opinions
My Dad’s Service — By Tommy Purser
My Dad’s service As I left the office Monday to go to Veterans Square for the annual Memorial Day program, I began to think about my own father’s service during World War II. My father, Carlton Miller Purser, served with the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific during the war. He served on an LST…
Read MoreContradictions Abound — By John Reed
Contradictions Abound When you were young, did your parents ever say “Do as I say, not as I do”? Turns out they weren’t always such great role models. I remember both my parents were heavy smokers, yet tried to convince me to never start. Savvy kids pick up on these sorts of contradictions even today.…
Read MoreFailure Is An Option — By John Reed
Failure Is An Option Anyone who watches the news or has ever attempted college, knows the disconnect between academia and the real world. One of the most glaring examples is the “self-esteem“ movement that came out several decades ago in education. This idea that the entire schooling experience should be centered around not damaging students’…
Read MoreRing Kissing
The latest edition of Time magazine included a long article about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and it, in part, zeroed in on Zelenskyy’s reaction to the treatment he received on his latest visit to the White House. The Ukrainian President was bullied by President Trump and his subservient Vice President J.D. Vance,. Zelenskyy is more…
Read MoreProud Grandfather — By Tommy Purser
I hadn’t been to the Tattnall County High School baseball field in a long time until last Tuesday afternoon. With Jeff Davis High’s baseball team taking a week off from region games, I had a chance to drive over to Tattnall County to watch Crisp County defeat Tattnall in a region baseball game. It was…
Read MoreSpring Has Sprung — By John Reed
With the passing of the vernal equinox, the calendar finally agrees with the weather. This year, the rebirth of plants and their showy blooms is all the more welcome after the months of desolation brought on by Hurricane Helene. In many fields and home lots, isolated clumps of azaleas or wisteria show their colors among…
Read MoreFriendship? — By Tommy Purser
It used to be so easy. You know, guys, I’ve been at this a long time. All the time I see where workers are lauded because they’ve spent 30 years at a job. Forty years. When someone works for an employer for 40 years, that’s a really long time. A lot of hours. A lot…
Read MoreMr. Herndon — By Tommy Purser
This sudden snap of cold weather got me to thinking about my sixth grade teacher, Mr. Herndon. At least that’s what I recall his name being. Sixth grade has been a long time ago for me. Mr. Herndon was a tall man, and the only male teacher I had before I hit high school. He…
Read MoreA Brighter Future Ahead — By John Reed
A Brighter Future Ahead I’ve been absent here in recent weeks as travel, family, and work have taken precedence. I’ll try to do better in the new year, but you know how resolutions go… I was privileged recently to visit Argentina. Most Americans think all of Latin America is filled with short, brown men with…
Read MoreGerrymandering — By Tommy Purser
I heard that someone recently called the County Commission office and inquired about which commissioner represented Snipesville. “It depends on where you live,” was the answer. The caller was surprised to learn that the boundary separating the Ocmulgee Commissiion District and the Whitehead Commission District runs smack dab through the middle of Snipesville. James Emory…
Read More