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Opinion

  • Responds to rate increases

    To the editor: Welcome to the real world, Mr. Mac Harrell. Why would I, who lives 250 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and 750 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, have to subsidize insurance by higher rates for those who live along those coasts, generally in homes priced way above the median price in our area?

  • Responds to letter

    To the editor: In reply to the Shutt letter in the Jan. 1 edition of the Beacon, he blames all the storms and economic meltdown on us for not giving more support to the Israelis; in other words, God is punishing us.

    God may be punishing us but it would be for supporting them. The people who are in Palestine today are not real Israelites. They are political Zionist Khazars.

    The Bible says God chose Israel to be his servant people, not to steal land and kill at least 100,000 people, but to spread the gospel of Christ throughout the world.

  • Protect your personal information

    To the editor: I want to take time to acknowledge a few hardworking folks who work on the other side of the counter at about any pharmacy you choose to take your business to.

    I have only occasionally been required to wait an inordinate amount of time for my pharmacy items. I know the folks back there are working hard at what they have to do. These pharmacy folks have a job that has many factors involved in it that are tightly government regulated and believe me, these regulations are there for good reasons. These regulations add to our waiting time.

  • Extended life expectancy allows...

    My dear spouse Penny and I were returning Dec. 28 from the West Palm Beach, Fla., region to Shallotte via I-95. We hoped it was going to be a piece of cake.

    Instead, traffic slowed to a standstill just south of the Savannah exits. Tired at 7 p.m., we ducked into a nice inn for a good night’s rest along with other discouraged motorists.

    At 6 a.m., I dressed in the dark while Penny sacked in. I shaved and headed for the free breakfast and a newspaper in the lounge. Surely, I would be the only one up? Surprise!

  • Rate increases are too much

    To the editor: Were you born yesterday? No? Well, here is another question that probably is just as difficult to answer.

    If the weather disasters that are anticipated by a commission recommending home insurance rate increases fail to materialize, will the insurance companies refund to you any premium increases?

    Well, if you answered that question as you did the first, you just passed Politics As Usual 101! However, it is clear commission members and many of our legislators believe you should answer the first question with a “yes” and ignore the second.

  • Thanks to Beacon

    To the editor: The Brunswick Beacon has been instrumental in elevating the public awareness of Brunswick Family Assistance’s financial condition as a result of the economy.

    In October, Scott Harrell (publisher) and Stacey Manning (editor) published an article demonstrating BFA’s needs. Immediately, we began receiving donations to assist our short-term requirements.

    You have helped us immensely to let the public know what Brunswick Family Assistance is about and how we assist families in dire need.

  • New Year’s predictions...

    Laura Lewis

    It was just a little over year ago I was traipsing the streets of Calabash on a late December morning, conducting an unscientific survey of local breakfast diners willing to foresee what lay ahead in 2008.

    One year later, I can reflect it’s a good thing Calabash is renowned for its seafood, because when it comes to skilled psychics, it doesn’t have any.

    Rate of people who predicted Barack Obama would be elected president: Zero.

  • Bridge accident victim says thanks

    To the editor: I would like to thank the many people who expressed interest in my welfare during the recent accident I suffered.

    In addition to the many individuals whose prayers, calls, visits and well wishes have been received by me and my family, we want to thank the institutions who have responded to the situation.

    Particularly, we want to say thank-you to the town of Oak Island, a group of concerned citizens from Oak Island and a local bank, which is taking care of the contributions in a trust fund.

  • Pray for peace

    To the editor: John P. McTeman’s book, “As America Has Done to Israel,” dramatically describes

    the dire consequences America has suffered for pressuring Israel to give up some of their God-given land and to divide Jerusalem.

    He bases his argument on the uncanny

    occurrences of huge disasters coinciding with meetings and/or government declarations

    concerning “land for peace” agreements.

    He links “The Perfect Storm” of Oct. 30, 1991, which damaged President

  • Enjoyed citizens’ academy

    To the editor: What is it like to be in law enforcement in Brunswick County? I guess no one will ever know until they are in it.

    These professionals have to be proficient in many areas, as well as working 12 hour-plus shifts. A handful of deputies patrol more than 800 square miles.

    Twenty residents, including myself, just got a taste in our 10-week Citizens Law Enforcement course.

  • Christmas miracles

    To the editor: A few days before Christmas, a true Christmas story took place here in Shallotte. A little over a year ago, my son was diagnosed with Stage Three colon cancer (he lives in Tampa, Fla., and has two small children).

    A few weeks after his operation, he received a call from his employer in Boston, informing him the company could no longer carry him. He would receive two weeks severance pay and shortly thereafter, would be responsible for his own health coverage under Cobra.

  • Flotilla was great

    To the editor: I am a little late in thanking Ocean Isle Beach for the flotilla again this year.

    More and more people line up on the waterway to see the great event.

    Those of us who live on the waterway invite people to come view it from our decks and piers. It was fantastic again and I understand the one decorated like a fire truck took first place. It looked like it was riding down the waterway.

    There was an awful lot of work that went into it and all the rest, too.

  • A socialized and passive society

    To the editor: It is truly disheartening to watch our country descend from the proud individualism and moral strength that once characterized our society, attributes first described by de Tocqueville more than 100 years ago, to the debased state of an increasingly socialized and passive society we see espoused by the acceptance of Obamism.

    I served in the military for 30 years and observed first-hand in many parts of the world the destruction wrought by the insidious effects of socialism.

  • Faith, hope and charity

    To the editor: I have noticed, as usual, there have been several best-selling books in regard to the subject of atheism. Of course, one may find many such books on the market at any time, but they seem to proliferate around the Christmas season.

    If God would give me wisdom, a trait we all pray for at times in our lives, I would wonder why these people who do not believe in God must insist on pushing their beliefs on anyone at all who does believe in God, but the greatest problem lies in the fact they are simply without hope.

  • Upset about insurance increase

    To the editor:

    The increase in homeowner’s insurance in our area is a travesty and an injustice.

    In 1961, my family built an oceanfront home on Ocean Isle Beach. For the past 47 years, the house has lost a few shingles, and we have not filed any claims.

    From 1988 until 2006, my wife and I owned a house about 5 miles from the ocean in Brunswick County. It has never incurred storm damage.

  • New Year’s resolutions...

    Everyone has within themselves their own personal demons, which they must conquer before becoming whole and complete.—Unknown

    Several months ago my spouse Penny and I were visiting with good friends, a long-married couple in a distant city.

    They are our age, successful professionals with grown-up kids. Their home could easily appear in any of several wonderful magazines portraying southern living.

    How could anything be amiss?

  • Cameras, photography change with...

    I held the tiny white-edged Polaroid snapshot in my fingers. The edges have darkened over the years, and the color has tinted an odd shade of green.

    I’m in the center of the photo, probably no more than 3 or 4 years old, standing in front of an unshapely real Christmas tree. The tree is decorated with lots of shiny objects, accentuated with far too many stringy, silvery icicles.

    My hands are folded in delight, with a big smile on my face. Behind me are stacks and stacks of presents.

  • Leaving paradise to find a frozen...

    Some people around this area told me they dream of a white Christmas.

    If I had lived in 70-degree December weather for most of my life, I might be one of the dreamers, too. But living in a place with inches of snow and negative-degree wind chills for my entire childhood no longer leaves me with winter weather desire.

    If it snowed back home, it was usually after the New Year. February or March was more likely to be victims of blizzards than November or December.

  • Local children have made big...

    They may be small in stature, but Brunswick County schoolchildren have proven they have big hearts and can make significant contributions to this community.

    During the last few months, students at schools throughout Brunswick County have been doing good deeds by taking part in selfless acts of giving to others.

    There are too many school-wide projects to mention them all, but among some of the many, many projects completed by students just before and during the holiday season are:

  • Best and worst of 2008: Trends

    I promised I’d be back with more “best and worst” of the year. This time, I’ve decided to take on the trends of 2008.

    From “going green” to vampire books and movies, and from presidential slogans to penny-pinching, it was definitely a memorable year—for both good and bad trends.

    Best: I’m all for the trend of making good movies for kids and adults. “WALL-E” was one of the best movies I’ve seen in years, and it was highly entertaining for my daughter as well.

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