Mike Rogers: Get ‘er done Congress, fortify our borders

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:44:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Earlier this year, Congress came together and passed an Economic Stimulus plan to help strengthen our economy.

Bill Robinson: 1940s British crisis helped FDR politically

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:42:01 CDT

The year 1940 was a contrast in beauty and ruin in Alabama and the Deep South. I miss the great and accurate “geometry of the fields,” which was common to Chambers County ... and indeed the entire South in that time.

Women, men created equal, but babies do deserve a parent at home

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:40:00 CDT

The letter to the editor in Tuesday’s Opelika-Auburn News from William Dupree regarding his new baby daughter and sexism touched my heart.

Wright not the first to talk politics from pulpit

Fri, 02 May 2008 17:15:00 CDT

I woke up and checked my e-mail, as I do every morning, only to find another disgusting chain letter claiming that Sen. Barack Obama is a Muslim who hates America, refuses to hold his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance and was inaugurated while placing his hand on the Bible.

Joe McAdory: Small towns still the heart of America

Fri, 02 May 2008 17:13:00 CDT

Pillows were stuffed with goose feathers. A terrycloth bathrobe hung in the closet of my metropolitan high-rise hotel. An unopened bottle of Perrier sat on the nightstand beside a gold-plated lamp activated by touch.

Community should get behind Opelika High baseball team

Fri, 02 May 2008 10:50:00 CDT

This may be considered a football community, but don’t fool yourself — baseball is alive and well.

Don’t throw items away that can be used by others

Fri, 02 May 2008 10:49:00 CDT

Sometimes we throw old clothes, toys, furniture away simply because we no longer have room for them, we have grown out of them or we’ve obtained something better.

Decorated heart doctor in same class with Edison, Salk

Thu, 01 May 2008 13:32:00 CDT

Tuesday deadlines for this Thursday column sometime prevent me from addressing topics that occur in the middle of the week. Such were two significant things that merit attention from last week.

Sexual abuse is not exclusively a problem for celibate priests

Thu, 01 May 2008 13:27:01 CDT

This letter is in response to Bob Mount’s ridiculous and offensive diatribe regarding the church sexual abuse scandal and priestly celibacy (April 22).

Who needs a drawer full of bathing suits?

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:08:00 CDT

I’m tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. If that were the case there wouldn’t be all those magazine articles insisting that I can be a younger, lovelier me this summer.

Still waiting for Rogers’ response regarding oil companies’ profits

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:06:00 CDT

On March 3, I wrote to my congressman, Rep. Mike Rogers, asking him why the federal government doesn’t look into regulating the profits of oil refiners in an effort to make the price of gasoline more fair and reasonable.

Economy won’t recover until gas prices are eased

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:04:00 CDT

Gas prices continue to rise. The economy continues to fall. And Washington, predictably is playing politics instead of finding solutions.

Downtown Opelika getting in full swing

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:28:00 CDT

Mother’s Day, graduation and wedding season are upon us and there is no better place than Downtown Opelika for your gifts for these special people in your life. First Friday is Friday, May 2 and all the shops will be open late to help you with your gift list. We have wedding and graduation registries, and it will be our pleasure to do the gift-wrapping for you. We are also having a sidewalk arts and crafts show.

Many thanks to go around for success of Sydney Gran football fundraiser

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:26:00 CDT

On behalf of the fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta, better known as Fijis, I would like to thank the people of Auburn and Opelika for their contributions to our fundraiser.

English-only bills would move state backward

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:16:00 CDT

Two illegal immigration-related bills (one that would make English the official language of the state, the other requiring all drivers license tests be given in English) were delayed Thursday morning in the Alabama Senate.

Surrogates offer steady diet of spin, if you still have an appetite

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:12:00 CDT

The good news: Hillary Clinton’s win in Pennsylvania on Tuesday assured political junkies like me of at least another month of drama and fun.

Bob Sanders: Cars often the same, despite price

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:10:00 CDT

I love cars. Not racing cars or hot rods, but just cars, old ones and new ones.

Do humans really have a long-term impact on the weather?

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:44:00 CDT

Boudreaux went to his friend LuLu and said, “I can fly, and I can move across the planet at the speed of light. I can travel back in time and have the power to take you with me.”

State Senate gambling by filibustering bingo bill

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:43:00 CDT

If the State Senate cannot conclude deliberation on the Macon County gambling bill, it’s past time it put this issue on the back burner and find other matters to solve.

Brittany Branyon: Equality in our hearts begins individually

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:11:00 CDT

I spent last Friday night at home watching a conversation about race with Brian Williams coupled with a panel live from Howard University.

A closer look at some films, headlines that merit discussion

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:16:00 CDT

Last Friday, ABC News revealed during its program “20/20” that a shot of 700-foot tall Antarctic ice shelves calving into the ocean in Al Gore’s 2006 film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” was entirely computer generated. The image was from the opening credits in the 2004 science fiction blockbuster, “The Day After Tomorrow.”

Column on Catholic beliefs, religious leaders was out of line and offensive

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:10:00 CDT

This letter is in response to Bob Mount’s column in Tuesday’s paper. Not only do I have a differing opinion about priests and celibacy but also find offensive some of the ideas put forward in this column.
One issue I would take is the presumption that as Mount defined “… the problems of sex abuse by Catholic priests …” are greater than the problems of sexual abuse by other religious leaders.

Gogue performing admirably, formally or not

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:08:00 CDT

Apparently, Jay Gogue has been Auburn University’s informal president since his first day in office at Samford Hall last July. Auburn officials sent word this week that Gogue will be formally installed as the university’s 18th president today.

Hunger not just a worldwide problem, but also local

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:10:00 CDT

World food collection agencies are beginning to hit the panic button. The price of rice has doubled in the last five weeks, and food prices have risen by 83 percent in the last three years, according to The World Bank.

Many questions still remain in Frederick Road construction project

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:08:00 CDT

Let me see if I have this straight: Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller makes a unilateral decision to change the design of the Frederick Road widening project that will delay the beginning of project and require redrawing of plans, which will add to the cost of the project, not to mention the wasted time, effort and money already spent.

People willing to do put others aside for their own selfish desires

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:47:00 CDT

Respect, honor, integrity and selfless acts have been replaced by the “Me, Myself and I Generation.” Why has this happened? There are numerous motives. One namely is selfishness. People are more concerned about their needs, wants and desires, they are willing to do anything to anybody to meet their false goals.

Barbara Patton: Integrity takes on more than one meaning

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:44:00 CDT

I’ll bet if I asked you about the word “integrity,” you would be able to easily tell me about it. Right? That’s what I thought until I started to write this column on the Character Word of the Month. I have struggled and gone in all kinds of directions.

Bob Mount: Double-dipping issue puts state Democrats on lost highway

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:42:00 CDT

Bradley Byrne, chancellor of Alabama’s two-year college system, is doing everything in his power to cleanse the system of the corruption that has plagued it, and so far, with the aid of federal prosecutors, he’s doing a masterful job.

Debt relief for underprivileged nations best for U.S.

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:19:01 CDT

Good for the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s 285-132 vote last Wednesday to expand the list of poorest nations eligible, mostly from Africa, for debt relief by nearly 25 was the best option.

We should not measure one’s patriotism by choice to wear lapel pins

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:43:01 CDT

It is my understanding that Sen. Barack Obama has never refused to wear a flag lapel pin, but in fact said what’s in his heart is more important than what is on his lapel! Rather than dwell on trivial matters we all need to search our own hearts as to what expectations we have for our next president to bring this country back together!

Mike Rogers: Take time to thank your local firefighters

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:39:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — All of us across East Alabama agree that our first responders deserve our unwavering support and gratitude.

Bill Robinson: FDR defined the poor of America

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:37:00 CDT

Franklin Roosevelt, descended from political royalty. He actually defined the poor of America.

Barack Obama far more patriotic than many might believe

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:35:00 CDT

I take issue with Rick Sizemore’s letter that implies that Sen. Barack Obama is unpatriotic and is “buying the presidency.”

Editorial: College football is NCAA’s concern, not Congress’

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:33:00 CDT

Congress can’t find proper solutions for health care, immigration or a suffering economy, so it’s ridiculous to believe three members have the answer for improving college football.

Bob Sanders: Rheta writes circles around us

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:32:00 CDT

You know Rheta Grimsley Johnson. She’s been a regular here as a reporter and/or columnist since Gutenberg invented printing.

Jennifer Foster: Dreadful ABC debate likely last in Democratic series

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:30:00 CDT

Are the news networks just trying to out-awful each other when it comes to presidential debates?

We should reduce hate by using moral character, not force

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:37:00 CDT

One should follow the “Golden Rule” and not act like powerful (rich) corporations that own and control the world including the United Nations, and the CEO of the USA, George Bush.

Lisa Brouillette: Let’s keep downtown Auburn vibrant

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:35:01 CDT

I spent an uplifting hour at a meeting this week at city hall. Yes, you read that right —an uplifting time at a meeting. But it wasn’t just any city meeting; it was a North Auburn Housing Development Corporation meeting.

Higher graduation standards would stimulate higher education

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:34:00 CDT

Alabama should demand more from its high school students. After all, a high school diploma has more clout when it requires more effort and knowledge to achieve.

Malcolm Cutchins: War costly in lives and dollars because freedom isn’t free

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:02:00 CDT

“Though the West comprises the richest grouping of nations the world has ever seen, it has somehow come to believe not only that it is not entitled to its customary defenses but that it cannot afford them.” So notes Mark Helprin concerning “The New Soft Underbelly of Europe” in the Claremont Review of Books. “Europe is also kind to mass murderers, who if caught spend a few years in a comfortable prison sharpening their resolve before they are released to fight again. In July (2007) the French sentenced eight terrorists connected to the murder of 45 people to terms ranging from one year, suspended, to 10 years.

Man who shows little respect to country trying to buy the presidency

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:00:00 CDT

Politics in this country have become more of a moneymaking scheme than a way to make a difference, regardless of what type “change” is promised by the candidates. One of the hot topics today is the Democratic race.

Legislators support corruption over betterment of state

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:58:00 CDT

The Alabama Senate Government Affairs Committee decided Tuesday, then the Alabama House Government Operations Committee echoed the sentiment Wednesday, that the corrupt good ‘ol boy system that led to the current scandal in the state’s two-year junior college system should continue unabated.

Desmond Scaife: Clouds roll in, roll out, just like issues of everyday life

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:40:00 CDT

The “congressional six-year-old” said to me, “those are stratus clouds!” I was not paying much attention to her at that time so I asked her to repeat what she said. She answered with some irritation, “those are stratus clouds!”

Mary Belk: Cleaning takes the fun out of spring

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:39:01 CDT

Spring should be my favorite time of year. There’s the smell of honeysuckle in the air, the sight of newborn foals in the pasture, the taste of fresh peach cobbler, and the sound of umpires yelling, “Play ball!”

Citizens need to take America back and elect new leadership

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:37:00 CDT

Recently I stopped watching Fox and CNN, and switched to reruns of the Andy Griffith Show. Then I had a reality check. Where are our Sheriff Andy Taylors today? When did the words “politician” and “elected official” become synonymous with greed and deception? Why is no one standing up for us, the 300 million U.S. citizens?

Uniform start, end dates for schools worth considering

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:35:00 CDT

Alabama legislators cannot agree how to fund public education, but why not agree on when the school year ends and begins? No dollars and cents are involved. This has nothing to do with politics or special interest groups.

Money does not make you happy; life is unfair, so get used to it

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:53:00 CDT

I am not quite into my mid-thirties, but here are a few things I have learned and observed in life:

Bob Mount: Calcium in drinking water can be beneficial for your heart

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:51:00 CDT

An article in the recent issue of AARP magazine caught my attention. It was written by Dan Buettner, who was interested in the reasons why so many residents of Hojancha, a village in Costa Rica, lived to be a 100 or more years.

Bill to restrict teenage driving at night worth passage

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:49:00 CDT

Whatever is suggested to make Alabama’s roadways safer, it must be taken seriously. Last week, the Alabama Legislature received a bill to lower speed limits on interstates and four-lane highways by 5 mph. But another bill, one that would put additional restrictions on young drivers, could save more lives.

Bill Robinson: Depressed America needed FDR

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:36:00 CDT

The Great Depression was about to enter its eighth year. President Franklin Roosevelt was hoping to win a second term to complete his New Deal program.

U.S. is not more secure, nor are Iraqis better off now than before

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:10:00 CDT

First, I commend Sam Nichols and Bruce Murray for their willingness to express their views on important issues. Democracy flourishes when more citizens share their views in public. Frankly, it can be intimidating to put one’s name to a public letter.

Slower speeds would save gas and save lives

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:09:00 CDT

Slower speeds save gas and save lives. That’s what a Montgomery legislator believes, and the House Public Safety Committee agrees. Thad McClammy introduced House Bill 103 — passed Wednesday by the committee — which would reduce the maximum speed limit in interstate highways from 70 mph to 65 mph and reduce the speed limits on other four-lane highways from 65 mph to 60 mph.

Jennifer Foster: Does every child matter? Candidates will decide

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:01:00 CDT

Last week, I challenged our presidential candidates to ditch their television ads for the month of May and donate the money that would have been spent to air them to domestic violence shelters and/or child welfare programs.

Bob Sanders: Major League lessons learned

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:00:00 CDT

I’d never heard of Bill James before I saw him on 60 Minutes, but I was impressed. He believes some things about baseball that I’ve been saying for years.

U.S. federal tax code even baffled Albert Einstein and must be changed

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:58:00 CDT

As we approach the April 15 filing deadline for the federal income tax, I’d like to share a few statistics with my fellow Auburnites. In 2006 ...

Gullibility and incurious minds allow nation’s truth to go untold

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:44:00 CDT

Thank you for the report on Alabamians who witnessed for peace and justice in Opelika on the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq (Opelika-Auburn News, March 19). They were joined by many others in communities throughout the U.S. They serve as models for grass roots, Americans, common folk, rank and file, “little guy” electorate, who are deeply concerned about the path chosen for us by the Bush administration.

Brittany Branyon: Environment not priority for oil companies

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:42:00 CDT

With the frailty of the economy, the war for oil in the Middle East and growing concern for the state of our planet, the environmental movement is experiencing quite a boost.

Lingerie, Internet dating not among federal necessities

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:55:00 CDT

News coming out of Washington, D.C., Tuesday was nothing short of repulsive.

Hard to beat Jeep’s TV advertisement with melodious animals

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:52:00 CDT

Some TV ads are quite entertaining, like the Jeep SUV ad. With the moon-roof open, the driver and his squirrel “passenger” start singing.

Bob Mount: Daddy believed mafia was behind MLK assassination

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:51:00 CDT

Conspiracy theories concerning the death of Martin Luther King continue to circulate. James Earl Ray was convicted of the murder, and now his brother is writing a book in which he contends that the federal government was somehow involved.

Sales tax on grocery items in Alabama needs to be repealed

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:49:00 CDT

Let’s talk numbers. Have you ever wondered how much extra your groceries are costing you because of the 4 percent state sales tax? Rep. John Knight estimates that the average Alabama couple pays more than $200 per year, and the average family of four nearly $400.

Stun guns can be weapons and should be registered

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:41:00 CDT

People must have permits before carrying firearms. There’s a simple explanation. Firearms are weapons and can be used to harm, or kill, others.

Olympics a celebration of human spirit, not host nation

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:12:00 CDT

China’s record on human rights abuses are far from medal-worthy.

Mary Belk: Atlanta always had a soft spot in my heart

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:11:00 CDT

Atlanta was intriguing to me when I was young, and I’ve had a soft spot for the place ever since. It was a hundred years ago, in the late 1960s. I’d just graduated from Auburn and was taking graduate courses at Emory and Georgia State.

Desmond Scaife: Dr. King had the heart to make change

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:10:00 CDT

Last week was the 40th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As I listened to Tuskegee’s own Tom Joyner on his radio show, the clips from and discussion about Dr. King’s message was powerful.

Gasoline should be regulated similar to electric, telephone companies

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:08:00 CDT

In all of the states in our country, there are regulatory bodies that establish the rates that can be charged for electricity and telephone service. These groups monitor the profits of the suppliers and establish the rates they may charge, allowing them to enjoy a fair and reasonable return on their investments.

Joe Turnham: Governor would have had power to appoint commission

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:43:00 CDT

Recent legislation regarding the creation of an independent Transportation Commission for Alabama died on a split vote in an Alabama Senate committee. The concept of the legislation and parts of the legislation enjoyed bi-partisan support, yet died because of several emerging legitimate concerns that could not answered.

Mike Hubbard: Commission would elevate state’s highway projects

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:42:00 CDT

A recent study by a conservative think tank tracked the performance and cost effectiveness of state owned roads across America between 1984 and 2005. Among the data studied in each state were pavement condition, bridge condition, administrative costs, traffic fatalities and other factors.

Education taking backseat to politics

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:41:00 CDT

Last week was a dark episode in Alabama’s fight to cleanse itself from corruption. Monday, a Montgomery County judge ruled against the Alabama Board of Education’s mantra to ban legislators from holding jobs within the two-year system. The ban was put in place as numerous legislators used the college system to beef their own bank accounts, taking from the public coffers of our already embattled budget.

There’s so much to the story involving oil companies and profits

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:38:00 CDT

After reading the front-page article in Wednesday’s paper regarding Congress questioning oil companies for too large a profit, I had to respond. Especially since I seriously doubt congress will do anything even if they find improprieties.

Joe McAdory: Satan flipped me off and broke my arm

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:36:00 CDT

Planted on an emergency room hospital bed, I fought and squirmed and gave any responding personnel a battle they didn’t bargain for. They wanted to give me a shot, or two, in the arm. I refused and fought back with any functioning limb available.

Point of letter was to criticize pro-life politicians for supporting militarism

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:31:00 CDT

Sam Nichols presents a strong argument for projecting military power abroad “as a vital component of national defense,” which he learned at Annapolis.

Bob Sanders: Lucky Strike more than cigarettes

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:30:00 CDT

There’s a Honda commercial that talks about the good qualities of Honda cars, and so forth. It ends with something like, “And as a Lucky Strike extra, you get 35 miles per gallon of gas.”

Jennifer Foster: Candidates can hit the child abuse prevention jackpot

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:28:00 CDT

A media watchdog group reported this week that when it comes to destination advertising for presidential candidates, nothing beats the Wheel – of Fortune, that is.

Ruling should focus on state’s interest, not legislators’

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:40:00 CDT

Monday’s ruling in Montgomery County court preventing the Alabama Board of Education from baning of lawmakers from holding jobs in the Legislature and the two-year college system is disturbing.

Maybe the Democratic Party should give Gore another shot

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:39:00 CDT

Recently, I had my Flair pen in hand and was preparing to transpose my thoughts about the Clinton vs. Obama no holds barred fight to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president onto my yellow pad. I was going to offer my suggestion to Democratic bigwigs about how their party might have a dog’s chance of winning the election.

Send criminals to church, not to prison

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:38:00 CDT

I was talking to my friend Sheldon about last week’s column and he made a great suggestion to me on how we can reform the prison system.

Supplanting Murtha in Congress is last thing America needs to do

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:36:01 CDT

A curious thing happened to me recently. I received a letter from William Russell, Lt. Col., U.S. Army Reserve, from Congressman John Murtha’s district in Pennsylvania. The fellow had an animus against Murtha’s actions on the Armed Services Committee, with particular regard to Representative Murtha’s stand on bringing our armed forces out of President Bush’s killing fields in Iraq.
Lt. Col. Russell wanted my financial support to supplant Murtha in the general election this fall.

Group applauded for fighting underage drinking in area

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:35:00 CDT

An estimated 5,000 people below the legal age of 21 die each year as a result of alcohol-related injuries. Whether these injuries include automobiles, boats, falls or drownings, there is one common denominator.

Commission catches on: Time to plan for BRAC is now

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:16:00 CDT

When it comes to the Base Realignment and Closure Initiative (BRAC), it appears that the Lee County Commission is getting ahead of the curve.

Desmond Scaife: Why can’t we prevent nation’s economy from suffering?

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:15:00 CDT

Now that March is over, the reports from the various segments of the economy that make of the Gross National Product (GNP) will report the gains or losses in their areas of production for our nation.
After the employment, constructions and manufacturing numbers are in this week, we will know if we are in a recession or a depression.

Mary Belk: Television can’t compete with porches

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:14:01 CDT

In the days of my growing up, before every home had a television set, most houses had a porch or two.

Alabamians should be proud of its Southern Poverty Law Center

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:13:00 CDT

I have yet to discover a group anywhere in the U.S. that displays as much dedication to the ideas of the tolerance and equality expected in a democracy as does the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in the “red” state of Alabama.

National Boys & Girls Club ready to celebrate second century

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:42:00 CDT

It all started in 1860, when three women in Hartford, Conn., decided to take in some “street urchins” — undernourished, dirty-faced young boys with little more than ragged clothes on their backs, the hard-luck, forgotten kids of the Industrial Revolution. They didn’t know it then, but these caring ladies were the planting seeds of what would become a true American success story. Their idea took root as Boys’ Clubs, which soon began to sprout throughout New England and eventually across the nation.

Gary Fuller: City shows no signs of national economic crunch

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:16:00 CDT

While many parts of the U.S. have begun to feel the crunch of an economic slow down, the City of Opelika continues to show growth in commercial, retail and residential developments, with an unemployment rate that continues to hover between 2.6 percent and 3.1 percent.

Bill Ham: Auburn’s progress can be found in stability

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:14:00 CDT

Progress is a word that should be used responsibly. Properly used, it is always positive, denoting advancement or improvement. Change, in and of itself, should never be automatically labeled progress. That being said, I am confident that Auburn has made great progress in recent years.

Progressive attitude propels progressive area

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:12:00 CDT

One thing’s for certain: We’re making progress. The Opelika/Auburn area is moving fast-forward in a number of areas, whether they are sales tax revenues (see below), housing growth, commercial development, job opportunities, etc. Drive through our area. Look around. Signs of progress are everywhere.

Bob Sanders: Of panthers, jaguars and leopards

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:10:00 CDT

The biggest cat in North America is known by many names: catamount, cougar, mountain lion, panther and puma. All the same beast. It’s usually called a panther in the Southeast. Bomba the Jungle Boy (a South American Tarzan-type) had one for a pet. He called it a puma.

Jennifer Foster: Party faithful fumes as Democratic race drags on

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:08:00 CDT

You may remember reading here last month about the “Democrats’ dirty little secret:” Under Democratic National Committee rules, there’s really no such thing as a “pledged” delegate. Theoretically, they’re almost all up for grabs at the convention.

Joe McAdory: Poll says citizens happy with state, not Legislature

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:06:00 CDT

A majority of Alabamians are satisfied with the overall direction of the state. A new poll said so.

McCain used courage with comment about government bail-outs

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:04:00 CDT

Sen. John McCain made a comment recently that really made sense. I’m paraphrasing him when he said: “No business, either large or small, and no individual should expect the government to bail them out of their financial troubles when they are there because of their own irresponsible and risky choices.”

Brittany Branyon: Prisons aren’t always viable solutions

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:52:00 CDT

There is something that many Americans are not aware of, and it can mean the difference between justice and oppression.

Joe McAdory: Bill could have created more safety problems

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:48:00 CDT

Making it legal for students and faculty members to bring firearms on campus could cause more problems than the one they are trying to solve.