The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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The story of David and Goliath is often portrayed to us as if David was a seemingly naive kid with the equivalent of a toy sling shot who was supernaturally used by God. However, these slings weren't mere toys. These were serious weapons. In fact, Hannibal the Great, the Carthaginian General known for nearly bringing Rome to its knees in the Second Punic War employed 2000 slingers and his army. One of Rome’s leading generals was severely wounded by a slinger in the battle of Cannae, which c...
Recently, I had several of Governor Kay Ivey’s closest friends and confidantes invite me to visit with them. Over lunch, they posed the question to me, “Do you think Governor Ivey has become a legacy governor?” My response was that she has been an outstanding governor, but I need to give some thought to the meaning of a “legacy” governor. My perception over the years was that a legacy governor left an indelible, particular generational project that could be linked to their name for posterity...
With the waning days of December, we should look back at all the good things we were given over the last 12 months...good health, love from family and friends, finally a hard enough freeze to kill even the most stubborn of insect eggs. The bitter cold did damage to my Sago palms, but after I prune all the fronds back, new growth will emerge and it will live on bigger and better. It is best to totally cut back all of these to the trunk and not just those that look damaged. The same goes for the a...
January 13, 2026 – Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) delivered her ninth and final State of the State address as the Alabama Legislature opens the 2026 regular session ahead of the 2026 Republican and Democratic primaries on May 19 to elect new leadership. “My fellow Alabamians! The momentum is in our sails in Alabama – and we are not done yet!” declared Governor Ivey. “Today marks my 10th Regular Session as governor,” said Gov. Ivey. “Since then, we have seen investments totaling $69 billion which...
Without specifics about yourself I’ll make this answer generic in a personal and in a business sense. I presume you looked at your financial estate planning (401k, mutual funds, stocks and bonds, life insurance, etc) which is important as there may be some changes such as to an inherited IRA. As of a couple of years ago an unused portion of a 529 may be transferred to a beneficiary’s Roth IRA and continues to provide an Alabama tax credit provided certain requirements are met. Ask your inv...
Let’s get something straight right up front. What just happened in Venezuela was not recklessness. It was long delayed accountability. This operation was carried out by brave men and women of the United States military, many of whom will never be named and will never be publicly recognized. They executed their mission with discipline, precision, and professionalism, placing duty above recognition and country above self and deserve our eternal gratitude. For years, the so-called international c...
How would we define our most dangerous criminals? Obviously they would be the ones who do the most destruction—like murder, terrorism, arson, kidnapping, chld molestation, piracy, etc. For such actions, we have strong laws and heavy penalties for people who commit them. Of these, who would be the most dangerous? Picking through the list and others not listed, the “most” might not be obvious. But we can use one definition to sort them out. Believe it or not, we have loopholes where certain types...
A full 19 years ago, I wrote this piece on tolerance. You will see how I describe my reactions to ever-increasing Muslim intolerance inside the United States. Although some will cry out the alarmist and utterly stupid condemnation of “Islamophobia,” reality and actual observations have nothing to do with “an irrational fear of Islam.” It has to do with what my two green eyes clearly see. Since this was first written in 2007, just six years after 9/11, we in the West have seen a lot. From 2015’s...
One Hundred Fifty years ago, a small business in Pittsburgh filed for bankruptcy protection. The H.J. Heinz Company was forced to take this action when the national economy soured, its contractual obligations were over extended, and the company could not pay its debts. This public humiliation could have marked the end of the company and curtailed the entrepreneurial spirit of Mr. Heinz, but in many ways, the bankruptcy became a catalyst to work even harder to re-build and prove a point by...
“The contest is really for empire on the side of the North, and for independence on that of the South, and in this respect we recognize an exact analogy between the North and the Government of George III, and the South and the Thirteen Revolted Provinces. These opinions may be wrong but they are the general opinions of the English nation.” London Times, November 7, 1861 The modern world reflects how Lincoln’s consolidation of power has produced the fruits of empire identified in the 1861 Londo...
MONTGOMERY, AL - Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System recently commemorated the 85th anniversary of its Montgomery Campus during a Dec. 15, 2025, observance honoring more than eight decades of service to Alabama's Veterans. The ceremony brought together community leaders, Veterans, and staff at the Montgomery Campus' West Campus to reflect on the facility's enduring legacy, which began when the hospital first opened its doors on Nov. 1, 1940. "This anniversary is not just about a...
Get Outside I recently read that the average person spends 93% of their life indoors! Wow! That is unbelievable. And sad. That means that if you live to be 100 years old, you will have spent 93 of those years indoors and only 7 years in God’s amazing and beautiful creation. God created us to be outside and to enjoy His creation. Our souls need it. Our bodies need it. Our minds need it. In the 23 Psalm we witness one of the most important ways God soothes our souls, “He makes me lie down in gre...
Some missed Thanksgiving/Christmas columns this season appreciating lack of AI content/feel reading “Think” submissions to the Gazette. Not sure how to take that... further observation of poor wordsmith skills which have grown more endearing? Certainly not my human text superior to artificial. This piece emphasizes 400 years of silence in Old Testament biblical writings; prolog to Jesus enlightenment in His teachings and wisdom on the journey to Calvary/Pascha. Every January 6th or 19th, dep...
Jason and I eased up the hill toward the place of our morning hunt. He had come a few days earlier and took a leaf blower to the trail to make sure we had the quietest walk possible. Just over the crest of the hill, only about 400 yards from where we parked, was his hunting house. A house might be an exaggeration. It was only about 4x8 and was in need of a remodel since the year he first built it, but it was still a luxury for any hunter during the cold days of November. As soon as we got...
As we enter a new year, many of us feel a renewed sense of possibility. Whether your motivation strikes on January 1st or January 31st, the new year offers something powerful: a fresh start. It's a chance to pause, reflect, and decide what you want to carry forward (and what you're ready to leave behind). Much like the trees outside, winter is a season of shedding. Trees lose their leaves not because they are failing, but because they are preparing. They release what no longer serves them so...
January 17, 2026 - Alabama awoke this week to the heartbreaking news that John Giles, a longtime conservative leader, advocate, and man of deep Christian faith, passed away after a lifetime devoted to service. His death leaves a profound emptiness in the communities he touched, the causes he championed, and the countless people who drew strength from his unwavering commitment to faith and country. For decades, Giles stood as one of Alabama's most recognizable voices in the world of Christian...
A Turning Point in the Opioid Crisis After years of devastating loss, the United States is seeing a dramatic and unexpected decline in overdose deaths. According to CDC data, fatalities dropped by nearly 25% from 2023 to 2024, with some states reporting even steeper declines. For Alabama families, this shift offers a glimmer of hope - but also a reminder that progress remains fragile. What's Driving the Decline? Experts point to a mix of public health interventions, drug market changes, and...
COLUMBIA - A new video released by Colombian guerrilla commander Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, better known as "Iván Mordisco," is drawing international attention after he urged Latin American rebel groups to unite against the United States in the wake of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's capture by U.S. forces. The message, first reported by Reuters and carried by multiple outlets including Fox News, marks one of the most aggressive public calls for regional insurgent coo...
What you need to know about the codes healthcare providers use to classify slip-and-fall accidents When you get treatment after a slip-and-fall accident, your healthcare providers will classify your injury using an ICD-10 code. Healthcare providers use ICD-10 codes to identify the external cause of a patient’s injury or health condition, facilitate data collection and research, and improve consistency in injury classification. ICD-10 codes also advise insurance companies of the reasons for a p...
“Is the pursuit of happiness making Americans unhappy?” That is the question for debate in the 2026 Great American Think Off Essay contest. With this year marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of The Declaration of Independence, the Great American Think-Off Team purposefully chose a topic that taps into Thomas Jefferson’s famous words of, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,...
On January 15, 1865, as the American Civil War entered its final, grinding months, Union forces achieved one of the most strategically decisive victories of the entire conflict. Fort Fisher-an enormous sand‑and‑earth stronghold guarding the approaches to Wilmington, North Carolina-fell after a massive joint Army‑Navy assault. With its capture, the Union effectively sealed off the last major seaport available to the Confederacy, choking off the final artery through which supplies could reach...
January 6, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released a video honoring U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Downing as the January "Veteran of the Month." Excerpts of Sen. Tuberville's remarks can be found below, and complete remarks can be found here. "The military will take you all over the world, but Sweet Home Alabama has a way of bringing people back. That's true for Mobile native Colonel Patrick Downing, who found his way back to the Bay after 36 years of m...
January may look like the sleepiest month in an Alabama garden, but beneath the surface it's one of the most important times of the year. While summer harvests and fall color feel far away, the work you do now sets the foundation for healthier soil, stronger plants, and a more productive growing season. Alabama's climate - stretching from the colder Tennessee Valley to the mild Gulf Coast - gives gardeners a surprising number of opportunities in mid‑winter. With the right tasks, January b...
A senior militant leader directly linked to a December ambush that killed two American service members and an interpreter has been eliminated in a U.S. airstrike in northwest Syria, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Saturday. The precision operation marks the latest escalation in Washington's campaign to dismantle extremist networks responsible for targeting American forces in the region. The strike, conducted on Friday, Jan. 16, targeted Bilal Hasan al‑Jasim, an Al‑Qa...
Our parents thought they were anarchists and subversives sent across the pond to corrupt our morals—something of a payback for the Boston Tea Party. The Beatles had long hair. They were trend-setters. We teens began to follow suit. The pictures look funny now. I remember one night watching the news with our family. Anti-Vietnam protestors were storming some town. My dad sneered and said, “Look! They all have long hair!” Though a clueless teenager, I knew hair follicles had little to do with...
