The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Public libraries have historically been viewed as "the universities of the public". With librarians being historically severely opposed to censorship in any way shape or form. And the American Library Association even issuing a "Freedom to Read Statement" in 1953 during the height of McCarthyism. With the library association's Freedom to Read Statement emphasizing the association's commitment to support the "freedom to think or believe as one chooses, the freedom to express one's thoughts and...
Mastering the college application process The 2024-2025 admissions cycle flipped the script. Application surges, shifting test policies, and AI tools have reshaped how colleges choose students. For applicants in 2025-2026, it’s more competitive, but also full of opportunity. Scholarship Institute compiled a college application guide to help you work the system, not get worked by it. The rules, both official and unwritten, are changing fast, but staying on top of timelines and putting effort i...
Panoramic view of Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery Spencer viewpoint. Paradise at risk // Shutterstock 10 of the most expensive states to live in The costs of living in the U.S. have fluctuated significantly in recent years, and in most cases, prices have been going up and up. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis' price tracking charts as of July 2025, everything from eggs (up roughly 190% between 2019 and 2025) to electricity (up 35% per kilowatt hour between 2019 and 2025)...
Most of my readers will recall Elkanah Tisdale’s iconic political cartoon evoking "Gerrymander" nomenclature for Massachusetts’ redistricted manipulations following the 1810 census. A July 18, 2024 post by Neely Tucker [https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2024/07/gerrymandering-the-origin-story/] featured former chief of the Rare Book & Special Collections Division guest, Mark Dimunation. He offered the following on gerrymandering which has become part of our lexicon these past two centuries: “The term,...
Christian Mueller // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Montgomery in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Montgomery, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Montgomery by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.85 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.04 (-1.2%) - Year change: +$0.06 (+2.3%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.67 (6/14/22) - Diesel current price: $3.45 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.5%) - Year change: +$0.15...
Elen Nika // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Mobile in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Mobile, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Mobile by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.80 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.04 (-1.4%) - Year change: +$0.04 (+1.6%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.62 (6/15/22) - Diesel current price: $3.46 - Week change: -$0.00 (-0.1%) - Year change: +$0.17 (+5.3%) -...
jittawit21 // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Florence in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Florence by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.75 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.05 (-1.9%) - Year change: -$0.06 (-2.0%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.62 (6/10/22) - Diesel current price: $3.30 - Week change: +$0.00 (+0.2%) - Year change:...
jittawit21 // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Anniston in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Anniston-Oxford, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Anniston by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.75 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.01 (-0.5%) - Year change: -$0.01 (-0.3%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.61 (6/11/22) - Diesel current price: $3.32 - Week change: +$0.01 (+0.2%) - Year change: -$0.05 (-1.4%...
Elen Nika // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Auburn in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Auburn, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Auburn by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.82 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.03 (-1.0%) - Year change: +$0.06 (+2.3%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.64 (6/12/22) - Diesel current price: $3.35 - Week change: -$0.04 (-1.2%) - Year change: +$0.14 (+4.4%) -...
jittawit21 // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Daphne in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Daphne by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.85 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.6%) - Year change: +$0.07 (+2.5%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.68 (6/12/22) - Diesel current price: $3.43 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.6%) - Year change: +$0.15...
Elen Nika // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Tuscaloosa in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Tuscaloosa, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Tuscaloosa by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.80 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.8%) - Year change: +$0.06 (+2.2%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.63 (6/14/22) - Diesel current price: $3.41 - Week change: -$0.00 (-0.1%) - Year change: +$0.07 (+2.2%)...
Elen Nika // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Gadsden in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Gadsden, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Gadsden by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.70 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.05 (-1.8%) - Year change: +$0.05 (+1.7%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.55 (6/15/22) - Diesel current price: $3.33 - Week change: +$0.02 (+0.7%) - Year change: -$0.05 (-1.5%) -...
jittawit21 // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Huntsville in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Huntsville, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Huntsville by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.77 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.5%) - Year change: -$0.12 (-4.0%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.60 (6/14/22) - Diesel current price: $3.38 - Week change: +$0.01 (+0.2%) - Year change: -$0.06...
Christian Mueller // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Decatur in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Decatur, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Decatur by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.74 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.8%) - Year change: -$0.05 (-1.7%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.59 (6/15/22) - Diesel current price: $3.33 - Week change: +$0.00 (+0.0%) - Year change: +$0.01 (+0.2%)...
Istvan Csak // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Dothan in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Dothan, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Dothan by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.85 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.8%) - Year change: -$0.04 (-1.2%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.67 (6/10/22) - Diesel current price: $3.55 - Week change: -$0.03 (-0.8%) - Year change: +$0.02 (+0.7%) -...
Istvan Csak // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Birmingham in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Birmingham, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Birmingham by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.83 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.7%) - Year change: +$0.02 (+0.9%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.61 (6/13/22) - Diesel current price: $3.49 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.6%) - Year change: +$0.05...
Istvan Csak // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Dothan in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Dothan, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Dothan by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.85 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.8%) - Year change: -$0.04 (-1.2%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.67 (6/10/22) - Diesel current price: $3.55 - Week change: -$0.03 (-0.8%) - Year change: +$0.02 (+0.7%) -...
Istvan Csak // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in Birmingham in the last week Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in Birmingham, AL metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of September 12. Birmingham by the numbers - Gas current price: $2.83 --- Alabama average: $2.82 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.7%) - Year change: +$0.02 (+0.9%) - Historical expensive gas price: $4.61 (6/13/22) - Diesel current price: $3.49 - Week change: -$0.02 (-0.6%) - Year change: +$0.05...
September 8, 2025 - SIERRA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA - As apex predators return to landscapes they once roamed freely, ranchers in California, Colorado, and other western states are facing a new-and costly-challenge. The reintroduction of gray wolves, hailed by conservationists as a triumph for biodiversity, is increasingly being viewed by livestock producers as a direct threat to their livelihoods. California: Millions in Hidden Costs In California, where wolves were once considered extinct, the popul...
How much do you need to earn to be in the top 1% in your state? 2025 Study Nearly 1.5 million households across the United States now rank among the top 1% of earners, according to the latest tax return data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). On average, it takes $731,492 in annual income to be a part of this group. But that threshold looks different depending on where you live. Economic conditions, tax policies, and cost of living vary significantly from state to state, resulting in wide...
“From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli…” Most of us know why the Marine Hymn speaks of the halls of Montezuma. It refers to the Mexican War (1846-48) in which the Marine and other American soldiers, led by General Winfield Scott fought a fierce battle from Vera Cruz to Mexico City and stormed Chapultepec Castle. But what about the shores of Tripoli? That’s another story. It goes back nearly 1,400 years to the beginning of Muslim Jihad, but let’s start with 1785. Thomas Jefferson...
Where rent is dropping fastest in 2025 After years of relentless rent hikes across the United States, 2025 is finally bringing relief to renters in many markets. A surge in new apartment construction, coupled with pro-housing reforms in select cities, is pushing vacancy rates higher and driving rental prices down at a pace not seen in more than a decade. From booming metros like Austin and Minneapolis to smaller markets such as Sarasota and Athens, rents are falling sharply—sometimes by d...
When Trade Desk, a 60-foot Hatteras, left Orange Beach for three days of catch-and-release billfishing, hooking a swordfish was just an afterthought, one that would stress all their resources as well as enter the Alabama Saltwater Record Book. Robert Fritze, his dad (Ron) and four buddies (Harold Wells, Jamie Boyd, Wes Hagler, Robert Parks) had scheduled the trip a while back for August 14-16 with the main goal of finding marlin and sailfish. "We saw where people were having success catching...
Reinventing Littoral Warfare for a New Era of Naval Mine Countermeasures In the ever-evolving theater of naval operations, the United States Navy continually seeks to adapt its fleet to meet emerging threats and operational needs. Among the most significant recent initiatives is the conversion of Alabama built Independence class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) into advanced mine countermeasure vessels-essentially, transforming agile coastal warships into the backbone of modern mine hunting and...
Every passing year, our automobile engineers continue to fail miserably in their production of quality products. In their efforts to build bling, style, and needless options, they are neglecting the basic essentials—durability, dependability, economy, and most of all—SIMPLICITY. That means easy to build, easy and inexpensive to repair, and the ABSENSE of gimmicks that tend to disrupt basic functions. Among the most neglected car parts are the BUMPERS. Like their names imply, their purpose is...
