An Open Letter to Ann Coulter

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Tim Shriver on the Special Olympics BLOG on Wordpress

 The following is a guest post in the form of an open letter from Special Olympics athlete and global messenger John Franklin Stephens to Ann Coulter after this tweet during last night’s Presidential debate.

 

John Franklin Stephens

Dear Ann Coulter,

Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow.  So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult?

I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow.  I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you.  In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night.

I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow Special Olympians have.

Then I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else races from one snarkey sound bite to the next.

Finally, I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift.

Because, Ms. Coulter, that is who we are – and much, much more.
After I saw your tweet, I realized you just wanted to belittle the President by linking him to people like me.  You assumed that people would understand and accept that being linked to someone like me is an insult and you assumed you could get away with it and still appear on TV.

I have to wonder if you considered other hateful words but recoiled from the backlash.
Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor.

No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much.

Come join us someday at Special Olympics.  See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged.

A friend you haven’t made yet,   

John Franklin Stephens
Global Messenger
Special Olympics Virginia

EDITOR’S NOTE: John has previously written powerful opinion pieces on the R-word. Read one here.

To read the original post CLICK HERE

Red vs. Blue OR Red, White AND Blue?

Are You a Red American, A Blue American or a Red White and Blue American?

We have endured so much animosity in Washington and in this country ever since Newt Gingrich told the Republican Party that it's members should not fraternize with those in the"Other" Party outside of work. I remember hearing Ted Kennedy, who was famous for compromise, say in an interview that before newt cam into power, a lot of work got done during after hour socializing.

 In 1994 Gingrich's political action committee, GOPAC, sent out "GOPAC memo", called "Language: A Key Mechanism of Control", was written and distributed to members of the Republican Party. It contained a list of "contrasting words" and "optimistic positive governing words" that Gingrich recommended for use in describing Democrats and Republicans, respectively. For example, words to use against opponents include decay, failure (fail), collapse(ing), deeper, crisis, urgent(cy), destructive, destroy, sick, pathetic, lie, liberal, they/them, unionized bureaucracy, "compassion" is not enough, betray, consequences, limit(s), shallow, traitors, sensationalists;"

How will those in the Washington ever work on a solution to America's problems if they maintain and encourage the US vs. THEM, all or nothing mentality. It's not us and them it's "We the People".

That has not been our history as Americans. We have always known how to come together as a team to get things done.

Old fashioned barn raisings or helping a neighbor or a stranger in need.  Meal were given to hungry people  or a job for a day to pay for food when they showed up on your doorstep in need.
 Soup kitchens were set up during the Great Depression in the 20's to help the hungry out of work people.

Working as a team to get things done during World War II not only with our Allies but here at home. Women went to work in arms factories to take the place of men who went off to war,  people lived with rationing of food and other items so supplies could be sent to the troops. More recently we saw it through the way we came together as a nation after 9/11, the outpouring of people trying to assist Hurricane Katrina victims and the disaster in Haiti. You name the problem be it tornadoes or feeding our local homeless people, we Americans figure out how to get it done. As you all well know it doesn't have to be something here in the US. It just has to be the right thing to do. 

We never vote and say well our team says "We can only help by sending bottles of water by jets" and the other says "No, overland freight is the best and only way" and suddenly, STALEMATE, no one gets the water they need. No, a team figures out what needs to be done and we do it; or we send money to the right organized group to get the job done as efficiently and humanely as possible. 

So what has happend to us that suddenly there are now distinct teams with only 2 lines of belief, with 2 sets of black and white answers to all issues facing the American people? This is not a Board game with exact rules to follow, it's the fate of the American people.  

I know it's not just me, I hear it from friends and strangers alike and see it on Social Media sites. I even heard David Letterman say it to President Obama the other night,  "I am sick and tired of the divisiveness that we perceive...but  you can just smell that something is not working any more..." Letterman Interview 9/18/12

I think we need to get back to the belief in democratic process and not the media process. It shouldn't be all about sound bytes, or what you read in a chain email that you send along without proof that it is real because you want to believe it's real.

Yes, we also allow Freedom of speech and I believe that we do and should have differing opinions on politics and how to better this country and what is the best way to wash clothes or drive to the grocery store.

 However, if a person can't fundamentally get along with those they work with side by side or in this bigger picture those that are making decisions about our great nation, then every red flag should be going up! We should all be writing and calling all of our Representatives in Washington and telling them to get their act together. 

Not after the Election. Now. Do you want me to believe you in the future even if you are not up for relection now, then change your stripes. I don't care if you are a Democrat , a Republican or an Independent. Make yourself heard because no matter who gets elected as President, we can't take 4 more years or even 4 more months or weeks of stalemate in Washington.

There is too much work that needs to get done, so more Red White and Blue Americans can get a job, get a good education, get their Social Security check,  Medicare Benefits, Health Care Coverage and be proud to be American who can still get things done!

We deserve it.

Success of Mount Vintage Plantation Home Owner's Association

As a current property owner and former resident of Mount Vintage Plantation, North Augusta, SC,  I put together some information.

Golf Club House the old Shaw House

   Mount Vintage Plantation has gotten so  
   much bad press caused by lawsuits and 
   bickering between Developers. Rumors  
   were flying and everyone was afraid to go
   near this beautiful place.

   I would like to set the record straight with
   my narrative. This is my opportunity to 
   highlight a premier Community of 
   interesting and active business people,
   volunteers and all around good folks from
   all across the the country and even the 
   world!

They deserve to be in the spotlight for once. You see things can change and be made better when people work together to make things happen.

Mount Vintage Plantation is a vibrant Community, only 20 minutes from downtown Augusta Georgia. In the recent past it suffered from the bickering and legal battles of it's two developers, who dragged down the beautiful Community with it.  When two children fight and get mean it can be ugly. In this case the Community, it's grounds and it's reputation suffered.

The people of Mount Vintage have always come together socially, as volunteers, as supporters when one of their own suffered a blow or a health issue. It could be a waitress at the Grille with a special needs child or a brand new neighbor whose wife was taken seriously ill. It didn't matter how well you knew the person, because the Community always rallied when a member was in need. They go above and beyond as the resident owner of the golf course did when he drove a terminally ill resident halfway across the country to be at a hospice near his children.

It's been over a year since the children stopped their bickering. Their legal battles are in the past. The Mount Vintage Community is still there and it has shown its strength.
The once beautiful 27 Hole Golf Course, badly in need of maintenance, was bought by a member of the Community and his wife, saving it from foreclosure. The challenging course is back up to it's previous standard of excellence and then some, sporting new golf carts and a welcoming attitude to new members not living at Mount Vintage.

 

One of many historic markers at Mount Vintage Plantation

The rebirth was even assisted by many residents who acted as volunteers to work on grounds maintenance in the early stages! The Golf Course has won awards and continues to host events like the Annual Carolinas/Georgia Jr. Golf Championship and  the recent 4th Annual Vintage Victors for a Cure. The latter event raised over $19,000 for cancer research at Georgia Health Sciences this year. That brings the total amount raised by Mount Vintage residents over the last four years to over $61,000, just
                        for this charity alone.

  The Community Center with it's pool, gym,
   6 clay tennis courts and Community 
   Garden, also bought by the same couple,
   has been reopened as a nonprofit to the 
   members of the Community. Participants
   all pay an annual fee and as homeowners 
   and residents, have a stake in it's 
   success. Yoga classes, Book Clubs, water
   aerobics, etc. all go on and the  
   Community Library of shared books is
                                                                               back on track with it's own room in the
                                                                               Community Center.

Those same resident owners of the golf course donated six acres to build a Fire/EMT station in the middle of the development, something they did not have to do, but did so because of the benefits to the community.

Mount Vintage Plantation is beautifully maintained by the Home Owner's Association. The group is no longer taking a back seat and now runs Mount Vintage like clockwork, with monthly financial reports, Annual Meetings, etc.

The homes at Mount Vintage are varied. Everything from a 10 acre horse farm with it's own barn, family homes spread out on 2-3 acres, houses of varying sizes and styles on 1/2 to full acres lots and small houses on a small plot of land with minimal maintenance, houses on the golf course or those with more privacy. It's all there beautifully laid out and maintained.

There are lots of all sizes too. Some are prime lots bought years ago as investment by current owners or a few other Developer lots near the new 9.

Houses and lots are for sale but what community doesn't have for sale signs posted? Attrition happens. People get transferred, houses become too big or too small, circumstances change, a spouse takes ill, plans change. Things happen.

So many rumors still abound about Mount Vintage: it's falling apart, there are legal battles, everyone is fighting and my favorite, it's too far out.

All are false; come see for yourself. Close to Rt. 520 and I20, 15 minutes to downtown North Augusta that is right over the bridge from Augusta and some of the best hospitals and medical care available. Aiken and it's horse Community is a stone's throw away and as many know, Atlanta, Charleston, Savannah, the beach and the mountains are all just a couple of hours away. Did I mention that Costco is only one exit away from Mount Vintage off of I20?

I wrote this to set the record straight for Mount Vintage and to polish up it's tarnished reputation for you. Yes I own a house and 2 lots there. No I don't live there anymore. Remember, plans change? I am not that far away and still visit friends that will be friends for life. I participate in events when possible, like the Community 4th of July Parade and Barbecue. I attend the monthly Lunch Bunch that meets at a different restaurant each month to try something new and to socialize. If I’m lucky, I’ll make the Covered Dish Pot Luck Social this month!

I continue my old friendships and make new ones. That has always been the real Mount Vintage Plantation; its people and biggest supporters. They were there to welcome me and tell me what a great place it was to live there. They and I were always there to welcome others. They have endured hardships and happy times together. Once a member of the Mount Vintage Community, always a member.

I know our house will be referred to by our last name for year's to come just like the Smith's house will always be referred to as that. It doesn't matter that they don't live there any more. They are known and loved by the Community and we were all there in spirit when Beth underwent a heart transplant in Arizona, because, as I said, once a member of the Mount Vintage Community, always a member.

Come take a ride down Sweetwater Rd into Mount Vintage Plantation Drive and see for yourself. Don't be surprised by a smiling car driver waving as they pass you by. That's Mount Vintage for you.


Please note:  In another BLOG post, I posted information about the Post Office's way of assigning addresses. Mount Vintage addresses are listed as North Augusta. However it is right on the edge of Aiken County, but is actually in Edgefield County, unlike North Augusta which is in Aiken County. This note is not intended to give you a headache. That is up to the US Post Office!

Fancy Railroad Buildings, Light Rail and Towns Connected

I wrote this letter to the New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner in 2002:

"I applaud you for looking for funding and short term solutions to our transportation problems. However, with our aging population of folks like myself that are choosing to stay in NJ, and increased highway traffic, you need to start looking for long term solutions. Not everyone in NJ is trying to commute to New York! We have a huge number of businesses, corporate HQ's and shopping malls all along our network of highways. We need a light rail system to take us along Rte 287, Rte. 80 and the Parkway and Turnpike. I shouldn't have to take a train to Newark or NYC to go down the shore from Morristown. 

 If you had light rail down the center of our highways, many businesses would set up shuttles to the station at each exit. You could start planning for park and rides at many of the exits. It will be at least 10 or 15 years before I'm ready to retire. As I get older, I don't want to find myself competing with all of the trucks that have taken over the roads. I also hope to continue to travel throughout NJ. I'd be willing to add a few cents to my gasoline tax now to put this in place in the next 10 years."

Here is the response I got back from the NJ Transit Customer Service Dept:
"Unfortunately there are no resources at present to build light rail lines such as you suggest. There would be many challenges in such an undertaking, the most significant of which would be obtaining funding. Then there would be numerous feasibility and environmental impact studies. Finally, there are many areas of these highways where there are no median strips or medians that would not be wide enough for rail lines.
This suggestion has actually been made many times before and for many reasons is simply not practical.
The unfortunate reality is that in a state as developed and densely populated as New Jersey there are probably always going to be traffic problems to some degree. Budgetary constraints and other considerations prohibit us from offering every type of service we might need, no matter how helpful they might be."

Here is my response back to DOT:
I realize all of the items that would have to be completed. This would be a long term project 10-20 years out.
If you always approach a topic such as this with all of the reasons why it can't be done, then it never would be completed. You should approach it more from the standpoint of what would it take to complete and how can I go about doing it.
For instance, you mentioned the point about median strips. Just like they do in some parts of the Washington DC metro, you go up over the highway. Also, you start where you can put it in and do that first.
The Wash. DC metro took over 20 years to complete. I rode on the very first link to my job in the District 25 years ago. It only went the distance of a few miles from the Union Station. Look at it today!
For instance, start a plan for one that goes out Rte. 80 from PA to Morristown and the northern part of Rte. 287.  to 287 south near Bedminster. You would cut down a HUGE amount of traffic just by giving access along that stretch of road. 
I was in a public meeting about 6 years ago run by DOT and there was an overwhelming response from the public that they would be willing to add 10 cents to every gallon of gas to put in such a light rail system.

For once as government officials, face the challenges that you mentioned below and start the feasibility studies. You'd be amazed at the groundswell of support that you would get from the NJ voters. Who knows, you might even be able to get the funding."

For those living in NJ, you will note that nothing really has changed. If you want to go to any major city in NJ, you basically must first travel to Newark, NJ on the northeast border of NJ and then you can travel to other places in NJ via rail or bus. The biggest light rail change that I am aware of is the ability to travel into New York City, via a link from Newark Airport to Newark. It's a great convenience for traveling flying into EWR.

Just think what the state would look like if they had at least started to investigate feasibility in 1996 when they first held public meetings on transportation issues!

On the other hand, things have changed drastically for me. I had to retire early AND I have moved to the South. Who would have ever thought this Jersey girl would make such a leap? I've changed. An unplanned early retirement due to disability caused life changes and an impact to my financial situation. Strange things can happen to your planned life.  My husband, now in his mid-sixties, works and travels constantly to make up the difference.

Life happens. However, not much has changed in our commitment to Light Rail or railroad transportation, outside of really major cities. It could really help someone in my situation now even more than ever.

I am a huge proponent of Light Rail Systems and have been for decades. I have written numerous letters to Congressmen, Senators, and Governors about the subject. I believe with the soaring cost of energy and the aging population on our roads (I am one of them), it is advisable to plan for light rail systems now.
 
Travel from any small town in Europe is possible via Railroad. It used to be that way in the US. That's one reason why there are so many abandoned railroad lines and Railway station Buildings.

The US is so committed to cars that it is not planning for the overall future of transportation. Initially major highways were built and road improvements made due to the automobile industry. Towns now exist due to developments springing up along roadways, away from cities. We should be taking advantage of the footprint of the current network of highways and start to install light rail systems in the centers of major highways. It is a VERY long term vision that needs to start at some point. It also could be built into the current need to plan for major maintenance on current roads and bridges in dire need of repair and modernization.

As Government Study, Trends in Personal Income and Passenger Vehicle Miles ¹ , backs up this theory. Although the automobile industry in the US is now, thankfully, back and vibrant again and employing US laborers, the study questions whether or not households have reached a saturation point in the number of vehicles per household. Also, the study notes that with changing demographics and an aging population in some areas, the need for public transportation over cars for some types of travel may be required.

There are miles and miles of abandoned railroad lines and actually working lines that could be put to use. Currently, it is less expensive per ton to ship by rail than by truck. The same Bureau of Statistics reveals that more freight travels by rail for long distances and the majority of truck transportation in the US is largely for short distance trips. 

Think about that same model for people for a moment. Look at an Amtrack or bus transportation route for a long distance trip. It might take me 3 hours to drive to Charlotte, but it would take 10 hours to get there by bus. An Amtrack trip to NY city from here would take about 35 hours and a car trip about 13. Of course, those who can afford it would take a plane, which could sometimes involve a 10 hour trip between travel to and from airports, waiting time, transfers, etc.

If you plan now for a light rail system along Rte 20, Rte 71, etc,  it would take millions of cars (and aging boomers like myself) off of the road. You can travel all around Western Europe very easily by train by not around the US. We should be able to travel to and from smaller cities. I now live near Augusta Georgia and would love to be able to take the train between Aiken SC and Augusta GA.

It won’t happen in my lifetime, but with aging infrastructure, why not invest in the right infrastructure. Let’s not only depend on cars to get us from point A to point B. They are now making Hybrid train engines. Smaller cities could support Cable cars like San Francisco!

Let's start planning better Mass transit and light rail for larger cities like Columbia!

Here is a letter I wrote to the Augusta Mayor in 2008, when I lived in North Augusta when they were considering a proposal for a rail system only down Broad street in Augusta:

"I am a huge proponent of Light Rail Systems. I have written numerous letters to Congressmen, Senators and the Gov of SC about the subject. I believe with the soaring cost of energy and the aging population on our roads (I am one of them), it is advisable to plan for light rail systems now. 

However, a system in Downtown Augusta, going down Broad Street is not what I imagined as a useful tool that would get optimum utilization and serve the community's needs. A system that begins in Augusta and can take people to the Augusta Airport, the Atlanta Airport, and Columbia Airport would be ideal. Set up an agreement with Aiken and have a system between the two cities. You will increase shopping downtown and people will come to the Restaurants. 

Consider a link from downtown to the Augusta Mall. That will increase job opportunities for folks living downtown too. Have a stop at the hospital system. Light rail could follow the path of the major highways in GA and SC as the rights of way are already established.

If you brought in Outlets to downtown or some of the old mill buildings, you would have a great link for shoppers and give folks another reason to come from the airports and other towns to Augusta.

Keep thinking light rail. Just don't mar the beauty of downtown Augusta. That is a major draw to the city. You want folks to want to walk around downtown to make it worthwhile for stores and restaurants. Once they are down there, a trolly or open touring bus ride might be just the thing for shoppers to hop on and off of and to be dropped off at the train station to get home. As I age, I'd much rather take light rail than drive. A lot of the retirees moving into the area can afford to spend money in Augusta. We just don't feel a need to go there or drive there that frequently. Give us better reasons."

Now think about hopping on a train that can comfortably take you to Charleston or Savannah for a day trip or Charlotte for a Concert or Nascar race. Not so tired from that drive to enjoy the sights or the event are you? 

North and South Corridors is all we worry about down here and that's where the business goes. Everything is East of us and heads North and South up and down the Rte 95 Corridor. I believe that is one reason that it is hard to bring business to Western South Carolina and another reason why it is so hard to get from point A to Point B from here.

Folks sit in traffic, waste time, and fuel commuting from towns in the North West area along Rte 26 to Charleston and commuters traveling to and from downtown Charleston. Going over some of the bridges in that area is a nightmare. A light rail system along those roads and bridges and to and from the airport would be a boon to the area and the economy.

That is true for so many towns and cities throughout the US. Travel points depend upon Major Highway routes that traverse the US and are main roadway corridors. If you want to travel easily, whether by train or air, pick a major route that parallels a major highway.

Notice all of the abandoned Railroad stations that are now being turned into shops or Museums. In some cases, millions of dollars are spent restoring these buildings to preserve history. Think about it. Folks are preserving history instead of making these buildings useful for the purpose they were built for in the first place. Wouldn't it be nice to have a room dedicated to the Railroad museum history in our local museums and have a functioning Railroad station that actually allows people to travel from that point to another location?

Stop just thinking about the wonderful past but think about a new future that we could have.

1st published 9/14/2012

Updated 1/21/2021

 

1. Dept of Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Administration  Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Times have changed...so, quit complaining - Cranston Herald

Times have changed...so, quit complaining - Cranston Herald

If you like, use the link above to post your comments to the original article so Charlie Lawrence can see them!

To the Editor:

I am white. I am male. I am also 68 and a Vietnam Era veteran. And I am angry.
And I know many people my age who are also angry. They see gays and lesbians demanding the right to get married. They see a black man in the White House with a strange sounding name, changing our health care system and suggesting that we as a nation might have something to do with the sorry state of affairs in the world.

To my fellow seniors who are upset and alarmed at this, I have a message: Stop feeling sorry for yourself! Enough of your whining! The world is changing, and it's about time you got off your mental easy chair and did the same! Your stubborn resistance to change is maddening!

Upset about gay lifestyle? I am married more than 40 years ... to a woman ... and I do not in any way feel threatened by gays and lesbians who wish to be wed. Here's some advice – one senior to another – try minding your own business. 

When I see you no longer eating pork or working on Sunday, then I'll take your Bible-based opposition to gay marriage seriously. 

And while you are at it, stop complaining about this so-called “socialist” president as you sit in your easy chairs collecting both Medicare and Social Security. And don't swallow the hogwash about a Republican saving Medicare and a Democrat “robbing” it. Please, don't make seniors look senile by swallowing that lie. ( I'll deal with that lie in my next letter.)
You constantly lament how things have gotten worse. Yes, they have.

Ours was a noble generation that fought for Medicare, for equal rights for women and blacks, clean air and water and decent wages for all. Now too many of us fight for tax breaks for the wealthiest few and more power and money for corporations. How noble is that?

We admired and respected broadcasters like Walter Cronkite and Paul Harvey. Men of integrity. Now we are taken in by any right-wing blowhard with a microphone, the biggest being a four-times married, self-admitted drug abuser. Another so insane, even Fox News dropped him.

And, yes, there is a black man in the White House. It's a sign of the changing face of America. I fully understand for many this is an uncomfortable sign; your old world is gone. For most, what you feel is not bigotry; it's fear. Deep down fear. 

Please! It's 2012. Stop fearing change! Embrace it! Welcome it as we did so many years ago because change is here and will continue with or without our help.

Charlie Lawrence
Johnston

A Horse Park in Aiken SC? That would be too Logical!

I am not one of the folks with "deep pockets" nor am I one of the old timers with a NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitude or that change is bad.

Aiken missed a great opportunity when the Sheik was interested in purchasing property in the downtown horse area. I know he is now selling the property he bought in place of the downtown property. However, just look at the amazing racing facilities showcased in Dubai a few years ago at the Kentucky Derby to get a feel for what could have been. Change can be good if it means some things are upgraded or improved.

I'm not saying we need a facility like that, but holding the Reining Championships in the Augusta James Brown Arena is a joke and losing the National Barrel Racing Championships due to lack of a facility was a sin. An Equine Community like ours should be ashamed we can't showcase all disciplines. Lack of space or facilities is not a good answer for an open and welcoming horse community like ours.

Yes we have facilities spread around Aiken that could be an adjunct for the Horse Park. However, they are not adequate to bring in the really big events that could bring jobs and an infusion into our economy. Now is an opportunity for Aiken to really claim it's crown as "THE Horse place to be".

I have never seen such an equestrian centered community. It's theme runs throughout all of our daily lives in some small way, even if it's just the horse head on all of the downtown street signs, or the life size statues of painted horses strategically placed around town. Yet "we" resist change when it could mean expansion of the horse community and the events held in the area.

I know there are folks for and against a Horse Park, and many of those against it probably have a stake in local facilities. If done right, the Horse Park could bring even more to the local facilities when folks see the variety of amenities already here, not to mention the welcoming attitude of the people.

I personally like the idea of an Aiken Horse Park. However I don't totally agree with the study's predetermined location north of I20.

After visiting the amazing Horse Park in Macon, GA, I never saw the town. Everything I needed was right there. If not inside the complex, hotels and restaurants have popped up along the outskirts of the facility. Why visit Macon in a busy schedule? Of course if I stayed longer I would want to get out of the facility. The way they structured it is a bit cold for my taste and not that inviting with only one open hamburger shop on premise.

Now if another location was considered, that "forced" visitors to travel, even along the outskirts of town, without disturbing traffic patterns, then it should be considered for many reasons.

The study location would make it easiest for visitors from the north or east. They could get to the facility and leave without ever experiencing Aiken.

Other locations are easily accessed from major Roads. If infrastructure is to be improved, why not look at other alternatives, especially those that would entice folks into town. That could help with one of the goals for local businesses and other horse facilities to do more business. Also a location that could revitalize a neighborhood in need should be considered. We have plenty of those not always thought about in our County or the Western part of the State in general.

Open your minds to the exciting possibilities a beautifully planned and built facility could do for Aiken. It would draw more horse people here to actually experience Aiken and maybe invest in property here.

Let's think completely out of the box and start imagining a light rail system that could take you to the Horse Park, to downtown Aiken, the Columbia and Augusta Airports, downtown Augusta; but that's a subject for another article that will be posted soon...

Whether or not the I20 location is cast in concrete, other facility amenities should be considered. The park should have a "Downtown Aiken" look and feel with sections named after places in Aiken. The walkways could reflect names like Laurens, Whiskey Road, Easy Street, Hitchcock Woods. 

It should be a welcoming place with landscaping and with a duplicate Aiken County Visitors Center Gift Shop in it staffed during expositions. If done right, it can host other events that are not horse related.

While you are at it, figure in a permanent place where County Shelter dogs and cats could be showcased for adoption during an event. Friends of the Animal Shelter FOTAS Aiken volunteers could encourage Travelers with horse trailers to transport some of our over abundance of animals to no kill shelters in other locations. 

Also build an area where local merchants could set up on prebuilt carts, wagons, carriages or "stalls" (you get the equine idea) and bring town merchandise to the travelers like they do at the Steeplechase.

You could even have a food court where some local restaurants or caterers could set up shop for a few days. That would mean that the fare offered would not only be hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries!

Don't charge the vendors and restaurant owners exorbitant fees and rotate the opportunity to be a vendor or food purveyor at the park.

If done right, a Cultural Festival or other large event could be scheduled annually there during off peak from scheduled horse events. Music, art, plays and dance, with strolling musicians and performers in the alleyways! It could be the perfect place for a family oriented First Night New Year's Eve celebration that are so popular in other large towns. An Ethnic Festival like they have in Augusta could be so much fun with the variety of foods they showcase. With a good Event planner on staff, a lot could be done with the right facilities.

Wouldn't it be nice if all of that revenue helps our County tax base and allows us to increase aid to the education of the children of Aiken County without increasing our taxes?

Yes, I am a dreamer and have a positive outlook on life. I believe it's time for Aiken to really embrace change for the better and build a Horse Park that reflects the beauty and spirit of the Aiken Community.

Now all we need are some folks with deep pockets and a dream to make it happen!

Post Office Locations, Routes, Mailing Addresses and a Lost Identity

For the past 30 years I have physically lived in 4 different houses where the town I lived in was not recognized by the local town Post Office. One had a small Post Office that was protected by the local Congressman. It provided PO Boxes to residents who wished to convene in the former Town Center for gossip and sometimes flaunt their address. That town habit cost the Post Office and the town a lot of money to rebuild a few years ago, although it is now a lovely new facility connected to a Deli. The old Deli across the street went out of business with the demise of the old Post Office next to it. The Town Center activity has since shifted to the Municipal Building and the new Library that the folks decided to build; but that's another story for another time.

I currently live in Aiken, SC in an Equestrian Development that is divided by a Road. If you live on my side of the road, you have a Beech Island mailing address. If you live on the other side of the road and live in the same Development, under the same Home Owner's Association, the same Bridle Trail system, etc., you have an Aiken mailing address.

By the way, there is no Post Office in Beech Island, or Town Center for that matter. If I put my zip plus 4 into the Post Office search engine for the nearest Post Office to me, it comes up with Langley, SC, another small town with an old cemetery, no Town Center and a 4 Lane Highway running through it. Langley is about 7 miles in the opposite direction from where my life takes me. Did I mention I am a horse person and I live in Aiken?

I have gone through the logistics of this several times with local Postmasters and even written to the Almighty Post Master General, Congressmen, Senators, etc. I understand, under the current policy, that it can’t be changed due to postal routes that were established over 100 years ago based upon then existing rivers, streams, etc. I also understand, based on the comment I received from a PO employee in charge, that it made sense to change my address. However, they would never recommend it to their superiors as it would not be received well or go anywhere if they recommended it...status quo - good, speaking up with an idea - bad.

Here is where it gets interesting. I am serviced out of the North Augusta, SC Post Office, which is about 13 miles away and overseen by a Post Master who currently works in Augusta GA. The Aiken Post office is about 7 miles from my house. I’d much rather drive 7 miles to an area that I visit almost daily than 13 miles to a strange town to pick up a letter I must sign for, etc.

In addition, within 7 to 10 miles from my house and within less than 1 to 2 miles of the next Post Office, on the same stretch of busy highway, there are 5 Post Offices: Gloverville, Langley, Warrenville, Bath and Clearwater. Not exactly Town Centers today where people are convening for gossip and a cup of coffee. Google maps shows the Bath Post Office located in Beech Island!?! They get their data from the same data base that the Post Office uses for their routes.

Some of these buildings were put in place at the request of Senator Strom Thurmond, many years ago, and frankly continuing to have any or all five of them is a waste of current tax payer money and resources. One of these offices only services about 200 people. However, the resident employee does have a lot of time to catch up on their magazine reading…

The Post Office has plans to deliver mail 5 days a week. That's OK with me. They want to do more online services, also OK with me. However, while they are at it, why not add some updated logic to mail delivery. I know they use GIS Systems (Geographic Information Systems) for mail routes, etc.

Why not give people what they basically really want, a mailing address from the town they live in? It should not require a physical brick and mortar building to be in the vicinity to accomplish this. If the Post Office uses existing technology and tweaks their systems, they could give me an Aiken mailing address and have whoever is physically closest to me deliver the mail to me.

If someone lives in New Vernon NJ, votes in New Vernon, is a member of the New Vernon Fire Department or the New Vernon School Board, they should be able to have a New Vernon mailing address instead of a Morristown or Basking Ridge NJ mailing address for mail delivery or a New Vernon Post Office Box to pick up their own mail. Folks could keep their Gloverville, Langley, Warrenville, Bath and Clearwater SC addresses, but not have to be serviced by a brick and mortar building physically located in "their town”.

We had a recent uprising in this area where a local Representative got involved because of a route change that changed peoples mailing addresses from the town they lived in. Imagine that? Maybe that's the opposite of what people want?

It has always been bad enough over the years trying to explain why I have a different mailing address than where I tell people I live. Directions are always a nightmare. However, think about the safety aspect too. In a small town where the local government rules and the Fire Department and Police Officers service the town, that's one thing. I now live in a large County with a large population. The County Sheriff's Department is stretched so thin over such a large area, they sometimes have trouble figuring out where I live! We have two wonderful Volunteer Fire Department's in our area. Because Beech Island's Fire Station is over 22 minutes and 13 miles away from us, the local Aiken Fire Station Volunteers will come to our side of the street as back up, because they are less than 5 min and 2 miles away!

The Post Office location or route should not determine a person’s address, but the town they live in should. The Post Office has zip plus 4, which narrows down physical locations. They could probably give me an Aiken mailing address with the same Beech Island Zip Code using my zip plus 4. They could change my zip code; I don’t care. Better yet, use this intelligence to reroute where mail is delivered from, with much more centralized delivery.

I could receive mail where I live, where I tell people I live. It's why I moved here in the first place; to live in Aiken and partake of it's equestrian lifestyle.  I'm not a wealthy person with a stable full of expensive horses. I am only a disabled Senior Citizen who likes to walk the trails quietly, commune with nature and my horse and enjoy the scenery. That's why I moved to Aiken.

The Post Office could reduce brick and mortar expenses tremendously. Some specific jobs may be lost, some gained and some relocated. I  would imagine based on commuting models that it would be better for the environment if routes were planned more efficiently. It would mean that a few workers may have to travel farther to work rather than the Post Office's larger vehicles traveling farther to deliver mail to illogical locations.

I realize this would stand the Post Office's hair on end and have people running into walls thinking the sky is falling. It would force Post Office employees to think out of the box, throw out the existing model, based in some cases on rivers and streams that have since rerouted themselves, and do something totally different. 

The Post Office needs to start thinking in terms of servicing people who live in specific towns. Recognize people's identities and the buildings that service them become less important.

This may not sit well with politicians who want to protect the status quo. Many government workers and people here in the South are afraid of any change, even if it benefits everyone and saves money. Many political careers were made in the past by doing favors for the locals, like giving them their own Post Office building.The South is full of favors and relationships. But this would have to take place everywhere the US Postal Service delivers the mail. The South will just have to go along with the change or maybe follow Strom Thurmond's way and stop change through filibuster, a political way of holding your breath until you turn blue and get your way.....

For once, use some new logic and updated technology. Ask people the right questions to find out what they want and they may find that many are lacking an identity when it comes to their mailing address. Look at the solution, the cost savings and the impact. Initially it will be big on all counts. Yes, people will have to change their business cards, mailing labels and stationary. Oh wait, most of that is created digitally anyway. It’s happened previously, maybe before some reader's time. People were upset about change when standard Area Codes were changed and new ones added by the old AT&T, as the number of people with landline telephones expanded. Somehow we all survived that change. 

The Post Office has to realize that changing existing Postal Routes, that made sense over 100 years ago, is not just about a mailing address. It's not just about efficiency in a needed business that is losing billions each year. It all rolls back into many small Post Offices that still may need to be in a Town Center. Some of these needed buildings bring their resident's together over more than coffee and gossip. In some rural cases, it's the place where needed help and support is found. They help keep the town's identity alive. 

A mailing address is just that. It's all about an identity, who I am, where I live, the home team I root for, the place where I volunteer, my town, Pride of Place, who I am. It's not only the town's identity, it's part of my identity. This is something that many Americans need strengthened: an identity and Pride of Place.

Hi, I'm Linda and I am proud to say that I live in Aiken South Carolina, USA.

The Monologue That Kicked Off This BLOG From "The Newsroom" on HBO

Speech by TV news anchor Will McAvoy in the Pilot Episode of The Newsroom, after asked a question in a panel "What makes America the greatest country in the World?"

          

It's not the greatest country in the world, professor, that's my answer...

The NEA is a loser. Yeah, it accounts for a penny out of our paychecks, but he [gesturing to the conservative panelist] gets to hit you with it anytime he wants. It doesn't cost money, it costs votes. It costs airtime and column inches. You know why people don't like liberals? Because they lose. If liberals are so fuckin' smart, how come they lose so GODDAM ALWAYS!

And ... you're going to tell students that America's so starspangled awesome that we're the only ones in the world who have freedom? Canada has freedom, Japan has freedom, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Australia, Belgium has freedom. Two hundred seven sovereign states in the world, like 180 of them have freedom... there is absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we're the greatest country in the world.

We're seventh in literacy, twenty-seventh in math, twenty-second in science, forty-ninth in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, third in median household income, number four in labor force, and number four in exports. We lead the world in only three categories: number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real, and defense spending, where we spend more than the next twenty-six countries combined, twenty-five of whom are allies. None of this is the fault of a 20-year-old college student, but you, nonetheless, are without a doubt, a member of the WORST-period-GENERATION-period-EVER-period, so when you ask what makes us the greatest country in the world, I don't know what the fuck you're talking about?! Yosemite?!!!...

We sure used to be. We stood up for what was right! We fought for moral reasons, we passed and struck down laws for moral reasons. We waged wars on poverty, not poor people. We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors, we put our money where our mouths were, and we never beat our chest. We built great big things, made ungodly technological advances, explored the universe, cured diseases, and cultivated the world's greatest artists and the world's greatest economy. We reached for the stars, and we acted like men. We aspired to intelligence; we didn't belittle it; it didn't make us feel inferior. We didn't identify ourselves by who we voted for in the last election, and we didn't scare so easy. And we were able to be all these things and do all these things because we were informed. By great men, men who were revered. The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one—America is not the greatest country in the world anymore.

Watch the entire monologue here or on Youtube: 

Blog post by Linda Vola