The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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I am honored to introduce to everyone Kevin Murphy. He will assume the position of Chief Deputy on January 20, 2015. I am glad to have him by my side, and I know he will do a great job for the citizens of Montgomery County. Murphy possesses the necessary knowledge and experience that will guarantee his success as Chief Deputy. Chief Murphy began his tenure with law enforcement in 1984, as a patrol officer with the Ozark Police Department. In 1986, he joined the Montgomery Police Department....
I will be honest with all of you. I don’t even know where to begin with this Robservation. In an era where, as a society, we should be reaching for the stars, we seem to be mired in the most toxic racial environment I have witnessed in my adult life. Just before I sat down to write this, a news report broke that I am sure each and every one of you has seen and heard about dozens of times. It appears that 28-year-old Ismaaiyl Abdula Brinsley of Maryland, took his semi-automatic handgun and murder...
During the 2010 Governor’s Race, I continuously made the statement that whomever won the 2010 Governor’s Race would be a one-term governor. My prophecy was based on the fact that the state was flat broke and it would take a lot of tough decisions and probably tax increases to fix the mess. Former Gov. Bob Riley was not helping his successor any either in a concerted mission to spend every cent in an already barren cupboard. There was nothing in the state rainy day funds and all the federal stimu...
2 trillion dollars. That’s the amount Congress approved in appropriation funding to keep our government operating, including the pork required to pass it. If you wonder how we have reached a level of government requiring such an astronomical level of funding, retiring U.S. Senator Tom Coburn’s farewell address explained it best. In his remarks, Sen. Coburn read the oath all members of Congress take when being sworn into office as he believes the failure to comprehend that oath is part of the...
The increase of accusations by the African-American or black community that white police officers disproportionately target black residents has become the focus of recent and current nation-wide protests – both violent and non-violent. News media coverage of the choking death of an unarmed black man, Eric Garner, during an arrest by New York City police officers followed by the shooting death of a young unarmed 18 year-old black man, Michael Brown, by a white patrol officer in Ferguson, M...
I was recently reading an article in the advertiser one morning and came upon some very interesting information that shows that we Alabamians are very giving. The article stated that Alabamians donate a larger slice of their income than those in almost any other state and the typical Alabama donation is bigger. Alabama ranks number 3 in highest percentage of donated income the study found. Only Mississippi and Utah ranked ahead of us. The National Financial Advisory site WalletHub.com also...
How many people know that in 2006 the Alabama State legislation designated the black bear as Alabama's official state mammal. The black bears, one of my all time favorite animals is very intelligent, shy, and secretive animals - actually seeing a bear in the wild is a very rare experience. Black bears are not always black - there are cinnamon, white (known as Spirit bears), beige, and "blue" (slate gray) black bears. Adult black bears vary considerably in size they can stand up to 6 feet tall an...
The proliferation of bowl games has been a favorite of mine. There are too many and next year there may even be more. The NCAA sanctions every bowl game played. ESPN will televise any bowl game within a thousand miles of the Continental United States. Why? ESPN makes money. The NCAA makes money. The participating schools make money for themselves, and for their affiliated conference. The independent teams like Notre Dame and Brigham Young really make money. The professional gamblers in Las...
Former long tenured aide and campaign manager Chip Hill exclaims we’re “Killing Atticus Finch!” (a.k.a. his old boss Don Siegelman) in the video shilling for ‘kickstarter’ contributions to continue showcasing this embarrassment to our State. This recent iteration of political campaigning in our Montgomery federal court claimed 138 backers pledging $10,725 of the $125,000 goal as of Mr. Siegelman’s December 15 court appearance before Judge Clay Land of Georgia. I couldn’t find the donor list - pe...
In last month’s column we pointed out that the economics of law practice can actually impede the ability of the legal system to efficiently resolve disputes. In future columns we will discuss in depth the economic motivations of both defense lawyers and plaintiff lawyers that contribute to the problem. Before launching into those specifics, however, we need to have a broad general understanding of the relationship of economics and law in the resolution of disputes. The relationship between law a...
You have not mentioned specifics about yourself so I’ll make this answer generic in a personal and in a business sense. I’m sure that you looked at your financial estate planning (401k, mutual funds, stocks and bonds, life insurance, etc) and as you do you also think about your legal estate planning. Your financial estate planning goes hand in hand with your legal estate planning and you should discuss that with your lawyer, not that he or she will try to advise you on whether your inv...
On New Year's Day, 1801, Thomas Jefferson used a metaphor in a letter to the Danbury Baptists Association of Connecticut, which has profoundly affected policy in recent generations. Jefferson's intention, clearly stated, reflected the Constitutionally mandated purpose and safeguard of the First Amendment's protection of Religious Liberty. Go back in History to Colonial times, and recall that numerous colonies had an established Church, as in Connecticut, Congregationalism was the established...
What should Santa Claus have brought us for Christmas this year? How about a healthy dose of Laissez-faire? And just what is Laisssez-faire, you may ask? One could say that it was one of the founding principles of our nation. Many residents of the colonies, as this country was commonly referred to back then, grew tired of bowing to the crown, and letting the King of England tell them how to live their lives. Some of the stalwarts of the idea had read the works of 18th Century Scottish...
In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about his dream of an America where equality was more than a concept—where it was an everyday reality. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." His dream struck a chord with many people and inspired a nation. It shined a light on the ideal that every citizen should have equal opportunity to prosper and succeed. As we r...
Have you ever known more uncertain times? We look at the domestic front and problems abound. Almost every week there is a new crisis whether in government, a health scare, tension within communities, crime, poverty and economic insecurity. Just as unstable is the condition of our world from the troubles from North Korea to terrorism in the Mideast. Many don’t have to look beyond their front door to find uncertainty brought about through joblessness, marital difficulty, child abuse or good s...
January has always been to me the month which can be a let down after the hurry and flurry of Christmas and New Year's social whirl. It is a time for rest and reflection which usually brings a myriad of New Year's resolutions. Do you write these down and reflect on these promises you made to yourself throughout the year? Can you even remember the resolutions made last January? And if you do remember some of them, were these promises met? I always make a garden promise that I will create the...
As I was scouring my news apps the other day, I came across an article about food you should never buy, but make at home. The article said that the items made at home are cheaper and healthier than the store bought items. At first glance, I agreed with most of the list. Peanut butter, mayonnaise, applesauce, hummus, and pesto can be made with a good food processor. Granola needs a sheet pan and a bowl and a list of your favorite nuts and grains and fruit. Pancake and waffle mix is nothing but...
Have you made a New Year's resolution? Or maybe you've given up on doing that! Perhaps in past years you've been through the cycle of optimism, trying hard, faltering, getting discouraged, and giving up. Indeed, most people who make a New Year's Resolution have given up on their project by mid-February. Many people discard the whole idea and say, "I don't make New Year's Resolutions!" But there is another way to approach the start of a New Year: Pray for God to lead you in a "New Year's Renewal....