Thirty-something speaks
Father of the brides
Mike Maddock
      It is true that girls start planning their weddings the moment they poke their pretty little heads into this world. I speak from experience because I'm almost sure my oldest daughter's first words were, "Ice sculptures!" She's ten- years- old now, and the only thing she lacks in her planning is a groom, but that's not really important.
More ...

It's not a criticism, it's an observation.
America, the beautiful
Mike Cox
      Last week, the combination of pleasant weather, good music, and boredom got me off my fat butt and back down to Finlay Park for the Summer Concert Series. Elliot and the Untouchables provided some up tempo Blues, and the crowd was filled with those who nudge the dial of normalcy just a bit.
More ...

Poor ol' Pint's miscalculation
      People in town called him Pint, partly because of his diminutive size and partly because he always had a pint of gin in his hip pocket. Pint's gargantuan appetite for booze was legend in his South Carolina hometown. He never held down a job very long. Mostly, he did odd jobs.
More ...

The Gray Wave is headed our way
By Curtis Loftis Executive director, Office on Aging
      Currently, there are approximately 770,000 South Carolinians over the age of 60. By 2025, that number is projected to swell to more than 1.3 million. Will our state be ready to meet the needs of such a rapidly- growing senior demographic? And can we accomplish this Herculean task of protecting our seniors while simultaneously protecting the taxpayers?
More ...

World Affairs Council's speaker promotes free trade agreements
By Anita Baker
      The World Affairs Council held its Distinguished Speaker Series Wednesday, June 18, 2008. The featured speaker, Greg Delawie, is the director of the Office of Bilateral Trade Affairs in the Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
More ...