Olivia Fowler

On The Way

by Olivia Fowler

Never do I feel as ignorant as when athletes from countries participating in the Olympics march into the stadium carrying their flags.

It’s true that there have been many changes since my sixth-grade geography class with Miss Maude Moore, when we were all assigned a country to study. Part of that assignment was to research the country, write a report and draw a replica of their flag.

Olivia Fowler

On The Way

By Olivia Fowler

Sometimes things happen and I don’t find out about them until they are very old news, but just in case you missed it too, the news about Oreo cookies is scary.

We’ve all been saying no to drugs since Nancy Reagan told us to while happily nibbling away on these popular cookies. But a group of students and their neuroscience professor in Connecticut have conducted an experiment which indicates Oreos are as addictive as cocaine and heroin to lab rats.

Oh, lab rats, you may say. Why should we be concerned? Apparently the brains of lab rats are not so different from humans when it comes to addiction. This information is demoralizing. It’s

Ben Robinson

All About Ben

By Ben Robinson

Believe it or not, there was a plan involved here.

I was located in the Upstate of South Carolina, where cold weather only happens just to show it still exists. Then talk became common about the so-called global warming. Word was that the temperatures would eventually cause a year-round summer in these parts. My reaction was to smile — 12 months of warm weather and girls in bikinis — not bad in exchange for several weeks of cold, miserable weather.

Of course, whoever came up with the theory of global warming ignored the fact that despite this terrible global crisis we hardly ever broke any records for high temperatures. My theory was that it is colder some winters, and not so bad others. Recent weather pretty much proves that I am right.

Right. I would rather be warm.

So this year we have already had one snowstorm that covered our quarter-mile driveway, but I was able to get out and about. The snow melted in a few days, giving support to those idiots who have been harping on the global warming theory. I sat down and made the statement that we did not need any more bad weather, or else we would spoil our “global warming.”

Of course, more bad weather followed, often just up the hill in North Carolina. At some point God knew that too much snow on Ben Robinson was not a good idea. Despite the prayers of so many school children, He assigned most of our snow for north of here.

“Ben will move to Hawaii,” God probably said to the angels one day.

“And you know the prayers of those kind Hawaiian girls. ‘Keep fat ugly guys off our island.’”

So if this weather continues, I may have to check out the islands for year-round warmth, causing those girls to cry while they hula around the island.

So let’s let this be our last confrontation with bad weather this year. You would think a fat guy like me would be more opposed to warm weather, but I really have no problem with that, especially since air conditioning has become so common. I can handle sweating better than I can handle shivering.

Ben Robinson

All About Ben

 By Ben Robinson

The weather is crazy, but for all we know we are through with the rough days for this winter, so I need to start getting in shape.

Now I know that literally “round” is a shape, but it’s not one I am comfortable with. A few years ago I was down to just more than 230 pounds, which is comparatively low for me. I won’t mention where I am now, but let’s just leave it at “more than 230 pounds.”

I lost my job and went into some kind of depression. Looking back, that was probably the best thing that could have happened to me — at least the best thing that would not involve Sandra Bullock. But still, I was depressed, and I turned to food for my comfort.

Olivia Fowler

On The Way

By Olivia Fowler

Although the school board has been running a three-ring circus for some time, they’ve finally been called on their behavior. An accreditation report following an intensive review was issued by Advance Education, Inc. (AdvancED).

Although the district itself got good marks, the assessment of the board leaves its reputation in tatters.

The most disturbing finding in the report focuses on the board’s power struggles and efforts to control matters that are clearly not under their jurisdiction. The report states:

“Evidence presented to the team members verified that Board members do not comply with

Addressing AdvancED board review

Dear Editor,

I’d like to respond to the letter written concerning the recent review by AdvancED of the School District of Pickens County. AdvancEd’s team recommended a renewal of the district’s accreditation. This is contrary to what some think and others have written — that AdvancED recommended non-accreditation. That is untrue.

With all accreditation processes, be it the one done by the State Department of Education or AdvancED, there is usually a list of required steps of improvement. AdvancED listed three things it wants the district/ board to address in terms of education issues, building issues and board

Organization ashamed of school board

Dear Editor,

This letter is addressed to the School District of Pickens County’s board of trustees.

It is a shame to have to write this letter.  We are aware that your action, inaction, and inability to function as a board has resulted in the accreditation report you recently received from AdvancEd. We are the manufacturers who started here, stayed here or relocated in Pickens County due to the qualities of life here, not the least of which is the School District. We are also the companies that employ the graduates of our schools, pay taxes and support the educational

Ben Robinson

All About Ben

By Ben Robinson

Please let me know if you catch the first sign of spring. I am pretty sure it’s not these frigid temperatures we’ve had for the past few weeks.

I have gotten up and shivered as a good substitute for exercising these past few days. It’s been so cold I have not received any benefits from my advanced weight this winter. Usually people look at me, and say “He’s fat, but that weight probably keeps him warm on a cold day.” Now they just say, “Must be terrible to be cold and fat too.”

The weather has cut out one of my hobbies. Often I will drive through communities and look to

Olivia Fowler

On The Way

By Olivia Fowler

o you think the polar bears are as uncomfortable in warm weather as we are in cold? Although polar bear sightings are allegedly rare in South Carolina, or nonexistent as some claim, we are waiting to spot one in the woods.

The dogs apparently are convinced there’s something strange out there. At least that’s what they have told us three nights in a row.

If the polar bears follow the path of the Arctic blast we’ve enjoyed, they’re probably out there right now looking for seals and other things with a high fat content.

Don’t be surprised to see one going through the drive

Too quick to condemn the unemployed

Dear Editor:

I have heard about how the right portrays the long-term unemployed as lazy freeloaders.  They want you to believe that these people are lazy deadbeats looking for a hand out.

I once worked for the S.C. unemployment office, so let me tell you about the freeloaders they so condemn. They are the Korean War vet who lost his security job and without the unemployment check he must decide whether to pay for his wife’s medicine or his heating bill, or the Iraq war vet with PTSD who’s having trouble adjusting to civilian life after the horrors of war. Or think about all the 50-60-year-old textile workers whose companies shut down and sent their jobs to other countries for tax breaks and cheap labor — their job skills are outdated after working 30 or more years in textiles, and many of these have limited education. How about the single parent who was let go from the temp job since the company no longer needed them, and they can’t find another full-time job, but only short-term temp jobs.

If you think you can live off of unemployment payments, then you are sadly mistaken. The highest before taxes was $326 a week; I saw payments as low as $20. You can not live on unemployment.

It’s amazing that so soon after Christmas we rush to condemn the poor. The need to take care of the poor and least fortunate suddenly ends on Dec 26. We must make Christ proud of us.

Larry Allen

Easley