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If it’s none of your business, it’s none of your business

In my writings and talks, I often quote Cousin Al. Today is no exception. For those who might be wondering… yes, there really is a Cousin Al! His father and my mother were brother and sister, so he is my first cousin. Al has the ability to say things in a way that is memorable and helpful.    Much of what I talk and write about focuses on lessons learned from experience. This includes experiences gained from reading and listening as well as those gained from living life. In some of my presentations, I go over a list of suggestions that I have found helpful in creating a positive ...

Autumn is definitely in the air in Barbour County

Hello from Barbour County! Fall is in the air. My favorite time of the year. Fire season is also in. No burning between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Also, be sure to use common sense and if it is windy or extra dry, then don’t burn at all. Spooky season is also upon us. Philip Barbour will be having a Zombie 5K today, Oct. 25, beginning at 10 a.m. Also today, there will be a Hocus Pocus, sixth annual Trunk or Treat at the upper pavillion at Audra State Park. Treaters can begin setting up at 3 p.m. The pumpkin court will start at 4:30, and costume contest begins at 5 ...

Foreign policy

Give Donald Trump credit, he is imaginative concerning foreign policy. Freed from brokering the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, he managed to place relations with Russia on a positive track, despite some of his advisors, chiefly Keith Kellogg, pushing for a tilt towards Kyiv. Trump refused Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk missiles. Now he is reportedly ready to meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest. This is one of Trump‘s assets in that he considers all options before acting. Sometimes this allows Republican hawks, like Lindsey Graham, to think that he can be converted into a John ...

GOP brass over-reacts to rallies

So much for riot and mayhem in the streets. The “No Kings” movement rallies went off without a hitch, despite dire predictions by critics of failure and violence. Moreover, the weather smiled on the demonstrators, lending a festive air to the proceedings. Once again, the GOP critics proved wide of the mark with their apocalyptic predictions and alarmist rhetoric. Before this second round of protest, Republican officials called them nascent rebellions, if not out-and-out revolutions. The Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, called them “hate America rallies,” which proved far ...

School Choice

West Virginia Board of Education President Paul Hardesty took aim recently at parents who choose something other than the traditional public school system. He has blamed the HOPE Scholarship, homeschooling and other school choice options for declining enrollment. He fails to admit the truth: parents are leaving the system because the system failed them and their children. Mr. Hardesty had many fallacies in his impassioned yet misplaced speech. I must correct one of the most glaring: under HOPE Scholarship Exemption M, which receives state money, those who choose the IIP (Homeschooling ...

Let Babydog eat cake

You’d be forgiven if you were to think that West Virginia only has one U.S. Senator instead of two. Because based on appearances, U.S. Sen. Jim Justice appears to be doing the bare minimum. Sure, Justice is casting votes. If he has missed any, I’m unaware. The same goes for committee meetings. Justice is attending meetings, casting votes, and sometimes making speeches, though many times those speeches have little to do with whatever the committee is discussing that day. But is doing the bare minimum enough? One of my favorite movies is “Office Space.” In one scene, a server ...