The following is a letter I sent to Congress in regard to Guantanamo Bay and the use of torture. Please support S. 147 and close Guantanamo Bay detention facility and restrict interrogation to the techniques in the Army Field Manual, as well as the other proposed changes, because it goes against what America stands for. ...more

January 14, 2009

Floridians are lucky to live in a state that requires their government at all levels to operate in the sunshine, where almost every record and meeting is open for all to see. That's the only way a democracy can thrive, and the best way to stop corruption before it starts. It's a basic tenet of what Highlands Today believes, and critical to our role as public watch dogs. However, there are times when this is carried a bit too far, and that's apparent with a case sweeping across the state. ...more

November 16, 2008

The current economic disaster leaves me bitter. My parents grew up during the Depression, and I was inculcated with one basic financial tenet: Live within your means. Except for houses and cars, if you couldn't pay for it with cash, then you couldn't afford it. I was taught to save for emergencies, to not pay for services that I could do myself, and to value every penny. I cringe to think that I would ever need a government to bail me out because of choices that I made along the way. ...more

October 27, 2008

. Bitter rivals can think alike. Case in point: The way Miami and Florida State players are starting to demand more from themselves in an effort to get back to their winning ways. ...more

July 22, 2008

Residents in once-sleepy Thomasville have started complaining about traffic jams on Route 43, which runs through town. ...more

July 10, 2008

Some of us wear our patriotism on our sleeves. Or our lapels. Some stick it on the family car, in the shape of a yellow ribbon. It can be seen flying from the front porch or peeking out from under a sleeve, in an inky salute. ...more

May 26, 2008

In this time of an unpopular, protracted war, which is draining money from a struggling economy, the question of how to show patriotism is more complicated than ever. Some complain that the symbols we use to show loyalty to homeland have morphed into pro-war emblems. Stickers, flags, ribbons and pins carry new meaning, now that the war debate is politicized. Those who show them resent that the display is taken as a political stance. To them, it is still a deeply meaningful demonstration of their love of country — whether or not they love its politics. ...more

May 23, 2008

With Christmas only weeks away, brace yourselves for plenty of ranting and ravings about nativity scenes, religious displays in public places, and the usual nonsense that gets so many people wound up every year. ...more

November 14, 2007