http://www.beaufortcountynow.com Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:12:56 EDT http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/275/29/beaufort-county-schools-make-the-new-york-times.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/275/29/beaufort-county-schools-make-the-new-york-times.html Beaufort County Schools has made the New York Times. The Times is running a story on the extensive use of suspensions and expulsions in the nation's schools and the disproportionate impact of these methods of punishment on minority students. The local case they cite is the Southside suspensions in 2008, which have been extensively covered here.

You can review one of the summative articles we did, including a link to view a video of the fight that got the two girls kicked out of school for the... Read More]]> Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:41:06 EDT http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/274/25/dear-friends.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/274/25/dear-friends.html Don’t you just hate getting letters from politicians or their political hacks that begin Dear Friend, Dear Friends or just Friend …

Well, I’ve been a very conservative Republican county commissioner for nearly 14 years. I have angered so many liberals; many of whom have rarely experienced a rational thought, and certainly if they did, on that very rare off chance occasion, they, more often than not, cannot discuss / debate the issues that put them into their tizzies, withou... Read More]]> Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:59:13 EDT http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/273/18/the-hurt-locker.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/273/18/the-hurt-locker.html For Love of Country or Love of the Rush?

Does it really matter? Staff Sergeant William James is still an American Hero - almost along the order of Audie Murphy. Sergeant Audie Murphy saved the lives of many American soldiers by killing hundreds of well armed Nazis. Staff Sergeant William James saved the lives of many American soldiers by dismantling hundreds of IED's in war torn urban Iraq.

The Staff Sergeant, portrayed by virtually unknown actor Jeremy Renner, had just disarmed a very... Read More]]> Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:47:38 EDT http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/272/13/where-the-wild-things-are.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/272/13/where-the-wild-things-are.html I know this Will Anger Some, But the Movie Did Not Need to be Made

I do try to give films a good go of it when I try to enjoy them as art or simply entertainment. In terms of "Where the Wild Things Are," I tried to look at the picture trough the eyes of an unruly child, but I came up empty. The movie was 101 minutes long and was about 60 minutes too long to tell the story of the unruly Max in a make-believe-world that originated from a short, but very interestingly illustrated book by Mauri... Read More]]> Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:32:28 EDT http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/271/15/backwater-jack-s-reopens-for-warmer-weather.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/271/15/backwater-jack-s-reopens-for-warmer-weather.html Peace, love and beer are back on the menu!

Washington’s Backwater Jack’s Tiki Bar and Grill reopened for the warm season yesterday at 11:30 a.m., with draft beer and positive energy flowing—attracting hundreds of patrons ready to eat, drink, party and, yes, toss mullets (not hair flipping; fish flinging!).

At 7 p.m., the parking lot was full, and there were lines out the door.

“It’s like a summer Friday night,” exclaimed Backwater Jack’s waitress Robin Terry of Washington.

Located at the... Read More]]> Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:02:34 EDT http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/270/53/escape-from-fantasy-island.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/270/53/escape-from-fantasy-island.html It’s gorgeous outside today. Beyond and above my computer monitor, I can tilt my head back to look up through the large window facing me and see shapes move across my vision: an albino alligator smoking a hookah, a white motorcar blowing exhaust, a blank void turning into a glittery peep show. I don't care what kind of fancy piece of technology you have; nature, plus a good imagination, always steals the stage.

I’m convinced, now more than ever, that spring was named after what it inspires: un... Read More]]> Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:04:21 EDT http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/269/49/shutter-island.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/269/49/shutter-island.html Martin Scorsese Keeps the Impregnable Island Central to His Story

The great director also turned my mind inside out, as I struggled to conceive the point nd purpose of his lavish film, which examined the inner recesses of a damaged mind. By the end of the film, with my mind struggling to reconcile this story’s many twists that suggest the realty within Scorsese’s surreal depiction of the upside down existence of his protagonist, Detective Teddy Daniels, played by Leonardo DiCapri... Read More]]> Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:44:15 EDT http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/268/17/the-lost-boys.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/268/17/the-lost-boys.html
The Late Corey Haim's Best Film is Also One of my Favorites

I will forever watch "The Lost Boys" through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl. Though it was produced in 1987, when I was 5, it wasn’t until my teens that I saw this coming-of-age vampire film. At the time, my girlfriends and I loved horror movies. Better still, we loved horror movies with cute bad boys playing the title roles. "Pet Cemetery II," with Edward Furlong, was our typical slumber-party rental, and, like pizza, it n... Read More]]> Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:36:24 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/267/19/the-morning-drive.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/267/19/the-morning-drive.html I have a 30 minute commute to work in the morning. To my way of thinking, it is the perfect distance between my life at home and my job. There is both an opportunity to prepare for the day on the way in, as well as decompress and unwind after all my customers needs have been accommodated. During the drive, my mind often wanders into very predictable questions: What do I need to do today? Are there going to be any big headaches? I wonder what’s for supper? Why is that guy going 75 mph in ... Read More]]> Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:00:23 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/266/37/the-bs-report.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/266/37/the-bs-report.html We’ve all had those moments. You know, when the boss says he’s looking out for your best interest, when your favorite sports star says his contract negotiations are “not about the money”, or when ANY politician moves his/her lips. These are what I call BS moments. These are the times when you look at the person closest to you and say, “now that’s a bunch of BS…”. Over the course of the last couple of weeks, there have been a couple of BS moments o... Read More]]> Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:11:30 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/265/53/cardio-health-seems-relative-but-it-s-really-not.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/265/53/cardio-health-seems-relative-but-it-s-really-not.html Three weeks ago, I made a promise to allow Lent to be an opportunity for me to grow and change. From the start, I suffered setbacks with my health that threw me off course. Rather than losing my way into the wilderness, I’ve been shuffling alongside the narrow path, “FOR WALKERS ONLY,” sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, and hoping to feel well enough again to rejoin the low incidence, relatively unassisted, dependable, mobile population on the trail.

Though my cold, flu, whatever it was, se... Read More]]> Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:19:24 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/263/21/at-this-naco-conference-change-was-in-the-air.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/263/21/at-this-naco-conference-change-was-in-the-air.html President Obama has made the proposed Health Care Reform Bill the centerpiece of his presidency. His political fortunes will continue, or be diminished by the crafting of this partisan initiative, and its subsequent passage before the midterm election cycle. To a lesser extent at the NACo conference, there were other talking points on other issues: proposed Cap and Trade / Clean Energy Policy legislation, but what resonated with me was the simpatico culpability within the NACo (National Associ... Read More]]> Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:24:29 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/262/29/non-english-speaking-students-accommodate-or-teach-them-to-think-in-english.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/262/29/non-english-speaking-students-accommodate-or-teach-them-to-think-in-english.html There is always a danger when one frames a complex issue that oversimplifies the issue that much will be lost. But such is often essential in order to foster a useful debate of that complex issue. Bilingualism is such a case. Having said that we will attempt here to frame that issue in a simple manner in the hopes of contributing to a significant debate here in Beaufort County that seems to only grow as the years go by.

Simply stated the issue is: To what extent must and should we accommodate... Read More]]> Mon, 8 Mar 2010 22:12:39 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/261/48/are-you-ready-to-buy.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/261/48/are-you-ready-to-buy.html There's absolutely nothing wrong with not being able to buy a house. I am a Realtor and an advocate of home ownership, who is currently renting a home. Of course, I would love to build equity, feel the security of having title to my own piece of earth, or simply have a real interest in remodeling my kitchen, but I am financially unprepared for such a responsibility.

Instead I'm happily setting myself up to take on this responsibility by working hard, paying off debt, saving money and getting my... Read More]]> Fri, 5 Mar 2010 15:07:06 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/260/48/what-to-do-before-listing-your-property.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/260/48/what-to-do-before-listing-your-property.html For many, selling property marks the end of an age. It’s a physical representation of the changing dynamics within your family, your relationship, or your career. A change of this magnitude isn’t easy. Leaving memories behind can be incredibly difficult. Take photographs, host a moving party, but before you put that For Sale sign in your yard, make sure you and your home have said your goodbyes.

It may sound harsh, but once it goes on the market, you are open for business and the c... Read More]]> Fri, 5 Mar 2010 13:35:35 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/259/39/stimulus-funds-trickle-down-into-local-weatherization-assistance-program.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/259/39/stimulus-funds-trickle-down-into-local-weatherization-assistance-program.html Going green is likely the last thing on the minds of those living in lower-income households. A family with an income at 200 percent below the federal poverty guidelines is understandably more concerned with paying the bills, than reducing their carbon footprint.

Thanks to the expansion of the Weatherization Assistance Program, administered through North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services Office of Economic Opportunity, lower-income households can go green and save green simult... Read More]]> Thu, 4 Mar 2010 16:42:06 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/258/1/republican-commissioners-express-fear-of-losing-dominant-culture-to-hispanics.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/258/1/republican-commissioners-express-fear-of-losing-dominant-culture-to-hispanics.html The debate over the hispanicization of America continued at yesterday’s Beaufort County Board of Commissioners meeting.

The new Beaufort County Board of Education Superintendent Don Phipps appeared before the commissioners to discuss concerns related to the Spanish translation of the Beaufort County Schools’ Code of Conduct, which can be found on their Web site.

The Code of Conduct is, currently, the only material on the site available in Spanish.

Phipps defended the necessity of a Spanish v... Read More]]> Tue, 2 Mar 2010 14:55:19 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/257/21/a-primary-is-in-the-offing.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/257/21/a-primary-is-in-the-offing.html I have a primary for Beaufort County Commissioner. I did not want a primary, but I welcome one nonetheless. On the negative side, a primary diverts some of my attention from my personal business. That, obviously, will not be avoided, because there are now 5 aspiring politicians running for the three Republican nominations vying for the three open commissioner seats in the November 2nd, General Election.

On the other hand, a primary in early May offers me an opportunity to campaign, and, i... Read More]]> Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:38:05 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/256/48/long-the-markets-right-now-get-ready-to-have-your-lunch-money-taken-for-the-next-50-years.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/256/48/long-the-markets-right-now-get-ready-to-have-your-lunch-money-taken-for-the-next-50-years.html Since the March 2009 lows in the major American indices (S&P 500, Dow, NASDAQ), it’s been a wild ride straight up as markets attempt to digest information and find a new equilibrium in the aftermath of the largest private sector debt bubble in history (not to metion the world wide public sector debt crisis set to take place within the next 5-10 years). Many investors are thoroughly convinced that we’ve found that equilibrium here in the 9,500- 10,700 range.

They are optimistic... Read More]]> Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:04:26 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/255/29/school-board-confirms-it-s-spending-money-like-there-s-no-tomorrow.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/255/29/school-board-confirms-it-s-spending-money-like-there-s-no-tomorrow.html Facing a multi-million dollar shortfall, they just keep spending

Beaufort County Schools officials (Dr. Don Phipps, School Board Chair Robert Belcher and Finance Officer Laurie Modlin) met with the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners in special session Thursday afternoon to review budget matters and for a "get acquainted" session with the new superintendent.

Most of the time was spent going over details of the financial reports.

On the page at the link above entitled Capital... Read More]]> Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:05:51 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/254/20/beaufort-county-government-s-general-meeting-agenda-monday-march-1-2010.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/254/20/beaufort-county-government-s-general-meeting-agenda-monday-march-1-2010.html The Beaufort County Board of County Commissioners Will Meet to Discuss the County's Business

The Government of Beaufort County meets every month for at least one General Meeting to discuss and act on the county's business. Beaufort County employs the County Manager Form of Government, which stipulates that the board of county commissioners allow the county manager to set the agenda, and bring issues before them.

This is defininitely the third or second slowest, least ambitious general meet... Read More]]> Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:36:16 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/253/40/why-no-jobs.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/253/40/why-no-jobs.html The Democratic "leaders" in Congress and the General Assembly assure them things are fine. "The recession is over," they crow. "The president's plan has brought hundreds of thousands of new jobs," etc, etc, etc. Each statement a bigger lie than the one before. Meanwhile citizens of North Carolina can't find work and are struggling to survive. Increasingly it becomes more difficult to pay for food, utilities, the mortgage and needs for the kids.

The debt bubble is ... Read More]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:47:26 EST http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/252/53/i-no-longer-represent-the-dirty-dirty-dirty-south.html http://www.beaufortcountynow.com/post/252/53/i-no-longer-represent-the-dirty-dirty-dirty-south.html
I’ve never cared much for perfectly straight teeth, but clean teeth and fresh breath are essential. I mean, who could really stand wearing a clear, plastic retainer every night for the rest of their life? I’d just loose it in the cafeteria trashcan anyway.

My orthodontist tried so hard to get my teeth in line, but my chompers have always had a mind of their own. As soon as my braces came off and the belt sander was moved a safe distance from my mouth, it was as if my large teeth removed thei... Read More]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:51:50 EST