Blink Book Review #12: History Repeating Itself? Three podcasts and a book, “Against the Tide by Harriet Keyserling” Reba Campbell Posted 9/22/23By Reba CampbellThis book and the recommended podcast episodes should be required reading/listening for anyone who is or was a lobbyist, legislator, page, staffer, reporter or anyone who is...
Column Archive
Mystery Plant! #741
Mystery Plant! #741 John Nelson Posted 9/20/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.com"The average American's simplest and commonest form of breakfast consists of coffee and beefsteak." ...
Bye Bye Mitt
Stuart Neiman Cartoon: Bye Bye Mitt Posted 9/20/23By Stuart Neiman This content is being shared through the S.C. News Exchange and is for use in SCPA member publications. Please use appropriate bylines and credit line
The Work Of Hands
The Work Of Hands Tom Poland Posted 9/18/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netFolks say the future belongs to “Knowledge Workers.” A so-called knowledge worker is someone who manages information within a specific subject area. I suppose I’m a knowledge worker. I’m more at home with a keyboard than I am a...
Breaking free from distorted thinking
Living on Purpose: Breaking free from distorted thinking Dr. William Holland Posted 9/18/23By Dr. William HollandWe continue the conversation about those who occasionally think about what their life might have been like had they made different choices. It’s true that if we had decided to make other choices our lives...
Have Fireflies Left Us?
Have Fireflies Left Us? Tom Poland Posted 9/15/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netAmong sedges and along tree lines, across lawns and fields they’ll soon cease blinking. Maybe they’ve already ended their nights of miraculous lights. The experts say they left in August. They being lantern bugs, lightning bugs, or fireflies. I...
Advertising’s slippery slope
Advertising’s slippery slope By John Foust, Advertising Trainer I remember taking a day-long ski trip to Virginia. The charter bus was filled with skiers who had different levels of experience: a few were pretty good, most were average, and some were novices like me.After a morning on the beginners’ slope,...
Is Your Website Being Used for AI? Can You Stop it?
Is Your Website Being Used for AI? Can You Stop it? Published Sept. 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Chatbots such as ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence services have exploded online since their introduction just a few months ago. They have become so popular...
Coming Full Circle
Coming Full Circle Tom Poland Posted 9/13/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netI felt like I’d been tied to the whipping post. I was as low as the proverbial snake’s belly. May 30 a tornado destroyed my Athens, Georgia, home. My marriage was floundering, and I found myself with nothing but the...
Coming Undone
Coming Undone Aïda Rogers Posted 9/13/23By Aïda RogersWhen my uncle died I was confident I could get through the funeral dry-eyed. He’d suffered a long time and because I lived next door, I felt somehow I was suffering too. The funeral would be nothing compared to what had come before.Then the...
Mystery Plant! #740
Mystery Plant! #740 John Nelson Posted 9/13/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comMy plan yesterday was to get up early and prepare for a field trip with one of my former students. It was to be something of a “busman’s holiday”, as we wanted to botanize somewhere, and it didn’t really matter where, as...
We only have one chance to make it right
Living on Purpose: We only have one chance to make it right Dr. William Holland Posted 9/13/23By Dr. William HollandThe other day I was speaking with a person I’ve known most of my life, and he asked me if I could go back in time and live my life again,...
South Carolina Supreme Court is unanimous in its support of open courts and open records. Are the trial courts paying attention?
South Carolina Supreme Court is unanimous in its support of open courts and open records. Are the trial courts paying attention? Published Sept. 2023 By SCPA Attorney Jay Bender On September 6 the Supreme Court of South Carolina filed an opinion vacating an order which had reduced the prison sentence...
Kansas case is an inflection point for rural newspapers
SUSTAINING RURAL JOURNALISM Kansas case is an inflection point for rural newspapers Published Sept. 2023 By Al Cross After local police raided the office of the Marion County Record and the home of its owners, creating a national outcry that was entirely justified, the question was asked in newspaper offices...
Mystery Plant! #739
Mystery Plant! #739 John Nelson Posted 9/6/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comWhen it rains it pours, and I don’t mean that recent hurricane.Among the plant identification requests we got last week here in the Herbarium, there were three separate questions about this very odd plant. I can’t quite figure out if it is...
Interviewing
How to interview anybody By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach Your guidelines for interviewing anybody are thankfully similar.Your subject may be the President of the United States or the woman who just won best arrangement at the local flower show.1. Do your research, even if it’s only talking with those who...
Glancing At Leaves
Glancing At Leaves Tom Poland Posted 9/6/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netThis time of year I catch myself glancing at leaves. On walks through woods and bike rides along trails, I see the occasional red leaf. I glance again and see a few more leaves turning crimson. Soon red outnumbers green....
Jimmy Buffett RIP
Stuart Neiman Cartoon: Jimmy Buffett RIP Posted 9/6/23By Stuart Neiman This content is being shared through the S.C. News Exchange and is for use in SCPA member publications. Please use appropriate bylines and credit line
Jesus loves the little children
Living on Purpose: Jesus loves the little children Dr. William Holland Posted 9/6/23By Dr. William HollandLast week we talked about how desperately we need to reach all children for Christ, and I still have much to say on the matter. God loves the little children and always made it a...
Mystery Plant! #738
Mystery Plant! #738 John Nelson Posted 8/30/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comYou might remember a couple of times in this column when the Mystery Plant was all about one of the various “Day-flowers” in a family named Commelinaceae. There are a couple of genera that you may be familiar with, including Commelina, which...
Catching Up With Lou Miller
Catching Up With Lou Miller Tom Poland Posted 8/30/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netNo. 87 lay on Buddy Bufford Field as still as a stone. Louis Miller, senior end, had broken ribs, but better days lay ahead. The undefeated Red Devils would beat Dade County to claim the 1960 Class C...
Living on Purpose: If the dark side can deceive one generation
Living on Purpose: If the dark side can deceive one generation Dr. William Holland Posted 8/28/23By Dr. William Holland A child’s mind is like a sponge that is constantly absorbing more information. This can be a good thing if they are learning about God and how to develop a personal...
Mystery Plant! #737
Mystery Plant! #737 John Nelson Posted 8/23/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comThey say that when you are in a field of corn, you have to be careful what you say, since there are so many ears. Similarly, there are various forests in the eastern United States in which you have to be careful...
God’s love is about forgiveness not condemnation
Living on Purpose: God’s love is about forgiveness not condemnation Dr. William Holland Posted 8/21/23By Dr. William HollandSome of you might keep a close watch on the news, and others may listen occasionally or not at all, but whatever the case, you’ve heard enough to realize that it’s common for...
Take steps now to report on 2024 budgets
Take steps now to report on 2024 budgets Published August 18, 2023 By Jim Pumarlo, Newspaper Consultant We’re more than halfway into 2023, and many local governments are well involved in exploring 2024 budgets. Are your newsrooms aware of the process? Are you keeping readers abreast of the dynamics?It’s not...
Mystery Plant! #736
Mystery Plant! #736 John Nelson Posted 8/17/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comSuch a wonderful Mystery Plant this week: a real treat for the eyes, as well as the nose.It’s a native member of the mint family, starting to bloom about now, in the late summer. It is somewhat woody, especially toward the base,...
Could the Kansas Police Newspaper Raid Happen Here?
Could the Kansas Police Newspaper Raid Happen Here? Published August 2023Editor's Note: SCPA members are welcome to republish this column online or in print. By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications The Aug. 11 police raid of the Marion County Record—in which the police seized the newspaper’s...
Learning Along The Estuary
Learning Along The Estuary Tom Poland Posted 8/15/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netThe children of Sandy Island board a school bus boat for an eight-minute journey across the Waccamaw River to the mainland. There, they ride a traditional bus to public schools. A school bus boat brings to mind a floating...
Until one has loved an animal
Living on Purpose: Until one has loved an animal Dr. William Holland Posted 8/15/23By Dr. William HollandCheryl and I grew up around dogs and when we were married, it did not take long for us to bring home our first fur babies, a Scottish Terrier and a Wire Hair Terrier....
Get more mileage out of testimonials
Get more mileage out of testimonials By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Back in my ad agency days, I worked with a real estate client on a series of customer testimonials. We started with one, then added another and another. The final count was more than a dozen, which kept the...
Blink Book Review #9: “Pops: Learning to be a Son and Father” by Craig Melvin
Blink Book Review #9: "Pops: Learning to be a Son and Father" by Craig Melvin Reba Campbell Posted 8/10/23By Reba CampbellStories of local folks who’ve found national acclaim always interest me. And if they’re in the world of journalism or politics even more so. That’s part of the reason I...
Waterfall Country
Waterfall Country Tom Poland Posted 8/9/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netSeveral hikes proved easy. One proved tougher than nails. By the time we made it to the third waterfall of the day, an idea had firmly cemented itself. “Hiking to waterfalls is a grueling form of physical conditioning. Mountain terrain is...
Hartsville’s Duffee making the most of post-‘Idol’ opportunities
Hartsville’s Duffee making the most of post-‘Idol’ opportunities Posted 8/9/23By Bob Sloanrsloan@scnow.comWhen Preston Duffee takes the outdoor stage for Hartsville’s Downtown Block Party on Aug. 18, it will be yet another checkmark on a list of dreams accomplished.“I can remember when I was about 15 and Hartsville held an All-American...
Mystery Plant! #735
Mystery Plant! #735 John Nelson Posted 8/9/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comIn the magic garden, this little weed serves as a knee-high street light, towering above the crickets and toads on a late summer night. Along its branches are dangling lanterns, and these shine down, in a make-believe imaginary way, illuminating the ground...
The Miraculous Green Lizard
The Miraculous Green Lizard Tom Poland Posted 8/9/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netWe call it a lizard, except it’s not. It’s an anole, and it can re-grow its tail, “regenerate” in the words of scientists. Think about that. Something else to consider, the connection between a napkin holder I gave my...
How serious are we about hating sin?
Living on Purpose: How serious are we about hating sin? Dr. William Holland Posted 8/7/23By Dr. William HollandWe spoke last week about addictions that involve more people than we could imagine, and we should realize by now that personal problems happen whether one proclaims they are a Christian or not....
Jay Bender letter to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. RE cameras in the court
Jay Bender's letter to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. RE video and still photography coverage of U.S. v. Donald J. Trump The following letter was sent Aug. 4, 2023. Here is a PDF of the full letter on letterhead. By SCPA Attorney Jay Bender Jay Benderjbender@brblegal.comAugust 4, 2023The Honorable...
Mystery Plant! #734
Mystery Plant! #734 John Nelson Posted 8/2/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comI am thinking that some of you might have been inclined in the past, and even now, to spend time around a pond or lake, perhaps a large impoundment such as our own Lake Murray here in central South Carolina. Perhaps you’ve...
Blink Book Review #8: “The Personal Librarian” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Blink Book Review #8: "The Personal Librarian" by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray Reba Campbell Posted 8/2/23By Reba Campbell“The Personal Librarian” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray was such a delightful surprise. Historical fiction isn’t normally my top reading choice, but to stay true to one of my...
Touch your readers with sensory words
Touch your readers with sensory words By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach You may remember onomatopoeic words from the 10th grade.These words express sounds such as to squeal or whoosh.There’s a different, more subtle category of words, says writing coach Henneke Duistermaat. Visual words for sight allow you to paint vibrant (or...
Being honest with God and ourselves
Living on Purpose: Being honest with God and ourselves Dr. William Holland Posted 7/31/23By Dr. William HollandIn the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the perception of contradictory information and the mental toll of it. Relevant items of information include a person’s actions, feelings, ideas, beliefs, values, convictions, and things...
Inflation Soft Landing
Stuart Neiman Cartoon: Inflation Soft Landing Posted 7/31/23By Stuart Neiman This content is being shared through the S.C. News Exchange and is for use in SCPA member publications. Please use appropriate bylines and credit line
Mystery Plant 733
Mystery Plant! #733 John Nelson Posted July 26, 2023 By John Nelson johnbnelson@sc.rr.com And now, ladies and gentlemen, for your late summer enjoyment, I am proud to present a plant that is common as dirt... and a member of the sedge family! You may remember from your first botany class...
Darkness can never overcome God’s light
Living on Purpose: Darkness can never overcome God’s light Dr. William Holland Posted July 25, 2023By Dr. William HollandThere is a lot of talk today about the reality of a global system of organized evil that controls the governments and social politics of the world. There are many different attitudes...
Tony Bennett RIP
Stuart Neiman Cartoon: RIP Tony Bennett Posted July 25, 2023By Stuart Neiman This content is being shared through the S.C. News Exchange and is for use in SCPA member publications. Please use appropriate bylines and credit line
SCPA President: CBS’ Koppel report provides hope, relights the journalism embers
CBS’ Koppel report provides hope, relights the journalism embers Published July 2023 By SCPA President Richard Whiting, Editor of the Index-Journal If you are a South Carolina newspaper (and website) journalist, then I hope I’m not sharing something you did not already know about and, more important, already watch. But...
Ad lessons from a wall poster
Ad lessons from a wall poster By John Foust, Advertising Trainer I remember going to the opthalmologist a few years ago for my regular eye checkup. In the exam room, there was a large poster on the wall which featured a number of photographs of the same view of New...
Free Press Doesn’t Mean Freedom to Break the Law, But Police Shouldn’t Arrest Journalists
Free Press Doesn’t Mean Freedom to Break the Law, But Police Shouldn’t Arrest Journalists Published July 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications Last month two reporters for the left-leaning The Asheville Blade in North Carolina were convicted of misdemeanor trespassing for not leaving when...
Mystery Plant! #732
Mystery Plant! #732 John Nelson Posted 7/19/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.com“I’m a lonely little petunia in an onion patch…” Lyrics by John Kamano, Billy Faber, Maurice MerlWell this one’s pretty easy, I hope. And I figured that during these really hot, sultry days, now at the height of summer, you might want...
The Ruins Of Chappels
The Ruins Of Chappels Tom Poland Posted 7/19/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netHighway 34. It’s my route east to places like Ninety-Six, Abbeville, and Greenwood. When I drive Highway 34, I’m in my element—the back roads, but some back roads don’t easily give up their secrets. I’ve written that you can...
Living on Purpose: Do others respect your relationship with God?
Living on Purpose: Do others respect your relationship with God? Dr. William Holland Posted 7/17/23By Dr. William HollandThe Christian and the non-Christian are supposed to be different. In fact, so different, the Bible says that once a person becomes spiritually transformed they become an entirely new creation. His includes the...
Mystery Plant! #731
Mystery Plant! #731 John Nelson Posted 7/12/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comNo gaudy flowers for this humble little earthling. No flowers at all! Not even seeds. Here’s a plant that reproduces solely by spores, and shares affinities with the familiar ferns. Some people might look at this plant and think it’s a moss...
The Air Collision Time Forgot
The Air Collision Time Forgot Tom Poland Posted 7/10/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netI visit forgotten churches more than the church I call my own. I feel a haunting at an unfrequented church, a poignant peaceful feeling. I see pews, a pulpit, and the occasional piano. A hymnal now and then....
Mystery Plant! #730
Mystery Plant! #730 John Nelson Posted 7/5/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comOne of my pet peeves as a plant taxonomist comes up again when we look at this little plant. Its common name suggests that it is a grass---but it is not a grass. Not even close.Nevertheless, it looks at little bit like...
Affirmative Action
Stuart Neiman Cartoon: Affirmative Action Posted 7/5/23By Stuart Neiman This content is being shared through the S.C. News Exchange and is for use in SCPA member publications. Please use appropriate bylines and credit line
Having courage to stand for what we believe
Living on Purpose: Having courage to stand for what we believe Dr. William Holland Posted 7/3/23By Dr. William HollandEvery summer we look forward to the Fourth of July because it’s filled with fun things to do, like barbecuing, picnics, games, family gatherings, boating, camping, and fireworks. Also, for many, it’s...
Blink Book Review #5: “Newsroom Confidential – Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life” by Margaret Sullivan
Blink Book Review #5: “Newsroom Confidential – Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life” by Margaret Sullivan Reba Campbell Posted 6/30/23 By Reba Campbell As a lifelong news nerd, I love reading about the machinations of a newsroom – How do news stories actually get to the front page? Who...
Bonus Blink Book Review: “Grace Will Lead Us Home” by Jennifer Berry Hawes
Bonus Blink Book Review: “Grace Will Lead Us Home” by Jennifer Berry Hawes Reba Campbell Posted 6/29/23By Reba CampbellRarely does a book appeal to all my “reading” senses – beautifully written, important message, compelling story and human connections. “Grace Will Lead Us Home” about the shootings at Mother Emanuel A.M.E....
Read like a writer
Read like a writer By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach Sounds simple, doesn’t it. You are already a writer.But think about it. Whenever you read – and it should be daily – think like a writer.Pay attention to what the writers are doing, how they hold your attention and keep you reading....
Outdoor Men Of Letters
Outdoor Men Of Letters Tom Poland Posted 6/29/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netBeing a native Georgian, I didn’t grow up reading South Carolina writers. Nor do I recall reading Georgia writers, but I read a lot. Hemmed in as I was by strict parenting and Georgia woodlands, magazines and books connected...
Blink Book Review #4: “Our Best Intentions” by Vibhuti Jain
Blink Book Review #4: "Our Best Intentions" by Vibhuti Jain Reba Campbell Posted 6/28/23By Reba Campbell"Our Best Intentions” by Vibhuti Jain revolves around an Indian immigrant family living in a small, well-to-do New York suburb. The father, Barbur Singh, is raising his teen-aged daughter, Angela, alone after his wife abandons...
A Scrape In The Sand
A Scrape In The Sand Tom Poland Posted 6/28/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netSand washes away. Memories last forever.The year was 1982. That would have been South Carolina Wildlife magazines 28th anniversary. I worked in film then and I felt I was part of the magazine staff though I wasn’t. While...
Mystery Plant! #729
Mystery Plant! #729 John Nelson Posted 6/28/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comWe have no bananas today, but we have something very, very similar: something that brings us a very decidedly Latin American addition to our menus. But first, a few words about the banana “family”.The banana family is a group of plant species...
The Beach That Was
The Beach That Was Tom Poland Posted 6/26/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netFrom afar the skyline looks like that of a city, and it is. Myrtle Beach’s skyline of hotels seems to dwarf the skyline of all other South Carolina cities. It even has a SkyWheel similar to Atlanta’s SkyView Ferris...
Blink Book Review #3: “Daisy Jones and the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Blink Book Review #3: “Daisy Jones and the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid Reba Campbell Posted 6/26/23By Reba CampbellMy dream has long been to quit life and join the band. While I’ve taken up music lessons in recent years, this book allowed me to vicariously live out that dream without...
Being informed is not a substitute for truth
Living on Purpose: Being informed is not a substitute for truth Dr. William Holland Posted 6/26/23By Dr. William HollandAll levels of government and its ally, the mainstream media, are regularly accused of dishonesty. Many of these falsehoods are ignored or quickly forgotten by a public that has become numb to...
Keep it simple in sports writing
Keep it simple in sports writing By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach Writing about a sport for those who don’t understand the sport is a challenge. Most writers figure they are writing for fans as familiar with the game as they are.John McPhee, author of A Sense of Where You Are and...
Yes, we need white space
Yes, we need white space By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach In a black and white movie, you want shadow and light.In a color movie, you want vibrant colors.Without these, they would be unwatchable movies.The same is true of your own writing – and reading.You want short words, short sentences, short...
Stories within your stories
Stories within your stories By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach Anecdotes are a vital part of compelling storytelling. These are small stories that may open or close your larger story.They also can appear almost anywhere in the middle.John McPhee used an anecdote in a New Yorker article about environmentalist Edward Abbey.In his book, Abbey wrote...
Writing life stories
Writing life stories By Jerry Bellune, Writing Coach To their families, obituaries are final chapters in the lives of those they love.For many, obituaries mark their loved ones’ release from pain.For others, it is the winding down of long and fruitful lives.For the unfortunate, they are wrenching, unwelcome nightmares, whether...
‘Running of the interns’ highlights why federal courts should be open to cameras
'Running of the interns' highlights why federal courts should be open to cameras Published June 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications “On your mark. Get set. Go!”These words were not actually called out in the federal courtroom where former president Donald Trump was arraigned...
Don’t sell your clients short
Don’t sell your clients short By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Gene told me about an experience he had when he was fundraising for the Boy Scouts. “I was young and completely sold on the value of scouting because some years earlier I had earned the designations of Eagle Scout and...
Mystery Plant! #728
Mystery Plant! #728 John Nelson Posted 6/21/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comLet’s head to the beach! But watch out for the dune vegetation: in many places, the vegetation is protected by law, and visitors are admonished to stay off the dunes. Besides, some dune plants will bite you back.Our Mystery Plant is one...
Blink Book Review #2: “Life in Five Senses” by Gretchen Rubin
Blink Book Review #2: “Life in Five Senses” by Gretchen Rubin Reba Campbell Posted 6/21/23By Reba CampbellIs there anything that we take for granted more than the power of our five senses? Gretchen Rubin’s new book, “Life in Five Senses, How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head...
Lets Dance
Lets Dance Posted 6/20/23By Stuart Neiman This content is being shared through the S.C. News Exchange and is for use in SCPA member publications. Please use appropriate bylines and credit line
Living on Purpose: Being transformed by the renewing of our mind
Living on Purpose: Being transformed by the renewing of our mind Dr. William Holland Posted 6/19/23By Dr. William HollandWhen we think about the challenges and possibilities of our future, it’s easy to ignore our responsibilities while we imagine someone else stepping into our situation and helping us achieve our goals....
Mystery Plant! #727!
Mystery Plant! #727! John Nelson Posted 6/15/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comTo be a dog, a mule, a cat, a fitchew, a toad, a lizard … I would not care. ...
Lone Star, The Rambling Ghost
Lone Star, The Rambling Ghost Tom Poland Posted 6/14/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netI’ve long felt that two of South Carolina’s prettier community names are Silverstreet and Lone Star. Silverstreet I’ve seen many times. Those names, evocative and atmospheric, charm the ear. One conjures up biblical streets of gold; the other...
Living on Purpose: God Did That
Living on Purpose: God Did That Dr. William Holland Posted 6/13/23By Dr. William HollandWithin the unlimited amount of evidence to prove that God is real and the Creator of all things, there is no greater example than the Sun, Earth, and Moon. The average person does not wake up in...
My Father’s Failed Quest
My Father's Failed Quest Tom Poland Posted 6/12/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netDad had a saying. “I won’t let it whip me.” He prevailed over stubborn bolts, obstinate lawn mowers, welding projects, and just about anything that crossed his path, except one small, elusive critter. Hummingbirds. Oh he had no problem...
Report for America is looking for rural newspapers
INTO THE ISSUES Report for America is looking for rural newspapers Published June 7, 2023 By Al Cross Rural newspapers are missing out on a great deal — subsidized, eager, young reporters who can boost coverage and build the paper’s brand as a public service.The deal comes from Report for...
Mystery Plant! #726
Mystery Plant! #726 John Nelson Posted 6/7/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comMint, sage, rosemary, thyme, horehound, mountain-mint, catnip, bee-balm, marjoram, pennyroyal, lemon-balm, hyssop, lavender, dittany and basil (is it BAY-zil or BAAA-zil?): what an aromatic bunch of plants these are! All of these are fragrant members of the widely distributed "mint" family, one...
Stuart Neiman Cartoon: Accomplishments vs Lawsuits
Stuart Neiman Cartoon: Accomplishments vs Lawsuits Posted 6/6/23By Stuart Neiman This content is being shared through the S.C. News Exchange and is for use in SCPA member publications. Please use appropriate bylines and credit line
My Good Friend, Steve Blackmon
My Good Friend, Steve Blackmon Tom Poland Posted 6/5/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netThe writing life introduces me to some memorable people. Steve Blackmon found me when his daughter, Myra, read my feature, “Remembering Danburg,” in an online journal of Southern culture. She told her father about my story and Steve...
Living on Purpose: Are we dedicated to accomplish His will?
Living on Purpose: Are we dedicated to accomplish His will? Dr. William Holland Posted 6/5/23By Dr. William HollandWe might as well lay all the cards on the table and establish that it’s easier to go to church and put some money in the offering plate than to develop a consistent...
Sweet Talk
Everything and Nothing: Sweet Talk Aïda Rogers Posted 6/1/23By Aïda RogersThere’s not much my friend Kathy and I don’t talk about. Somehow, though, we always end up on the topic of sweets. Usually it’s whatever ice cream flavor she’s discovered and what I’m mixing with my nonfat plain Greek yogurt to...
Mystery Plant! #725
Mystery Plant! #725 John Nelson Posted 6/1/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comOne of the neatest things about being a botanist is that there is always a surprise, right around the corner. We sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that everything around us is hum-drum and uninteresting, and then boom. Something really wonderful,...
Blink Book Review #1: “The Art of Calm” by Roger Hutchison
Blink Book Review #1: "The Art of Calm" by Roger Hutchison Reba Campbell Posted 6/1/23By Reba CampbellRoger Hutchison’s recently released book “The Art of Calm” is the perfect mix of thought-provoking, immensely readable, practical and insightful helping bring new awareness to our daily lives.The book is structured around Roger’s journey...
Chasing The Ivorybill
Chasing The Ivorybill Tom Poland Posted 5/30/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.net“Chasing the Swamp Ghost” caught my eye, and I read Garden & Gun’s feature about photographer Bobby Harrison’s quest to capture irrefutable evidence that the ivorybill woodpecker still lives. As I read, I came across a vague reference to the...
We Have a Deal
Stuart Neiman Cartoon: We Have a Deal Posted 5/30/23By Stuart Neiman This content is being shared through the S.C. News Exchange and is for use in SCPA member publications. Please use appropriate bylines and credit line
Living on Purpose: A time to Remember and Respect
Living on Purpose: A time to Remember and Respect Dr. William Holland Posted 5/30/23By Dr. William HollandThis is a week when we honor those who died in battle for our country. There was a time when society seemed to be more sensitive and compassionate about casualties of war, but today...
My SC Wildlife Dream Machine
My SC Wildlife Dream Machine Tom Poland Posted 5/25/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netI grew up in a large hardwood forest in Georgia, and I rambled in woods every chance I got. I saw deer, wild turkey, ducks, and coveys of quail. When they flushed, it sounded like a bomb going...
Mystery Plant! #724
Mystery Plant! #724 John Nelson Posted 5/25/23By John Nelsonjohnbnelson@sc.rr.comFoul words and frowns must not repel a lover;What though the rose have prickles, yet 'tis pluck'd. William Shakespeare, “Venus and Adonis”; 592.When I was a senior in college, my very final semester, I took an English class named “Shakespeare’s Comedies”. I loved the...
The Day The Sky Fell
The Day The Sky Fell Tom Poland Posted 5/23/23 By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netA beautiful blue-sky afternoon it was. As I walked back from my mailbox a freshly killed squirrel with half its head missing fell right in front of me. What a shock. I looked up to see a red-shouldered...
Living on Purpose: Life is an ongoing transformation process
Living on Purpose: Life is an ongoing transformation process Dr. William Holland Posted 5/23/23 By Dr. William Holland I was at my daughter’s home a few years ago doing some painting, and yes, these are things that retired fathers are happy to do. She was in another room organizing a...
A Favorite Place
A Favorite Place Tom Poland Posted 5/23/23 By Tom Poland A Southern Writer www.tompoland.net tompol@earthlink.net Each spring I write of three places, three beautiful places where colonies of rocky shoals spider lilies bloom. One is quite accessible; one is perhaps the world’s largest colony, and the other, though difficult to...
Mystery Plant 723
Mystery Plant 723 John Nelson Posted May 17, 2023 By John Nelson johnbnelson@sc.rr.com The other day I was busying around in the herbarium when a gentleman from the little town of Wagener, SC dropped by, carrying a bucket. Inside the bucket was a good bit of water, from his pond,...
Is “Actual Malice” Really Not an Insurmountable Hurdle?
Is “Actual Malice” Really Not an Insurmountable Hurdle? Published May 2023 By Eric P. Robinson, USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications This column has repeatedly discussed the numerous attacks on the landmark New York Times v. Sullivan precedent and the “actual malice” standard that it added to American libel...
A divided heart lives in deception
Living on Purpose: A divided heart lives in deception Dr. William Holland Posted May 16, 2023By Dr. William HollandI’m reminded again of the quote from Scott Fitzgerald, “You do not write because you want to say something; you write because you have something to say.” I can relate to those...
What makes an ad campaign?
What makes an ad campaign? By John Foust, Advertising Trainer Amanda told me about taking over the advertising account of a business which had been placing ads in her paper for a long time. “In our first meeting, the owner said he had been running what he called a ‘campaign’...