THE PROMISES Church member Ruth McGinnis lent the Whites $170,000 in 1995 to help them buy a home. They never paid her back or cared for her as promised. LaShonda Dupree didn't get a home she believed she won in a church-sponsored essay contest in 2002. The Whites repaid McGinnis and bought Dupree a home after their stories ran in the Tribune. ...more

November 11, 2007

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa and ranking member of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, has for years been suspicious of televangelists who rake in fortunes, own fancy cars and jet across the country ostensibly in the service of God. Like many of us, he questions whether the accumulation of great wealth or power in the service of the Almighty is more about greed than spiritual awareness. ...more

November 7, 2007

As I watch the tube and listen to all of the promises from all of the candidates for the big job, I begin to think that it really doesn't matter which one gets elected. Regardless of party affiliation and regardless of past performance, they all promise me that when they get the job, it will be performed to everyone's satisfaction. Some of them admit to little mistakes in the past, but promise me that this will never happen again (it was someone else's fault anyway.) Imagine that you are the personnel director of a large firm and you are reviewing an applicant's resume. From the information on his past work record, you find that if you hire this guy, he would make one of the best janitors that money can buy. But if he can perform as well as he promises, your worries will be over and life will be a bowl of cherries. After reviewing several more applications, you find one that has already accomplished most of the things the other guy promised. ...more

September 29, 2007

The Devil Rays have always been about promises, promises - not to mention a brighter tomorrow, better days ahead, and a future that will be here in a year or two once the kids are ready. There's a reason for keeping their eyes forward, of course. Talking about tomorrow means you have a built-in excuse for losing today. ...more

September 28, 2007