Columns from TimesFreePress.com | http://timesfreepress.com/news/opinion/columns http://timesfreepress.com/news/opinion/columns What do six wins in 11 games get you? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/24/huesman-celebrated-for-his-6-5/ If global warming is a ruse, as some have suggested, the hoax is getting out of hand. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/24/magee-in-the-debate-on-global-warming-ill-take/ When I started using computers in 1983, I subscribed to several magazines on the subject. One of my favorites was Byte, a technical and entertaining effort. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/24/mac-is-easy-to-learn/ On those rare occasions that University of Tennessee sports fans turn their attention from football coach Lane Kiffin to their men's basketball program, their discussions usually revolve around three individuals: Bruce Pearl, Tyler Smith and Scotty Hopson. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/23/chism-again-proves-to-be-the-vols-mvp/ Last week a reader sent a message about the three freshman football players who were charged with attempted armed robbery. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/22/1122-a-big-test-off-the-field/ The Associated Press provides this headline: "AP Poll: Public favors gov't health plan" -- helpfully followed by an article that proves nothing of the sort. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/22/a-case-study-in-how-not-to-carry-out-a-public/ Five months isn't a long time, and the work needs to be done. Still, I'm going to miss the Walnut Street Bridge while it undergoes renovation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/22/magee-its-only-five-months-but-im-going-to-miss/ Without kids, what would we do for laughs? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/22/1122pee-yew-something-sneaks/ At Thanksgiving, I miss Onnie Spears. One of the most memorable Thanksgivings of my life was spent with him and his family. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/20/roberts-missing-friend-holiday/ One thing is certain, the Hamilton County Commission won't be the same without Curtis Adams. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/19/when-curtis-adams-speaks-at-least-you-know-where/ You've heard the warnings. Now get ready for the pain. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/17/the-pain-from-state-and-local-budget-cuts-will-be/ Life is full of choices. The act of reaching a decision results in a domino effect as others are brought into the mix. Last week was a time to assess whether decisions reached more than 20 years earlier made a difference. Two things brought this to mind. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/15/Griscom-where-the-focus-belongs/ Hamilton County's academic results and high school graduation rate have slipped, according to the state's annual report card. That's especially bad news given that national surveys continue to find Tennessee's educational standards below those of most other states in the country. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/15/1115-schools-hope-designation-lights-path-to/ Brown Academy, a pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade magnet school in Chattanooga, has undergone significant changes over the past three years. The most exciting of these is the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program, a college preparatory program recognized around the world. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/15/Burk-new-look-at-teaching-learning-part-of-program/ I got whiplash watching how fast much of the coverage of the Fort Hood massacre shifted away from, well, the Fort Hood massacre. The suspect is a victim, we were quickly advised. And we were sternly admonished not to indulge our bigotry by focusing on radical Islam just because the latest savagery reportedly came at the hands of yet another radical Muslim. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/15/Barrett-massacre-takes-back-seat-to-blather-on/ It's true that big-time college football is a business, but something seems off kilter, especially at publicly funded institutions -- and especially during tough economic times -- when universities pay even assistant coaches eye-popping salaries. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/15/college-coaches-paid-to-shape-athletes-into/ Our 3-year-old son is suddenly afraid of fire. Last month he backed away from his birthday cake, wide-eyed and trembling, terrified by a 1-inch flame on a candle. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/15/Kennedy-kick-fear-out-of-your-life/ I love strangers I meet in doctor's waiting rooms who immediately trust me with their medical history, innermost secrets and often, it seems, their entire life story. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/13/chat-with-a-toothless-gentleman/ The devil, as the saying goes, is in the details. Take a look at the recently signed employment contract of first-year University of Tennessee head football coach Lane Kiffin. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/12/lane-kiffins-2-million-contract-has-provision/ KNOXVILLE -- "A real family person." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/11/is-orgeron-better-suited-not-to-be-the-head-guy/ Some time ago I wrote a column on problem-solving that used two analogies, that of the first Boston Red Sox World Series victory and the safe recovery of the NASA astronauts on the perilous Apollo 13 mission. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/10/jenkins-steve-jobs-will-keep-apple-news/ Three recent reports offer a disturbing look at the prospects facing children who grow up in decaying communities where jobs are as scarce as hope. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/10/without-a-foundation-children-have-trouble/ Memphis dismissed former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Clemson football coach Tommy West on Monday morning, and Western Kentucky fired David Elson. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/10/buyout-looming-for-weis/ This weekend, one of Chattanooga’s most vibrant industries — tourism — is basking in the sunlight. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/08/magee-head-hooch-helps-put-chattanooga-favorable-t/ There are moments in history that cause us to recall where we were and what we were doing at the time. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/08/Griscom-memories-of-a-wall-that-fell/ Shortly before God made good the Israelites' escape, the ruler of Egypt gave them a final reminder of why they were leaving: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/08/Barrett-this-economic-plan-has-been-brought-to-you/ We have only one formal dinner party a year at my house, but it’s a doozy. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/08/kennedy-traditions-define-us-families/ The economic downturn has many of us feeling less secure than usual about our economic well-being. These circumstances provide an opportunity for us to consider those who face such insecurity all the time: poor people both at home and abroad. Our recently published book, "When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor ... and Yourself," attempts to contribute to this conversation. Its primary audience are churches and Christian ministries that want to help the poor in their community and around the world, but most of the ideas are applicable to a much wider audience. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/08/1108-knowing-the-difference-key-to-helping-the/ It was my honor to sing a couple of songs at the memorial service for Barney Morgan recently. After illustrious careers as a teacher, Chattanooga Times city editor and columnist, and public servant, he peacefully exited this life. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/06/Roberts-barney-helped-us-be-civilized/ Maybe it's because I'm in Tennessee, but when I look at General Motors' decision this week not to sell German automaker Opel, all I can see is Saturn. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/05/magee-gm-should-take-a-look-at-restarting-the/ It's about Georgia's black football helmets, the ones just worn in the Bulldogs' 41-17 loss to Florida. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/04/will-richt-go-instead-of-switch/ There is a handful of accepted football realities for the Southeastern Conference and its followers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/03/sec-teams-still-have-lot-of-bowl-spots-to-secure/ Today's column will take the efforts put into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) exercise and transition it into a productive direction. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/03/in-baseball-a-swot-is-a-hit-so-in-business/ Now that Windows 7 and Snow Leopard for the Mac are on the market, we can all step back and see just how they seem to be doing. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/03/mac-vs-pc-discussion-heats-up/ On the jobs front, figures emerging from the automotive industry have been surprising. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/03/magee-fords-union-workers-in-michigan-should-be/ An open letter to men: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/02/1102one-thing-makes-woman-happy/ If the Tennessee Titans win a football game but no one watches it on television, does it still count? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/02/its-a-shame-bretts-too-old-to-play/ This is a trying time for many in the media. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/01/griscom-no-time-shirk-our-duty/ Garrison Keillor is onto something. He says in Lake Wobegon, Minn., "the women are strong, all the men are good-looking and all the children are above average." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/01/Kennedy-are-all-of-our-kids-awesome/ In college sports, "tradition" has a special meaning that can transcend all else. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/01/magee-with-tradition-on-its-side-chattanooga/ Look up “torture” in a Webster’s unabridged. Definition 1 reads, “the music of R.E.M.” Definition 2 reads, “the music of Pearl Jam.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/01/barrett-rem-pearl-jam-committed-torture-long-gitmo/ I meet with a group of gentlemen called the Golden Gourd, and when I told them some of my funny political stories, they suggested I do a column of them. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/30/politics-can-be-funny/ When I read the Philadelphia Phillies took the train to New York the other day for last night's World Series game against the Yankees, I thought of Chattanooga. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/29/magee-chattanooga-needs-new-high-speed-choo-choo/ The painful theme here is not Lane Kiffin's irresistible urge to say anything at any time, though that certainly is a theme in his first 10-plus months as the University of Tennessee football coach. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/27/kiffins-violation-keeps-sec-officials-in-spotlight/ In landing a job at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, experience will help, but it might not be necessary. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/27/if-you-want-a-job-at-volkswagen-being-prepared-is/ I've mentioned before that my two major hobbies in life turned out to be my two main professions: music and technology. In a way this perfectly expresses my own opposite natures and perhaps the duality that we all have within us. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/27/opposites-really-do-attract/ A participant in Rick Honeycutt's recent charity golf tournament, Sal Rende wasn't surprised to hear a few folks pick the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/26/rende-likes-phillies-world-series-chances/ NAPLES, Fla. -- Unlike what was said in the past about political parties that could hold meetings in a phone booth, people came to the 106th annual convention of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. Not as many as may have attended in past years, but for an industry that continually flogs itself, there was respectability in numbers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/25/Griscom-say-that-again-in-print/ After two decades of splendid progress, Chattanooga has reached a pivotal point in its history. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/25/vision-technology-key-to-dynamic-future-for-city/ My late great-aunt Ida Lou taught me the virtues of guilt-free naps and cheating at cards. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/25/kennedy-yoo-hoo-ida-lou-love-you/ The late journalist Irving Kristol understood that “overly ambitious welfare states could demoralize otherwise healthy and capable populations and create dysfunctional and corrosive behaviors that lead to social breakdown and the permanent immiseration of entire classes of people.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/25/barrett-stimulus-broke-free-enterprise-systems-bac/ Traveling through the hills of East Tennessee and Western Carolina, as I did this week, you see some of the realities that have resulted from the economic downturn. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/25/in-Magee-hard-times-many-people-turn-to/ In talking about my love for Chattanooga I have often said, "I wanted to live in Chattanooga so much that I packed up my diaper bag and moved here when I was 3 weeks old." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/23/Roberts-festival-stirs-love-for-city/ U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., makes sense about needing to change the higher-education system to serve students better. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/22/magee-sen-alexanders-three-year-college-plan/ KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee senior linebacker Rico McCoy's eyes widened with excitement. His voice rose a decibel or two. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/21/is-ut-ready-to-trip-tide/ The debate at the Capitol in Nashville last week over traffic-camera laws, with strong feelings on both sides, is indicative of the sensitivity of the traffic-camera issue. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/20/debate-over-traffic-cameras-sparks-strong/ Fifty-nine to zero. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/20/is-fisher-on-path-of-shanahan/ I'd like to begin today by thanking everyone for the tremendous response to the new TFP Tech Talk page on Facebook and my associated account on Twitter. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/20/smart-2-phone-on-its-way/ Was it skill, luck, hard work? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/19/1019too-much-success-can-pull-you-down/ It's that time of year again. Time for the return of the BCS rankings, or as they are less affectionately known in some quarters, the Boneheaded Computer Standings. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/19/can-vols-affect-bcs-title-game/ The race to be first with hybrid cars powered by anything but gasoline is the rage. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/18/griscom-planting-seeds-idea/ Written in the 1960s by John Lennon and recorded by the Beatles, "Dear Prudence" is a beautiful song, calling one to "come out to play" to escape isolation and depression. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/18/magee-how-the-real-dear-prudence-in-john-lennons/ Well over half of the electricity used by homes and businesses in the Tennessee Valley region comes from burning coal. This roughly mirrors the national use of coal, a plentiful domestic energy source that has fueled our economy and our way of life for many years. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/18/McCollum-keeping-energy-flowing-while-protecting/ Sen. Olympia Snowe, “R”-Maine, votes for government-run health care. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/18/barrett-dont-go-away-huff-sen-snowe-just-please-go/ Researchers say half of the babies born today will live to be 100 years old. Astounding. Don't feel bad if you missed the headline. Good news runs out of oxygen in about 24 hours. As the father of two boys, ages 2 and 7, I can't stop thinking about thi http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/18/Kennedy-prepare-kids-for-long-life/ A lady from Ohio responded to my Sunday Journal in which I told how I felt I had been a failure in my first teaching job in Athens. For decades I had carried this awesome wet blanket of guilt. Then, I played the Pumpkintown Festival in Athens and a student in that first class walked up and told me I was the best teacher he ever had. For three years now, he's come to those festivals, carried my guitar to the car and made me feel 10 feet tall. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/16/all-acts-of-love-are-big/ Send out the invites. Break out the party hats. Prepare a toast. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/15/the-recession-is-over-and-thats-cause-for/ Q: Should I pay off my mortgage by taking a distribution from my IRA? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/14/checking-out-whether-a-certain-debt-reduction/ If you saw the movie "Shrek," you may remember how Shrek the ogre tried to explain himself to the donkey with one word: layers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/13/meet-me-online-at-facebook/ I went by the post office and the bank Monday. They were closed. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/13/theres-hope-for-setting-the-record-straight-about/ The sun was slowly setting over Black Creek early Sunday evening. The temperature was 67 degrees. The sky mostly blue. The trees surrounding the golf course just beginning their annual art class in leaf painting. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/12/is-chattanooga-classic-on-the-endangered-list/ "Oh no, too many people showed up, and we ran out of parking spaces." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/12/1012problems-often-have-happy-face/ NASHVILLE -- Eddie George was supposed to have Sunday night free from his commentary duties for the Westwood One radio network. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/12/george-believes-it-time-to-play-young/ Gov. Phil Bredesen has been a reformer. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/11/griscom-honing-higher-ed-options/ They handed out new desk calendars in the newsroom last week. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/11/Kennedy-golly-wow-2000s-are-nearly-over/ The Saturn car brand died last month of natural causes. It was 19. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/11/kennedy-saturns-demise-brings-end-american-dream/ The jigsaw puzzle of premises defending the censorship of the Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe cheerleaders’ Bible verse signs would be hilarious if it weren’t so bogus. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/11/barrett-free-speech-takes-pummeling-censorship-lfo/ Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey, much admired for his leadership over the years, said last week that Hamilton County voters already considered consolidating the city and county governments in the late 1970s and early 1980s and did not want it -- so he is not interested in supporting the concept now. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/11/a-Magee-about-metro-government-should-be-based/ A deluge of rain greeted me as I pulled out of my driveway late Sunday afternoon on Sept. 20. In fact, in my native North Carolina parlance, "it was raining cats and dogs." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/10/mohney/ What happened? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/10/vols-dogs-fans-have-excitement-become-anxiety/ Two things can destroy you on almost any job. One is constantly apologizing and showing no confidence in yourself or, on the other extreme, being unaware or in denial about your weaknesses. While he latter is intolerable, I do believe the overly-apologetic person is the more aggravating. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/09/balance-key-to-job-success/ The assumption that University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman is feeling like he's on top of the world is easy to make. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/08/utc-coach-huesman-has-mocs-football-team-on-the/ KNOXVILLE — Ninety-nine percent of the time, Tennessee junior tight end Luke Stocker comes across as the ultimate Southern gentleman. Soft-spoken. Polite. Selfless. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/07/wiedmer-stocker-adds-his-stock-vols/ For many of today's small businesses, their idea of a strategic plan can be summarized in one word -- "Survive!" While there is no question that this is a most challenging time, it is also a very good and inexpensive time for planning to survive longer. Some might refer to this as updating a strategic plan. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/06/future-good-luck/ Playing without passion is a sure recipe for defeat. Now, playing with passion carries its own peril. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/06/even-sec-says-green-joy-ok/ The tendency when something positive gets so much exposure is to fear it never could live up to the hype and promise. Too many times, we've seen hopes and dreams dashed. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/06/promising-future-for-volkswagen-chattanooga-is/ Last week Google released Google Wave to a large number of developers. Wave purports to combine several functions into one package. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/06/hot-topics-buzzing-in-cyberspace/ There are many who cloak themselves in the First Amendment and the protections of free speech. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/04/griscom-it-really-private-personal/ The Melungeon Trial of 1875 played out like a Cinderella tale, with greedy relatives trying to usurp the land of an impoverished young girl. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/04/murray-racially-charged-trial-1875-marked-fairy-ta/ My family has many bedtime rituals. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/04/Kennedy-bedtime-brings-out-family-rituals/ On the surface, Christians should be in favor of school prayer and biblical messages at school events. Young people, after all, need all the guidance, inspiration and reinforcement they can get. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/04/Magee-religious-banners-at-public-schools-invite/ What happened recently in Long Branch, N.J., is less interesting than what didn’t. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/04/barrett-staying-calm-and-cooperative-profiling-vic/ The rise of the American bailout is damaging the nation and its prosperity. Dollar amounts have grown so big that we have become numb to them, as civilians in war might become indifferent to detonations after living too long in a bomb shelter. Corporate rescues are poisoning the hearts of a once-free people. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/04/1004-washingtons-interventions-teach-destructive/ Barney Morgan worked with me a few years at the county. He was incorrigibly independent, and when I had a decision to make I'd ask Jerry Turner, my staff attorney, for a Republican perspective, then I'd get a Democratic view from Ruth Harmon, an astute politician. Then I'd ask for Barney's thoughts. The longer I worked with him, the more I admired and trusted his judgment. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/02/search-for-lifes-simplest-gifts/ A crowd gathered one evening this week at a field in Fort Oglethorpe, hundreds of people, some with signs, including one that read, "Keep God in Catoosa County." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/oct/01/Magee-for-north-georgia-cheerleaders-unites/ Today, some questions and answers from the inbox. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/29/dont-bet-against-microsoft/ Outbursts in Congress, cursing on the tennis courts, and grabbing the microphone from a young award winner; everyone is lamenting our loss of civility as more and more public figures behave badly. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/28/0928rampant-rudeness-abounds/ On a recent trip to South Korea, we met a Japanese government official who was traveling with his parents. As we waited for a bus at the Korean Folk Village, his father asked us whether we were British. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/27/0927-obesity-a-silent-killer/ Next to an item on giant earth-moving equipment demanding a noise ordinance against Weed Eaters, I spotted this equally sensible headline: "Nancy Pelosi worried about angry health care rhetoric." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/27/0927pelosi-denounces-angry-health-care-rhetoric/ I'm a big fan of "Candid Camera." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/27/Kennedy-makeup-lady-chased-by-angry-dwarf/ The author Barry Hannah once told me he loathes the book tour. I told him he isn't alone. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/27/a-happy-ending-to-a-long-hard-book-tour/ First Michael Phelps. Now Melanie Oudin. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/26/Wiedmer-adds-to-citys-stature-with-big-time-sports/ Two things have always fascinated me: Why do some uncommonly good people do the good things they do, and why do some unbelievably bad people do the bad things they do? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/25/Roberts-character-a-matter-of-choice/ Not so many months ago, reservoirs across the region dried up. Crops and landscapes withered. Then over the last several days, rain finally fell. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/24/Mageewhen-it-comes-to-rainfall-sometimes-enough-is/ The e-mail arrived early Monday morning, the first of its kind in several years. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/23/falcons-looking-better-than-titans-so-far/ Friends told me a mild, early September flu outbreak was keeping crowds down in Oxford, Miss., unusual for this time of year. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/22/not-even-flu-scare-can-hold-fans-back-from-an-sec/ When I was making a living as a musician, I sometimes felt a bit misunderstood. Because I worked very hard to master several styles of music that I loved, I was always getting categorized by one faction or the other. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/22/apple-strikes-gold-with-new-nano/ For many small businesses, just sticking around until next month is an ongoing challenge. It is so easy to read about the significant gap between those unemployed and the quantity of job openings and automatically fall victim to doom and gloom. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/22/riddell-quick-tuning-a-sales-approach/ NASHVILLE — Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak kept shaking his head in disbelief Sunday afternoon. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/21/wiedmer-last-season-past-titans/ "Your weeds are in violation of section 3A of our neighborhood covenants." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/21/0921love-your-neighbor-as-yourself/ A piece of civility fell by the wayside last week. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/20/griscom-when-it-wasnt-all-hardball/ Coaching your own child is hard -- especially if you have expertise in the task at hand. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/20/Kennedy-do-your-homework-parents/ America has a growing obesity problem, with sugar consumption a major contributor -- and health care costs are rising because of it. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/20/0920magee-taxing-sweet-drinks-snack-foods-not/ All hope seemed lost. There was a serious danger that somewhere in Tennessee — Nutbush perhaps — somebody might actually buy the artery-popping attempt to link Rep. Zach Wamp to brutal Southern segregationists. He had, after all, publicly said that states have rights not subject to federal repeal, and in certain fevered imaginations, that’s lynch-mob talk. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/20/barrett-undaunted-facts-and-reason-rep-wamps-detra/ Inspirational writer Henri Nouwen became so burned out in doing good that he began to wonder if he was becoming mentally ill. A friend who ran a center for the mentally handicapped invited him to come there so he could be loved by people who had no expectations -- people who just love without thought. It does seem that mentally handicapped people do not have to go through that long, judgmental process of deciding if you are worthy of their love. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/18/Roberts-special-folks-have-helped-me-to-heal/ Soon after 14-year-old Meredith Fox died Tuesday afternoon in a three-vehicle crash in East Memphis, friends and acquaintances of the Evangelical Christian School student, including my daughter, were mourning the loss, grieving that such a sweet, smiling face was gone. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/17/Magee-loss-of-a-14-year-old-girl-is-a-reminder-of/ KNOXVILLE -- It didn't take the messages long to pile up Monday night on various Web sites throughout the Volunteer State. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/16/does-kiffin-owe-his-ut-job-to-crompton/ Q: I continue to be worried about the U.S. financial system. Is the money I have deposited in the local bank safe? What happens if my bank is taken over by the federal regulators? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/16/brooks-fdic-and-how-it-backs-your-money-bank/ Life comes in cycles. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/15/lifes-difficult-decisions-include-figuring-out/ Imagine someone blowing up a balloon, then quickly letting the air escape. Now, imagine them doing it over and over in a seemingly endless cycle. To paraphrase a famous anti-drug commercial, this is your brain on Apple. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/15/jobs-talk-highlight-of-apple-conference/ "WE already have a science project," one mom said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/14/0914-hand-off-homework-to-the-kids/ The numbers are anything but pretty: UCLA 19, Tennessee 15. LSU 23, Vanderbilt 9. Furman 38, UT-Chattanooga 20. And just to make sure we include our state's professional football team -- Pittsburgh Steelers 13, Tennessee Titans 10. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/14/bad-weekend-for-football-in-tennessee/ Something quite interesting happened across the country and here at home last week. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/13/griscom-and-suddenly-parents-start-checking/ U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., made a good point regarding the debate n Washington, D.C., over national health care reform, suggesting that President Barack Obama needed to hit "the restart button." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/13/Magee-the-restart-button-makes-sense-in-the/ On Tuesday, I found myself sitting in a second-grade classroom at Battle Academy. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/13/Kennedy-presidents-speech-is-a-learning-moment/ Sensing that Congress is going to ram ObamaCare down our collective gullet, a reader suggests a day of silent protest. Opponents of the plan — who have been maligned as everything from halfwits to fascists despite their majority status — would simply not conduct commerce that day. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/13/lawmakers-still-dont-get-it-so-what-say-we-spell-i/ Six years ago I wrote a column headlined "Baby Girl and the biker." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/11/baby-girl-survives-dog-attack/ The problem with numbers, like those in a municipal budget, is that they are not easily eradicated. Remove them from one category, and sometimes they'll pop back up in another. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/10/charging-police-officers-to-take-patrol-cars-home/ Four hundred years ago, in 1609, a vital, new era in science began. Mathematician and philosopher Galileo Galilei demonstrated a telescope he had build to leaders of Venice. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/10/cleaveland/ For a few brief moments Tuesday night, the guy at the Chattanooga Theatre Center podium looked remarkably like Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/09/pearl-lets-private-side-show/ Melanie Oudin is why we love sports. Or at least why we should. And it has only a little to do with the fact that the 17-year-old from Marietta, Ga., has cousins on Signal Mountain. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/08/oudins-grit-talent-style-easy-to-cheer/ Last week it was announced that the Disney Co. is buying Marvel Entertainment for around $4 billion -- Mickey Mouse meets Spider-Man, I suppose. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/08/0908-disney-makes-its-move-on-marvel/ As the recession drags on, everyone is trying to find the magic bullet, that one thing they can do to make it all better. The good news is I have found it and the better news is you can implement it immediately. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/08/aiding-a-local-charity-may-cure-recession-blues/ Setting aside the question of why someone without required teaching certification or a bachelor's degree was assigned to teach math at Signal Mountain Middle/High School, I'm still concerned about how the teacher was hired in the first place. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/08/were-strings-pulled-in-the-hiring-of-an/ "She's just trying to push your buttons." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/07/0907-manipulative-mothers-in-law-might-be-myth/ Western Kentucky coach Dave Elson spoke the obvious on Saturday when he said of the Hilltoppers' 63-7 loss to Tennessee: "We learned today that we can't play with the SEC." But other than Oklahoma State, who can? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/07/sec-looks-almost-perfect/ Let's pause for a moment and listen to the long exhaling of air from the lungs of many members of Congress. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/06/0906-taking-a-beating-at-recess/ Did you realize the Statue of Liberty was in fact a monument to the welfare state? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/06/barrett-statue-liberty-cheapened-symbol-government/ EDITOR'S NOTE: In August's history article, John C. Echerd argued that the last battle of the American Revolution was fought at Lookout Mountain. Today, E. Raymond Evans argues that it wasn't. By E. Raymond Evans We know the "last battle of the American http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/06/Evans-was-final-battle-of-revolution-fought-on/ Daniel Walker wears wool in August. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/06/kennedy-civil-war-role-play-explodes/ The lives of many people go unnoticed by the general population, but those people often leave lasting imprints on those who knew them -- because of their good deeds. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/06/magee-one-dalton-man-who-lived-a-good-life-left-a/ Each dream you have is a gift from your heart to the world. Never give up on the thought that each dream can eventually come true but do not see it as some kind of hard, inflexible thing that must materialize exactly as you first envisioned it. Be willing to reshape it from time to time. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/04/shape-your-dreams-as-you-go/ The story was unnerving from the start, beginning with news that a Signal Mountain Middle-High School teacher was indicted and later quit his job. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/03/magee-drama-at-signal-mountain-middle-high-school/ "We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/02/0903-upton/ The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team's other B.J. was on his way to class last week when he was stopped by a woman walking her dog. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/02/utc-opener-can-lift-hurt-excitement/ It seems that change is everywhere. It's almost as if it's blowing in the wind, as Bob Dylan said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/01/wait-awhile-to-upgrade-your-system/ David Elson left some room for interpretation, mixing modern-day political correctness with good-old-fashioned coach-speak. Not much, but he allowed for a little wiggle room. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/01/expect-vols-to-be-vanilla-versus-wku/ Some people living in Chattanooga six decades ago might remember the late Stuart Purser. But even those who remember him might not know the story of what he did after leaving here in 1949. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/01/chattanoogan-opens-the-door-to-a-secret-education/ Everybody works hard these days or they don't work for long. Recessions tend to have that effect on folks. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/31/rodriguez-may-be-in-time-trouble/ "Don't get your hopes up." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/31/0831yes-we-can-still-keep-hope-alive/ Gary Watkins and Sharon McGill began dating 10 years ago. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/30/Wiedmer-its-football-time-again-in-tennessee/ There was little doubt that at some point during Congress' August recess, the real issues on the minds of some Americans would come to the forefront. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/30/Griscom-serious-issues-return/ Out of my face, Facebook. Meet your maker, MySpace. Prepare to be trampled by Twitter. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/30/kennedy-save-face-switch-to-twitter/ A new Tennessee law that lets people with concealed-carry permits take firearms into some restaurants has an opt-out provision. In accordance with that provision, a North Chattanooga eatery posted a sign forbidding patrons to bring guns inside. But deep in an article in the Times Free Press, the manager undermined the rationale for that prohibition. He said that while the business forbids guns as a precaution, he believes criminals will bring their firearms regardless. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/30/Barre-handcuffing-law-abiding-gun-owners-a-curious/ Ready or not, here comes the H1N1 virus, commonly known as the swine flu. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/30/8-30-with-students-back-in-the-classroom-the/ When you buy a bag of sunflower seeds, there a good chance there are moth eggs in it. Within 30 days they will hatch out and drive you batty. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/28/moths-can-drive-you-very-batty/ Freedom of opinion is America’s backbone. But the country’s flesh and soul come from respected brokers able to enact positive change. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/27/magee-ideological-foes-ted-kennedy-trent-lott-prov/ John Shulman tried hard to sound like the same University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball coach we've come to admire the past five seasons. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/26/basketball-mocs-have-an-sec-transfer-quarterback/ Five years and a day after winning the U.S. Amateur at Winged Foot, Ryan Moore earned his first PGA Tour win Sunday. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/25/list-works-sees-hope-in-moore/ Most well-informed Atlanta Braves fans know that Mississippi Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman bashed his first Class AA home run two weeks after being called up from Class A Rome. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/24/freeman-could-be-next-great-brave/ So, another week has ended and members of Congress see the end in sight from a raucous August recess. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/23/griscom-reform-landscape-still-hazy/ My 7-year-old son has decided the honeymoon is over with his 2-year-old brother. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/23/kennedy-hugs-headlocks-30-minutes/ Everybody knows the American dollar during the current recession has been in and out of trouble. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/23/traces-of-drug-residue-on-american-currency-point/ Sitting in on the opening day ceremony at the Girls' Leadership Academy in the Westside recently, I felt inspired, proud and excited. There was a sense of destiny and purpose in the air at the opening of the charter school. We all listened as powerful women told their personal stories -- some already successful, others just beginning the journey -- all amazing. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/20/0820-upton/ Simple addition does not always yield the anticipated result. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/20/education-Magee-crunch-leads-to-fuzzy-math-in/ KNOXVILLE -- The grim joke around the University of Tennessee football program last autumn was that the only way to ignite the offense was for Gerald Jones to catch his own passes out of the G-Gun set. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/18/no-more-cast-could-free-up-uts-jones/ You live long enough, you see everything. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/17/shocker-to-end-all-shockers/ Congressional recesses, particularly in August, traditionally have been portrayed as an opportunity for the elected to reconnect with the electors. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/16/griscom-not-only-health-care-play/ When it comes to television, drama is not normally my bag. To me, shows such as "Law & Order" and "CSI" -- which seem to run in a continuous loop on cable -- are comically melodramatic. That's why it perplexes me that I have become such a fan of AMC' http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/16/0816mad-men-hits-nerve-with-60s-realism/ The current big picture of public education is not good. The United States' education system has slipped in its standing in the world. Within the country, the Southeast is the lowest, and Tennessee ranks behind North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky and Virgin http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/16/0816-turning-the-tide-on-troubling-public/ The debate on reforming America's health care system is generating more heat than light. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/16/0816-doing-nothing-to-reform-medical-care-not-an/ My history with that great Southern tradition of mater sandwiches on white bread slathered with a deep layer of mayonnaise or Miracle Whip is well known. I have written about it reverentially for years. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/14/two-tips-for-tomato-sandwiches/ The pictures on Facebook of my friends with Tom Brokaw at the former "NBC Nightly News" anchor's Montana ranch were intriguing. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/13/when-adults-crash-the-facebook-party-teens-are/ Her son Bobby probably summed up Eunice Kennedy Shriver best. Speaking of his mother's lifelong crusade to help the mentally and physically disabled, he once said, "She never ran for office, but she changed the world." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/12/shriver-was-truly-special-in-every-day/ There was a time when only PC owners had to concern themselves with malware and viruses, but that is no longer true. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/11/apple-tablet-could-change-computing/ The killing last month of an armed man by six Chattanooga police officers takes time to digest. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/11/when-police-fire-their-weapons-how-many-shots-are/ Sixteen and pregnant. It's bad enough it happens, but now you get to watch it on television. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/10/0810-teens-having-babies-is-still-a-big-problem/ The Food Network has its version of a reality show each week: "Iron Chef America." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/09/Griscom-in-search-of-secret-ingredients/ Children today think video games are a birthright. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/09/0809new-wii-for-the-wee-ones/ The media have been honing their ability to sneer at inconvenient news. Take the coverage of politicians around the country who were blind-sided by public fury when they showed up to preen at town hall meetings, expecting to be greeted with the usual hosa http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/09/Barrett-media-rush-to-denounce-dismiss-public/ For decades, pundits have insisted the war for supremacy in automotive manufacturing was being waged between the United States and the rest of the world, especially Asia. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/09/89-magee-south-claims-victory-over-the-north-in/ Adam Mitchell stood on The Honors Course's 18th green Friday afternoon, eyeing a short but tricky putt on the final hole of the Tennessee State Amateur. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/08/Wiedmer-mitchell-become-citys-best-pro-ever/ John Day asked me to write a column on some colorful characters I have known, not "cookie-cutter people." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/07/Roberts-being-boring-is-quite-simply-unforgivable/ Some readers who responded to my recent column about the unfairness of traffic cameras called me a fool. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/06/Magee-a-fool-like-me-can-see-that-traffic-cameras/ At roughly 11 o'clock Wednesday morning, Mike Keith -- the radio voice of the Tennessee Titans -- said this about backup quarterback Vince Young: "He's off to a super start. He's throwing the ball better from the pocket than I've ever seen him. He's real http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/06/Wiedmer-young-still-drawing-fire-for-titans/ Racial profiling has gotten much media attention in recent weeks. It began with the arrest of Harvard professor Dr. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. That led to controversial remarks made by President Barack Obama, which provoked a passionate response of the Cambridge Police Department and finally resulted in a friendly drink on the White House lawn with all parties involved. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/06/upton-learning-racial-profiling/ Ten years have passed since the last time Tim Jackson made a Walker Cup team. Now 50, he also isn't likely to land a spot on this year's 10-man roster, which will be announced this weekend. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/05/mitchell-puts-u-s-a-above-golf-for-pay/ I've had several requests to repeat the theme of a column I did sometime back called Advice To The Computer Lovelorn. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/04/its-time-to-answer-the-mail/ The federal government's cash for clunkers stimulus program is driving the nation's economy at the pace of a NASCAR driver. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/04/cash-for-clunkers-revs-up-the-sputtering-national/ As teaching pro Zeb Patten was giving golf lessons last week, at least a few students asked if he was watching Tiger Woods devour the field in the last-ever Buick Open. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/03/jackson-should-spark-interest-in-state-am/ There's been some debate in the media about whether or not Surgeon General nominee Regina Benjamin is too overweight for the position. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/03/0803interviews-may-include-a-bmi-check/ OK, let's go ahead and acknowledge that politicians are human beings. And being human, they make mistakes. The disclaimer is done. An elected official is not being placed on a pedestal higher than that of an ordinary citizen. The playing field has been leveled. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/02/Griscom-legislating-vs-living-morality/ Annexation by a municipality is a controversial government act, to say the least. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/02/magee-battle-lines-are-drawn-emerging-local-fight-/ The president had a perfect quote on the "Today" show: "What you haven't seen is a change in culture, a certain humility where they kind of step back and say, 'Gosh, you know, we really messed things up.'" http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/02/0802-yes-indeed-mr-president-somebody-messed/ It's been a relatively quiet season for Jimmie Johnson, especially when you consider he's on the verge of a possible historic fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup championship. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/02/johnson-lined-up-for-historic-achievement/ I collect malapropisms. It tickles me when people mix up words. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/02/Kennedy-fillow-pights-and-other-strange-words/ Sarah Rutemeyer graduated from the University of Chattanooga in 1957. Now 74 years young, she has accompanied husband Dale, a fellow UC alum, to Mocs athletic events for more than 50 years. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/02/mocs-fans-feel-the-spirit-watch-practice-at/ Annexation by a municipality is a controversial government act, to say the least. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/aug/01/battle-lines-are-drawn-in-fight-over-annexation/ Stump Martin asked me to write a column on "chicken-wire joints" where I have played. I have never played in such a place, but I have played in several where I would have welcomed a layer or two of chicken wire -- especially when I was starting out and playing the rougher places. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/31/Roberts-some-bars-could-use-chicken-wire/ With professional careers and family commitments that include small children, two Signal Mountain women found release from life's daily pressures in one of the fastest-growing sports, distance running. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/30/two-signal-mountain-women-turn-their-sports-hobby/ Never mind the Minnesota Vikings. Where does Sears go from here? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/29/slow-but-right-call-for-favre/ It seems that every technological advance brings with it a problem. Today we'll look at some examples of this principle. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/28/our-online-advances-have-perils/ Before the lights come on Friday nights, high school football practice has to start. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/27/prep-practice-begins/ It's just a moment. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/27/0727judging-makes-misery-for-all/ There was initial criticism of all-news cable channels such as CNN for less-than-expected coverage of the Iranian election aftermath that poured into the streets of Tehran. When you tout wall-to-wall reporting on virtually any topic, you invite criticism. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/26/Griscom-separating-reliable-from-fishy/ My mother was a banker. Growing up, we always had a lockbox. It was inside the big safe at the main office of First Farmers and Merchants Bank of Columbia, Tenn. My mom, now deceased, stored the lockbox key in a little cardboard pouch she kept hidden in a http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/26/Kennedy-lockbox-is-a-time-capsule/ On a recent clear summer night, a handful of neighborhood friends conjured up a lightning strike. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/26/magee-annual-garden-party-features-fresh-produce-a/ No doubt about it, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp has some answering to do about his association with a religious center that is his Washington, D.C., home away from home. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/23/secretive-washington-dc-religious-center-raises/ At 21, Leah (not her real name) was married, pregnant and happy. So far, things had gone textbook perfect. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/23/upton-childbirth-emergency-reassesses-good-days/ KNOXVILLE -- Said Lane Kiffin on the December afternoon he was introduced as Tennessee's new football coach eight months ago: "Everything's in place. We don't need another building. We don't need another weight room. We've got enough here to win." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/22/hamilton-calls-kiffin-a-throwback/ What to expect from SEC media days outside Birmingham this week? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/21/sec-media-days-expected-crowd-serves-as-indicator/ He displayed purple thumbs, discolored on the tips. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/21/urban-gardening-yields-great-tasting-food-maybe/ I've spoken here a few times about RFID technology, short for radio frequency identification. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/21/0721-passport-security-issues-emerge/ I may be a pasty-faced white woman with working-class German and American roots, but I think my soul is Greek. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/20/0720-the-greeks-really-know-how-to-live/ Forgive me if this column seems tinged with bitterness today. I'm still trying to get over Sunday's British Open ending. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/20/watson-miracle-bid-falls-short/ For those of the 1970s, there was an affinity for Kodachrome, the color slide film produced by the Eastman Kodak Co. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/19/griscom-kodak-moment-passes/ Bigger is not always better. Saying you should choose only the biggest place is like saying a person should work only in Manhattan because the salaries are higher. I love Manhattan, but Chattanooga suits me just fine. The same philosophy apparently holds http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/19/Magee-the-vols-for-mocs-makes-sense-for/ It was, many people at Fort Oglethorpe United Methodist Church thought, a sign from God. It was a story for the diverse congregation on two levels, in point of fact, this spring. On one level, there was the sign -- the actual marker displaying the name http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/18/Cooper-fort-oglethorpe-church-has-sign-from-god/ One thing that's wrong with America is as plain as the nose on your face. And in case your nose has been removed, it's as plain as that strange-looking place where your nose used to be. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/17/Roberts-standard-debates-foster-civility/ The monkey was a central figure in an old story that prominently featured Tennessee in its retelling. It happened in nearby Dayton more than three-quarters of a century ago during the Scopes Monkey Trial, a legal test of whether evolution could be taught in the classroom. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/16/yall-eat-right-tennesseans-no-monkey-business/ KNOXVILLE — Given last season’s 5-7 record, his third offensive coordinator in three years and continual fan grumbling over his performances to date, no University of Tennessee football player may have needed an extended vacation more than senior quarterback Jonathan Crompton. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/15/wiedmer-09-summer-break-all-too-brief-vols/ Selected players of the University of Tennessee football team will meet with the media this afternoon. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/14/questions-about-fall-big-in-july/ Here are new stories I'm following for you. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/14/usage-spikes-stress-internet/ An entire day spent among thousands of females with nary another male in sight makes a man feel good about himself and women in general. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/14/magee-expo-shows-that-women-are-smarter-than-men/ The evil stepmother is a staple villain of fairy tales. A wicked witch who cackles into a mirror, she starves her husband's children while she wallows in riches. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/13/0713-with-moms-stepmoms-no-one-has-to-be-witch/ The pursuit of money many times tempers good judgment. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/12/griscom-someones-good-idea-goes-awry/ In China, little girls have it tough. Because of the country's one-child policy to control population, infant girls are often abandoned. By some estimates, millions of girls may be stuck in Chinese orphanages. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/12/Kenne-china-sisters-to-gather-here-later-this-week/ Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of the public school monopoly numbered. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/12/Barrett-myth-that-more-cash-means-better-k-12/ Build it and they usually will come, especially if the value and opportunity are right. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/12/magee-more-surprises-store-area-continues-grow/ I promised last week to tell you my bird story about the line-dancing house finch. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/10/Roberts-favorite-bird-tales-from-past/ Pride definitely goes before the fall, but grace sometimes comes after. My friend Neil White is living proof. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/09/magee-southern-writers-crime-lands-him-in/ For one day, Phoebe Wright was like any other 20-year-old home from college. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/08/great-year-for-wright-is-not-finished/ I've mentioned Facebook quite often in this column, and a great many of my friends and business associates use it daily, as I do. I was asked not long ago what it was http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/07/0707-facebook-becomes-place-to-connect/ South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is so ensnared by the trap he built and lured himself into that it's almost hard to add further insult. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/07/south-carolina-governors-fate-intersects-with/ The French Open having just ended a few weeks ago, NBC's Ted Robinson said of Roger Federer's first title at Roland Garros, "I've always wondered what it would be like to have it all. Now I think I know." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/06/with-wimbledon-win-federer-has-it-all/ Continuing last week's theme of how to get positive momentum in your life and maintain it, here are two more strategies I'll call "Empty Mind" and "Big Dream." These are simple daily rituals that can help you stay on track to move to a better place, a better life or simply a more serene existence. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/06/Hansen-reaching-big-goals-requires-small-steps/ Welcome to the new normal. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/06/McLeod-new-normal-means-no-whining/ Newspapers that work have personality and personalities. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/05/griscom-more-just-ink-paper/ Anna Lockhart is 22 years old. When we talked last week, she was worried about, of all things, honey mustard. It seems that one of Anna's customers at a local deli pitched a fit when a Waldorf salad arrived without the proper dressing. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/05/Kennedy-college-degree-great-resum-now-what/ September is always a tight month financially for my family because of the large amount of money spent on my college textbooks. With my textbook totals ranging from $400 to $700 at the start of each semester, my family is forced to cut back on vacations and entertainment to stay within budget. The high price of my textbooks makes my goal of graduating debt-free daunting at times. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/05/0705-eye-popping-book-prices-have-students/ The sight of two American icons meeting for the first time was a moment to savor. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/05/magee-moonpies-louisville-sluggers-come-together/ If you have attended college recently, or if you have a child currently enrolled, you no doubt are painfully aware of the high cost of college textbooks. "Sticker shock" has moved from the new car dealership to the college bookstore. New books frequently sell for more than $100, and some approach $200. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/05/0705-resales-other-factors-explain-textbook/ Jan. 30, 2000. That's how most of us will remember Steve McNair. That's the Sunday night that McNair almost led the Tennessee Titans over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV inside Atlanta's Georgia Dome. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/05/mcnairs-death-hard-to-believe/ It has been a jam-packed month. Farrah Fawcett died. Michael Jackson died. And my 30-year high school reunion came and went. I was a Farrah Fawcett fan in my teens. She was the icon of femininity in a post-1960s world that also gave us Nora Ephron and S http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/05/0705-saving-the-past-one-reunion-at-a-time/ I have come to believe that all things come to those who pay attention, and I pay attention to birds, thanks to my dear mother who was unceasingly amused at their ways. If you feed birds, you will get the biggest entertainment bang for your buck. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/03/Roberts-birds-can-be-your-yard-entertainers/ To text or not to text? That is the question facing many Tennessee drivers thanks to a new law that makes messaging behind the wheel illegal. In principle, I get the point of outlawing texting for drivers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/02/magee-anti-texting-law-infringes-on-personal/ On the face of it, the following three news stories from Wednesday would appear to have little in common: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/02/is-candace-parker-raising-a-future-laker/ Jimmy Plumlee will quickly tell you, "I'm eat up with racing." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jul/01/is-suspended-driver-mayfield-a-villain-or-nascar/ Law enforcement officers have it tough enough trying to overcome long shadows cast by a corrupt few, including former Hamilton County Sheriff Billy Long, sent http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/30/law-enforcement-officers-bravely-confront-on-the/ I tend to be somewhat methodical and sometimes clinical in my thinking when it comes to technology, probably because I'm so deeply involved in it. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/30/technology-brings-joy-to-my-world/ Like millions of other American familes, the Curran clan of Signal Mountain bought a satellite dish for the hundreds of channel choices it offers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/29/oudin-has-more-than-fans-locally/ Last month my 16-year-old sent and received 8,307 texts. Yes, you read that number correctly -- 8,307 text messages in one billing cycle. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/29/0629-texting-replaces-talking/ There was some measure of puzzlement when the announcement went out that Mayor Ron Littlefield planned to deliver a state of the city report. The cynical journalist wondered what had changed over the past few months since he delivered his vision for the next four years at his inaugural speech in April. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/28/griscom-charting-growth-trajectory/ On summer mornings, my 7-year-old son slips on his Crocs and shoots out the back door. Seconds later, he returns and breathlessly peels apart the morning newspaper. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/28/Kennedy-virtues-are-born-of-baseball-adversity/ There’s no place like home. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/28/magee-honest-discussion-only-enlivens-spirit-commu/ As recent headlines suggest, the foreclosure crisis in the United States is a national challenge, wreaking havoc on the economy at large and changing the face of homelessness. Gone are the days when most of the homeless among us resided in cardboard boxes hidden under bridges or in dark alleyways. Increasingly, today's homeless are families with children who have fallen victim to foreclosure. They live in a brother-in-law's spare bedroom or in the room over Uncle Harry's garage. Today's homeless have food, clothing and shelter. Many even have jobs -- but they are homeless nonetheless, victims of the times in which they live. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/28/0628-proactive-steps-can-stave-off-danger-of/ Floundering around the .500 mark, these Atlanta Braves are the game's ultimate paradox. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/27/braves-need-to-forget-90s-and-rebuild/ It is amazing to sit out on the porch on these hot summer nights and witness the amazing display of fireflies. The firefly is the official state insect (along with the ladybug). http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/27/0627-watch-fireflies-glow/ An empty Coke can, a discarded cigarette butt, a dozen sheets of paper stacking up at the computer printer -- it doesn't take much to make me think about the topic of environmental conservation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/26/Morrison-heed-the-little-voice-in-your-head/ I have been a sucker all my life. But lately I have resisted two efforts by tricky old con artists from my past to feast again on my jugular vein. I partially thwarted one and completely frustrated another, but instead of thinking I am no longer a sucker, I remember the wisdom that I am and always will be a recovering sucker. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/26/Roberts-we-need-a-suckers-anonymous/ Jacques Smith already has a summer job, one that allows him to put a little money in his pocket before turning his attention to his senior season with the Ooltewah High School football program. But Smith also has taken on the added chore of an unofficial recruiter for the University of Tennessee, hoping to help the Vols pocket a few more prep All-Americans. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/26/ooltewahs-smith-helping-recruit-more-vols/ Father's Day has come and gone, but I still can't stop thinking about dads. My father enjoyed engaging us children. I still remember jumping in the car with him after basketball practice one day in middle school, asking him to drop off a friend. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/25/fathers-love-a-foundation-of-self-respect/ Tyler Smith was in the Memphis airport last week, waiting for a connecting flight to Fort Worth, Tex., to visit his mother. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/25/smith-happy-to-be-out-of-nba-draft/ It may go down as the most memorable line in the history of television. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/24/sports-has-its-mcmahon-sidekicks-too/ Recruits hear it. Programs sell it. Fans love it. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/23/brown-likely-one-of-secs-new-fab-4/ When the final round of the rain-ravaged U.S. Open continues today at 9 a.m., you have to root for David Duval, don't you? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/22/could-tiger-comeback-be-coming/ Republicans in Tennessee for the past two election cycles aimed at securing governing majorities in the state Senate and House of Representatives. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/21/0621-counting-unhatched-chickens/ I recently witnessed a car accident. I heard the wreck happening before I saw it -- a mad squeal of tires followed by a sickening metallic smack. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/21/0621-fast-girls-and-other-freeway-hazards/ Whether ties or wallets, coffee mugs or fishing poles, most of us fortunate enough to still have our fathers struggled this past week to find the right gifts. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/21/no-gift-quite-enough-for-daddy-today/ Katie Couric would be borderline hysterical. The rest of the media would be calling it something with the suffix "-gate." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/21/0621-whistle-blowers-gross-competence-gets-him/ Over the past few months I've gotten a look under the hood as President Obama's auto task force directs Chrysler and General Motors through bankruptcy, and I'm very concerned by what I see. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/21/0621-playing-favorites-special-interests-at-front/ We often take our city employees for granted. After all, they are here to provide the best service in the shortest period of time with a smile and the attitude that we are the only people they have to serve. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/21/0621-wood-recycling-crew-deserves-praise/ From the moment of our birth, we start losing people from our life. The loss that seems most final is the transition we call death. It is wise to think through and write out the thoughts that can be our life preservers when the waters of grief wash over us. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/19/we-create-own-path-for-grief/ The Tennessee Secondary School Athletics Association must be mightily impressed with the quality of the state's education system. Otherwise it would never have instituted a new football playoff format that only Einstein or Bill Gates could decipher. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/18/wiedmer-tssaa-classification-changes-still-work-pr/ Less than three months from the start of the college football season, the three first-year SEC head coaches have paced, prowled and propelled themselves and their programs into perplexing positions of uncertainty. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/17/which-new-sec-coach-will-last/ Atlanta manager Bobby Cox didn’t direct the Braves to 14 straight division titles because he didn’t understand the modern athlete. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/15/wiedmer-cox-cant-find-answers-lackadaisical-braves/ Conventional wisdom is that newspapers reach such a broad audience that it is virtually impossible to target a particular demographic group. Everything for everyone is the mantra ascribed to those in the print medium, and unfortunately in most instances that label has been accepted by the practitioners of journalism. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/14/griscom-forum-local-mothers/ I am both fascinated and intimidated by these new $3 car washes popping up around Chattanooga. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/14/3-car-wash-makes-me-very-nervous/ One year ago, I proposed a new “Manhattan Project” to put America on the path to clean-energy independence. The project would focus on seven “grand challenges”: plug-in electric cars and trucks; carbon capture from coal plants; making solar power cost-competitive; recycling used nuclear fuel; advanced biofuels from crops we don’t eat; green buildings; and finally, fusion. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/14/alexander-united-states-primed-and-ready-nuclear-r/ Sen. Lamar Alexander has recently been advocating building 100 expensive new nuclear reactors across the country within 20 years. While we appreciate his willingness to rethink how energy is produced and consumed in this country and his stated support for greater energy efficiency, a massive investment in nuclear power is the wrong course for our nation. The problems with such a plan can be summed up with the four W’s: Wall Street, water, weapons and waste. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/14/smith-focus-renewables-such-wind-solar-energy-firs/ As one might expect of a former college basketball player, departing University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior Khalil Hartwell spent Thursday night glued to his television, unwilling to miss a single second of Game 4 of the NBA finals. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/14/even-mocs-magic-fans-see-la-win/ The Atlanta Falcons moved heaven and earth to acquire Michael Vick. With extensively less effort, they ultimately parted ways Friday with their former franchise poster boy quarterback. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/13/no-return-falcons-cut-vick-loose/ It did not really hit me until last week that so much of life happens in stages. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/12/life-stages-speed-up-in-young-adulthood/ Fears are the handcuffs and leg irons that keep us in bondage to boring jobs, people who no longer serve our best interests and a hundred other little ruts http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/12/our-fears-can-be-our-handcuffs/ At 1:27 Eastern Daylight Time this afternoon, PGA golfers Brian Gay, Woody Austin and Charles Howell III will begin their opening round of the St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind's No. 10 tee. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/11/wiedmer-local-trio-caddies-st-jude/ Having lived in Chattanooga all my life, I grew up with Riverbend. Some of my fondest memories can be traced back to those nine hot days in early June. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/11/mckenna-growing-riverbend/ Proudly clad in the pinstripes of the Minnesota Twins, Jesse Cross toed the rubber. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/10/wiedmer-ringgolds-cross-recalls-draft-times/ In six months on the job with the University of Tennessee, football coach Lane Kiffin is headed for at least his fifth NCAA violation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/09/greeson-kiffin-record-pace-violations/ Fables and parables have been popular methods of telling stories and sharing spiritual truths for centuries. Such stories are valuable because they can explain deep truths in a form that almost anyone can understand. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/09/jenkins-google-drew-blueprint-todays-web/ The best ever. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/08/wiedmer-federer-best-player-tennis-now/ For 65 days the Tennessee General Assembly has been in session. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/07/griscom-getting-down-business/ At the end of Riverbend last year, I made a life-altering decision to leave my lonely apartment perched at a precipice at the end of the world (East Brainerd Road) and relocate to a swank apartment downtown. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/07/phillips-trudge-report-hurts-feet/ I had cars on my mind last week. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/07/kennedy-car-plant-euphoria-rings-bell/ As goes General Motors, so goes the nation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/07/magee-bankruptcy-reflects-nations-economic-trouble/ http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/07/battle-ringgold-gap-inspired-deeds-incredible-gall/ Taylor Harris is a still a year away from a regular roster spot on the Fury Fastpitch 16-under softball team. A rising sophomore at Girls Preparatory School, the catcher will spend most of this summer on the Fury’s 14-under squad. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/07/wiedmer-scenic-city-softball-gem-recruiting/ What’s your take on the new NASCAR rule that calls for double-file restarts? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/06/young-nascars-new-restart-plan-intriguing/ Saul Raisin literally was born to ride a bicycle. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/05/tanner-ex-cyclist-raisin-raising-funds-hopes-chari/ Two of my dear friends are undergoing health problems right now, and both are in the 75 to 80 age range. Discouraged by their health struggles, I was inclined to agree with the statement made by one of them, “The ‘Golden Years’ is a nightmare story created by some penniless bum who ate too much Mexican food and then drank a bottle of the cheapest wine in town.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/05/roberts-everyone-needs-touch-and-praise/ The Atlanta Braves released the wrong employee on Wednesday. That was the understandable knee-jerk reaction to the news that 43-year-old Tom Glavine was no longer on the roster. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/04/wiedmer-glavines-release-just-business/ Last summer, I wrote a feature on the kids at Bright School’s cooking camp and came away quite impressed with the fun they had, the lessons they learned and their strong interest in cooking. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/03/braly-kids-test-cooking-techniques-camps/ From 15 rows behind the Chicago Cubs’ dugout, it was easy to envy the folks in the right-field bleachers. They were keeping warm in the sun during batting practice late Sunday afternoon, while I shivered in the shade. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/02/frierson-wrigley-lives-hype/ Microsoft has announced plans to compete with the popular Apple iPod Touch by releasing the Zune HD video and audio player this fall. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/02/jenkins-microsoft-compete-ipod/ It wasn’t hard for LeBron James’s actions to speak louder than his words Saturday night. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/01/wiedmer-lebron-needs-supporting-cast-win-nba-champ/ Predicting the future is difficult, probably more so than keeping people reading today. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/31/griscom-hand-newspapers-were-dealt/ On a recent Saturday afternoon, my wife attended two high-school graduations. Meanwhile, I got to entertain our two little boys. Finding activities that appeal to brothers ages 7 and 2 is a challenge. To her credit, my wife, given the same baby-sitting task, would have engaged the boys in constructive pursuits such as watering the rhododendron, naming the continents and making life-like reptiles out of Play-Doh. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/31/kennedy-mini-golf-trip-tests-patience/ Coy Mabry first entered the Red Bud Invitational in 1968. He was 16 years old and well on his way to becoming a member of the University of Tennessee golf team. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/31/wiedmer-red-bud-reminder-tough-times/ JASPER, Tenn. — More addictive than any drug is the adrenaline shot that is being part of Friday night football. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/29/hargis-colquette-comes-home-marion/ It was good to see Leon Stone at last Thursday’s meeting of the Less-Than-International Xtix Society. I start grinning inside when I see him coming because I know he is going to make me see a thing or two in Leon light. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/29/roberts-finding-pearls-skill/ So Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive took his football coaches to the woodshed, did he? Threw all 5-9, 170 pounds of himself into every word he said — Slive’s description — did he? Basically said that membership in the SEC is as much responsibility as privilege. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/28/wiedmer-whos-charge-these-guys/ As the school year draws to an end, students aren’t the only ones yearning for a vacation. Many teachers can’t wait for the much-needed break from the halls of learning. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/28/upton-teacher-burnout-real-problem/ On the NCAA golf championship leaderboard Tuesday, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior Jonathan Hodge was nothing remarkable. Out of 156 golfers, he was tied for 41st. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/27/wiedmer-mocs-hodge-chips-chats/ As we speed by the unofficial start of summer and the annual pause that should be a daily thanks to our servicemen and women, the holiday weekend, the school year and Spring Fling are memories. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/26/greeson-breaks-effect-depends-perspective/ The boy’s name is not important. Let’s just say the East Ridge Middle School student has recently endured far more than his fair share of family turmoil. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/25/wiedmer-goss-lifts-lives-east-ridge/ The perfect stormed lined up, brought on by a series of unexpected circumstances. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/24/griscom-stage-set-revamp-higher-ed/ ‘Never let a serious crisis go to waste.” With these words, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel exposed the playbook for tax increase advocates. By using a crisis to scare citizens, politicians from Abraham Lincoln to Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Barack Obama learned that they could swindle constituents into giving up money and freedoms. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/24/johnson-income-tax-would-invite-pink-slips/ Willie White briefly turned back the clock last Wednesday afternoon at Sharp Manufacturing in Memphis. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/24/wiedmer-nuggets-stir-white-memories/ Mary Grace Coffman, age 8, may be the world’s youngest librarian. The Signal Mountain thirdgrader and her father, pediatrician Allen Coffman, have resolved to help provide a library for a school in Nigeria. “I was amazed that they didn’t have a library,” said Mary Grace, who attends Nolan Elementary and enjoys mystery books. “I told my dad, ‘It’s not a school without a library.’” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/24/kennedy-library-box-track/ Real estate in Chattanooga and other Tennessee cities is being reappraised, following state law. This occurs every four, five or six years for different counties according to state law. The purpose of periodic reappraisals is to keep property values used for tax purposes consistent with changing market values. The reappraisals, which are based on last year’s values before the slump began, invariably show an increase. It is most unfortunate that this should occur just now when we are in the middle of a serious economic downturn. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/24/naylor-tennessees-sales-tax-dependent-system-deepl/ MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Although he is just days from concluding his junior year at Ooltewah High School, Jacques Smith knew Friday was the final track competition of his high school career. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/23/hargis-smith-done-junior/ Making the transition from county executive to writer/entertainer was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. It sounds simple on the surface, but it was not simple. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/22/roberts-easing-transition-new-job/ Earlier this year, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to Pennsylvania’s governor, Ed Rendell, urging him to support legislation making it illegal for anyone under 18 to hunt in the Keystone State. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/21/cook-personal-touch-needed-counter-antis/ MURFREESBORO, TENN. — Eric Voges stepped onto the tennis courts at Middle Tennessee State University looking to help guide McCallie to its fourth straight Division II-AA state championship. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/21/hargis-voges-goes-coach-just-proud-dad/ A bad impression or experience can often cancel out many previous good ones in a person’s memory. This is especially true in business. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/19/jenkins-one-bad-apple-spoils-barrel/ It may go down as The Quote of the NBA playoffs. Asked what he and his Los Angeles Lakers teammates learned from their seven-game series with Houston, Kobe Bryant wryly replied: “That we're bipolar.” Really? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/18/wiedmer-kobe-versus-lebron-nba-destiny/ Reforming higher education in Tennessee is not a new concept. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/17/griscom-reforms-cant-be-put/ I received an unusual brochure in the mail the other day. It announced a huge seminar where physicians can effectively learn to make the switch from practicing clinical medicine to other, often more lucrative, jobs. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/17/poteet-johnson-doctors-doing-limbo-how-low-can-the/ Mark Brew is 3-for-3 as a head coach in taking Lee University baseball teams to the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho. And since his Flames finished second to perennial host and usual champion Lewis-Clark State last spring, the Lee athletic department has done very well indeed. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/17/bush-great-sports-year-not-over-yet-lee/ A college intern who sits near my desk was musing about technology this week. “When was the last time I used a stamp?” she said, mumbling to herself as she read an article on a 2-cent increase in postal rates. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/17/kennedy-kids-need-low-tech-toys-today/ Mention No. 23 to anyone only mildly familiar with Chicago professional sports heroes and they’ll no doubt focus on His Airness, Michael Jordan. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/17/wiedmer-sandberg-still-loves-learn/ Boy, is Mark Martin having fun or what? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/16/young-martin-enjoying-second-childhood/ Certainly one of the great benefits of my job, and probably the aspect I treasure the most, is the relationships I’ve developed with coaches and athletes in our community over a 20-year period. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/15/hargis-inspirational-area-athletes-are-moving/ Since Eckhart Tolle’s best-seller, “The Power of Now,” living in the present moment has become the theme of dozens of books and CDs. I even got caught up in it with my own recording of “A New World Every Day.” Here it is with my usual humorous twist on solemn subjects. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/15/roberts-your-past-always-present/ A 16-year old struggles to break off a physically abusive relationship. A father faces the fact that his son’s bipolar rages have become so intense that he will need to hospitalize him for a time. A mother realizes that due to lack of money, her only daughter will need to be placed in custody to receive the treatment she needs. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/14/upton-help-protect-your-childs-mental-health/ Painted head to waist in blue and gold paint, Ben Rickett didn't look much like a collegiate golfer last Saturday afternoon at Frost Stadium. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/14/wiedmer-utc-athletes-offer-support-across-sports/ Is there any more toothless, useless organization involved with intercollegiate athletics than the Knight Commission? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/13/wiedmer-dont-count-knight-commission/ Brett Favre’s career may be winding down, but until the NFL season starts and his name is not on a roster, it is not over. John Elway may have been the “King of the Comeback,” but Favre will always be “Keen on the Comeback.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/12/wiedmer-favre-flirting-reflects-nfl-teams-needs/ If you’re a Dallas Mavericks fan today you now have irrefutable evidence that an NBA referee cost your team Game 3 of its Western Conference semifinal playoff against Denver. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/11/wiedmer-knowing-ref-cost-your-team-game-good-thing/ The surprise and sadness that I felt seemed to have come out of nowhere. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/10/galbraith-looking-back-my-trip-abroad/ Frank Reed doesn’t do calm well. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball coach normally paces the dugout with Tabasco in his veins. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/10/wiedmer-reed-proves-successful-motivator/ As the non-resident Fellow for Energy Policy at the Howard Baker Center for Public Policy, I am keenly focused on regional and local energy issues. I have looked to the past and present to inform views for the future, studying energy supplies and policies that make up our energy portfolio. This assessment has brought me to review proposals for nuclear power in Tennessee’s energy future, given that 32 percent of our state’s electricity is generated with this technology. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/10/paul-nuclear-vision/ Charlie Steinhice is on his way to Germany. Mr. Steinhice is a research scientist at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. He is off to Berlin to represent his family at an Allied Museum exhibit honoring his maternal grandmother, Marion Peck. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/10/kennedy/ Maybe it’s because I’ve reached the age where more and more people call me “sir” and I’m just becoming a cranky old guy. Or maybe I’m just cynical. Whatever the reason, I’m certainly not excited about our city’s chances of being given the opportunity to host the TSSAA state football championships in December. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/09/hargis-dont-expect-state-football-finals-here/ At 2:30 Thursday afternoon, former Tennessee quarterback B.J. Coleman announced he had transferred to UT-Chattanooga. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/08/wiedmer-coleman-quickly-utc-ticket-master/ Rather than getting into the agitation consolidating city and county services always entails, it would have been my preference to get the focus back on the riverfront, downtown and improving all the basic services city residents expect. Top priority should be given to resolving the dispute between the city and the RiverCity Co. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/08/roberts-it-may-be-time-unify-all-services/ It's tough to blame Brett Favre for not wanting to remain retired from professional football. If leaving the NFL meant spending your golden years in rural Mississippi you might also try to play until they drove the final nail in your coffin. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/07/wiedmer-flip-floping-favre-must-make-decision/ Tennessee lawmaker Richard Floyd has authored more than a few pieces of legislation during two terms as District 27’s state representative. But he may never sponsor anything that will mean more to him personally than Monday’s House Joint Resolution 197. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/06/wiedmer-floyd-old-city-teammates-help-bussard-get-/ There’s a saying often attributed to Marshall McCluhan that states: “Information overload equals pattern recognition.” In a way, this describes perfectly how I came upon the subject of this week’s column. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/05/jenkins-underdogs-dominate-tech-world/ Southern Adventist University showed baseball’s Hall of Fame the way on Sunday morning at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The school bestowed an honorary degree on former student Dr. Frank W. Jobe. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/04/wiedmer-southern-adventis-honor-dr-jobe-should-be-/ There are experiences in life that leave a bittersweet taste. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/03/griscom-cuts-hurt-most/ Good thing thoroughbred racing isn’t a real sport like college football. Otherwise, a ridiculous long shot like Mine That Bird could never have won Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/03/wiedmer-no-long-shot-could-ever-win-bcs/ In 2006, the state witnessed a yearlong battle between the Judicial Selection Commission and Gov. Bredesen over the process of selecting intermediate appellate and state Supreme Court judges. It culminated in a Supreme Court ruling that the commission, created by the so-called “Tennessee Plan,” had failed in its duty to provide diversity in the choices it sent to the governor. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/03/ramsey-politics-tarnish-existing-method-choosing-j/ We have a rule at my house: A toddler can attend his first Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game once he can sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” This has been a problem for my younger son, who always tripped up on the line: “... So it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the old ballgame.” He loves the counting and arm pumping so much that he would get up to, like, 14, 15, 16 strikes. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/03/kennedy-umbrella-night-t-field/ The goal of any judicial selection system should be to seat judges who have ability, experience, a patient demeanor and a strong work ethic. A merit selection system that includes a commission to study and screen applicants and a commission to monitor and evaluate performance is the best model to accomplish these goals. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/03/lewis-connections-and-cash-should-not-decide/ http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/01/bloody-missionary-ridge-battle-strengthened-union-/ One of the good things about being 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds is that you don’t have to tiptoe around questions. So when former Howard star and current Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Terdell Sands is asked to speak his mind on any subject, he doesn’t worry about being politically correct or whose feelings he’s going to hurt. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/01/hargis-sands-says-kiffin-better-fit-college-level-/ I married myself one time. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/may/01/roberts-marrying-yourself-ring/ Come next week, 67-year-old Raymond Kile will compete in softball, basketball, the softball throw, javelin, shot put and discus at the Chattanooga District Senior Olympics. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/30/wiedmer-golden-agers-go-gold/ It began 10 years ago as little more than a social get-together for fans of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/29/wiedmer-porkys-open-feels-pinch/ Abilene Christian University boasts a quality football program. The Wildcats averaged 52.3 points per game last season, scored 93 points in a playoff win and finished the season with one loss. It was a good year. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/28/epps-abilene-tops-vols-nfl-draft-choices/ The movement toward so-called cloud- or Internet-based services keeps gaining momentum. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/28/jenkins-plan-worst-when-using-clouds/ Back in Richmond, Va., a few weeks ago, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman dropped by the Richmond Spiders football offices. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/27/wiedmer-huesmans-ex-spidar-star-drafted-boost-falc/ It probably is either ironic or appropriate that a public official who cut his teeth on leading a visioning process for Chattanooga in the 1980s is embarking on a new mission in 2009. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/26/griscom-mayor-lays-out-his-vision/ When it comes to teens and sexuality, we have some work to do: In 2007, 54 percent of Tennessee teens reported they had had sexual intercourse. That’s up from 50 percent in 2003. After a promising decline in teen pregnancy for several years, it looks as though it is now on a steady rise. We’ve recently learned that nationwide, one in four teen girls has a sexually transmitted infection. We need to pay serious attention to these trends. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/26/huffman-lets-protect-teens-giving-them-complete-in/ Here in Chattanooga, holistic and comprehensive abstinence education is extremely effective. On Point, a youth development program that teaches abstinence education, has a 17-year track record of going beyond “Just say no” education to give concrete and hopeful life education that is making a marked difference. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/26/scearce-edwards-broad-based-education-abstinence-b/ Blind since birth, Shelley Williams couldn’t see the finish line. So she ran right past it, a blue blur in her matching T-shirt and shorts. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/26/wiedmer-area-4-event-gives-special-thrills-again/ If you’ve ever lost a class ring, cheer up. There’s a chance your ring might track you down. I wrote a column once about a man who had a class ring found by fisherman who plucked it from a paper cup he had hooked in Chickamauga Lake. Amazing. I thought nothing could top that story. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/26/kennedy-class-rings-hunt-down-lost-owners/ Almost every time I think of Detroit, I remember two lines from the ridiculous film “Kentucky Fried Movie,” which will absolutely cost you 20 IQ points if you watch it (bringing me down to a robust 58). http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/25/epps-we-should-be-worried-stafford/ I could hardly wait for spring this year so I could get back to Of all the that have made Chattanooga a renaissance city, nothing beats our system of public walkways. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/24/roberts-many-pleasures-walking/ And you thought fellow Southern Conference members Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Wofford were the biggest obstacles standing between the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team and the NCAA playoffs. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/23/wiedmer-yet-another-foe-mocs-cant-beat/ When it comes to food, there are two kinds of people: Those who love to cook and those who eat to live. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/22/hansen-folks-either-love-cook-or-eat-live/ Many may recall these words as one of the cornerstones of the Reagan administration’s policy regarding Soviet nuclear capability. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/21/riddell-fix-right-glitch-not-wrong-one/ Kobe versus LeBron. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/20/wiedmer-could-hawks-be-spoilers/ Fifteen months earlier, our daughter had headed to Atlanta to board an airplane bound for South Korea. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/19/griscom/ My 2-year-old son has started singing “Itsy-Bitsy Spider” with a deep, gravelly voice like Froggy on “The Little Rascals.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/19/life-stories/ WASHINGTON — On the evening of March 28, starting from New Zealand’s remote Chatham Islands on the international date line in the Pacific and ending with the Hawaiian Islands, the planet marked Earth Hour. Lights were turned out at the Sydney Opera House, Big Ben, the Pyramids of Giza, the Eiffel Tower, and the Empire State Building in a campaign designed to bring international public attention to the ravages of global climate change. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/19/madsen-painful-sacrifices-now-could-head-climate-a/ ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Global warming and increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide seem to be what former Vice President Al Gore calls “inconvenient truths,” but where they end, the guesswork begins. This is just one reason the United States should avoid a “cap-and-trade” regime. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/19/sepp-anti-global-warming-emissions-scheme-would-ca/ Q: I’ve read almost all your columns but can’t find where you’ve addressed renters having trouble paying their monthly rent. None of the bailouts deal with home leases or rentals even though many of us also need a break. Any suggestions? — Tim Tenant http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/18/consumer-watch-hard-pressed-renters-can-be-resourc/ The committed journalist always has a tuned ear and at least a slip of paper and a pen at hand. Story ideas come at inopportune and unexpected times, but that comes with the territory. As they say, news does not wait; it happens. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/12/griscom-good-bad-real/ I was listening to NPR on my drive to work one morning. A high-school senior was lamenting that his parents couldn’t afford his pricey, first-choice college. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/12/kennedy-teach-kids-money-basics-while-you-can/ A professor at UTC once told me that public education saved his life. Initially, it seemed an exaggeration. I reconsidered after he described his parents’ truly modest means and how he would have neither discovered nor pursued his talents without the opportunities his community saw fit to provide him in public schools. Public education rendered possible an otherwise unattainable life. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/12/mcdonough-right-formula/ The State Board of Education, working with the governor, the Department of Education and local school leaders and teachers, revised graduation requirements for students entering ninth grade this fall. Students will now be required to take four years of math while in high school. We write to explain (1) why these requirements were established and (2) what local school boards can http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/12/math-all-even-if-they-dont-go-college-right-away/ Q: I’ve been reading a lot about the importance of placing medical records online. While I can see some positives about doing this, don’t you feel it’s too risky for someone to hack into our personal information? — Fearful Frannie http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/11/consumer-watch-medical-records-internet-require-us/ God’s got him, and we don’t. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/11/cooper-ray-was-gods-servant-our-friend/ Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen is a master architect. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/05/griscom/ Gov. Phil Bredesen “wants to put the University of Tennessee at Knoxville at the top of a new pecking order” by concentrating graduate education at that campus and reducing the number of graduate programs at the state’s other four-year universities, the Times Free Press reported on March 28. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/05/friedl-concentrating-doctoral-programs-knoxville-b/ Families have their own languages. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/05/kennedy/ 2008 marked the 40th anniversary of the founding of the city of Collegedale. Located a few miles east of Chattanooga, the city has developed into the fifth-largest incorporated city of Hamilton County. It is home to McKee Foods Corp., famous for production of Little Debbie snack cakes. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/05/yearning-religious-freedom-played-role-collegedale/ The view that man has to take radical steps to prevent disastrous “global warming” rests on lots of shaky assumptions. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/04/global-warming-house-cards/ Q: A colleague told me our group health insurance plan allows him a free fitness club membership. When I checked it out with my supervisor, she informed me the free memberships weren’t valid anymore. Can I do anything to “grandfather” this benefit? — Percy Puny http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/04/consumer-watch-find-way-grandfather-insurance-bene/ Those of us who have the good fortune of working with creative and innovative entrepreneurs also know of the emotional peaks and valleys that confront these dedicated individuals. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/31/riddell-emotional-roller-coaster-temptation-slowdo/ Mark Cuban is the flamboyant owner of the Dallas Mavericks. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/29/griscom/ I walked into our kitchen one day last week and noticed that my wife’s eyes were moist. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/29/kennedy/ The Southeastern Conference discovered a method to remain relevant during the NCAA tournament: Just start firing and hiring coaches. Take that, Big East. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/28/epps-bamas-moore-winner-again-sec-coaching-flurry/ Thursday afternoon at Holiday Bowl Brainerd, Leslie “The Locomotive” Burnett was on Lane 38 and Susan “The Surgeon” Turner was on Lane 37. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/27/wiedmer-obama-joke-doesnt-faze-special-duo/ If you have a child who is not coming up to your expectations, I can suggest one step you can take that can do nothing but good. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/27/roberts-sure-way-help-your-children/ There was a time a few years ago when anything French was to be avoided. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/22/griscom-i-french-twist-bailoutsi/ As many newspaper companies try to turn themselves around in a brutal economy, under huge debt loads and against a backdrop of increasingly funereal media coverage, it’s worth looking at the behavior and motives of some of the industry’s harshest critics. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/22/siegel-behind-newspaper-negativists/ After reading Consumer Watch columns that emphasize money-making scams and the crudballs who victimize folks who are caught in the economic crisis, the advocacy organization National Consumer League’s Carol McKay updated me on the most current schemes. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/21/consumer-watche-fraudulent-schemes-gain-find-easy-/ When the young, the beautiful and the famous show the world that they are just as vulnerable as the rest of us, we sit up and take notice. Two young pop stars had a horrible fight one night, and the results were aired internationally. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/19/upton-batterers-and-those-who-stay/ As promised last week, today’s column addresses a customizable tool that will enable anyone to be a more effective salesperson. The only requirement is personal discipline and commitment. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/17/riddell-map-guides-salesman-cinch-deal/ While appearing on a national radio show last week, Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun reportedly said, “I just watched Chattanooga the other night (in the SoCon tourney finals). Did you see how good those guys are?” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/16/wiedmer-ncaa-shows-no-love-sec-teams/ Dear Warren Buffett: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/15/griscom-i-request-oracle-omahai/ In my Sunday school class, talk often turns to cancer. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/15/kennedy-ifaith-family-essential-cancer-fighti/ Q: My sister signed up online to become a mystery shopper to earn extra income. I tried to tell her it’s a scam but she didn’t listen and now she’s out some hard-earned money. She’s too gullible, so what can I say to make her more aware of swindles? — Susan Sister http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/14/consumer-watch-switcheroo-can-hit-users-plastic/ Although the talking heads and economic pundits make a living wordsmithing the term recession, for the small business entrepreneur it means two things: Customers are buying less and looking for lower prices. So in effect, two pies are now smaller — the market size pie and the margin pie. Both challenges put a premium on more effective selling. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/10/riddell-harnessing-youthful-enthusiasm/ The Tennessee General Assembly is taking decisive action to solve the pressing issues facing residents of our state. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/08/griscom-unusual-legislative-priorities/ My 2-year-old son has decided to become a nudist. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/08/kennedy-son-cant-keep-his-clothes/ Q: We’ve got “regular” homeowner’s insurance but think we might need extra. The problem is expense, since we can’t afford to up the existing premiums. My husband thinks an umbrella policy is a good idea, but does it really do the trick? — Henrietta Homeowner http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/07/consumer-watch-umbrella-home-policy-gives-vital-pr/ Frances “Kitten” Jones has been rescuing animals since she was 3 years old when a driver deliberately ran off the road and killed her cat. She says, “I haven’t had much use for humans ever since” and decided to dedicate her life to saving animals. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/06/roberts-animal-lover-rescues-menagerie-critters/ I was thinking about the concept of rest while watching “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy over the weekend. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/05/mind-matters/ It is an unfortunate sign of our times, but entrepreneurs and senior citizens have something in common — they are easily identifiable targets for scam artists. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/03/riddell-scam-artists/ “Politicians” and “courage” are not usually connected in the same sentence. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/01/griscom-tilting-tenured-windmills/ Jeff Mendenhall, 39, has biceps the size of frozen turkeys. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/01/kennedy-hey-lawler-want-some/ The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has now landed on the doorstep of the Tennessee Capitol. How accurate are White House predictions that the act will create 70,000 sustainable jobs in Tennessee? No one knows. What is certain is that its supporters are attempting to spend the country out of recession and continue their mantra that the act will create jobs, while relying upon little more to support their arguments than charts and graphs reflecting theoretical multipliers, GDP and a host of other inventive theories. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/01/watson-act-unlikely-create-sustainable-jobs/ In a recent study by Baylor University, eight out of 10 economists predicted that home prices will rise again in the next five years. If this is true, then the new stimulus offers opportunities for smart investments. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/01/schwartzkopf-tax-credits-will-help-homeowners-buye/ I agree with President Obama when he says that the answers to our economic problems are “... in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of the hardest-working people on Earth.” However, I do not agree with any plan that seeks to find answers through bigger government and increased national debt. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/01/neal-plan-looks-what-first-got-us-trouble/ Hamilton County school officials are optimistic about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and its positive effect on education. Some of those funds will be designated for Title I — education for the disadvantaged. In Hamilton County, Title I funding is allocated to those elementary schools where 50 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/01/phillips-school-funds-will-help-faltering-economy/ For the automobile dealer, the stimulus package is pretty thin gruel. While GM and Chrysler are no doubt grateful for the loans they’re receiving from the government, what dealers really need is a rebound of consumer confidence and the further thawing of the credit markets, both retail and wholesale, and the package really does not go far enough toward either of these goals. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/01/kelly-consumer-confidence-key-auto-rebound/ Q: My mother recently died, and my family and I owe a debt of gratitude to Hospice of Chattanooga for their compassion in making her last days more peaceful and helping us get through the ordeal. Please inform your readers about hospice care. — Grateful Greta http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/28/consumer-watch-research-hospice-care-be-satisfied/ My son took a week’s worth of driver-training lecture instruction at his school recently and passed the knowledge test to receive his Tennessee learner permit. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/28/cooper-he-cant-really-be-driving/ Right now I have more goldfinch than ever. They are such magnificent birds that I would love to see everyone attract their share. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/27/roberts-attract-birds-hang-upside-down/ Very early in their adventure, successful entrepreneurs recognize a key difference between building a business and running one. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/24/riddell-tripod-concept-helps-you-see-where-startup/ It is a shame that a college president does not have the same privilege a college professor receives — a lifetime contract under which termination occurs only in extreme circumstances. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/22/griscom-moving-rocks-top/ When I was 7 years old, my favorite television shows were “Batman,” “The Rifleman” and “Gilligan’s Island.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/22/kennedy-brave-new-world-boy-tv/ Q: I feel like I’m in a Catch-22. My wife and I need to downsize our house, but I’m afraid of capital gains. We’ve already lost too much in this grim market so what are our options? — Adam Abode http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/21/consumer-watch-selling-house-can-be-free-us-taxes/ Nothing does more to perk up your sense of well-being and productivity than good sleep. At all stages of life there are unique cyclic challenges to overcome. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/20/roberts-overcome-threats-good-sleep/ Zdnet.com reports that Apple is preparing a service called iTunes Replay. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/17/tech-talk-storing-and-streaming-videos/ Certainly one of the most common tools used by today’s salespeople is the ubiquitous Power Point presentation. You would think, given the difficulty in getting on busy people’s calendars, that the value of a prospect’s time would be understood and reflected in the quality of the presentation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/17/riddell-three-ingredients-great-presentation/ I saw Ben Stein on television the other day talking about America’s spoiled corporate leaders. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/15/kennedy-wealth-eye-beholder/ David Carr, a columnist with The New York Times, posed a question in a Jan. 12 column. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/15/griscom-there-itunes-news/ A loyal reader sent a comment about FICO scoring (see Jan. 24 column) in which he noted his insurance company has begun to rate clients’ policies according to their FICO scores. Mr. R. also questioned the wisdom of paying off a credit card and then closing the account. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/14/which-credit-card-right-you/ Established and successful businesses have long known the value of a structured mentoring program. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/10/riddell-how-startup-owner-should-treat-mentor/ As presidents change, particularly when the new commander in chief wears different political stripes, so do policies. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/08/griscom-piercing-dc-darkness/ I have a new favorite television show: “Lie to Me.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/08/kennedy-baby-body-language-revealing/ Q: I’m so frustrated with my telephone service. The bill is usually wrong, the landline drops calls and I’m tired of calling customer service. My cell phone service is better, especially since the company allows rollover minutes. I’m thinking of cancelling the landline completely. Any advice on the best phone carrier? — Darryl Dissatisfied http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/07/consumer-watch-deciding-ditch-landline/ Some of my friends are always bubbling about going to the beach or sailing away on a cruise. They effervesce to me about their plans, but their effervescence is wasted on me. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/06/roberts-stick-pleasant-day-trips/ A rifle versus a shotgun — two weapons whose intended impact on a target are significantly different. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/03/riddell-rifle-concept-must-replace-shotgun/ No one should doubt the political prowess of Barack Obama, a first-term U.S. senator who catapulted onto the national stage, upsetting the plans of political stalwarts like Hillary Clinton, John McCain and others. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/01/griscom-keeping-big-hopes-check/ Two years ago, the Chattanooga State baseball team zoomed to No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I rankings and fell just short of going to the Junior College World Series in Colorado. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/01/bush-chatt-state-now-take-academic-success-basebal/ By the time you read this, my blood pressure will be sky high. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/feb/01/kennedy-what-ive-learned-nfl/ A friend of mine recently was burglarized. Unfortunately, she hadn’t availed herself of the local police department’s home anti-burglary demonstration; not only did she lose many precious items, but also her peace of mind. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/31/consumer-watch-homeowners-play-game-deceive-potent/ Though remarkable advances have occurred in managing chronic kidney disease during my professional lifetime, much remains to be done, as this timeline will show. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/29/cleaveland-milestones-chronic-renal-disease/ For more than 40 years Northwestern Technical College has provided outstanding education opportunities for the students, businesses, and industries in Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, and Walker counties. I am proud of the college’s impact on our area. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/27/column-merger-northwestern-tech-and-coosa-valley-t/ Today I’d like to conclude my coverage of MacWorld and the Consumer Electronics Show, as well as briefly discuss the recent NAMN show and some other interesting new developments. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/27/jenkins-software-edits-pitch-voices-music/ The economic downturn with its subsequent layoffs and disruption leads its victims to react and position themselves to avoid a repeat of the trauma. Interestingly enough, many casual bystanders, having seen friends and family go through such events, come to much the same conclusion. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/27/riddell-mest-egg-could-fund-start-/ The unprecedented number of people who traveled to Washington and descended on the National Mall, all the while braving freezing temperatures, is a testament to what the inauguration of President Obama means to millions in our nation’s young history. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/25/davis-time-government-work-everyone/ I was two years into a five-year enlistment in the U.S. Navy when the United States invaded Iraq in 2003 under the false pretenses that Saddam Hussein’s army had weapons of mass destruction. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/25/roark-obama-earns-respect-calls-action/ I am hopeful that the inauguration of President Barack Obama marks the beginning of a new era in American politics: an era that sees us move past the partisan bickering, which has marred recent decades, to a renewed sense of community, compromise and cooperation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/25/shuler-time-get-past-partisan-bickering/ Every four years. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/25/griscom-more-just-words-time/ Tuesday was my wife Andrea’s and my second presidential inauguration. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/25/bredesen-it-could-easily-have-been-1861-or-2161/ Coming from a lineage of slavery, and as an infant of the civil rights era, I rejoice to see this day! http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/25/howard-hill-day-many-years-making/ Talking toys are a menace. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/25/kennedy-note-toys-who-pulled-your-string/ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech that America had defaulted on her “promissory note.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/25/miller-longtime-promise-becomes-reality/ Q: I know you say to check credit ratings every six months, especially with the state of today’s economy. Isn’t getting my FICO score as important? — Vic Vigilant http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/24/consumer-watch-borrowing-economy-good-fico-score-i/ If I told you how long John Ebb Steward and I have been friends, you might think we both came over on the Mayflower. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/23/roberts-sacred-places-give-strength-through-life/ So there’s no Chattanooga RV Show to ease the winter doldrums for outdoorsmen? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/22/chattanooga-we-can-look-paddling-sites-absence-rv-/ The need for developing close customer relationships has never been higher and the same can be said of the rewards. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/20/riddell-product-recommendation-boards/ Karen Nazor Hill: My 2-year-old granddaughter is at the stage where she gets excited when we tell her that she has done something good such as putting away a toy, going to the potty, singing a song and so forth. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/20/hill-kennedy-taking-sides/ One of the most remarkable aspects of our enduring constitutional republic is the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/18/brown-inauguration-2009-all-americans-can-rejoice-/ Lawmakers were in disarray. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/18/griscom-worm-turns-gop-control/ I drive an older car, a 1998 Toyota Camry that we call Bernard. Once you name a car, it’s hard to let it go. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/18/kennedy-brother-can-you-spare-car/ Less than seven minutes remained in Saturday’s second half when University of Tennessee at Chattanooga forward Nicchaeus Doaks spiked a Western Carolina shot hard against the court. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/18/wiedmer-mocs-still-need-work-showing-toughness/ My desk often needs to be de-cluttered so sometimes important paperwork gets solved aside. This month I had to pay a late charge for my credit card bill and I know this negatively affects my credit rating. I've promised myself to clean up my desk but what other ways can I be sure to avoid late fees? — Nelle Negligent http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/17/consumer-watch/ One of the great mysteries of the universe is why people write songs. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/16/roberts-write-songs-fun-and-therapy/ Exercise tops the list of many New Year’s resolutions. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/15/cleaveland-parents-must-set-example-exercise/ It’s always an exciting time for tech folks at the beginning of each year, as the first two major electronics shows debut at that time: the Consumer Electronics Show and MacWorld. This year marked some major changes in both shows, one in particular. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/13/jenkins-tech-shows-disappoint-surprise/ Tim Tebow trumped his own post-Ole Miss speech last Sunday. When he uttered the words, “I’m coming back!” during Florida’s championship celebration — and I’ve seen tamer crowd reactions from Jerry Springer audiences — he jump-started some very interesting dialogue for next season. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/13/epps-tebows-return-boosts-gators-gives-him-chance-/ Perhaps you have seen the 2009 retail forecast estimating that approximately 200,000 stores would close this year. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/13/riddell-economys-survivors-must-communicate-produc/ Men, if you want to infuriate your wife, try taking a nap on a Saturday afternoon just as she’s revving up the to-do list. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/12/mcleod-dont-be-nap-police/ The calendar turned over another 365 days, bringing an untarnished entry into a new year. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/11/griscom-new-era-fresh-approach/ ATHENS, Ga. — This was going to be a story about Bruce Pearl’s sideline antics, his shouts from the bench, his facial expressions following a bad call. And there were certainly some entertaining moments. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/11/epps-manic-pearl-stays-calm-vols-trail/ Editor’s note: This section was printed before yesterday’s Tennessee Titans playoff game. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/11/kennedy-smack-talk-gets-intense-my-house/ Q: Are pesticides tested on humans in clinical trials before they are available to pest control companies? Does this include the products consumers buy at local hardware stores and big box retailers? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/11/tubbs-pesticides-not-tested-humans-use/ NASHVILLE — Tennessee Titans quarterback Kerry Collins knew the stats. He knew he and his teammates gained 180 more offensive yards in Saturday afternoon’s AFC semifinal game against the Baltimore Ravens. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/11/wiedmer-titans-yet-again-let-win-slip-away/ The War on Terror demands moral as well as strategic clarity. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/11/addicott-keep-gtimo-open/ The factoid has danced across the bottom of sports network tickers all week. Referring to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, it states that no NFL rookie quarterback has ever won two playoff games. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/10/wiedmer-rookie-flacco-hard-fluster/ The demise of the City Directory will mean nosy kids like me won’t be able to find out where their teachers live, where their best friend’s father works or who owns the big house on the hill. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/10/cooper-goodbye-city-directory-old-friend/ We’ll miss college football because every game matters. And a lot of other reasons not including more dialogue concerning the glorious saint that is Tim Tebow. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/10/epps-secs-league-rpi-seventh-ncaa/ With home prices and interest rates so low, we’re ready to move up a step and purchase a larger home. Of course, we’ve first got to sell the one we currently own. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/10/consumer-watch/ Fletcher Bright is the genial, jovial leader of The Dismembered Tennesseans. He has not lost an arm. If he had, I think he would have learned to hold the fiddle bow between his toes. In all the years I have known him, he has completely thrown himself into the art and craft of fiddling. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/09/roberts-mr-bright-just-keeps-improving/ It was a quick summer trip for Mike Haugen, a 31-year-old eighth-grade science teacher in Denver. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/08/cook-colorado-teacher-haugen-ascended-50-states-hi/ Q: “How can I check my Social Security earnings for accuracy?” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/08/see-if-social-security-letter-accurate/ In announcing his decision not to run for governor in 2010, former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist opened the gate for other Repub-lican gubernatorial hopefuls to jump in the race. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/gubernatorial-kickoff/ Adolf Hitler sent his Nazi German forces to invade Poland, beginning World War II in 1939 — and blamed the Poles. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/gaza-tragedy/ Speed and alcohol are major causes of traffic deaths. With less speed, particularly in places other than on the freeways, many accidents could be avoided. And by simply not drinking and driving, 40 percent of traffic deaths could be avoided. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/thousands-preventable-deaths/ When we think of undesirable things about coal-burning steam plants used to generate electricity, we first think of the emissions that pollute the air. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/tvas-kingston-cleanup-challenge/ Many Tennesseans are surprised — and many are disappointed — that Dr. Bill Frist, former U.S. Senate Republican majority leader, has decided he will not run for gov-ernor of Tennessee in 2010. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/frist-out-wamp-governor/ China’s recent record for food and product safety is dismal. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/step-right-direction/ It’s a tradition at the end of the year to develop ideas to improve ourselves. One of mine that always bites the dust is a promise to myself to spend more time doing anything other than surfing the Web. In the words of that great philosopher John Dvorak of pcmag. com, “Yeah, right.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/jenkins-new-years-revolutions-ponder/ Q: Why did you buy and consolidate the Chattanooga newspapers? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/hussman-citys-love-2-papers-won-hussmans-notice/ For anyone who doesn’t live in the Bluegrass State, it was nothing more than an extra-long 3-pointer winning an early January college basketball game. No one except delighted Louisville Cardinals fans or dejected Kentucky Wildcats fans will likely long remember Edgar Sosa’s Sunday afternoon game-winner come March. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/wiedmer-louisville-seems-ready-rise/ When you are coming off a slow period, it is very important to build up positive momentum and to do it fast. The old saying, “Nothing succeeds like success” takes on an even more critical role for every organization trying to rebound from a slump. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/riddell-win-sales-reducing-uncertainty-pricing/ So the preseason No. 1 football team in the country loses three games, gets embarrassed twice, finishes the season in the Capital One Bowl and the head coach says: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/epps-richt-right-point-wasnt-great-coaching/ Q: You’ve been here one year and one month. What were your impressions of the Times Free Press when you arrived? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/taylor-appeal-physical-newspaper-sure-last/ Q: What was it like when you arrived as executive editor in 1999 after the Chattanooga Times and Chattanooga Free Press combined operations? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/06/griscom-newspaper-strives-meet-readers-best-spot/ Why do we always wait until things get awful before we ask for help? We wait until our marriage is in a ditch before we go to a counselor. We wait until our kid is failing before we hire a tutor. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/05/mcleod-hard-times-bring-out-prayers/ Do you think windmills are the answer to global warming emissions from coal or natural gas? Think again. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/05/answer-isnt-blowin-wind/ The turn of the year brings thoughts of new beginnings and meaningful changes. In keeping with that practice, many of us made resolutions for 2009. If the past is an accurate indicator of the future, a majority will be short lived. That’s because most are unrealistic and difficult to maintain. Some resolutions, however, are easier to honor, and those often bring change to our lives and to society at large. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/05/going-green-new-year/ We have become accustomed to medical miracles in the last century or so. Illnesses that once decimated populations have been eliminated. An explosion of scientific knowledge, an expanding pharmacopoeia and an array of high-tech equipment allow health care professionals to practice their craft with ever-rising rates of success. That success, though, comes at high cost. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/05/medicine-and-money-icu/ For sound ethical and constitutional reasons, the Bush administration protects federal taxpayers by not requiring that their tax dollars go to potentially life-destroying research on the stem cells of human embryos. That is a very small restriction that does not prevent states or private organizations from conducting such research. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/05/ban-stem-cell-research/ Did you see the unhappy news about Toyota? The Japanese company, which builds many of its cars in the United States with American workers, expects its firstever operating loss in 70 years. Toyota predicted a nearly $1.7 billion loss for the fiscal year that will end in March. That compares with profit of more than $25 billion just a year before. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/05/key-difference/ All year long, the Media Research Center bears witness to the liberal bias of the elite national news media. Then at the end of each year, the MRC collects particularly appalling examples of bias and has dozens of judges from around the country pick the worst of the worst for its “Notable Quotables.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/05/and-media-winners-are/ Note: Mark Kennedy and Chris Vass were editors on the front lines of the newspaper consolidation here in 1999. Mr. Kennedy was Sunday editor then, and Ms. Vass was the Metro editor. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/04/kennedy-editors-recall-first-year-new-paper/ During the decades immediately following the Civil War, Chattanooga began to grow. Lookout Mountain, looming large near Chattanooga, was a constant presence and landmark of the growing city. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/04/cox-rise-and-fall-lookout-inn-lookout-mountains-gr/ Jan. 5, 1999. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/04/griscom-ten-years-and-still-going-strong/ Over the past five months, the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies has issued a series of seven reports on early childhood, the environment, education, crime, health, housing and the economy. All the reports are online at www.ochscenter.org, but let me try to sum up our findings: Place matters. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/04/eichenthal-place-matters/ Alan Dunn is imposing proof that athletic success can lead to fulfillment in other ways. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/04/bush-dunn-now-puts-work-law-practice/ Why can’t Utah be No. 1? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/04/wiedmer-utah-makes-great-case-top-spot/ Well, the first thing you notice is Lane Kiffin calls his dad “Monte.” Not “Dad” or “Pops” or “Coach Kiffin,” though that last one would sound odd. It’s “Monte.” That seems a bit strange. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/03/epps-ut-takes-monumental-step-heavy-nfl-influence/ Even though money is tight, my health is poor and I need to hire a monthly cleaning service. I’ve always done my own housework so I’m not sure what to do when deciding on a particular company. — Hilda Housework http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/03/consumer-watch/ Most of us experience several breakups in relationships with partners over the course of our lives. With the divorce rate coming close to 50 percent, the outside-of-marriage breakup rate is surely much higher. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/02/roberts-breakups-teach-much-about-life/ Rigor mortis is defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary as “medicine suffering of the joints and muscles of a body a few hours after death, usually lasting from one to four days.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/01/riddell-fighting-holiday-stiffness/ Myron Lewis was not the obvious choice to save Vanderbilt's first bowl victory in 53 years. Especially after the junior defensive back almost cost the Commodores Wednesday's Music City Bowl against Boston College. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/01/wiedmer-vanderbilt-makes-statement/ Tomorrow we begin 2009. Let’s do it right. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/31/hasen-be-resolute-new-year-2009/ Since this is the last Tech Talk column for this year, let’s take a look back to review a few major tech events of 2008. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/30/jenkins-2008-tech-news-year-review/ If there is one thing that is consistent about the end of the year, it’s the positive expectations that many of us confer upon the namesakes of that annual process known as New Year’s Resolutions. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/30/riddell-business-owners-should-resolve-get-through/ Oprah’s fat again, and, not to mention any names, but a few of the rest of us have porked up right along with her. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/29/mcleod-oprah-and-i-are-packing-weight/ Phillip Fulmer. Doesn't any discussion of sports in the Chattanooga Times Free Press coverage area during 2008 kind of have to begin and end with the former University of Tennessee football coach? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/28/wiedmer-love-him-or-not-fulmer-was-states-top-stor/ I’ve just moved to town and, aside from church and work, don’t have a lot of time to make new friends. Since I can’t get a fast response from Dear Abby, do you have any ideas? — Sarah Social http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/27/consumer-watch/ The season promised more than the usual drama performed by young men inside filled Southeastern Conference stadiums. No, 2008 would be even better. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/27/epps-sec-football-had-many-big-stories-08/ This holiday season is full of interesting customs and traditions that are not often explored. When one person recently told me he thought Kwanzaa (an African-American holiday) was a Jewish holiday, I thought, “You know, it may be time all of us took a refresher course on the holidays.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/25/upton-refresher-course-holidays/ Three hundred and sixty three days a year nobody loves sports more than yours truly. Fortunately, my job allows my passion to also provide my paycheck. And that's almost certainly a good and lucky thing for me, because I probably would have lost several jobs paying closer attention to my favorite teams and athletes than my career. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/25/day-worth-celebrating-how-you-wish/ Here are a few stories and products I’ve been tracking for you recently. c http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/23/jenkins-jobs-illness-starts-rumors-about-apple/ “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” While many are familiar with the written words of Charles Dickens, certainly fewer are aware of Mr. Dickens’ entrepreneurial activities. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/23/riddell-financial-verities-dickens-tale/ Russ Huesman and Don Lepard were on the phone six months ago — a couple of former college football teammates and roommates discussing the sad football state of their alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/23/wiedmer-huesman-takes-job-he-has-long-wanted/ Happy Holidays 2008. The economy is tanking. Half the country is lying awake worrying about money. Yet somehow, we’re supposed to find the joy in Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah or whatever other overpriced holiday you’re wondering how to pay for. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/22/mcleod-its-gonna-be-simple-christmas/ I need to come clean: I have committed Happy Meal fraud. (There, cuff me.) http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/21/kennedy-fast-food-phobia-out-hand/ Consumer confidence is used as a predictor of economic viability http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/21/griscom-searching-little-confidence/ Q: I was contacted recently by an astronomy organization to buy a previously undiscovered star. I paid $75 to purchase a star in memory of my deceased parents, but several colleagues now tell me I was scammed. I know dishonest people try to cheat the public, but even at Christmas? — Susanna Swindled http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/20/consumer-watch-deceivers-want-you-be-their-star/ Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive stared past the empty end zones at the Sommet Center to all those Tennessee Volunteers basketball fans cheering from the sideline rafters Tuesday night. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/17/wiedmer-big-east-vs-sec-needs-something/ This week we’ll dip into the email bag http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/16/jenkins-computers-can-handle-double-duty/ At no time in recent memory has the element of fear been so palpable and pervasive as it is today. Under the gloom, it is easy to forget that 93 percent of mortgage holders are making their payments on time and 93 percent of people looking for work are, in fact, working. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/16/riddell-turning-fears-opportunity/ It’s like a rock in the pit of your stomach; a cold clammy feeling that spreads up your gut and momentarily stops your breath. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/15/mcleod-money-woes-can-become-gut-wrenching/ When I sit down to read a bedtime story to my 2-year-old son, he can always remember the page when the main character gets into a pickle. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/14/kennedy-life-presents-blind-corners-everyone/ The warnings came over the weekend; another failure was on the horizon http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/14/griscom-unlikely-candidate-bailout/ With an awful lot of us spending “extra” money on gifts for loved ones this holiday season in an already-distressed economy, it’s key to save even a few cents whenever possible. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/13/consumer-watch/ I mentioned journaling in a column, and a friend in Utah wrote, “I am 65 years old. Do you think I am too old to start journaling?” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/12/roberts-dont-stop-living-your-life-today/ When Calhoun High School’s football team steps onto the Georgia Dome turf this evening, it not only faces defending Class AA state champion Buford but also a 34-year draught for northwestern Georgia. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/12/hargis-trion-title-coach-hopes-jackets-win/ The plan was for the whole team to jump in the ocean, but tide warnings prevented the Lee University Lady Flames from celebrating their NAIA national soccer championship that way last Saturday night at Daytona Beach, Fla. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/11/bush-lee-women-back-home-champs/ If each of us had a dollar for every time we have heard that analysis, we wouldn’t lose a minute’s sleep over our 401(k)s, the Big Three or all those flim-flam artists masquerading as Wall Street CEOs. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/10/wiedmer-let-bush-go-out-giving-texas-shot/ Quite justifiably, the apparently constant unfolding of bad economic news has left many individuals angry, frustrated and anxious. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/09/riddell-channel-distrust-others-skills-wealth-crea/ The World War I prisoners at Fort Oglethorpe were certainly a different breed from the prisoners kept there during World War II. World War II prisoners were German soldiers captured on the battlefield. Most of the World War I prisoners were arrested in the United States. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/07/orchestra-education-part-life-inmates-world-war-i-/ We have a visitor at our house named Nicky. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/07/kennedy-elfs-magic-keeps-alive-santa-claus/ This is not another piece on whether President-elect Barack Obama had more small-dollar donors than any other candidate. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/07/griscom-willing-donors-wanted/ I’m postponing what would have been this week’s column in favor of some great holiday shopping advice, compliments of the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/06/consumer-watch-hints-about-gift-receipts-coupons-s/ My son came to see me last year about this time and asked me if there was anything I needed or wanted. He said, “Kat and I have done well. It would be our pleasure to give you your heart’s desire.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/05/roberts-color-outlook-sunny-and-bright-2009/ As an entrepreneurial manager and leader you know that you have to be the catalyst for positive and productive action. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/02/riddell-coaching-staff-overcome-difficult-time/ Maybe John Parker Wilson wouldn’t be leaning against a wall on the second floor of the Mal Moore Athletic Complex on Monday, surrounded by cameras and reporters and notebooks, if Dec. 13, 2005, turned out the way Florida coach Urban Meyer feared. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/02/epps-tebow-less-tide-go-12-0-wilson/ Here are some potential Christmas gifts I’ve been reading about that some lucky, tech-inclined folks would be thankful to receive. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/02/jenkins-tech-toys-xmas-wish-list/ We didn’t wear our big white tennis shoes, we didn’t complain about the lack of ice, and we never once asked where you could buy a Big Gulp. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/01/mcleod-dont-expect-honey-buns-france/ At ages 2 and 7, my two sons don’t have a lot in common. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/30/tent-makers-invade-our-tv-room/ For more than two years, state lawmakers wrestled with the rules on the public’s access to the actions of government. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/30/griscom-more-access-not-less/ Mary Hunt, a plain-talking financial adviser, author and an old colleague of mine, offers some of the best guidance around, particularly in these troubled economic times. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/29/consumer-watch-self-analysis-gives-you-better-cont/ Wednesday night was Phillip Fulmer's last Thanksgiving dinner with his Tennessee football team. This morning will mark the final Last Tackle Drill he will ever oversee. Saturday evening’s game against Kentucky also will mark the last time Fulmer will run through the “T” as the head football coach of the Vols. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/27/wiedmer-fulmer-family-prep-finale/ Rumor has it that University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletic director Rick Hart is having a vegetarian Thanksgiving feast this year. He’s decided the school can’t afford another turkey of a football season. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/26/wiedmer-utcs-hart-has-platter-pick/ Today, I’ll try to answer some questions from the e-mail bag. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/25/jenkins-polaroid-lovers-can-take-heart/ Entrepreneurial business managers need to be aware of the two most dangerous times in their business lives. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/25/riddell-critical-curve/ What’s your story? You know, the story you tell yourself about your life, who you are, where you came from and what’s happened to you. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/24/mcleod-tell-your-tale-or-watch-it-evaporate/ At our church last Sunday, one of the choir ladies fainted. She recovered almost instantly, bless her heart, but somebody dialed 911. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/23/sleep-dancing-and-other-mysteries/ For more than two years, state lawmakers wrestled with the rules on the public’s access to the actions of government. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/23/griscom-more-access-not-less/ Setting: CEO office at mega-media company Anywhere, USA, except Chattanooga http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/23/buyout-nobody-predicted/ I live in Oregon but my sister in Chattanooga sends me some of your columns that have been very helpful in various situations. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/22/consumer-watch/ The first night winter walks through my walls and stakes a claim to every square inch of my house, I start thinking about what I am going to do to get through it with some small degree of aplomb. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/21/roberts-tips-surviving-winter/ Phillip Fulmer always could recruit. Didn't matter if he was convincing talented young football players and their parents to sign with Tennessee, Vanderbilt or Wichita State, he knew what to say and how to say it. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/20/wiedmer-fulmer-tied-vandy-well-ut-players/ Q: Mrs. M, of Sale Creek, writes: I’m writing concerning the article you wrote in the paper Nov. 6. A woman asked about drawing her ex-husband’s Social Security. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/20/retirees-home-life-may-affect-benefits/ Eric Berry took one look at fellow Tennessee freshman football player B.J. Coleman in the summer of 2007, spied Coleman’s boat shoes and exclaimed, “Man, you look like Clark Kent.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/19/wiedmer-berry-and-coleman-can-lead-vols-future/ Every entrepreneurial manager needs to have a workable framework for sales management. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/18/riddell-urgency-increases-turn-opportunities-resul/ The people have spoken. It was the longest election cycle in history. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/17/mcleod-we-people-need-detox-election/ A few things occurred Nov. 4 that were expected. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/16/griscom-one-more-election-surprise/ The other day, someone put a computer printout on my desk called: “You know that you’re from Chattanooga if ... ” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/16/kennedy-youre-chattanooga-if-you/ Today’s column centers upon Part 2 of Henrietta Hysterical’s question concerning insurance company appeals. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/15/consumer-watch/ Veterans Day has passed, but it did not pass without throwing me into deep reflection and arousing gratitude for all of our servicemen and women as well as conscientious objectors like Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/14/roberts-wars-can-hit-close-home/ This year’s elections were full of surprises. A woman (Hillary Clinton) and an African-American (Barack Obama) were the strongest candidates vying for the Democratic ticket. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/13/upton-surprises-aplenty-year/ Most college and pro football fans know the above quartet as some of the game’s brightest coaches. However, if you are a frustrated Tennessee football fan this morning, you might be tempted to label them the Fleeing Four. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/12/wiedmer-ut-job-may-yet-come-down-ex-nfl-guy/ Now that the emotion, enthusiasm, energy and focus of the recent national election has subsided a bit, a number of entrepreneurial managers have been asking what does the outcome bode for their businesses? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/11/riddell-post-election-partum/ In the Tom Peters’ book “In Search of Excellence” the author quotes a saying he attributes to IBM: “Information overload equals pattern recognition.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/11/jenkins-repetition-key-learning/ Is she crazy, is she hormonal or is she finally shouting the truth? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/10/mcleod-quick-lock-bedroom-shes-angry-again/ For Republicans in most states, Tuesday was not a night to remember. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/09/griscom-red-blue-yes-and-no/ As my 7-year-old son shed his soccer shin guards in the laundry room last Saturday, I asked him a question. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/09/kennedy-winnning-has-its-burden/ Recently I went through surgery. I couldn’t believe it when the hospital billed me for way too large a sum http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/08/consumer-watch/ A justifiable concern of the potential for injury surfaces in conversations with many potential Zoomer Boomers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/06/riddell-harrison-bay-trail-fine-place-start-mounta/ They poured into a room inside Neyland Stadium, defiant and emotional and unforgiving. There was Arian Foster, leading the applause with tears pouring from his eyes. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/04/epps-it-wont-be-easy-find-worthy-successor/ A rifle versus a shotgun; a laser beam as opposed to a floodlight; focus as opposed to broad interest. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/04/riddell-focus-survive-entrepreneurship/ Over the horizon it is finally coming into view ... Election Day. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/02/griscom-write-it-down-then-see-if-its-true/ My wife and I are witnessing the birth of brotherly love. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/02/kennedy-brotherly-love-warms-dads-heart/ Q: While I’ve recently had a problem paying the minimum due on a couple of accounts, up until this point my payment history has been excellent. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/01/consumer-watch-law-places-limits-debt-collectors/ One of the most painful things to hear as a counselor is a tirade of self-loathing. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/30/upton-be-free-accept-yourself/ University of Tennessee offensive coordinator Dave Clawson and his defensive counterpart, John Chavis, should have completely different perspectives on the Volunteers’ disappointing football seasons. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/29/wiedmer-vols-coordinators-agree-ugly-season-what-i/ Tennessee Titans quarterback Kerry Collins had just finished with his postgame interviews — just finished thanking his offensive line, and his coaches, and the fans for this 31-21 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, when a former NFL quarterback extended his right hand toward Collins. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/28/wiedmer-collins-gets-better-ex-vp-manning/ It is so easy to emotionally give in to the general malaise that the recent economic events and political decisions have wrought. What we sometimes forget is that no matter how bad the day’s news, somebody sold something, somebody bought something, and somebody made a profit. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/28/riddell-persevering-leadership-needed-today/ The economy is tanking, the election is endless, and now it looks like I might have to sell my blood if I want to keep my kids in mac ‘n cheese. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/28/mcleod-angst-air-careful-its-catching/ Technology has been responsible for many of the things we enjoy. Computers, fax machines, ATMs and many other devices have been invaluable, especially to businesses. It would be hard to imagine a world without these modern wonders. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/28/jenkins-better-system-measures-now-needed/ The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 36 million children trick or treated last Halloween. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/25/consumer-watch-halloween-tricksters-need-phones/ This year’s high school football playoff picture hasn’t yet come into focus, but that hasn’t stopped a good number of area coaches from worrying about next season already http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/24/hargis-reclassifying-plan-takes-shape-area-schools/ My sister has two dogs, Doofus and Little Man, who growl and snap at each other all day long. Occasionally it escalates into violence. The Doofus and Little Man syndrome has taken over this country’s political life. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/24/dalton-improving-political-dialogues/ Southeastern Conference protocol had the league’s men’s basketball coaches entertaining the print media prior to their women’s counterparts during the league’s annual preseason hoops event on Wednesday. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/23/wiedmer-pearl-summitt-use-similar-skills-boost-ut-/ The question has come up before. Fairly often, actually. As in pretty much every time Eric Berry’s name is mentioned around the University of Tennessee football coaching staff. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/22/wiedmer-vols-need-berry-play-both-ways-against-tid/ In spite of the current economic challenges there are still plenty of profitable opportunities for those that have the wherewithal to flex their business models in support of customer value. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/21/riddell-business-alliance-might-give-customer-new-/ You really have to watch Andre Smith on every play to appreciate what he does for Alabama’s offense. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/21/epps-play-after-play-after-play-left-tackle-smith-/ I recently attended a memorial service for the father of a friend of mine. It’s kind of a middle-age rite of passage, attending your friends’ parents’ funerals, that is. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/20/mcleod-speak-now-or-forever-withhold-your-pride/ “Not dead yet.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/19/wiedmer-fulmer-lives-coach-another-week/ Jim Carrey starred in a movie several years ago about a man whose life is orchestrated within a controlled environment. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/19/grisom-how-about-just-bit-reality/ I ordered some Microsoft software off the Internet but when it arrived and I tried to load it onto my computer, I kept getting an error message. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/18/consumer-watch/ Let’s say you’re a Tennessee fan. You check the Volunteers’ schedule before deciding if you can attend a wedding, no matter how much your daughter protests. Your dog is named Neyland. Your e-mail address is something like volfan98@volfan.co. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/18/epps-vols-fans-admit-conflict-between-wanting-chan/ Q: I ordered some Microsoft software off the Internet but when it arrived and I tried to load it onto my computer, I kept getting an error message. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/18/consumer-watch-counterfeit-products-run-gamut-chea/ In Judaism, every 50th year was a Jubilee Year. Slaves were freed, and debts were canceled. Everyone got big-hearted and cut friends and foes a lot more slack than usual. So I have proclaimed this the Jubilee Year for my least-favorite birds. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/17/roberts-i-declare-jubilee-year-birds/ We’re terrified of the word. Many of us grew up this way and have spent our entire adult lives beating it from our doorways. We remember the fear, the helplessness and the frustration of being poor. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/16/upton-lean-times-show-how-grow-rich-new-ways/ If you want to see Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl’s face light up these days ,just ask him about freshman center Philip Jurick. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/15/wiedmer-jurick-has-earned-praise-vols-pearl/ Around this time four years ago, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley made a curious and somewhat controversial decision midway through the football season. He fired coach Ron Zook after the Gators, ranked for almost the entire year, lost to Mississippi State by seven points. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/14/epps-clemson-gets-jump-coach-search/ One of my favorite comedy movies is Steve Martin’s “The Man With Two Brains.” In this movie, Merv Griffin appears as the Elevator Killer, a madman who stalks his victims in the high-rise device. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/14/jenkins-play-tech-jeopardy-test-your-skills/ In this time of economic uncertainty, there is one thing that you can be 100 percent sure of — there is no lack of commiserating about how bad things are. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/14/riddell-help-yourself-helping-less-fortunate/ Why do men cheat? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/13/mcleod-appreciation-marriage-catch-22/ Preceding the second presidential debate last week, a smaller, less consequential but important discussion occurred. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/12/griscom-cant-we-all-just-get-along/ Time was, I would flee from any establishment that called itself a “family restaurant.” Before my wife and I had kids, I thought “family restaurant” was code for cheesy and greasy. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/12/kennedy-my-favorite-kid-friendly-restaurants/ We know what happened in Georgia. Rodney Garner left Knoxville for Athens, Mark Richt took over and Phillip Fulmer was no longer able to march down Interstate 75 without any recruiting resistance. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/11/epps-other-schools-toughening-vols-recruiting-chal/ That the Tennessee football team is kicking up its heels over the return of punter Britton Colquitt from his five-game suspension for last winter's DUI is without argument. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/09/wiedmer-colquitt-getting-his-final-chance/ Unless his University of Tennessee football team has been in the middle of an off week, Phillip Fulmer has long spent his autumn Tuesday lunch hours with the media. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/08/wiedmer-fulmer-has-no-time-wardrobe-changes/ This week I again tackle some of your e-mail questions. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/07/jenkins-questions-e-mail-bag/ With all of the uncertainty surrounding the financial future and direction, entrepreneurs know that they cannot relegate their futures to folks whose connection with Main Street is sporadic at best. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/07/riddell-sell-harder-please/ I’m fat again. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/06/mcleod-your-brain-making-you-plump-again/ There should be but one question on the lips of every University of Tennessee football fan this morning following Saturday night’s 13-9 win over Northern Illinois: What was Phillip Fulmer waiting on? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/05/change-stephens-needed-be-sooner/ I’ve been so uptight lately that I actually found myself looking forward to a colonoscopy. I treated it as a vacation day with a drug-induced nap. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/05/kennedy-home-remedy-stress-brick-house/ Last Monday, the House of Representatives defeated a proposal to allow the U.S. Treasury to provide liquidity to banks by buying their non-performing mortgage-backed securities. At this writing, House members are debating a revised package already approved by the Senate. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/05/columnist-time-abandon-policies-made-bailout-neces/ In some way, the news that Kyle Petty would consider leaving Petty Enterprises shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s just the latest evidence that today’s NASCAR is so completely different from even 10 years ago. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/05/petty-looking-around-sign-times/ Rancor. Retaliation. Revulsion. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/05/griscom-three-rs-judge-congress/ My husband and I receive a lot of “free offer” calls. Sometimes, I’m tempted to sign up but I’m afraid the offers are a scam so I refuse the gifts. Do you think any of these offers might be legitimate for the future? — Victoria Vigilant http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/04/consumer-watch/ Pity is not an emotion closely associated with the Baylor School. Envy perhaps, in light of the academic and athletic success for which it is known, as well as the benefits associated with a prestigious private school sitting on the most picturesque campus in town. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/03/hargis-baylor-needs-no-pity-theres-painful-streak/ In coping with my son’s congenital heart defect I have learned a lot of things, including the joy (so far) of seeing him go through apparently successful surgery here at Baylor Medical Center. We are grateful and hopeful. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/03/roberts-birth-defects-carry-large-life-lessons/ When Callie (not her real name) discovered that her 11-year-old son had been viewing sexually explicit DVDs, she was horrified. She never imagined a pre-adolescent child, especially one as fun-loving and innocent as her son, would want to view such material. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/02/upton-sex-images-can-sear-young-brain/ Johnny Majors wasn’t biting. At least not directly. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/01/wiedmer-majors-says-hes-above-comparing-self-fulme/ Call your friends in Cincinnati, Braves fans. Ask someone in Kansas City or Pittsburgh how it feels. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/30/epps-braves-far-return-playoffs/ It is very easy to get swallowed up and carried away with the news of national and international economic strife. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/30/riddell-creativity-critically-needed/ When I first started reading about computers back in 1983, one of the first computer terms I learned was GIGO, meaning “garbage in, garbage out.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/30/jenkins-latest-news-tech-world/ There’s nothing more embarrassing than money. Or rather, the lack of it. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/29/mcleod-secret-shame-going-broke-america-these-days/ Sometimes I wonder if my two boys will actually go to college. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/28/kennedy-affording-college-tomorrow/ University of Tennessee President John Petersen has been on a statewide “no free lunch” lunch tour. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/28/griscom-progress-versus-turf-wars/ Our mortgage, a fixed-rate, low-interest, long-term loan, is held by a bank now under severe crisis. What could happen if this bank fails? Is our mortgage and all its terms safe? — Adam Alarmed http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/27/consumer-watch-mortage-holder-should-not-feel-pani/ Where on earth did the first month of the high school football season go? It seems like I blinked and September is nearly gone. But as fall thankfully begins to drop the evening temperatures, here are a few things I think I know heading into the second half of the season: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/26/hargis-some-things-are-clear-season-flies/ Tom Ramsey taught me the power of barbershops. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/26/roberts-power-barbers-immense/ Bob McCoy remembers it like it was yesterday. A sophomore running back at Georgia Tech, he took the pitch as he ran to his left, blew past a couple of overmatched defenders from The Citadel and raced 87 yards to the Grant Field end zone. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/25/techs-record-holder-real-mccoy/ Phillip Fulmer knows the drill. The University of Tennessee football coach can play the martyr as well as anyone when the need arises. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/24/wiedmer-fulmer-vows-get-vols-back-track/ One of the great advantages entrepreneurial managers possess is the very real, inner core belief in the specialness of what they are offering. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/23/riddell-deserving-your-price/ You can’t even buy gas these days without overhearing somebody talking about the election. Whether they’re touting the integrity of their own candidate or attacking the other team as evil, incompetent, immoral, know-nothing thugs, everybody’s got an opinion. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/22/mcleod-policy-not-personality-should-rule-election/ Tennessee-Florida used to be the game you woke up eager to see, a reason to leave your favorite team’s game early so you didn’t miss. You made plans to watch this game with friends. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/21/really-no-longer-rivalry/ “It was a little shocking.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/21/fulmer-should-hire-special-teams-coach/ Men, if you want to raise your status at work, arrange to have three Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, in full feather, follow you to your desk. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/21/kennedy-rockettes-kick-high-gear/ An e-mail arrived last week from a reader who questioned the reason for skyrocketing gasoline prices. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/21/griscom-shortage-real-or-perceived/ You didn’t talk about your accomplishments in that locker room. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/20/epps-well-know-whole-lot-more-about-08-vols-after-/ Q: I’m new in town and need some work done on my car. I don’t want to go to a dealer so what should I do to find a good independent mechanic? — Maybelle Moved http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/20/consumer-watch-finding-good-garage/ The two-inch scar on his chest, just below his left shoulder, is Chris Goodine’s constant reminder. A sort of “how I spent my 2008 summer” unwanted souvenir. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/19/hargis-cancer-ordeal-strengthens-goodines-faith/ The last great pearl of wisdom to soak through our hard heads is that we are all one. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/19/roberts-hurricane-ike-hit-us-all-one/ Never let it be said that Rodney Allison doesn't know what's at stake when his University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team hosts Jacksonville State on Saturday evening. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/18/wiedmer-chattanoogas-allison-knows-every-game-matt/ Never-married and childless, Stephanie (not her real name) never dreamed her life would turn out the way it has. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/17/upton-single-life-can-be-lonely-life/ We’ll never know what might have been. How positively, absolutely dangerous the University of Tennessee offense might have become against No. 4 Florida Saturday afternoon inside Neyland Stadium. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/17/wiedmer-g-gun-bullets-wont-be-secret-weapon-they-m/ If only Roy Kramer were still in power, this wouldn’t happen to Tennessee. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/16/epps-east-foes-have-extra-time-ut/ Funny how a little tightening of the business climate suddenly increases the demand for improvement of business skills. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/16/riddell-keep-self-drowning/ The pressure may be subtle or it might be full-on war, but there’s not a person alive who hasn’t felt judged by their in-laws in some way. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/15/mcleod--laws-out-laws-and-truth/ My first month as the daycare provider for my granddaughter has ended and, so far, she appears unscathed. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/14/sorry-charlie-grandma-thing-new-me/ Trust me. That is the new rallying cry in national politics as now the Republicans are screaming over Internet postings focused on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the GOP vice presidential nominee. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/14/griscom-internet-postings-other-lies/ The speculation started before Georgia’s Reshad Jones took a knee after his game-clinching interception, before Mark Richt could exhale after another one of these ulcer-inducing games against South Carolina. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/14/bulldogs-glad-get-win-not-worried-about-polls/ We continue this week with the Top Consumer Complaints, as well as some tried-and-true, sensible advice that correspond to all consumer problems to help us protect our hard-earned cash and emotional stability. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/14/consumer-watch/ Phillip Fulmer rediscovered his smile as soon as he spied the net-yards-rushing section of Saturday’s Tennessee football stat sheet. It showed his Volunteers totaling 266 of those suckers in their 35-3 win over Alabama-Birmingham. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/14/vols-feature-four-backs-running-well/ Good news for American voters: Change is coming. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/14/kennedy-advice-our-next-president/ We continue this week with the top consumer complaints, as well as some tried-and-true, sensible advice that correspond to all consumer problems to help us protect our hard-earned cash and emotional stability. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/13/consumer-watch-more-top-consumer-complaints/ Sequatchie County’s football team is off to its best start in more than 10 years because new head coach Chad Barger has proven to be a great recruiter. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/12/hargis-indians-have-begun-huge-turnaround/ So Vince Young’s not so In-Vince-ible after all, eh? He’s human. Maybe even a little fragile. Good for him. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/11/wiedmer-vince-young-saga-will-have-no-quick-end-ti/ We’ve heard a lot of criticism from Urban Meyer about Georgia’s all-inclusive celebration last season in Jacksonville. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/09/epps-meyer-seems-hypocritical-late-kick/ Nothing succeeds like success. While not recollecting the exact source of this insightful wisdom, somehow I think that it had to come from a recent graduate of the Yogi Berra School of sales management. But like so many of the sayings of Mr. Berra, there is more than a kernel of truth in these words. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/09/riddell-plan-multiply-success/ It’s another political season, and the spin doctors are priming the pump. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/08/mcleod-triangle-truth-revealed/ There are great plays, ones you discuss after a game with friends over dinner and a beer. There are the memorable ones, plays that alter games and change seasons. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/07/one-giant-leap-propels-moreno-unforgettability/ I think I’ve found Chattanooga’s cheapest — er, most frugal — person. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/07/kennedy-cheapest-person-revealed/ Rancor is a common word that describes political encounters by Washington standards. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/07/griscom-30-years-amity-county/ You really have to wonder what happened in the Rose Bowl locker rooms at halftime of last Monday’s Tennessee-UCLA game. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/06/epps-vols-fans-are-asking-valid-questions/ The Museum Center at Five Points will host a showing of the film classic “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” to honor the theme of this year’s museum gala. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/06/classic-hepburn-movie-cleveland-museum/ There are still times when Greg Smith shows the flash of talent that made him one of the top defensive line prospects in the nation. The challenge now for the former Tyner Academy star is to put together a complete game’s worth of the dominance expected from him rather than the random few. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/05/hargis-green-mile-smith-given-reprieve-cumberland/ The SEC had a pair of eight-win teams from a year ago poised to slide this season. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/04/paschall-uk-keeps-rolling-along-under-brooks/ The sun hovering around 95 degrees and the humidity not too much below that, someone asked Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher at the close of Wednesday’s practice if it was hot enough for him. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/04/wiedmer-heat-young-produce-titans-prepare-opener/ Some people like to work alone. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/04/upton-two-heads-are-better-one/ University of Tennessee center Josh McNeil leaned against the doorway of the visitors’ interview room beneath the Rose Bowl stands. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/03/wiedmer-fulmer-58th-birthday-not-happy-one/ The daily pressures of life get to all of us sometime or other and for many their respite is commonly known as vacation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/02/riddell-everyone-needs-break/ How do you enjoy your life when you’re constantly worried about money? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/sep/01/mcleod-dont-spend-all-your-time-worrying-about-mon/ Last year’s opener was Nick Saban’s coronation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/31/atlanta-opener-against-clemson-crimson-tide-celebr/ On the back of his Tennessee orange baseball cap are stitched the words “General George.” On the cap’s bill is UT women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt’s autograph. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/31/big-orange-nation-invades-lala-land-holiday-outing/ Sometimes, it seems, NASCAR can’t even accept a golden goose when one happens to land in its lap. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/31/penalties-ruin-great-break-nascar/ My oldest son, 6, is dutiful and obedient, a prototypical “good kid.” Last week, though, after a spotless kindergarten year, he got his first gentle reprimand from an authority figure at school — just a caution, really. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/31/less-perfect-still-good/ A short set of rules applies in our newsroom: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/31/griscom-prioritizing-our-political-reporting/ I purchased a set of wireless earphones marked $55.95 (plus tax) on both the product and shelf at a box store in Hamilton Mall. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/30/consumer-watch/ The key chain still hangs in Neil Brown's home. Given to him by an Orange Bowl official following the Auburn Tigers’ SEC championship victory over Tennessee on Dec. 4, 2004. It was supposed to welcome the undefeated Tigers into the BCS title game opposite Southern Cal http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/28/wiedmer-brown-has-motivation-face-ou/ Several years ago, our granddaughter, who was 5 years old at the time and residing with her family in Germany, sustained severe burns in an accident. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/28/cleveland-german-style-health-care-has-merits/ On the national and international scene there is just no shortage of discouraging news. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/26/riddell-little-positive-boost/ The staggering 15-year, $2.25 billion deal between the Southeastern Conference and ESPN comes with a bittersweet thought that appears in my head as a cheesy, outdated graphic http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/26/epps-espn-deal-great-we-will-miss-jp/ Is it just me, or has anybody else noticed that these things never seem to happen to women? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/25/mcleod-here-we-go-again-new-political-sex-scandal/ We lost a member of our newspaper family two weeks ago. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/24/its-never-easy-say-goodbye/ Let’s have some fun. I need your help to find Chattanooga’s biggest tightwad. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/24/wanted-towns-biggest-cheapo/ A rookie on the run, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was carrying out a bootleg in the second quarter of Friday night’s exhibition victory over the Tennessee Titans when the unexpected occurred http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/24/wiedmer-falcons-sure-struggle-titans-may-do-so-als/ Chomping his green gum and scanning the grounds of James Stadium, Doug Rosser was right at home. Seriously. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/23/east-ridge-institution-rosser-marks-another-win/ Q: With all the recent natural disasters (especially the tornadoes and Midwest floods), it seems like I’m receiving more and more solicitations for charitable aid. While I want to help when I can, how can I be sure my money goes toward a genuine need? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/23/consumer-watch-be-cautious-giving-unfamiliar-chari/ The high school football season kicks off tonight, ending the summer speculation and bringing with it my favorite season of the year. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/22/chattanooga-baylor-quarterback-hudson-inspiring-ju/ My birthday is this week. I probably should not say that because people will be asking, “How old are you?” and I simply prefer to not think of that. I told one guy, “All I will say is that I am shaving now,” and he answered with a sick grin, “Yeah, when a man gets your age he does have to start shaving his back.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/22/roberts-birthdays-bittersweet-not-bad/ It keeps us awake when we need sleep. It causes us to gasp for breath, tire out easily and fly off the handle. Stress is part of our daily lives, but many of us are struggling with more of it than we can handle. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/21/upton-stress-new-serenity/ I never sang for my father. That would have been cruel and unusual punishment. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/20/wiedmer-saying-goodbye-dad/ Every entrepreneurial manager knows the importance of effective selling. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/19/riddell-not-being-dispirited-no-key-sales-trait/ Within the Chattanooga sports community, Ron Bishop is perhaps best known as the former wildly successful head basketball coach at Tennessee Temple University. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/19/wiedmer-mocs-early-right-time-diplomacy/ We’ve all done it. Whether it’s railing at your spouse or co-worker or screaming like a banshee at your kids. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/18/mcleod-it-ever-ok-just-lose-it/ For those communities that visited Chattanooga to understand the reconstruction of downtown, there may be at least one new chapter to add to the presentation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/17/griscom-plan-balanced-growth/ There’s nothing like having a 6-year-old child to make you feel incompetent. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/17/kennedy-boys-ask-million-questions/ It’s been quite a summer. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/17/my-life-20s-countdown-move-brings-good-kind-stress/ Watching Michael Phelps makes me feel like a 10-year-old kid again — in other words, a member of China’s women’s gymnastics team — the way I watch in complete awe of this man. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/16/epps-phelps-no-1-olympian-and-champion-eater/ I’m a business owner but still have a question about my customers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/16/consumer-watch/ “Sex is good but not as good as fresh, sweet corn,” Garrison Keillor wrote. I would amend it to say sex is not as good as a tomato sandwich. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/15/roberts-relishing-my-annual-tomato-sandwich/ My next two columns will examine health-care systems in Canada and Germany. I will look for ideas that might have relevance as the United States searches for answers to complex issues in health-care access and affordability. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/14/cleaveland-canadian-health-care-has-plusses/ A subpoena-flinging process server precluded me from submitting predictions at SEC Media Days. He forced me to follow around Phillip Fulmer and ask him about a piece of paper he supposedly didn’t receive. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/12/epps-belated-sec-west-predictions-auburn-edges-lsu/ As an entrepreneurial manager, you know that your key to growth is driving sales. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/12/riddell-compensation-continuum/ There are limitations to hearing the world through a set of Internet downloads. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/10/griscom-moving-past-our-cultural-barriers/ When my boss asked me several weeks ago to collect Volkswagen stories from readers, I didn’t know what to expect. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/10/kennedy-memo-vw-appeal-boomers/ Examining the statistics and personnel of previous national champions can help tell us if Georgia is equipped to claim the BCS title this season. From the trends evident among title winners in college football, the one constant truth is this: You need to play Ohio State in the national title game. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/09/georgia-stafford-key-uga-survive-road/ I’m trying to figure out the best credit card for my pocketbook and lifestyle. It seems like they all offer different rates that change without notice so I’m not sure which one to get. Any suggestions? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/09/consumer-watch-beware-fuzzy-credit-card-contracts-/ Many college and high school football fans are starting to get a bit delirious. Still weeks away from the start of the season, with no significant action to talk about just yet, those of us whose world is oblong scramble for any little scrap of information. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/08/hargis-prep-football-under-way-alaska/ Rodney Allison has waited four years to hear the words and see the commitment. Never mind that the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach is entering his sixth season. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/07/chattanooga-tuna-talk-changed-allison/ How I remember my school days! The excitement of change and the promise of new discoveries made the beginning of a school year a positive time for me. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/07/upton-preparing-good-school-year/ I recently completed reading the book “The Drunkard’s Walk” by Leonard Mlodinow. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/05/riddell-critical-role-perseverance/ If you’re a bigwig at work — you know, like a University President, or a crew chief at Taco Bell, or the chairperson of the Save the Calico Cat Foundation — you might assume it’s your job to make things run perfectly. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/04/mcleod-sperfection-might-be-ruining-you/ There are reminders here of a line in the movie “The Candidate,” in which Robert Redford comes from behind to win a U.S. Senate seat. He escapes from his victory party only to ask, “What do we do now?” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/03/griscom-great-what-do-we-do-now/ Years ago, I wrote an article about a group of 6-year-old baseball players competing in a tournament here. I followed them for several days as they swept through the winners’ bracket and eventually won the championship. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/03/kennedy-playing-hardball-kids/ I’ve been approached by a new guy in the neighborhood about buying some life insurance. His company isn’t one of the larger insurance companies and I’m not sure it's one I should do business with. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/aug/02/consumer-watch-check-out-insurance-salesmans-crede/ More than 100,000 women served as military nurses in World War II. Among them was Vera Gustafson Palmer of Red Bank who died on July 15. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/31/cleaveland-remembering-hero-world-war-ii/ Is it too early to vote Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl this state’s sportsman of the year? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/30/wiedmer-hoop-vols-slate-helps-entire-state/ A descendant of a famous heroic Scot will lead the softball Lady Scots of Covenant College. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/30/russell-coach-covenant-softball/ While these are certainly trying times for many, for every problem out there an opportunity awaits. This is the very core of an entrepreneurial mindset. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/29/riddell-look-you-leap/ I want a do-over with my two kids. Not the kids themselves; they’re absolutely fabulous. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/27/mcleod-gimme-my-babies-hollywood-style/ The body clock was ticking the Monday in advance of the Volkswagen announcement. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/27/griscom-vw-jet-lag-and-related-meditations/ The way mothers block out childbirth, dads try to forget the terrible 2s. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/27/kennedy-terrible-2s-arrive-right-schedule/ The razing of the former brick service station with the interesting architecture at the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue earlier this month brings back my one and only visit to that building in the summer of 1976. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/26/cooper-monts-visit-main-and-central/ My mom is soon going to need a nursing home. Can you advise a particular Web site that can help us to find a more reputable location near our home? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/26/consumer-watch-learn-how-evaluate-places-caring-el/ The SEC or the OC? Should CBS and ESPN televise conference football games this fall, or should E!? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/26/epps-sec-season-be-reality-drama-series/ When writer and minister Keith B. was growing up, his family didn’t have much. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/24/upton-former-dealer-tells-about-street-life/ It isn’t every day in our business that you get to expense the latest copy of Playboy under the extraordinary explanation that it’s needed for research. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/22/wiedmer-harkleroad-says-its-fun-stressful/ I recently came across a bit of information that staggered me. According to Business Week magazine (July 14 and 21, Page 8), baby boomers are retiring at the rate of 10,000 every 24 hours. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/22/riddell-boomer-wave-creates-start--opportunities/ “She stole my jeans, and she never gave them back.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/21/mcleod-sibling-rivalries-die-hard/ Intangibles. That word was used repeatedly last week as Volkswagen announced its decision to locate a manufacturing facility at Enterprise South. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/20/griscom-chemistry-magic-ingredient/ At exactly 10:05 a.m. Tuesday, a chorus of whoops cut through the Times Free Press newsroom, followed by a smattering of applause. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/20/kennedy-we-got-plant-now-what/ An anonymous department store has great sales that I’ve enjoyed for years. A couple of weeks ago, I ran in to buy a belt and found that all belts, scarves, sunglasses, and some other accessories were clearly marked “Buy 1, Get 1 Free.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/19/consumer-watch-stores-legal-responsibility-honor-t/ Despite the fact that he is currently living as a citizen of the United Kingdom and will represent the British track & field team later this summer in the Olympic Games, Michael Bingham knew of only one way to celebrate. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/18/hargis-bingham-gets-olympic-shot-uk/ Like a lot of us whose ages are at least a wee bit north of 40, Alabama basketball coach Mark Gottfried pretty much learned his college basketball from television analyst Billy Packer. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/17/wiedmer-billy-packer-was-more-laudable-lovable/ Asked about the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ urging of members to stop offering scholarships to prospects not yet in their junior years of high school, Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stallings couldn’t resist a joke. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/17/epps-some-sec-coaches-criticize-billy-rule/ Do each of us bear certain responsibilities to practice good health habits? Should the provider of our health care, whether a private company or government, insure us regardless of our habits and activities? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/17/cleaveland-health-care-risks-must-be-managed/ Quite a few business folks regard the theories or ideas on running and affecting businesses as largely those of an ivory towered academic pursuit, a quasi-scientific theory devised by someone whose occupation is not of the real world. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/15/riddell-managing-change-todays-world/ I’m sure you have a lovely navel, but that doesn’t mean I want to see it at the office. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/14/mcleod-when-did-casual-turn-sensual/ The media buzzword of summer 2008 is “stay-cation,” a contraction for stay-at-home vacation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/13/kennedy-how-i-spent-my-summer-stay-cation/ There is an unwritten rule in politics. Typically, it is captured in the phrase, “Never be caught wearing a funny hat.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/13/griscom-odd-hats-danger-politics/ Poems began replacing notes during quarterback meetings. And Tee Martin knew, just two seasons into his NFL career, he no longer loved football. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/12/epps-martin-has-new-passion-football/ Please repeat your Social Security Information about when businesses cannot require your number. Even after I cut out your previous column and now carry it with me, still a couple of healthcare providers say they must require my number. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/12/consumer-watch-you-need-ssn-dealings-officials/ When I was listening recently to Randy Pausch talk about work on the audio CD of his book “The Last Lecture,” I was reminded of some lessons I learned about work the summer I turned 16. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/12/cooper-grit-grits-and-learning-work/ In their much-traveled careers as professional football players, former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga standouts Cos DeMatteo and Nate Bandy caught passes from quarterbacks as varied as UTC flamethrower Chris Sanders and Tennessee Titans All-Pro Steve McNair. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/10/wiedmer-dematteo-bandy-help-mannings/ On my bedroom dresser stands a photograph of myself with a baby on my back. The child is one of my energetic nieces. The photo was taken a few years ago when my niece, now age 7, could barely walk. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/10/upton-parenting-strategies-today/ Eleven months a year, Buzz Peterson loved coaching college basketball. Appalachian State. Tulsa. Tennessee. Coastal Carolina. It didn’t matter — he embraced them all equally. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/09/wiedmer-july-not-so-bad-petersons-nba-job/ Raises for college football coaches are generally accepted and understood as part of the new culture of collegiate athletics. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/08/epps-fulmer-due-raise-seven-years/ The entrepreneurial management challenge is clearly upon us and the stakes have never been higher. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/08/riddell-four-required-themes-success/ I come from a long line of do-it yourselfers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/07/mcleod-man-van-and-ill-conceived-little-plan/ Mike Luckovich, editorial cartoonist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, captured the latest changes that are being inflicted upon airplane travelers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/06/griscom-about-friendly-skies/ This weekend seems like the right time for one of those America-is-awesome columns, you know, before you go out and wave those American flags made in another country. It feels like a patriotic duty. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/05/epps-sports-america-so-much-love/ Now that gas costs so much and prices continue to rise, we thought your readers would appreciate these tips to make their gasoline purchases (and their vehicles) go further. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/05/consumer-watch-station-owners-say-pump-gas-early-d/ For a personal reflection during the July 4th marking of the 232nd anniversary of our country, I urge you to read “Final Salute: A Story of Unfinished Lives” by Jim Sheeler (Penguin Books, 2008). http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/03/cleaveland-final-salute-appropriate-july-4th/ They were all here that steamy August in 1991. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/02/wiedmer-voges-us-amateur-win-best-honors-great-tim/ As the reality of flat world, global competition begins to set in, many entrepreneurial managers are scrambling to adapt. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/01/riddell-developing-employees-global-economy/ Ahh, the glamorous life of a business traveler. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/30/mcleod-soul-sucking-grind-frequent-air-travel/ Educators say a good teacher makes a good student. Others say a good principal provides strong leadership that inspires good teachers and produces good students. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/29/griscom-one-week-change-school/ Can you sum up your earthly existence in six words? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/29/kennedy-six-word-life-stories-tell-much/ I’ve bid on eBay “treasures” and won several items. Last time I won a watch auction and my winning bid wasn’t a cheap one, either. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/28/consumer-watch-check-ebay-seller-reputation-biddin/ Quaker pastor/author Philip Gulley said people who have big front porches are usually open and welcoming people, while people who build and spend time on back porches are often suspicious and are probably hiding something. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/28/cooper-back-porch-good-soul/ What’s better than Christmas in July? How about football in June. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/27/chattanooga-local-connections-take-stage-canadian-/ If you were any kind of fan of college basketball this past season, the No. 1 pick in tonight's NBA Draft should be as obvious as Shaquille O'Neal's and Kobe Bryant's dislike for each other. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/26/wiedmer-rose-only-sure-pick-nba-draft/ Remember slumber parties? Pigtailed and glassy-eyed, as little girls we giggled into the night in our best PJs. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/26/upton-slumber-party-invigorates-young-and-old/ I wish I could remember everything about the night that comedian George Carlin hosted the very first “Saturday Night Live” on Oct. 11, 1975. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/25/wiedmer-carlin-liked-safe-call-just-baseball/ It is an interesting fact about economic downturns; issues that tend to be glossed over in good times now become financial hindrances that must be addressed. General prosperity sometimes underscores the ease that accompanies the desire to avoid making difficult decisions. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/24/riddell-downturn-compels-hard-decisions-employees/ The following admission could expose me to various lame criticisms, like I’m a nerd. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/24/epps-traditional-stats-arent-really-best/ Men: Does taking your kids to the fair, giving them a bath or going to a Cub Scout meeting count as a favor for your wife? Well, sort of. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/23/mcleod-feathers-fathers-and-favors/ Today is our wedding anniversary. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/22/kennedy-my-wife-simply-best/ Being in the word business and hoping people buy those words we put in print, one looks for opportunities to promote the craft. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/22/griscom-some-things-must-run-family/ He averages almost 36 wins per season, owns two SEC titles, makes trips to the College World Series every other year and needs just one more win to play in the national championship best-of-three series. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/21/epps-dogs-perno-deserves-lot-more-credit/ I just returned from the airport where my flight to Arizona was cancelled with no notice. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/21/consumer-watch-plan-ahead-avoid-cancelled-flights/ http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/21/domestic-spying/ The Redoubt Futbol Club Black under-14 girls had to work overtime to get back to the Division 1 Southern Regional soccer tournament, and now they’re doing extra work while at the event in Raleigh, N.C. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/20/nashville-redoubt-fc-black-girls-continue-mission/ For more than 35 years, Clifford Kirk’s heart has belonged on the softball field. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/20/hargis-kirk-keeps-his-heart-softball/ Have you ever smashed your thumb with a hammer while feebly attempting to show your spouse that you belong on one of those home renovation television shows? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/20/wiedmer-tigers-pain-now-will-be-golf-worlds/ The risk of heat injury accompanies the early arrival this summer of hot, humid weather. Regardless of our levels of fitness, all of us are potentially vulnerable to three heat-related conditions. Dehydration and over-heating are common to each. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/19/cleaveland-heat-can-endanger-our-health/ A common trait of successful entrepreneurial managers is an almost unquenchable thirst for knowledge. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/17/riddell-dont-be-shortchanged-seminars/ Have you ever had one of those one-way conversations? You know the kind, where the other person yammers on and on about their life while you just smile and nod? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/16/mcleod-people-who-only-talk-about-me/ I took my 6-year-old son to Riverbend this year. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/15/kennedy-boys-not-sure-about-my-dancing/ The media make a concentrated push one week a year to declare — Sunshine Week. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/15/griscom-only-one-week-sunshine/ My trips to Wal-Mart are probably like yours. I don’t even peek at the prices of the items we have to have, and then I see one or two things not on our list that I decide I want but don’t really need. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/14/cooper-mumbling-strange-wal-mart/ Mitchell Boggs was enjoying his postgame dinner at Huey’s, a popular Memphis burger joint, last week when his cell phone rang. It was the team trainer for the Memphis Redbirds. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/14/epps-boggs-has-exciting-start-st-louis/ Continuing on with last week’s advice about a scheduled surgery and how to prepare to make yourself as safe as possible during the operation, this week’s tip is what to do when you’re back in your hospital room following surgery. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/14/consumer-watch-following-surgery/ As with any change, there has been plenty of confusion among area coaches and fans concerning the TSSAA’s new four-year classification system that will go into effect in 2009. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/13/chattanooga-new-classification-plan-requires-lot-s/ NBA commissioner David Stern wants you to believe that disgraced former referee Tim Donaghy acted alone in fixing games. A “rogue, isolated criminal,” was Stern’s description of Donaghy on July 25, 2007. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/12/wiedmer-nba-betting-rumors-wont-go-away/ Sherri (not her real name) was used to seeing her father on weekends, summers, and holidays as a child. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/12/upton-read-fathers-make-time-children/ Just in case you needed any more proof that Olympic-caliber distance runners have no trace of couch-potato genes, consider James Strang’s workout regimen one day before Thursday night’s 10,000-meter run at the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/11/wiedmer-arkansas-now-strang-ncaa-10k/ Today’s economy presents both challenges and opportunities. Many business veterans, having successfully taken certain steps in the past, are quite comfortable managing in such turbulent times. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/10/riddell-innovation-impelled-energy-costs/ Eight years ago, I returned to journalism after a 20-year hiatus that included a stint in Washington politics. One day, a Times Free Press employee asked me if “West Wing,” the White House through a Hollywood lens, was an accurate snapshot. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/08/griscom-writing-one-hit-wonders/ My wife and I recently paid to see a Michael Jackson impersonator at Rhythm & Brews. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/08/kennedy-cant-we-just-talk-anymore/ As I prepare for major surgery this summer, it’s appropriate to use this medium so readers also know how to prepare for a hospital stay for themselves or for their loved ones. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/07/consumer-watch-how-get-ready-surgery/ In a sense, he’s already answered the question, “What can (Big) Brown do for you?” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/07/wiedmer-lot-hoping-big-brown-can-deliver/ More often than not, we wait until our sports heroes retire before celebrating their career. But I think it would be a shame not to recognize a local coaching gem for everything she has meant to our community and the countless kids whose lives she has touched. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/06/chattanooga-neely-deservingly-honored-volleyball-w/ Behind the headlines of some “miracle drugs” lurks a disturbing story of marketing excesses on the part of America’s pharmaceutical industry. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/05/cleaveland-new-meds-may-have-big-flaws/ The NBA needs this. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/05/wiedmer-living-past-tall-order-celtics-lakers/ Matt Holden insisted he was only following directions. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/04/wiedmer-holly-thomas-strikes-back-against-trash-ta/ One of the very basic and key requirements for effective leadership is the ability to keep people and organizations focused on those things they can control and not allow the noncontrollables to affect this focus. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/03/riddell-staying-positive-amid-crises/ From the moment America’s favorite announcer, Gus Johnson, declared the national-television debut of mixed martial arts “the dawn of an era in American sports,” the viewers’ interest would not subside. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/03/tennessee-tv-ratings-show-mma-here-stay/ I’ve just met the worst person in the world. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/02/mcleod-bragging-bachelor-not-so-bad/ Last weekend at a Brainerd Road restaurant, my 6-year-old son bit into an ear of corn and winced. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/01/kennedy-turning-50-lot-pulling-teeth/ A mild concern was raised by a Times Free Press editor as to whether readers would object to a story on the 50-year endurance of the peace sign in the same issue of the newspaper that reported on the sacrifices of men and women serving in the armed forces. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/01/griscom-different-reception-troops/ Family has a way of reminding you of your age, and I got a good dose of that recently when my younger sister and brother, their children and I accompanied our mother for a weekend to her cabin in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/31/cooper-flip-flops-orange-socks-and-mp3/ I ordered one of those “Do-Everything-Juicers” from over the television for $25.99 plus shipping and handling. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/31/consumer-watch-cooling--rule-lets-unhappy-buyer-un/ Recent media reports have raised public awareness about the rights and beliefs of certain religious sects. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/29/upton-cults-build-walls-around-members/ My friend Bobby e-mailed me a couple of months ago. He wanted to have a long phone conversation about his favorite college basketball coach. Some guy by the name of Bruce Pearl. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/29/wiedmer-bobby-klein-hero/ We all knew that someone one day would come along to knock Tiger Woods off his golf throne. Some of us thought it might be Phil Mickelson. Some, Ernie Els. Some, Vijay Singh. Some, Sergio Garcia. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/28/wiedmer-who-can-beat-tiger-only-his-little-daughte/ Most entrepreneurial managers are in agreement on the importance of attracting and retaining talent. But when you get beyond the platitudes there is a justifiable degree of discomfort when addressing the question of “how.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/27/riddell-3c-model-entrepreneurship/ Do you ever feel like your life is nothing but one big, long to-do list? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/26/mcleod-dont-complain-about-all-you-do/ About a month ago, I was stressing out about my jam-packed month of May when I had a troubling thought: “What if I get jury duty?” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/25/kennedy-jury-out-duty-process/ There is some irony that any politician would travel around in a vehicle labeled “straight talk.” For those who are in the business of crafting rules, regulations and laws, the rule of thumb is to avoid such talk at all costs. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/25/griscom-straight-talk-keeping-open-access/ It was bound to happen. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/24/hargis-fling-controversies-hit-marion-year/ My mother is an elderly senior living on a very fixed budget. Her teeth are in bad shape, but she can’t afford dentures or crowns. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/24/consumer-watch-dental-college-elderly-can-reduce-o/ I’ve been in pregame, halftime and postgame locker-room gatherings. I’ve covered a variety of sports from press boxes and sidelines and once sat cross-legged in a corner of an overpacked gym for a sub-state basketball game. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/23/hargis-noisy-bruisers-prove-again-they-get-serious/ Without prompt action by Congress and President George W. Bush’s administration, Medicare will soon begin a financial decline from which it cannot be rescued. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/22/cleaveland-medicare-meltdown-still-looms/ When the idea first came about to group all five spring sports’ state championships together at one site for an Olympic-style event, I never dreamed it would expand into what its become. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/22/hargis-fling-keeps-gaining-speed-15/ Southeastern Conference baseball teams are preparing to play five games at this week’s double-elimination conference tournament in Hoover, Ala., typically a grueling event that keeps the bullpen doors swinging. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/21/epps-tight-slate-leaves-sec-clubs-weary/ Bruce Roberts is executive director of the California Council on Problem Gambling. Five years ago, he spoke to a civic group of 100 people and asked them to raise their hands if they knew someone who might have an addiction to gambling. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/21/wiedmer-gamblings-hold-sadly-evident-high-profile-/ No group of players, regardless of sport, was more eager to wash away the memory of last year’s Spring Fling with a new game than Lookout Valley’s six baseball seniors. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/21/hargis-jackets-seniors-now-have-more-pain-try-soot/ As an 8-year-old in Pierson, Fla., like most kids who grew up in the 1970s and ’80s, Chipper Jones often heard stories about Mickey Mantle from his father. Mantle was the Hannah Montana for boys back then. Except more talented. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/20/epps-rejuvenated-jones-rising-ranks-switch-hitters/ Grant money! Music to the ears of every entrepreneur and for good reason. Unlike Small Business Administration-backed loans, grants do not require you to pay back the money. They are, in effect, free money. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/20/riddell-free-us-money-offered-innovative-tech-firm/ Have you ever noticed how some people can’t stand to be told they’re anything less than perfect? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/19/mcleod-ego-tips-flawed-fabulous/ The writers strike opened the floodgate for even more reality shows on network television than one could have wished for or wanted. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/18/griscom-reality-show-gets-touch-reality/ My 50th birthday is at the end of May, but I’ve already been mailed a temporary AARP membership card. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/18/kennedy-getting-old-means-gray-hair-and-tv/ I really like to shop online instead of battling crowds in the mall. However, with all the news about online Identity Theft and credit card fraud, what can I do to make sure I’m protected with Internet purchases? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/17/consumer-watch-online-shoppers-can-protect-themsel/ Harris English, the laid-back former Baylor School star with all those state championship titles, grips his putter tightly and pretends to gash the Council Fire Golf Club green early Friday morning. You can likely relate: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/17/epps-haack-hug-helps-english-rally-65/ With the Spring Fling rapidly approaching, another prep sports year is drawing to a conclusion. And while there are still state champions to be crowned in Murfreesboro next week in baseball, soccer, softball, tennis and track, it will also mark the end of spring football. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/16/hargis-patrick-tops-deep-list-d-i-prospects/ Three-hundred and ninety-five days have come and gone since Drew Weaver first heard the gun shots on that horrific April 16th morning in 2007. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/15/wiedmer-vts-weaver-will-always-remember/ Going green doesn’t happen overnight. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/15/upton-gradually-going-green-makes-sense/ David Tyree wanted his money back. All $10,000 of it. He had no problem with then-New York Giants coach Jim Fassel fining him for being late to a team meeting. The soon-to-be 2003 NFL special-teams rookie of the year even thanked his coach for teaching him a lesson in professionalism. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/14/wiedmer-tyrees-tale-story-redemption/ Jon Curran and Keegan Bradley are close friends. Really. An examination of the text messages they send to each other, however, would suggest they should ride in different carts on the golf course. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/13/chattanooga-pals-reunite-trash-talk-regional/ “It’s not the cost of the sales you get; it’s the cost of the sales you don’t get.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/13/riddell-funnel-or-pipe-you-decide-entrepreneurship/ Wouldn’t it be great to work from home? You could come and go as you pleased; you’d always be available for your family; you could work in your bathrobe. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/12/mcleod-business-blunders-bathrobe-brigade/ Gov. Phil Bredesen must have felt like the Bill Murray character in “Goundhog Day.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/11/griscom-budget-battle-politics/ I received an e-mail several weeks ago from a proud mother. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/11/kennedy-tips-succeeding-college/ Doesn’t an airline have to compensate me if it deliberately overbooks and my connecting flight leaves without me? I’m really angry that I missed an important meeting last week. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/10/consumer-watch-bumping-rule-doubles-travelers-comp/ Since she was born, two months premature and weighing only 2 pounds, Emily Boeck has had an indomitable spirit. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/09/hargis-special-event-sadly-limited-legal-fears/ Admittedly, the year is still relatively young. A lot of athletes will make a lot of stupid decisions between now and the end of December. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/08/athletes-gone-wild-must-stop/ Despite the commercialization, Mother’s Day provides a time for the nation to pay tribute to moms. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/08/cleaveland-mothers-day-emphasizes-parenting/ Warily eyeing the honey mustard dressing clinging to his salad’s lettuce leaves, Roger Shultz proclaimed, “I’ve got to get some vinaigrette on this before I can eat it.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/07/chattanooga-former-bama-star-shultz-never-loses-hi/ In discussing the status of their business plans with operational timelines, it is not uncommon for many entrepreneurs to voice their concerns over “the right time” to launch their great adventure. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/06/riddell-days-gloom-masks-great-reasons-start-firm-/ Isn’t it amazing how much your eyesight improves right before you have houseguests? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/05/mcleodvisitors-improve-my-vision/ The IRS dropped $1,800 into my checking account last week, my family’s share of the economic stimulus rebate. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/04/kennedy-ll-do-till-mess-gets-here/ Providing a clear view of the actions of government should fall into a category of “without exception.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/04/griscom-creeping-exceptions-records/ Sophomore forward Duke Crews and sophomore point guard Ramar Smith will not return to the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team, coach Bruce Pearl said Friday. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/03/knoxville-ramar-smith-crews-vols/ My husband and I just returned from a nice 2-day weekend, paid for by a timeshare corporation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/03/consumer-watch-never-view-timeshare-purchase-inves/ Can we dish a little dirt here concerning today’s 134th running of the Kentucky Derby? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/03/arkansas-big-brown-may-have-lot-overcome/ He ranks in the top three among National League rookies in almost every hitting category, surely raising some glasses back in Ontario at Via Allegro. That’s an Italian restaurant where Joey Votto’s mother used to work as the sommelier. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/03/atlanta-ex-lookout-votto-seems-his-way-reds-succes/ Chattanooga may not play host to big-name acts as often as we might like, but in Scenic City, we have ways of getting around that: tribute bands. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/02/phillips-paying-tribute-tributers/ News travels quickly through the halls of a small school. So when David Brainerd Christian School sealed the District 5-A regular season baseball title earlier this week, the players were immediate rock stars at the tiny school. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/02/chattanooga-second-year-wildcats-are-5--champs/ It’s been a pretty good couple of weeks for The Impressions. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/02/courter-honors-and-releases-continue-impressions/ v http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/01/university-tennessee-chattanooga-dont-expect-nix-s/ I must sound the alarm on myself. We’re almost halfway through 2008, and I have barely made progress on my New Year’s resolution to banish chronic tardiness from my life forever. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/01/upton-paying-price-lateness/ Rumor has it that the hottest drink on the Knoxville bar scene is a curious concoction called the Scotty Hopson. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/30/knoxville-basketballs-become-big-orange-deal/ Successful entrepreneurs almost unanimously attest to the value of a good set of advisers. Whether it is a formal board or an informal group, these entrepreneurs know only too well that historical perspectives and opinions have an important role to play in their decision processes. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/29/riddell-board-advisers-entrepreneurship/ But what about me? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/28/mcleod-deafening-sound-dueling-couples/ Age is counted in many ways. For newspaper readers, the measure of being older would be recalling the days of multiple newspapers in midsize and larger cities. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/27/griscom-new-tack-same-standard/ I am afraid of heights. I remember the day this phobia enveloped me. I was watching a basketball game high inside Thompson-Boling Arena at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville when I was overcome with dread — as if, at any moment, I could fall head-first, screaming like a little girl, to an ugly death below. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/27/kennedy-im-afraid-heights-so-sue-me/ I’m tired of my computer [Manufacturer’s name is absent to protect the guilty — and this newspaper!) that constantly acts up. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/26/consumer-watch-get-your-friends-recommendations-hi/ Radio, nationally and locally, is in flux. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/25/courter-lot-us-radio-looking-answers/ Last night (more than a week ago to you), I visited my first radio station. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/25/phillips-public-radio-pledge-drives-pressure-fille/ Like many aging Americans, I worry about my waistline which seems to expand despite my best efforts at diet and exercise. I have invoked the rationalization that my increasing girth is related to aging. But this is a flimsy alibi. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/24/cleaveland-belly-fat-can-be-time-bomb/ Frameworks are important tools for entrepreneurial managers. Not only do they provide a cohesive system, they also provide a generally easy-to-organize set of requirements that can be used time and time again. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/22/six-ps-business-help-manager-organize-tasks/ Urban Meyer remembers looking into the Florida sun and watching fans file into the upper deck in search of an empty seat at his first Gators spring football game. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/22/florida-spring-game-outpouring-catching/ Is your inner lizard gnawing away at your happiness? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/21/mcleod-scariest-reptile-all-deep-within/ WASHINGTON — One might have viewed the parade of two Democrats and one Republican vying to be president as playing to the audience filled with newspaper editors and publishers from across the country. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/20/and-then-there-will-be-two/ One of the advantages of growing up in a lower-middle-class household is that you don’t acquire expensive tastes. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/20/kennedy-poor-boy-solutions-money-woes/ Recently, I picked up a prescription from my doctor’s office; I assumed it was written correctly as nothing in my records has changed from previous prescriptions. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/19/consumer-watch-doublecheck-prescription-see-if-doc/ Roger Alan Wade and cousin Johnny Knoxville will soon be hosting a music show for Sirius Satellite Radio called The Junkie and the Juicer, according to Wade. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/18/courter-wade-johnny-knoxville-teaming-sirius/ Before the first pitch was thrown, the baseball season could easily have come unwound for Dalton High School. Instead, Bob Brotherton has made sure the stitching at one of the area’s proudest baseball programs stayed tightly wound. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/18/brotherton-fast-winner-dalton/ One aspect of my personality that is a definite carryover from childhood is that I hate waiting for things. I dislike being held up in traffic, slow downloads and more than one bottle of ketchup has been chucked prematurely for taking too long to give up the goods. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/18/phillips-how-ebay-helped-add-harem/ What should be done if medicare has patient's date of birth wrong? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/17/what-should-be-done-if-medicare-has-patients-date-/ Reasonable men can argue whether Adam “Pacman” Jones deserves a second chance in the National Football League. There should be no argument over whether or not the Dallas Cowboys deserve Pacman Jones. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/17/pacman-and-cowboys-are-perfect-fit/ Years ago, while writing in my bedroom one night, I was caught off guard by a rap on my window one night. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/17/upton-fight-fear-or-it-will-just-grow/ Pat Head phoned home following the first basketball game she coached at Tennessee — an 84-83 loss to Mercer on Dec. 7, 1974, in front of about 50 fans — with a sense of anxiety. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/15/summitt-still-gets-through-still-gets-titles/ In this time of increased challenge, business leaders are waking up to the reality that developing customer loyalty is much more than a nice slogan or a suggestion for employee bumper stickers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/15/finding-help-struggle-weighs-heavy/ “We need to talk.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/14/hey-guys-put-down-remote/ This session of the Tennessee General Assembly will be remembered for the number of gun bills. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/13/when-liberties-collide/ You are no doubt familiar with happy hour. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/13/kennedy-dont-be-late-church/ Q: Even though I’ve signed up for the National Do Not Call Registry (www.donotcall.gov) and contacted Direct Marketing Association’s anti-spam and anti-junk mail registries (dmaconsumers.org), some of these “marketer” leeches still bother me. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/12/consumer-watch-put-barrier-junk-calls-mail/ Two years ago Brandt Snedeker was second at the Chattanooga Classic. This morning he’s second at the Masters. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/12/snedekers-dream-becoming-real-imaginations-help/ The Chattanooga Market has officially been , and new owner/operator Chris Thomas and his staff are busy getting ready for opening day on April 27. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/11/courter-chattanooga-market-sale-finalized/ He called the trim of his pants “pistachio,” and he dubbed the stripes of his vest “emerald.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/11/will-another-surprise-arise-early-masters-leaders/ Spring is a natural time for change, and pretty soon, I’ll be hit with a pretty big one — I’ve got to move. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/11/phillips-abandoning-fortress-solitude/ Learning of the 4,000th American fatality in Iraq, I thought at once of Eleanor Roosevelt’s wartime prayer: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/10/cleaveland-soldiers-deserve-respect/ Here is a simple test. Take a moment and write down in two or three sentences your description of your company’s main product or service. Don’t spend an exorbitant amount of time; just try to capture on paper the words you most often use in discussions with stakeholders. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/08/its-benefits-salespeople-should-sell/ “How’s your author’s new dating book selling?” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/07/mcleod-funny-fall-grace/ “A city with a great library is a great city” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/06/griscom-key-part-any-great-city/ As a lifelong worrier, I keep mental files on turbulent years. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/06/kennedy-year-feels-oh-1973/ Q: From my past experiences with real estate agents, I’ve concluded that they don’t always work on behalf of their clients. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/05/consumer-watch-make-sure-your-real-estate-agent-do/ Have you ever listened to a band bring out an instrument that’s either totally unexpected or so exotic that your first reaction is to recoil in horror? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/04/phillips-artists-dabbling-left-field-surprisingly-/ And then I shook hands with the president of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/04/memories-flow-20-final-fours/ Former Chattanoogan Sorrel Hays will have her newest opera showcased in early May by the New York City Opera at VOX, an annual two-day festival for new operatic works. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/04/courter-new-york-opera-present-sorrel-hays-work/ There was no mistaking the tone in Tara Bowman’s voice. She couldn’t disguise the anger and hurt she felt after learning that her son, former Notre Dame High School star Adarius Bowman, had been arrested Tuesday night for possession of marijuana. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/04/bowmans-mother-hot-about-pot/ I spent last weekend writing, talking about writing and listening to people talk about writing. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/03/upton-writing-gives-us-energy/ Having just thrown out the ceremonial first pitch of the Lookouts’ exhibition game against Chattanooga State on Tuesday night, Corky Miller was headed for a seat along the first-base line when team owner Frank Burke approached. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/02/corky-visits-throw-not-catch-first-pitch/ Effective selling is the key activity for survival in a down economy, yet for many entrepreneurs this simply means brushing up on the features of their products or services or perhaps even introducing some new ones. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/01/two-mantras-selling/ Give till it hurts. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/30/give--get-assumptions-hold-us-back/ The Easter Bunny is on his deathbed. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/30/kennedy-easter-bunny-blues/ Mayor Ron Littlefield has delivered his third state of the city address. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/30/griscom-aiming-city-learners/ Q: I tried to change my cell phone carrier and was horrified to learn that breaking my contract would result in a $200 early termination fee. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/29/consumer-watch/ The news last week that Chattanooga State would be selling the license for WAWLFM 91.5 and converting to an online version was not met with universal approval. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/28/courter-clearing-air-regarding-wawls-sale/ Aren’t weekends supposed to be relaxing affairs filled with badminton, shuffleboard and other lawn sports? Well, that was my understanding based on years of watching far too much BBC programming. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/28/phillips-suffering-music-weekend-dollywood/ They lined up along Faculty Drive late Wednesday afternoon, four and five deep, quite possibly more folks than Davidson College’s 1,700 total students. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/27/davidson-enjoying-life-sweet-16/ We finish yard chores or a workout, turn on the tap and fill a glass of cool water to drink. We trust that this water will be safe, and in most of America it is. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/27/cleaveland-assuring-safe-drinking-water-everyone/ Most Tennessee fans probably cringed when Candace Parker grabbed her shoulder in pain after attempting to steal a pass just five minutes into Tuesday’s game. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/26/shouldered-load/ Tennessee associate head coach Holly Warlick left the Mackey Arena floor during Purdue’s first-round NCAA women’s basketball game Sunday, turned a corner in the tunnel and saw coach Pat Summitt. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/25/summitt-wants-it-loud-purdue/ One part stylist, one part shrink, one part fortune-teller; he’s nixed half my wardrobe, but in a single two-hour meeting he showed me how I can look better at age 44 than I did at 20. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/24/frumpy-turns-fashion-forward/ The countdown is under way. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/23/griscom-search-obama-fox/ In 1965, when I was 7 years old, my family bought a little red Volkswagen. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/23/kennedy-gas-spike-will-boost-smart-car/ Well, it looks like another banner year for my bracket. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/22/ncaa-bracket-bad-start/ Every college basketball fan with a filled bracket and a TV knows the feeling. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/22/free-throws-so-important-so-frustratingly-ugly/ As the Butler Bulldogs were entering the BJCC Arena on Thursday afternoon for their shoot-around, a security guard stopped senior point guard A.J. Graves, pointed at first-year coach Brad Stevens and asked, “Is that your coach? He looks like a player.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/22/young-coach-gives-butler-good-shot/ Q: We’ve had to use the funds put aside for our high school senior’s college tuition to pay for unexpected and expensive medical treatments. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/22/consumer-watch-yanking-cash-your-home-reduces-equi/ It was sometime during the semifinals of the boys’ state basketball tournament last weekend that it hit me. It is now clearer than ever that other than in Class A, Chattanooga teams are no threat to win a public school state championship any time soon. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/21/too-many-schools-hamilton/ Today is my favorite day of the year. Well, not the day you’re reading this but the day I’m writing it, which is St. Patrick’s Day. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/21/phillips-st-patricks-day-loved-many-forgotten-quic/ My friend David Hemphill died earlier this week. For years, David worked as part of the crew that traveled with Alabama. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/21/courter-leaving-behind-lifetimes-worth-laughs/ Remember the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day”? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/20/upton-getting-unstuck-life/ Bruce Pearl said he wasn’t complaining Monday about Tennessee’s inclusion in the same bracket as North Carolina. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/19/march-19-sec-mens-basketball-rankings/ When last week started, University of Georgia president Dr. Michael Adams (a graduate of Chattanooga High School) probably thought his next meeting with Dennis Felton would be in his office with athletic director Damon Evans, not in Georgia Tech’s basketball coliseum celebrating an SEC championship. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/19/five-minutes-uga-president-dr-michael-adams/ If you’re Arizona State, Dayton, Syracuse or Virginia Tech this week, you’re just plain March Mad. You rightly believe you had a basketball season worthy of an NCAA bid, and now you’ve been relegated to the Nobody’s Interested Tournament. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/19/mad-part-what-makes-march-great/ While sales and selling are always important, selling effectiveness takes on heightened impact in uncertain economic times. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/18/perception-problem-customer-solution-entrepreneurs/ June 6, 1985. My mother circled the date on the calendar, informing me that from that moment forward, I would no longer be on her payroll. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/17/how-do-you-grow-grown-/ The Pickle Barrel is a Market Street landmark, a quirky little restaurant shaped like a triangle with curved windows and an outdoor terrace. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/16/kennedy-last-call-fun-frivolity/ The crowd waited in great anticipation for the exact moment to shout, “We’re Number Three!” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/16/griscom-were-number-three/ Q: I always find myself in trouble over extended warranties. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/15/consumer-watch-repairs-sometimes-cost-less-repairs/ Before the Tennessee men’s basketball team arrived here for the Southeastern Conference tournament, Volunteers coach Bruce Pearl joked about the Big Orange Nation’s reluctance to believe UT could win the event. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/15/vols-fans-skeptical-abundant/ Billy Donovan signaled for a timeout. His Florida Gators’ SEC tournament game against Alabama was all of 65 seconds old. Bama’s lead was a gargantuan 4-zip. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/14/donovan-not-surprised-gators-lousy-against-bama/ Andre Le Roux is four days into his visit to Chattanooga from South Africa, where he is manager of the Southern Music Rights Organization Endowment for the National Arts. SAMRO oversees music publishing in that country much the same way ASCAP does here, Leroux said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/14/courter-allied-arts-hosting-south-african-arts-man/ Add translator to Dave Clawson’s job description. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/14/vols-unlearning-some/ It’s always exciting to feel like you’ve discovered something. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/14/phillips-discovering-new-artists-undeniable-thrill/ Forget everything that had come to be expected from Chattanooga prep basketball at the TSSAA Division I state tournament in the last 10 years. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/14/new-chattanooga-look-teams-left-not-class/ Over the next week to 10 days Wes Moore is going to say and do all the right things regarding his coaching future at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/14/moore-should-weigh-his-options-carefully/ Among options for health-care reform, political candidates should consider a well-established government plan with a substantial track record and a high approval rating among participants. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/13/cleaveland-federal-workers-their-insurance/ Walter McGary reluctantly pulled out the newspaper clippings a few days ago. Seems his Howard School basketball team couldn’t believe their slow-walking, slow-talking, gray-haired coach was one of the finest players in University of Tennessee at Chattanooga history. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/12/mcgarys-way-has-howard-highway-state-success/ Well, unfortunately for Tennessee fans, we’re at that time of year again. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/11/vols-must-overcome-their-history/ JaJuan Smith slumped his weary body into a chair inside the University of Tennessee’s media room inside Thompson-Boling Arena late Sunday afternoon. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/11/after-league-title-vols-aim-more/ Want to improve your marriage? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/10/girlfriend-can-save-marriage/ My mind races. There are reasons: advancing age, caffeine, daily deadlines, parenthood. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/09/kennedy-simple-gifts-melt-away-my-stress/ For those who have observed the political career of Curtis Adams spanning more than two decades, he always has been flexible. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/09/griscom-crafty-strategy-tax-us/ Q: My wife and I would like to “gift” our daughter and her new husband with enough money to help them build a new home this year. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/08/consumer-watch-dont-let-generosity-become-taxing-e/ I think our dog is possessed. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/08/cooper-will-j103-soothe-savage-beast/ After 11 years as an alternative-rock station, WDOD-FM 96.5 has switched its format to Top 40, according to Danny Howard, director of programming and operations. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/07/courter-965-mountain-goes-top-40/ In the wild, survival instinct hard-coded by Mother Nature drives animals to flee the advance of a forest fire at the hint of smoke on the wind. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/07/phillips-trent-reznor-follows-radiohead-online-dis/ Beginning Friday afternoon, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Lady Mocs will focus on basketball only. From now on one loss could be their last loss, even if they haven’t lost once in 2008. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/06/utcs-moore-keeps-focus/ Alfred (not his real name) had noticed erratic changes in his nephew Jay’s behavior. Normally a pleasant and easygoing kid, Jay had reported that people were following him, and he seemed unusually paranoid and distrustful — even of family members. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/06/upton-mentally-ill-need-help-family/ The stock market took another hit Tuesday. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/05/favres-retirement-hits-hard-all-over/ Most of us are quite familiar with the old saying that the “devil is in the details.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/04/bidding-success-entrepreneurship/ Norm Parker remembers the empty brown seats, hearing the coaches shout instructions over the sound of a bouncing basketball and experiencing a sense of emptiness during games at Thompson-Boling Arena. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/04/tennessee-now-state-winners/ I confess. I’m an optimist. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/03/confessions-cheerful-sunny-person/ First, Georgia lawmakers proposed a brazen land grab to claim a sliver of the Tennessee River for the parched peach state. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/02/kennedy-world-needs-much-more-clean-water/ One thing is certain from the confusing signals being sent in Georgia’s attempt to wrest water from three of its neighboring states: Negotiation is not a strength of the Peach State. The Carter Center notwithstanding, the word “diplomacy” appears to have been omitted. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/02/griscom-georgias-diplomacy-drought/ After years of wishing for a screen porch, I finally contracted to build one onto my house. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/mar/01/consumer-watch-homeowners-contract-should-be-paper/ Almost exactly two years ago, Florida’s women’s basketball team used overtime to upset Tennessee in Knoxville, tarnishing the last home game for those Lady Vols seniors. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/29/seniors-shine-lady-vols-rout/ On Valentine’s Day, while other people were engaging in vivid, shocking displays of public affection with their warm body of choice, I was getting a soft and fuzzy feeling from a completely different activity. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/29/phillips-stevie-wonder-receives-dose-love-v-day/ For almost 15 years, I’ve traveled the same route between my kids’ elementary school and their high school. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/29/courter-how-do-you-teach-teen-something-he-already/ When Howard basketball coach Walter McGary walked into the locker room prior to Wednesday’s Region 3-AA championship game against McMinn Central, every iPod was shut off and all eyes focused on him. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/28/mcgarys-hustlin-tigers-ready-state-title-run/ Each time she brings home another sports trophy, seven-year-old Josie Bono tells her father, “Daddy, I’m catching up to you.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/28/bono-could-bring-home-olympic-gold/ How can we ensure that the food we purchase in supermarkets and restaurants is safe? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/28/cleaveland-how-safe-our-food-supply/ Few things can match the intensity of family competition. Add in the anxiety that comes when both teams are facing the potential end to promising seasons, and Tuesday’s Region 3-A semifinals become the most dramatic night of boys’ high school basketball all season. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/27/long-friendships-are-also-long-local-class-rivalri/ Everyone else was missing everything. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/27/foster-commodores-life-support-pulls-plug-vols-no-/ The best part is the stories. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/26/underdogs-lift-laughingstock/ The progress of technology in the communications arena continues to advance the “work from anywhere” notion. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/26/hiring-managing-remote-staffer-requires-wisdom/ Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie led “The Simple Life.” My grandparents are experiencing the bliss of the afterlife. But after a few decades of hassling with real life, my family and I have decided that we’re going to live “The Virtual Life.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/24/virtues-and-vices-virtual-life/ Last week a former colleague in the media in Tennessee shared the news that the final words for an obituary had been dictated to a professional writer in Knoxville. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/24/griscom-aggressive-newsman-board/ We’re trying something new with our 6-year-old son: pay-as-you-go allowance. I no longer peel off a $5 bill every Saturday morning to reward mere solid citizenship. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/24/kennedy-no-reward-good-citizenship/ Q: A couple of weeks ago, I received a text message from what I thought was my credit card company’s issuing bank. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/23/consumer-watch-banks-dont-call-e-mail-you-asking-p/ UTC’s McKenzie Arena is 25 years old this year. While I’m proud to say I was not at opening night for the Kenny Rogers concert, I have attended more than a few events in the building over the last two and a half decades. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/22/courter-25-years-monster-trucks-circuses-and-conce/ Even though Austin, Texas, is 975 miles and more than 14 hours away (so sayeth Mapquest), the influence of its annual music and film bash, South by Southwest, is making waves in Chattanooga. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/22/phillips-road-sxsw-passes-through-scenic-city/ The Tennessee student section could wait no longer. For nearly 39 minutes they had held their tongues, pretending to focus on beating Auburn with the same fervor their basketball team had shown from Wednesday night’s opening tap. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/21/vols-can-turn-focus-real-tigers-now/ I once attended a training where the speaker asked those present to participate in an exercise. We were to break up into pairs and tell each other about our week, highlighting the negative parts. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/21/upton-attitude-adjustment-delivers-joy/ James “Flip” Lyle will compete in a triathlon on March 9, his 63rd birthday. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/19/lyle-guinness-guy/ Last week we discussed the opportunity side of the recession equation for those willing to take the risk and invest in making their sales focus more effective. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/19/get-sales-staff-focus-customer-recession-threatens/ We all have weaknesses. What are yours? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/18/dont-focus-flaws-be-fabulous/ Sometimes in winter, our happy home turns into a sick house. Last week, for instance, everyone in my family of four was either heaving, sniffling or panting with pain. It was misery. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/17/kennedy-returning-health-great/ A few days ago a father shared the story of his son, an avid baseball fan, who was shattered when one of his heroes stumbled — not on the field of play but on the ethical sidelines. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/17/griscom-where-did-public-trust-go/ Q: A couple of years ago, I had a bad experience with a contractor. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/16/consumer-watchselecting-builder-needs-references-p/ If the next few months of the performance calendar are any indication, it is a very good time to be a fan of classic music living in Chattanooga. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/15/phillips-why-coming-months-will-sound-distinctly-o/ What is it about train wrecks that people find so interesting? We love to watch a good train wreck, and the nastier the better. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/15/courter-train-wreck-spotting-now-national-pastime/ Readers responded to my December invitation for nominees for humorous books with a rich array. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/14/cleaveland-books-bring-us-laughter/ The cheer began in the Vanderbilt student section about two minutes into Tuesday night’s second half against Kentucky. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/13/vanderbilts-uk-runaway-defies-logic/ Ramel Bradley is one of the Kentucky basketball players whose return to health has helped the Wildcats return to NCAA tournament consideration, Tuesday’s loss at Vanderbilt aside. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/13/uk-no-longer-needs-miracle/ As promised in last week’s column, this week will be a continuation of more specific examples to help weather the turbulence of the recessionary storm. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/12/prepare-now-recessions-part-ii/ Has there ever been a human desire more fraught with disappointment and misunderstanding than the art of romance? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/11/month-love-lingerie-letdown/ There are numerous reasons why people choose to be journalists. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/10/griscom-make-long-story-short/ I love a good ice chewing. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/10/kennedy-my-cup-runs-over-ice/ Q: As a senior-age lady who wished to find a compatible gentleman to dine with, go to the theater, etc., I found myself in a terrible situation when I paid a lot of money to a local matchmaking company. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/09/consumer-watch-jilted-matchmaker-give-mediation-ch/ Lurone Jennings II had an idea a couple of years ago. He wanted to recognize local high school football players who displayed enough talent on the field to earn college scholarships and enough character off it to be honored in a church fellowship hall. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/08/5th-quarter-dinner-about-more-just-football/ I did something this week I haven’t done in years. Decades even. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/08/courter-super-bowl-xlii-good-start-finish/ Dear readers, in a matter of weeks, I will be homeless. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/08/phillips-musical-vagabonds-looking-home/