The Tyranny of the Melanocytes is a disease of the mind. These microscopic manufacturers of melanin have, since the earliest incarnations of Man, cast us all in heterogeneous shades of light-reflecting epidermis. These tricks of light have then hypnotized the mind, causing each to view its variant as The Other. It is difficult to imagine […]

When those charged with enforcing the law take it upon themselves to parse the finer points of our statutes, ordinances and codes, interpreting the law for themselves, it is not unlike a registered nurse performing open heart surgery. It is dangerous and it should be avoided entirely. The law is a malleable, yet delicate thing. […]

It is easy to blame others when things aren’t going your way. Particularly when the ‘others’ are the Media. No one likes those guys. And while the Media with a capital “M” may indeed be to blame for some unpleasant things (“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” for example), the News Media can hardly be blamed […]

We hold to a higher standard those who are, either directly or indirectly, responsible for the welfare, education and societal assimilation of our children. The onus on educators, school staff and administrators and school board members is a heavy one, and the vast majority of them carry it well. Yet, when one of them stumbles […]

A government, any government, will do exactly as much or as little as its people allow. Angry citizens who blame the government for its dysfunctional behavior, for its inability to work together for the benefit of the Greater Good, for its unwillingness to compromise, are really only blaming themselves. A government is only an extension […]

In a place where progress seems to come with less frequency than Santa Claus, it is difficult to believe that doing nothing is sometimes the best course of action. The wisest decisions are rarely made in haste; and while the building that was once home to the Mt. Zion Institute has had more second chances […]

Mistakes are a part of the Human Experience; sometimes even the most important part, one might argue. Lessons learned from doing something wrong the first time are not forgotten nearly as quickly as the lessons learned from breezing through something the first time. Scars are much more powerful reminders than bruises. Standing up and taking […]

Government works best, should it indeed work at all, when it works under the watchful eyes of those whom it represents. Forget the old adage about legislation being like making sausage. You do, in fact, want to see it being done. And Fairfield County Council, suddenly, has a lot of people wanting to see how […]

There’s no substitute for disclosure. The more the people know about what their government is doing, how they’re doing it and why, the more perfect is our union. After all, let us not forget that the people are, essentially, the government. That was true in the beginning of this great experiment with Democracy, some 230 […]

You think you’ve got problems, Fairfield County? Well, you kind of do. Dirty pictures, property tax snafus, County Council members on the hot seat, water infrastructure struggles – sure. But at least when you go to bed at night you do so with the confidence that Lake Wateree or Lake Monticello will still be there […]