Opinions

Use your leap day to live life to the fullest

“Save the evening of Feb. 29,” my lovely wife, Grace, announced. “We’re having dinner with Toogie and Brevard.” I hadn’t seen my aunt’s gentleman caller in a long time, which was fine by me. Brevard does shower Toogie with invitations to galas and goings-on with his South of Broad circle,...

Readers speak out on school calendar changes

The Berkeley County School District is weighing three options for a new school calendar, with earlier start dates (Aug. 8 or Aug. 14) and changes the number and timing of breaks provided throughout the year. Classes would still conclude at the end of May. (Read the story about all the...

What is the color of light?

About 10 years ago I wrote a 20th anniversary poem for my wife, Jenny. She placed it in a glass frame which sits on a sideboard in our dining room. On one particular fall afternoon last year, the sun turned that frame into a prism and painted the sideboard, nearby decor and even our...

How good are you at sleeping?

“She’s a good sleeper.” It’s a phrase we hear about newborns and young ones. Back then, it was a natural act, something our body just did, without forethought, or planning, or sound machines and blackout curtains. But as adults, sleeping often doesn’t seem all that natural, leading...

Readers speak out on open primary process

States that choose to hold open presidential primaries are usually trying to give a voice to independent voters who do not want to declare allegiance to the Republican or Democratic parties. But some people feel this opens the door for opposing parties to influence candidate nominations. ...

Readers speak out on presidential primary process

With the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primaries out of the way, South Carolina was the next stop on the 2024 Presidential primary trail. But are primaries important? Some would argue, due to consistently low percentages of voters engaging, that the system allows for a small percentage of people...

Enjoy these nonfiction and fiction recommendations

The cold, wet weather means more time for reading. In nonfiction: “Flight of the WASP” by Michael Gross provides a detailed socio-political look at our country, beginning with the pilgrims and features outstanding portraits of the men (and they were predominantly men who had power) who...

How good are you at resisting labels?

In a world of vibrant colors, we seem to spend a fair bit of time thinking in black and white. Today we’re unraveling the impact of labels – that is, the words that we privately assign to others and, of course, to ourselves. At their best, labels make it easier for us to navigate the world...

A better way to celebrate love

If you ask so-called experts how to celebrate Valentine’s Day you’ll get some really bad answers. Proflowers.com, for example, suggests setting up an art making experience. “He will love creating something with you that he can see on display every day.” I can see his eyes rolling...

To stop predators from using AI to exploit children, Congress must act

Sexual predators are using a new tool to exploit children -- AI image generators. Users on a dark-web forum shared 3,000 AI-generated images of child sexual abuse in one month, according to the Internet Watch Foundation. Current child sexual abuse laws are outdated. They don’t account for...