Pickin’ Up Coke Bottles Tom Poland Posted 08.19.2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.net I didn’t call them pop. I didn’t call them sodas. I called them Cokes. Cokes could be Pepsis, Fantas (remember those?), Orange Crush, or RC Colas. Tossed out windows, Coke bottles waited along dirt roads, gravel roads, and...
Are you filled with God’s joy and peace today?
Living on Purpose: Are you filled with God’s joy and peace today? Dr. William Holland Posted 08.19.2026By Dr. William HollandDo you remember that old song in Vacation Bible School that said, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart? Do you still have it today? I hope...
A Fake Wi-Fi Network Showed Up on a Delta Flight and It Could Happen to You
Dr. Tom’s Cyber Bits & TipsA Fake Wi-Fi Network Showed Up on a Delta Flight and It Could Happen to You By Thomas Hyslip Posted 08.19.2026By Dr. Thomas Hyslip On Aug. 10, a Delta flight left Las Vegas for Atlanta carrying 199 passengers, six crew members and, apparently, at least...
Mr. Penny Pincher: The Warmth of Financial Security
Mr. Penny Pincher The Warmth of Financial Security By Patrick Byrne Posted 08/19/2026By Patrick Byrne There may be nothing worse as a child than having a nightmare. All the good in the world is sucked away and replaced with a night of restless sleep and anxiety. In order to stave...
Blink Book Review: Anna Quindlen’s “More Than Enough”
Blink Book Review: Anna Quindlen’s “More Than Enough” Reba Campbell Posted 07.29.2026By Reba Campbell Anna Quindlen has long been one of my favorite authors, so I downloaded this audiobook without knowing much about this novel. That turned out to be a good call. This book revolves around the concept of...
Who Has Seen The Wind?
Who Has Seen The Wind? Tom Poland Posted 07.28.2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.net When I see photographs of Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park I want to explore a desert right then. Until I do, the fragile deserts along the Atlantic Ocean will do just fine. Wind, it shapes the...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Finding the Balance Between Poverty’s Fear and Wealth’s Traps
Mr. Penny Pincher Finding the Balance Between Poverty’s Fear and Wealth’s Traps By Patrick Byrne Posted 07.28.2026By Patrick Byrne The seeds of despair that we experience in life don’t just go away. Thankfully, the same can be said for moments of pure joy; however, somehow the ugly parts tend to...
Understanding the stages of competence
Understanding the stages of competence By John Foust, Advertising Trainer We all discuss information with other people, whether it’s with an advertising client, a prospect or a coworker. And because people have different levels of understanding, it’s easier to get in step with some than with others. According to the...
Blink Book Review: Kathryn Stockett’s “The Calamity Club”
Blink Book Review: Kathryn Stockett’s “The Calamity Club” Reba Campbell Posted 07.22.2026By Reba Campbell It’s hard to know where to start with what I loved most about “The Calamity Club.” I’m finally becoming a historical fiction fan. Books like “The Personal Librarian,” “That Which Binds Us” and now “The Calamity...
Blink Book Review: Allen Levi’s “Theo of Golden”
Blink Book Review: Allen Levi’s “Theo of Golden” Reba Campbell Posted 07.22.2026By Reba Campbell Theo of Golden was high on my TBR list for summer this year. From what I’d heard, it needed to be a summer book – one that I could take my time with and savor rather...
Mr. Penny Pincher: The Hug That Reminds Me What’s Truly Important
Mr. Penny Pincher The Hug That Reminds Me What’s Truly Important By Patrick Byrne Posted 07.21.2026By Patrick Byrne My ten year old daughter has a hard time sleeping at night. Like me, her head spins with a mixture of outstanding tasks to be completed, general life issues or past regrets. Let’s...
Something In The Grits Ain’t Gravy
Something In The Grits Ain’t Gravy Tom Poland Posted 07.21.2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.net Down South we have sayings for every occasion. “Something in the grits ain’t gravy” is a way of saying you smell a rat. Take wrestling. It started as an ancient martial art. Then show business climbed...
Is the Trump Administration Ignoring Laws Protecting the Press?
Is the Trump Administration Ignoring Laws Protecting the Press? Published June 2026 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications On April 8, 1971, individuals protesting the firing of a Stanford University Hospital employee seized and occupied the administrative offices of the hospital, demanding that the employee...
Small Town Trains, Hope For The Future?
Small Town Trains, Hope For The Future? Tom Poland Posted 06/16/2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.net The road looks just like one on Granddad’s farm running into hardwoods where a spring bubbled in shade. Come sundown in Granddad’s battered old car, we’d ride that road through trees to pastures where white-faced...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Treading Water, True Crime, and the Thin Line Between ‘Oops’ and ‘Oh No’
Mr. Penny Pincher Treading Water, True Crime, and the Thin Line Between ‘Oops’ and ‘Oh No’ By Patrick Byrne Posted 06/16/2026By Patrick Byrne We appear to be obsessed with misery. The number of shows you can watch depicting horrible crimes carried out by loved ones or perfect strangers points to...
A $25 Million Email Lie: How a South Carolina Fraud Ring Fooled Victims Across America
Dr. Tom’s Cyber Bits & TipsA $25 Million Email Lie: How a South Carolina Fraud Ring Fooled Victims Across America By Thomas Hyslip Posted 06/16/2026By Dr. Thomas Hyslip The Email Looked Exactly Right Imagine you are in the middle of closing on your new home. Your real estate attorney sends...
South Carolina Bans Addictive Social Media Features for Users Under 16
Dr. Tom’s Cyber Bits & TipsSouth Carolina Bans Addictive Social Media Features for Users Under 16 By Thomas Hyslip Posted 06/11/2026By Dr. Thomas Hyslip Gov. Henry McMaster has signed a new state law that will strip autoplay videos, infinite scrolling, push notifications and like counts from the social media accounts...
The Civil War Changed Funeral Customs
The Civil War Changed Funeral Customs Tom Poland Posted 06.09.2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.net A do-it-yourself casket for a pet is as close most get today. I’ve heard of people paying a carpenter to build a casket for a dog, and I get it. Just placing a pet in the...
Our world is not meant to be perfect
Living on Purpose: Our world is not meant to be perfect Dr. William Holland Posted 06.09.2026By Dr. William HollandThe Lord has given most of us a good life filled with blessings, but with me, no matter how much “stuff” we accumulate, it does not bring spiritual contentment or joy. And...
What we think about matters to God
Living on Purpose: What we think about matters to God Dr. William Holland Posted 06.09.2026By Dr. William HollandAre we ashamed of God? Is God ashamed of us? Do we not realize that God knows our thoughts? Yes, the spiritual atmosphere within society has changed in the last 75 years, and...
Mr. Penny Pincher: In Sports and Life, the Struggle Is Part of the Reward
Mr. Penny PincherIn Sports and Life, the Struggle Is Part of the Reward By Patrick Byrne Posted 06/09/2026By Patrick Byrne In many ways, sports are like life. Each game or season brings its share of triumphs and, in the case of really terrible teams, a long string of defeats and...
The Deadly Silo
The Deadly Silo Tom Poland Posted 06/09/2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.net I’ve always looked at silos with wonderment. Silos fill me with a sense of mystery. Just how do they work? Then I began to notice nearly all of them seemed abandoned. What’s the deal here? First, let me say...
A best friend is a gift you give yourself
Living on Purpose: A best friend is a gift you give yourself Dr. William Holland Posted 06.02.2026By Dr. William HollandI was thinking the other day about how wonderful it is to have friends. Last week I went to lunch with my best friend, and we always have a great time...
Jackson Station Rhythm & Blues Club
Jackson Station Rhythm & Blues Club Tom Poland Posted 06.02.2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.net October 1977—April 1990 Where The Music Died Now and then a kind of gravity draws me to an old building. I’m driving south on SC Highway 25 near Hodges. Hurrying to get home before dark when...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Table Salt, Indoor Plumbing and Living with Gratitude
Mr. Penny PincherTable Salt, Indoor Plumbing and Living with Gratitude By Patrick Byrne Posted 06.02.2026By Patrick Byrne I’m often stunned at the level of luxury and convenience in our everyday lives. Although prices for just about everything have skyrocketed the past 5-10 years, the fact that we can purchase a...
Remembering Sacks, Wagons, Indians, & Leather
Remembering Sacks, Wagons, Indians, & Leather Tom Poland Posted 05/28/2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.net I visited the Bart Garrison Agricultural Museum of South Carolina in Pendleton a few weeks back. If you’re a product of the rural South as I am, the museum takes you on a long walk down...
USC Revises FOIA Policies
USC Revises FOIA Policies Published May 2026 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act provides that most “public record[s]” of any “public body” must be available to the public. The statute defines “public record” as “all books, papers, maps, photographs,...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Beyond the $50 Fill-Up: A Case for Long-Term Financial Practicality
Mr. Penny PincherBeyond the $50 Fill-Up: A Case for Long-Term Financial Practicality By Patrick Byrne Posted 04/30/2026By Patrick ByrnePrices at the pump are tough to swallow at the moment. Even with 100 miles left in my tank, the total cost to fill up was a whopping $51. I’ll be the...
Comforting those who need an encouraging word
Living on Purpose: Comforting those who need an encouraging word Dr. William Holland Posted 04/27/2026By Dr. William HollandFor those who have visited a nursing home or a medical care facility, you know what I mean when I refer to these places as difficult and uncomfortable. The sights and sounds are...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Redefining What it Means to Have Talent
Mr. Penny Pincher Redefining What it Means to Have Talent By Patrick Byrne Posted 04/22/2026By Patrick ByrneBeing talented is often associated with a God given ability to sing, dance or some other form of artistic expression. This notion is supported by shows like American Idol, The Masked Singer and The...
Always having time for one more story
Living on Purpose: Always having time for one more story Dr. William Holland Posted 04/20/2026By Dr. William HollandIt seems like yesterday that our son and daughter-in-law announced they were going to have a baby, and since then, between them and our daughter and her husband, we now have four amazing...
Use the billboard effect for better ads
Use the billboard effect for better ads By John Foust, Advertising Trainer A quick study of billboards can give us a better understanding of what works best in advertising. Because motorists are on the move, billboards have just a few seconds to be seen and read. It’s the same with...
SC reporter testifies, but not about sources – yet
SC reporter testifies, but not about sources – yet Published April 2026 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Journalist and podcaster Mandy Matney testified on April 8 in a Cherokee County courtroom, but not directly on the question of whether she should be required to...
Mr. Penny Pincher: The Price of Progress in South Carolina
Mr. Penny PincherThe Price of Progress in South Carolina By Patrick Byrne Posted 04/06/2026By Patrick ByrneMy family moved to Greer, South Carolina from New Jersey in 1986. The town we moved from up north wasn’t considered large; however, it was much more developed and overcrowded compared to our new home...
Real Lizard Earrings
Real Lizard Earrings Tom Poland Posted 04/02/2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netI called it a green lizard. I couldn’t pronounce Anolis carolinensis back then. Heck, I hadn’t even heard of the term. But now something catches me flatfooted—I’m told little girls wore lizards as earrings in my day. Live lizards dangling...
Your Digital Life Doesn’t Die With You — But It Might Disappear
Dr. Tom’s Cyber Bits & TipsYour Digital Life Doesn’t Die With You — But It Might Disappear By Thomas Hyslip Posted 04/02/2026By Dr. Thomas HyslipIt is a Tuesday night at the kitchen table. Three siblings passing a phone around, searching for a photo of Mom that feels like her. The...
Election season: Keep coverage local, start early
Election season: Keep coverage local, start early Published March 30, 2026 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Election season is under way. Many would say the cycle never ends. No sooner are votes tallied than strategists eye the next election. Make no mistake, many lawmakers routinely cast votes with one eye...
Crucifixion and Resurrection: Mission Accomplished!
Living on Purpose: Crucifixion and Resurrection: Mission Accomplished! Dr. William Holland Posted 03/30/2026By Dr. William HollandApril is the month of new beginnings when the grass turns green, trees begin to sprout their leaves, and flowers emerge from the ground to express their beauty. This is also the time when Christians...
Meet them where they are
Meet them where they are By John Foust, Advertising Trainer “Meet them where they are” is a popular phrase these days. It is defined as “a concept that emphasizes understanding and accepting individuals without judgment based on their current emotional, mental, or physical state.”The key word is “current.” We should...
Learning who God is and who we are in Him
Living on Purpose: Learning who God is and who we are in Him Dr. William Holland Posted 03/23/2026By Dr. William HollandHow many times will it need to be declared that we can have as much of God as we want? And how many tears will we shed from the sadness...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Using Your Imagination to Find Fulfillment
Mr. Penny PincherUsing Your Imagination to Find Fulfillment By Patrick Byrne Posted 03/23/2026By Patrick ByrneDriving my ten year old daughter and her teammate back from soccer practice last night, I had a realization. As they sat in the back seat, their imaginations were running wild. Animals were marrying each other,...
My City Of Dust Calendar
My City Of Dust Calendar Passport To Preservation Tom Poland Posted 03/02/2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netJohn Mulhouse sent me his 2026 Abandoned New Mexico City of Dust calendar, and it’s a keeper. John’s beat is why. “The lost and wondrous wreckage of America. The ceaseless road to nowhere. Yeah, that’s...
Mr. Penny Pincher: What an Ancient Religion Can Teach us About World Peace
Mr. Penny Pincher What an Ancient Religion Can Teach us About World Peace By Patrick Byrne By Patrick ByrnePosted 03/02/2026When I was a child, the threat of war with the Soviet Union was always present but it didn’t consume my everyday life. The drills where we hid under our desks...
Man, The Intruder
Man, The Intruder Tom Poland Posted 03/02/2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netThe rains of late and spring’s approach set my mind on the Carolina bays, those coastal plain wetlands of mystery and life. The elliptical depressions are filling with water and the great amphibian breeding frenzy is ongoing. Few will hear...
Who said retirement is the end of our calling?
Living on Purpose: Who said retirement is the end of our calling? Dr. William Holland Posted 03/02/2026By Dr. William HollandAs days pass, we can complain about time flying or rejoice in our blessings. I never thought much about retirement when I was younger, but as the saying goes, it’s never...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Separating Fantasy From Reality
Mr. Penny Pincher Separating Fantasy From Reality By Patrick Byrne Posted 02/23/2026By Patrick ByrneMy family and I were watching a home improvement show recently. Like most of these shows, the designer had grand ideas on how to make a particular house better by way of paint, new furniture and the...
A Striped Bass & An Oak
A Striped Bass & An Oak Tom Poland Posted 02/23/2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netThough my hair was chestnut brown, I was green, a young writer hoping to create something memorable. I needed inspiration and I found it in a novel, Shining Tides. Winfield Brooks wrote it. The inside flap said...
Whatever happened to the fear of sinning?
Living on Purpose: Whatever happened to the fear of sinning? Dr. William Holland Posted 02/23/2026By Dr. William HollandWhat does the average, or maybe we could say normal, person think about sin? Have you noticed that most people would rather listen to messages that talk about how much God loves us...
The Thin Market’s impact on advertising
The Thin Market’s impact on advertising By John Foust, Advertising Trainer The Thin Market is one of the best arguments for running ads consistently.If I were to ask if you are planning to buy a pair of shoes for yourself or someone in your family in the next year, you...
Do this in remembrance of me
Living on Purpose: Do this in remembrance of me Dr. William Holland Posted 02.16.2026By Dr. William HollandLast week, we touched on the subject of baptism, and this week I thought we could follow up with a chat about communion. For those who are Christians, the church ordinance of communion is...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Social Media as a Platform to Argue is Pointless
Mr. Penny Pincher Social Media as a Platform to Argue is Pointless By Patrick Byrne Posted 02.16.2026By Patrick ByrneWhen’s the last time you overheard someone talking, disagreed with what they said and then yelled at them because you had a difference of opinion? Chances are, this isn’t something you do...
The Transistor Made History
The Transistor Made History Tom Poland Posted 02.11.2026By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netCell phones are a big deal but to some of us the transistor was an even bigger deal. I was disobeying my parents staying up late (school night) in my bedroom listening to clear channel WLS in Chicago over...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Viewing Death as a Part of Life
Mr. Penny Pincher Viewing Death as a Part of Life By Patrick Byrne Posted 02.10.2026By Patrick Byrne“Get busy living or get busy dying.” Any Shawshank Redemption fans out there will recognize this as a line spoken by Tim Robbins while playing the character of Andy Dufresne, a man wrongly convicted...
Believer’s baptism or baptismal regeneration?
Living on Purpose: Believer’s baptism or baptismal regeneration? Dr. William Holland Posted 02/09/2026By Dr. William HollandBeliever’s baptism and baptismal regeneration represent two distinct views on the role of water baptism in salvation. Believer’s baptism holds that baptism is an outward, symbolic act of obedience performed “after” a person has consciously...
Business coverage vital to your product and community
Business coverage vital to your product and community Published February 4, 2026 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant Editors are regularly solicited to publish news that puts merchants in good standing. In small communities, grip-and-grin photos of check presentations often dominate the requests. The topic generated a healthy conversation in an...
Mr. Penny Pincher: Sentimental vs. Actual Value
Mr. Penny PincherSentimental vs. Actual Value By Patrick Byrne Posted 02/04/2026By Patrick ByrneAs silver prices recently reached an all time high, I figured it was a good time to get an estimate on the price of one hundred year old flatware that had once been owned by my grandmother. As...
When advertisers are concerned about the economy
When advertisers are concerned about the economy By John Foust, Advertising Trainer You may have heard the story about the man who spent a hot summer afternoon doing yard work. When he came inside, his little boy said, “Come on, Dad, let’s play!” The man was tired after all that...
‘Man Bites Dog’ Case Against Lawyer Could Have First Amendment Chill
‘Man Bites Dog’ Case Against Lawyer Could Have First Amendment Chill Published November 2025 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Someone alleging that media coverage has hurt their reputation will often sue the media outlet(s) for libel. If that person is involved in a court...
There’s no such person as “occupant”
There’s no such person as 'occupant' By John Foust, Advertising Trainer During my freshman year in college, one of my friends wrote a letter home to his parents and addressed it to “Occupants.” In my immature 18-year old brain, I thought that was a cool idea, so I addressed my...
Federal agency proposes eliminating FOIA backlog by trashing requests
Federal agency proposes eliminating FOIA backlog by trashing requests Published October 2025 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Under the federal Freedom of Information Act, government agencies are in most cases supposed to respond to requests for government information with at least an initial response...
What’s fogging your view?
What’s fogging your view? By John Foust, Greensboro, NC On our honeymoon, my wife and I went to Ogunquit, Maine, which we used as a home base to explore towns along Maine’s southern coast. Years before we met, we had each been to that area, but this was our first...
Start planning now to produce year-end edition
Start planning now to produce year-end edition Published 08.09.2025 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant The Hallmark Channel wrapped up its movie lineup for those who love to celebrate Christmas in July. With fall now upon us, it is the time to start planning keepsake year-end editions. Seize the opportunity to...