Category Archives: Opinions
In the eye of the beholder
Sometimes on the hill across from us there will be several hawks soaring. It looks like fun.
But sometimes, on the hill across from us there will be a lot of large birds circling. A quick look and I’ll think, “Oh, they must be hawks.”
But a closer look, with the help of binoculars, proves me wrong.
They’re not hawks, but buzzards, or the more sinister name, vultures.
I’ve always thought buzzards look ominous.
This is not their fault. I suppose buzzards are beautiful to other buzzards, just as frogs and alligators find beauty in their companions.
At least I think they do. For all I know alligators eat each other, but at some point in time, they find mates they think are attractive.
But I digress.
After doing a little research online, I learned that we have two kinds of
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Buyer beware of bogus bargains
One way to save money is to buy used stuff. But avoid being burnt by being aware of bogus bargains, deceptive duds and painted pigs.
There are more than 5,000 flea market-type operations in North America, of which at least 1,000 are considered semipermanent, according to losspreventionmedia.com. These markets are also referred to as swap meets, trash and treasure, boot sales and outdoor markets.
Watch out for new paint on old items at yard sales, flea markets, auctions and Craigslist. Heads up on a fantastic deal that’s just too good to be true. Pay attention to the long-winded sales pitch.
I bought an outdoor wooden bench at a flea market. I knew it was older, but I
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Courier Letters to the Editor 7-11-18
ClemsonFest thanks the community
Dear Editor,
A special thank you to the thousands of good folks who joined us at the new location for the ClemsonFest celebration. The fireworks were spectacular, not only for the new expanded fireworks, but as well for the enhancement of nature. The lightning streaks interspersed with the manmade show really lit up the sky.
As those of you who attended can attest to, this annual event has outgrown its old location at the Snow Family Recreation Center (formerly Y Beach). We have plans for further additions and improved parking and traffic control. Our thanks to Pickens County sheriff’s deputies for their help throughout the evening. The lower price for a glass of beer was well received, as was the larger selection of food vendors. Next year, we will see the addition of a misting tunnel to cool adults and entertain the kids. Stay tuned as 2019 rolls around for new entrance and exit instructions.
We are especially grateful to the many volunteers who gave their time and provided much welcome support.
For those of you who missed our 25th annual ClemsonFest event, pencil in your 2019 calendar for July 3, where we will again be celebrating at this new location at 1569 Eighteen Mile Road in Central, a quarter mile off U.S. Highway 123.
Our thanks to many — attendees, sponsors, volunteers, community supporters and chamber staff.
David Lane
President/CEO
Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce
Beware of rabid skunks
Dear Editor:
I live approximately three miles from downtown Pickens. On Sunday, July 1, we saw a skunk walking around our yard in the bright sunlight. He crossed the road and went into the woods. A few hours later, we found him hiding between a large box that we store yard tools in and our back porch. When he finally came out, he could barely walk. He was dragging his hind legs. Then he
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Deaths in the family
Guest Editorial
Newspaper reporters routinely show up at scenes of violent crime as police descend to restore order and launch 
investigations. The journalists take notes, talk to officers and witnesses, and try to make sense of the tragedy.
On Thursday afternoon, one shooting episode hit closer to home. It happened at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Md., where the employees work under the corporate umbrella of Tronc, the media company that owns the Chicago Tribune and many other properties. These are our colleagues.
Shootings are frighteningly commonplace in American workplaces. People in virtually every store, factory, warehouse
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Courier Letters to the editor 7-4-18
We must stop this madness
Dear Editor,
The past few months we’ve all received the candidate mailers and robo calls and seen the ads on TV. Every candidate said he was the most conservative, will clean up the corruption, is a businessman, the true outsider, 100 percent pro-life and is more like President Trump than even Trump himself.
The same conservative buzz words and catchy phrases — how can this be? Well, most candidates poll the voters on what the voters want. Then, during the campaign, the candidates regurgitate back to the voters what they want to hear. It’s really a snow job; few candidates are truly genuine these days.
The economy is growing, most have more money in their pockets and things have improved economically. Looking deeper, however, our country is rotting from the inside out. Yet,
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More protections for home loans
One of our veterans benefits is help with buying a home. The 
Department of Veterans Affairs has a new policy that protects veterans from predatory lenders when we refinance loans.
The lending industry has some bad actors who pull scams on home buyers, adding extra interest, fees and multiple expenses, and more. The new policy calls a halt to all that, adding to the list of protections we already have when buying a
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What about a #MeToo movement for ordinary women?
The spotlight shines on Hollywood’s history of sexual harassment of female celebrities by male moguls. Is it time to shine the light on sexual harassment of ordinary females in the workplace by male bosses? Patricia Cornwell wrote, “I believe the root of all evil is abuse of power.”
Recap: The “Me Too” movement, an international movement against sexual misconduct, sexual harassment and sexual assault, went viral in October 2017 as a hashtag on social media. The power dynamics of employee and employer relationships is being discussed, dissected and debated in the
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Going back in time
This week, I traveled across the state to visit my Aunt Carolyn in the sandhills of North Carolina. She will be 97 in September, but doesn’t want a birthday party. She wants to wait until she turns 100 in 2021.
I drove through the Upstate heading east. Kings Mountain is the last mountain I pass on my trip, and the landscape begins flattening out as I go further east.
Red clay gradually turns sandy, and thick forests of long-leaf
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Ask — He is listening
We know that people pray for all types of things, and many 
times I wonder if God takes every request seriously or if He considers some of them unreasonable.
For example, I’m sure that at sporting events both sides are praying for victory over the opposing team, but I’ve always thought these types of prayers generally fall into the category of the non-spiritual variety. The Bible actually mentions unsuitable attitudes behind our prayers and uses the word
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Letters to the Editor
Making America great again?
Dear Editor,
On behalf of the 4th, I want to make this statement.
Anyone who would say “make America great again” doesn’t realize how awful that sounds.
It’s as if they’re saying America lost her greatness somewhere along the way.
I have news for them — America is, always has been and always will be great! The greatest nation to ever exist. Being born in
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