Stephen Yeargin listens to friends, who all met on Twitter, during a weekly meet-up at Nashville's Winners Bar and Grill for some face-to-face conversation. (SANFORD MYERS / THE TENNESSEAN)

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Stephen Yeargin of Nashville has experienced that dichotomy firsthand. His 419 Facebook friends have taught him that “just because you know a lot of information about a person, doesn’t mean you know them.”

From time to time, while talking with new acquaintances, Yeargin, 26, will realize that they’re already “friends” online, and have been chatting electronically for years. “I’ve had situations where people were more fiery in their writing, but then you meet them in real life and they are more reserved,” he said. “They might be really political online, but then when you talk to them, that doesn’t even come up.”

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Here is a link to the full story.

The words “unseasonably __” have come to mean little so far this year, but they are being tossed around anyway. We have had two or three snowy/icy days lately that brought the city to its knees (or out to play, depending on your perspective). And today, in February, we had 60 degrees and sunny without a cloud in the sky. Being a weatherman in middle Tennessee must be the most frustrating and thankless job in America.

Yesterday morning we went to a legislative breakfast on Jefferson Street hosted by Sen. Thelma Harper (TN-19). It seemed like everyone I ran into was running for Juvenile Court Clerk, as at least four of the eleven candidates were in attendance. After a great breakfast and a lengthy update of what is happening (and not happening) this session, we quietly slipped out the back door.

We picked up another piece of furniture from ModerNash, bringing our total to two new chairs, a coffee table, a bookcase, a nightstand, a six-drawer dresser and the new three drawer-dresser. If IKEA were a publicly traded company, I wish I had put part of my retirement funds in it before we moved. I guess on the plus side, if I ever need another hobby, apparently “furniture assembly” is making the short list. The good news is that only a few things do not have a “home” yet in our storage-strapped single bedroom apartment.

After finishing up with the dresser assembly, we went to an ordination service at our church. The candidate was a young woman that chairs our outreach committee and works with victims of domestic violence and abuse. I have never been to such a service before. I guess I had assumed that simply graduating from a seminary or divinity program fully qualified you to be a minister. This particular service had much more of a ritualistic nature to it, where the candidate receives a robe, a stole, hymnal and other such items prior to receiving the notation in the order of service as “Reverend.” There were many moments where you could feel the collective tears begin to well up in the eyes of all gathered. It was a very inspiring service.

Both yesterday and today have been gorgeous, although I can hear the rain begin to fall outside our bedroom. This morning we walked to Mad Donna’s (a restaurant) for brunch, debating how soon we needed to pick up bicycles (the final verdict is to hold off until at least mid-March). A mile or two worth of walking through the neighborhood is a welcome change from how we would have spent a similar afternoon this time last year. We even managed to sneak in part of a Scrabble game before the afternoon crowds at the two neighboring restaurants became too much of a hilarious distraction to finish.

I can hardly wait for spring to really begin.

I really enjoy following the political process and have had the pleasure of being a minor participant in a few campaigns since 2002. The training sessions went over some of the fundamentals of running a campaign for office, whether aiming for US Senate all the way down to city dog catcher. Campaigns are a lot like businesses in the way they manage expenses (yard signs, other printed materials, staff) and revenue (donations). I was impressed by the new online tools for creating and managing voter lists and volunteers. If used correctly, I would not bet against any campaign team utilizing them.

In a case of mistaken identity, I went up to a young woman and greeted her as not having seen her in three and a half years. The problem was that we had never met — her first name and hair style just happened to match the person from memory. Samantha helped me salvage that conversation by finding out that she was there because her husband was running for a state house seat over in Clarksville, and that we knew many of the same people from West Tennessee. It was her husband’s first step into politics, but he comes from a family of notable Tennesseans. She was there to take notes and learn from other activists. I am really excited to see how that race turns out.

Regardless of your political leanings, I firmly believe that the people who work and volunteer for political campaigns represent what being a responsible citizen is all about. Volunteers give up weekends and evening hours to help advance a cause greater than themselves for no pay and little credit. They call their friends and neighbors, knock on doors, drive vans on election day and are ready to share a message to anyone who will listen. It is easy to be cynical about politics in general, but I find it a lot tougher to discount the efforts of passionate volunteers.

So, I now have a very thick training manual to flip through and a bit more practical knowledge. I take comfort knowing that about every six months there is race or referendum somewhere in Tennessee. Now if I could find just enough time to get and stay involved.

Tennessee’s legislature is almost evenly split on party lines, 50 Republicans to 49 Democrats. Rep. Jimmy Naifeh (D) had been unable to convince a single Republican house member to vote for him to keep his Speaker post, and it was all but certain to end as scripted.

A single click off a button changed all of that.

Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver (R), a freshman member, pressed the wrong button and voted with the Democrats to allow for a short recess. At the recess, the Democratic House leaders put forward a backup plan to nominate another Republican instead. Rep. Gary Odom (D) came forward and nominated Kent Williams (R) for the seat, an old high school basketball teammate opponent. After the roll-call vote, Williams voted for himself, ensuring an extraordinary rise from obscurity to one of the highest offices in state government. Rep. Weaver will likely never hit the wrong button again.

The papers say that state government is in disarray, and many are still a bit stunned of how it happened. Williams has a one-way ticket out of his party, and Democrats suddenly have a bit of hope at not being marginalized by a group that rarely breaks rank with its party leadership. I have watched my Facebook News Feed fill up with comments ranging from outrage, denial, disgust and a few cheers. I believe that it is just another day in Nashville.

One of my favorite things about Tuesday’s events is the number of e-mails and text messages I got about it. I rarely get to check the news during work hours unless looking up something related to our industry. Still, I am grateful for friends that make sure that I do not miss out on anything.

This election cycle has given us at least one key ingredient toward making it an important choice: contrast. The ideological differences between both major parties has never been more evident nor the gulf between their positions so wide.

I disagree with the notion that the Office of the President is insignificant compared to what happens in Congress. The President has one tool at his disposal that no other branch has: a direct audience with the American people. If the Speaker of the House, Senate Majority Leader or even the Vice President holds a press conference, they are fighting with television schedules and our notoriously short attention spans. The President, on the other hand, can preempt “Dancing with the Stars” with as little as a few hours notice. It is a very relevant office because no other pulpit has such a direct effect on public opinion.

A few predictions and observations

All signs, from early voting tallies and tracking polls, suggest that Sen. Barack Obama will carry the day on Tuesday. My electoral map has that happening with somewhere between 280-290 electoral votes and a big lead in the popular vote count. He is not likely to win my home state of Tennessee, ending its 30 or so year streak of siding with the victor.

I agree with most that say Sen. John McCain’s campaign ran aground as soon as economic issues began dominating the nightly news. Undecided voters and even many Republicans fault the Bush administration for the current financial crisis, and Sen. McCain could not keep from being saddled with “guilt by association.” McCain was counting on either a major misstep by his opponent or a fast turnaround in the markets to stop the proverbial bleeding. Neither happened.

Sen. Obama has enjoyed high marks in each of his debates, even if both candidates did little to answer the questions given. Obama also enjoyed a sizable campaign war chest because of his decision to forgo public financing. His campaign staff organized rallies that always featured standing-room only crowds and a several that numbered over 100,000 in attendance. His perceived “rock star” status did little to hurt his campaign and much more to appeal to younger voters.

Neither candidate’s choice for Vice President, in my opinion, changed the dynamic of the race. History shows that they seldom do.

As for congressional races, the Democrats will likely increase their majorities in both chambers. I doubt that the Senate breakdown will favor them by the “magic” number of 60-plus to achieve a filibuster-proof majority. Regardless, an Obama administration will likely move through his first 100 days in office with relative ease as he lays the groundwork for his programs. Past that is anyone’s guess.

Looking past Tuesday

So much of our attention has been focussed on these final days of the election that the thought of it being over may catch us by surprise. Partisans and independents have both put off enacting big plans until that mental hurdle of “who will lead the country” has been cleared. For most of us, Wednesday will look no different than Monday, but it might make a world of difference as to how we plan big purchases or life changes. Businesses of all sizes have a vested interest in finding out whose tax plan will come to be.

As I said before, there is a good chance that Tennessee will find itself on the short end of the ballot when it comes to selecting the next president. I have a great deal of confidence that the vast majority of Tennesseans will exercise civility even when they disagree with the policies put forth by the candidate for which they did not cast their ballot. Ours is truly a great country that allows for, and even encourages, dissent with our elected officials.

There might even be a few out there that cannot wait until 2012. I think I need a break.

I am exhausted from a long day of riding all over Nashville in “celebration” of iPhone Saturday. I have had this one on my calendar for a while because it means I got my first new gadget in quite some time. There are a few facts I learned today.

iPhones are pretty nifty – Mine is turned off for now to let the battery recharge, but the apps I picked out a while back work great and I am sure I will find a few more worth having. Other than test calling my wife, I have not actually used the phone portion yet.

AT&T uses Equifax to verify credit – Last December, someone broke into the Davidson County Election Commission and stole a laptop containing the private information of every registered voter in the city. We are among them. In response, we put credit freezes on both of our accounts through all three credit bureaus. AT&T uses one of them, Equifax.

The Apple Store is not accustomed to dealing with frozen credit files – If you go to purchase an iPhone (even if you completed the online process and it says your credit was checked), the store employee will have to go to a back room and call AT&T’s service line. The agent on the other end will ask for the pin number to temporarily access your records.

Equifax cannot unfreeze your credit on weekends – I was able to call the other two agencies and have the freeze temporarily lifted. Neither was the one that AT&T wanted to use. Equifax only processes such requests between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.

We are not con-artists – Contrary to the uneasy looks we got the second time trying to complete our rather expensive purchase, we just wanted to hurry up and be done with the process. Even after driving back to Goodlettsville to retrieve our files, we were still unable to satisfy their credit verification needs.

The AT&T Store is slightly better prepared – Two failed attempts at the Apple Store put us right down the road to the AT&T Store. They were able to verify our credit through alternative means (we passed) and also merged our bills with our home phone and Internet service.

Debix will actually call you – While at the AT&T Store, an off-site credit analyst went about an alternative means to verify our credit. They called the phone number on file with Equifax, which was a line monitored by Debix. Debix took their information and then called me on my cell phone and asked for a security pin. After providing that, I was able to complete the rest of the process.

Lint and protective screens do not mix – Just ask my wife, who spent close to an hour trying to figure out how to de-lintify her case for the iPod touch. I dropped the static cling side to my pants leg while bouncing down I-65, so it ultimately winds up being my fault.

A margarita and a quesadilla takes the edge off a long day – We stopped by Rosepepper Cantina & Mexican Grille in East Nashville on our way home. I highly recommend it.

One of my fraternity brothers from UT Martin was featured on NBC Nightly News last night. This gives a rare glimpse into some of the struggles faced by job seekers, and how national policies put in place by the next president will have a direct effect on job creation.

As you watch the video, remember that each of us could find ourselves in Jonathan’s shoes as an increasing number of Americans have already discovered. Take some time this morning to read up on the presidential candidates’ plans for job creation.

The fourth and final installment of Fridays Off took place at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. As I went to Centennial Park last Friday, I figured this was the next logical step in the progression. These mini-vacations have been suprisingly fulfilling because it gives me the chance to take a couple of pictures and enjoy some of the best weather that I can recall.

Across the street from Bicentennial Mall is the Tennessee Farmer’s Market. I have not been there before, but I hear it is a good place for lunch. The Tennessee for Obama headquarters is just across the street in the shopping center. Speaking of which, I just remembered that the television is booked for the night.

Appraised Value
The first element of figuring out how much property taxes will be on a piece of property is to figure out how much it was last appraised. The Comptroller of the Treasury for the state of Tennessee maintains a Web site where you can search by address or owner name after selecting in which county the property resides.

There will be a section of the report titled “Value Information”. The Total Market Appraisal is the sum of the land plus improvements (buildings).

Example:
Total Market Appraisal: 191,300

Assessment
For residential property in Tennessee, the Assessment will be 25% of the Total Market Value. Commercial property is 40%, while some churches and non-profits are zero.

Example:
Assessment: 47,825

Calculating the Property Tax
Your property taxes are set each year by county and city officials. You can look up the property tax rates for all 95 counties through the Division of Assessments. There is also some historical data for comparison purposes.

Metro-Davidson County has a county tax rate of $4.04 per 100 assessed dollars (or 4.04% of the assessment). For the city of Goodlettsville, residents pay an additional $0.66 for city services like trash collection, public works, police and fire. That brings the total rate to $4.70 per 100 assessed dollars (or 4.7% of the assessment).

Example:
Property Taxes: $47,825 x 0.047 = $2,247.78

Paying Property Taxes
That amount is due each year to the county trustee. If you are paying a mortgage on the property, your lender may be paying the property taxes on your behalf. You will likely get a notice in the mail about the amount, so it is a good idea to follow-up with your lender to determine whether they have been paid.

Nashville residents can use an online service to check whether their taxes are current. Not paying property taxes usually results in some fairly nasty penalties, as most city governments rely heavily on those dollars for operations of city services (50% in Nashville).

If there is even the slightest question of whether your are eligible to vote in this election, please use the Voter Registration Information Lookup to review your record or contact your local election commission.

Resources:

• Tennessee Voter Registration (PDF)
• Nashville/Davidson County Election Commission
• Find your Election Commission
• Voter Registration Information Lookup

I stopped off this morning at the convenience store to grab a cinnamon roll for breakfast, as I often do if I forgot or did not have the time for a bowl of cereal. As I walked up to the counter with my purchases, I picked up a copy of the newspaper. On the cover, there are two main stories today, one about the recent shuffle of metro school principals (more than 68 have new assignments) and another about the new Volkswagen plant that will be built near Chattanooga. Both are great local-angle stories; information that is pertinent to the paper’s readers and has far reaching effects.

I will forgive The Tennessean for using the groan-worthy headline “Fahrvergnügen, ya’ll” for a story about a $1 billion auto plant to be built in the state. For one, without providing a translation it could mean anything from telling the populous to go commit a lewd yet impossible act or to “go grill bratwurst” (Samantha tells me means “driving enjoyment” and was used in an ad campaign in the early 1990s).

I laid the paper on the counter and remarked “That’s pretty big news,” referring to the VW plant story. He spins the paper around to get a better look at it and looks up and says “Yep, they really needed to get him signed.” It took me a moment what he was talking about until I saw Albert Haynesworth, a tackle for the Tennessee Titans in the upper left-hand corner. His agent and the Titans had failed to reach a long-term deal. I made small talk about that story as my debit card processed, but I kept thinking “that is the last story I would have considered ‘big news’.”

I drove on to work and laid the paper on counter behind my desk. I noticed that the paper’s Web site did not have the same headline (likely a wise choice by another copy editor who also groaned at the work of the evening shift). After a bit of catching up on e-mail, I brought up the subject again with another co-worker about the new auto plant. We spoke about the economic impact, the quality of the vehicles and the likely effect on the region’s tourism. A third colleague came over to see what we were talking about.

After one glance at the paper, he said “I hadn’t heard that about ol’ Albert Haynesworth.”

Samantha and I spent a bit of time today at the Tennessee Arts & Crafts Fair at Centennial Park. Our somewhat insular routines mean that we spend a couple of hours at a time on our respective computers reading various things on the Internet, so getting out of the apartment is held at a premium.

It was quite a packed event with parking spaces hard to come by, and pedestrians that did not bother to look both ways before crossing taking their lives into their own hands. I took a couple of pictures with my cell phone because I can never seem to remember to grab our camera when we head out to such events.

With the “Super Tuesday” primary coming up, I am offering my endorsement to Barack Obama to become the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. My search for a candidate to support was not incredibly difficult, and I knew that Obama had the inside track since he announced his decision to seek the nomination. I like many Americans had questions about whether a junior Senator from Illinois was the best pick to be the leader of the free world. I knew after his victory speech in Iowa that his time was now. I voted early to make sure I did not miss this chance.

Other Notable Addresses:

• New Hampshire: Yes We Can
• South Carolina: Our Time Is Now

“Change” has become the cliché of the campaigns so far on the Democratic side. Democrats are seeking more than just a catchy slogan but a new attitude in our nation’s capitol. We have witnessed in the last seven years corporate and special interest influence having a greater voice than the average American. Where policy is shaped by those responsible for the most harm to our economy and our environment. Where every event labeled a crisis, whether it be in energy, health care, education or national defense can be traced directly back to the political donors of the current administration. Where votes are bought and sold for kickbacks and guaranteed income on the speaking circuit when a lawmaker leaves office.

Obama brings the promise of ending the politics of division by sealing the ethics loopholes and restoring accountability in government. His pledge to refuse donations from special interests and PACs may have put him behind his opponents in the primaries, but he overcame that to become a national front runner. I am excited to be a witness to history, because I know that leaders like Barack Obama do not come along very often. Obama has already demonstrated his ability to energize thousands of people who have long been disenfranchised by the political process. I believe that will only grow as the rest of America gets the chance to hear him speak.

Then, there is the loud grinding sound in your front left tire … but more on that later.

We left out this morning for Lewisburg, Tenn., after stopping by two area libraries. One objective was to return/pickup books for Samantha and the other was to participate in the presidential primaries. The last time I voted on election day was in 2002, and it has become much more common for us to simply participate in the early voting period. When we arrived at the Madison Library, a small but eager crowd of sign holders for the Barack Obama campaign stood on the street corner. Samantha was driving my van, and honked in support.

(Recalling my contention that the horn was busted)
Me: Well, I guess my horn works after all.
Samantha: Of course it works, you just have to push it harder.
Me: Makes sense.
(Pause, remembering that she frequently lets other drivers know of their ills)
Me: I don’t think you could drive without a working horn.

It only took a distance of about 10 feet when we rode with Samantha’s dad to diagnose the problem that I had been fairly sure of: worn out brakes. I was not expecting non-existent pads on just one tire, which I guess explains why I had not noticed any change in performance of braking, and that the noise had grown increasingly louder over the past few days. It is never fun to have that realization that something that could have been prevented by being a bit more observant is going to cost more to fix (it had put a nice worn groove in the rotor plate).

We left the vehicle with her parents for the week. As I do not have any contacts at brake shops or general mechanics, I readily leave it up to those who do. Both of our vehicles are 10 and 15 years old respectively, and the van was already on the short list of budget priorities. Still, as long as it gets me back and forth to work, I am in no hurry to start driving her car and picking out a four-door sedan for her to drive. We will see how today’s events factor into that decision making process.

With one lesson learned, we came home. The Obama supporters on the street corner were no doubt elated to learn that the senator from Illinois had been projected to win South Carolina moments after the polls closed. It became obvious why that was the case as the night wore on, even though he did not stay on pace for the full 70 percent that was on screen when we turned on the television. The process now goes on to Super Tuesday on February 5, where Tennessee and 22 other states will have their chance.

If South Carolina was any indication, brace for impact.

In middle school this interest went largely unrewarded, with the exception of a 4-H public speaking ribbon in fifth grade for a piece on the merits of the NAFTA plan. I remember feeling a bit of satisfaction when it was ratified later on that year. Naturally, I cannot remember if I ever really had a point in the presentation, but it must have sounded better than the “Don’t Be Mean to People” talk that my classmates gave. Fate dictated that I would marry a woman who could have easily given the anti-NAFTA speech and would have done it with twice as much conviction.

In college my fascination with “current events” became both my major and employment. Identifying and magnifying the conflict in the story was the only way to catch the attention of the campus. It usually landed the newspaper on the losing side of popular opinion, unless you assume that the silent majority agrees with your work. Still, the same great “Be Nice” philosophers of the fifth grade dominated the conversation. The ills of the world, in their mind, are never solved by talking about them.

Crime only matters when it happens in your neighborhood. The only school that matters is the one that your child attends. Rigged elections and declared martial law are irrelevant unless it is happening right here. War casualties are perceived to be low until it is someone close to us who makes the ultimate sacrifice. Protecting our inalienable rights is not important until someone tries to take our own away.

I am reminded as we observe Veterans’ Day this year that there is an implied responsibility for citizens to be, and remain, informed about the world around them. Our narrow world view does little to help avert conflict and find diplomatic solutions. A disinterested and lethargic population cannot hold its elected leaders accountable for their actions. At the same time, we must aid in effective government by supporting (or, as in some cases, opposing) the laws and resolutions that come before our state and federal legislative bodies. Even if we cannot form an opinion, at the very least we should be informed.

One such issue appropriately ran in today’s Tennessean about the poor conditions at the Tennessee Veterans home. I believe that there is no greater insult to those that fought for our country than for them to return home, broken by battle, to be neglected and forgotten. Suicide rates among returning servicemen and women are alarmingly high. The government is looking at the physical and mental scars of battle and somehow finding the nerve to declare that some of it was surely a “pre-existing condition” and therefore not the responsibility of the American taxpayer.

We desperately need an awakening of the mind. I hope for a time when more people will question how things are instead of settling for status quo. I believe it is time to replace “Don’t Be Mean to People” with “Demand Answers and Action.”

News of her death caused quite a bit of concern in Union City, Tenn., where I worked at the local newspaper at the time. Having been to the hospital as a visitor and to bring patients, it comes as no surprise that allegations of negligence by the nursing staff have surfaced.

Update: Family Sues Hospital After Daughter’s Death

The “Non-Smoker Protection Act” does exactly what its name implies. Anyone who lights up in an enclosed space faces a $50 fine. Businesses choosing to ignore the law will receive a warning letter on the first offense, a $100 fine for the second and a $500 fine for each violation thereafter. Exempt from the law are locations that cater only to those 21 years of age and up.

I am not a smoker, but I can empathize with the feeling that non-smokers are going on the offensive. All the same, until they develop an apparatus to deliver the nicotine habit without second-hand smoke, this was one of the better moves our state has made in the interest of public health.

There are a few things, however, I would like to see cordoned off to the side of the restaurant away from my seat.

• The Loud, Attention-Deprived 3-Year Old section
• The Rude, I’ll Tip You A Penny For Forgetting My Drink section
• The Obnoxious, Can’t Handle My Booze or Control My Voice section
• The Birthday Party section (seriously, I don’t know you. Not wishing you a happy birthday)
• The Friends of the Waiter/Waitress section (You’re letting them dine-and-dash, I’m paying)

I am sure there are many more that should be taken up in the next session.

A special panel has recommended dropping the minimum grade-point average college students must maintain to keep their state lottery scholarships, but the idea is drawing mixed reviews from Tennessee lawmakers.

Gov. Phil Bredesen and state lawmakers called for a review of the lottery scholarship program earlier this year after the Tennessee Higher Education Commission issued a report showing three out of four students were losing the scholarship before they graduate because of poor college grades.

The higher education commission is expected to vote on the panel’s report this week.

To qualify for a scholarship, a student must have a high school GPA of 3.0, or score 21 on the ACT college entrance test. To keep it, students must be enrolled full time, have a college GPA of at least 2.75 after their freshman year and a 3.0 GPA for subsequent years.

The panel wants to drop the latter figure to 2.75, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press. But some lawmakers feel that could make Tennessee students less competitive.

Lowering the minimum GPA requirements for the Tennessee HOPE lottery scholarship in order to make sure more people retain their benefits is absolutely ridiculous. Show me how lowering the standards improves the overall educational value of the program? By that measure, every difficult college course should be altered to make sure that more students pass. Do away with all of the essays and research papers and just go to 25 question multiple choice every so often, with a curve. I cannot see how this benefits anyone involved, other than the lottery program avoiding all of the stories that students are not retaining the scholarships year over year.

Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Memphis, had this to say that prompted this writing:

“The main point is to get students to graduate,” Cohen said.

I have a resounding “hell no” in response to that point. If we wanted to hand out diplomas, it would be a lot cheaper to run our state’s institutions of higher education. In fact, all we would really need is a copy machine and somebody to sit at a table and write a name in. Our graduation rates are in the tank, but lets not lower the bar just to make it look better on paper. Tennessee would not serve its students or its future to produce college graduates in name only. If a student is not prepared to handle college level work, pay for them to attend community college instead until they are ready.

I believe in offering an equal playing field for any student that wants to attend college after high school, regardless of financial situation. But I also believe the responsibility to continue on requires diligence and a bit of effort. If a student cannot make the required GPA, then they simply must find another way to finance their education. I speak as someone who voted for but never received the lottery scholarship benefits.

Furthermore, I believe that the amount of money a student comes to college with is inversely proportional to their overall contribution to the campus community. Some examples that I encountered while at the University of Tennessee at Martin were students that had everything paid for by the state, yet made no effort in class and lived “the good life” until finally failing out after second chance after second chance. I think had these students came with less money to spend on beer runs and other comparatively lavish expenses, they would have spent more time studying and contributing back to the campus community.

The idea of “giving back” is fairly simple. Stay out of the police report. Go to class at least often enough that the professor notices when you are not in attendance. Make an effort to meet a GPA goal somewhere north of a 3.0. Join a student organization or some other outlet that requires responsibility or builds character. That is why you are in college to begin with, right? Be assured that I was never a model student, but at the very least I knew why I came to college and did not lose sight of it from the bottom of a Natty Light can.

Lowering the standard for retaining a lottery scholarship sends the wrong message to those who are skating by just hard enough to keep it now. I strongly believe that as Tennessee lowers its standards, the expectations of students will follow.

To the editor:

The nation has struck a remarkably bipartisan tone over the past few days, talking of ways to advance our great country’s goals both at home and abroad.

However, much like the recent U.S. Senate race tells us, Tennessee is again behind the curve.

In a statement to the media, Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Bob Davis outlined his vision for the next election cycle, saying, “There is some unfinished business in the state legislature and I’m going to do everything in my power to change 142 years of Democrat[ic] control on Capitol Hill.”

Instead of joining in the spirit of teamwork his colleagues around the nation have adopted, Davis appears to have a personal chip on his shoulder. Rather than focusing on which political party has the majority in the state house, why not talk about the issues that affect Tennesseans — job creation, health care and educating our children?

Tried and true mudslinging may have prevailed this time around in Tennessee. With Davis at the helm, you can bet on more of the same from the Tennessee Republican Party.

Today was my last day at The Messenger. It also marks my general acceptance that no matter how much I yearn for a thriving rural West Tennessee, there is little I can do as a recent college graduate to fix this small corner the world’s ills. A stagnant job market with no hope on the horizon coupled with a lackluster education infrastructure keeps Weakley and the surrounding counties stuck in the late 1970′s, where a single factory closing can put half the population out of work. Nothing but time and progressive economic policy can cure the general sense of hopelessness.

This area is not the third-world. For many, there is no our place on our little blue planet they would rather be. I have a respect for that sentiment that exceeds words, but I still have not found that kind of admiration for anywhere. I suppose that is something that will come with time and travel. Soon Samantha and I will move back to Nashville for a new beginning. Journeys have a funny way of crisscrossing new territory while going right back over where you’ve already been.

The job search sites might as well be set as my browser’s homepage. I spend most of my free time applying, updating, and entering. I have an intimate knowledge of every line of my resume, more so than I thought possible. I am still suffering from a mild case of writer’s block. This ailment makes the writing of cover letters exceptionally difficult because they serve as a means to bring abstract ideas of “What do you want to do?”, “Where do you want to be?”, and “Why do any of that here?” down to more concrete anecdotal evidence. It was easier to write farewell messages to my co-workers than it is to think about the next step.

I have been sitting on a redesign for this site for about three months now, largely faulting the lack of a suitable color scheme. I wish to place less of an emphasis on the regular blog (as in, if you have read this far, you are in the minority) and more of a collection of links I found interesting (Digg, Newsvine, etc.) and my creative work. I also want to make sure it isn’t my ranting on some obscure issue that leaves the first impression on a prospective employer.

The only certainties I know of late are these:

• I graduate Aug. 12.
• We must be out of this apartment that same weekend
• Come hell or high water, we’re going to the Dave Matthews Band concert in Antioch on Aug. 16.

Anything beyond that is still up in the air and subject to change depending on the circumstances. I find the uncertainty bittersweet. On one hand, I would like to be able to add a great deal more to that list. On the other, having a blank slate to work with is a bit empowering.

Now to figure out how to shove this apartment into boxes.

Last Friday’s City Paper editorial (“Time has come for Wilder to remove himself,” p. 2) embellished one detail of his “speech” on the senate floor. He was not speaking to the general public, but was making his “rambling and sometimes incoherent” prayer to his god. His words were said out of passion, not out of politics.

But that’s not the key issue, of course. Nobody can fault Sen. Wilder for feeling a deep commitment to his peers in the senate and the citizens of his district. It would be fickle of him to try to distance himself from Sens. Crutchfield, Bowers, Newton and Ford at the first sign of adversity. His characterizations of the FBI and other law enforcement units, in my opinion, were off the mark, but his support for his peers, both Republican and Democrat, is right on.

I hope for a speedy resolution to this distraction that has many people, me included, questioning the ethical backbone of our leaders. We need to focus our energies towards serving justice, not throwing the entire process into turmoil.

I get up at 5 a.m. (not that anyone makes me, I just can’t stay asleep for reasons mentioned later) and tool around with e-mail, news sites and an occasional bug fix or something I didn’t do before going to bed the previous evening. I grab an early breakfast and a shower if I can get in there before Miranda does a hostile takeover of the bathroom. Usually the siege lasts for at least an hour and a half. After that, I lounge around for most of the morning, working on whatever project or diversion keeps me occupied (typically have nothing to do with my “to-do list.”) Lunch is either a TV dinner or a trip to meet up with my mom and her co-workers. After we get home, I’m actually doing about an hour of “real work” mixed with the aforementioned diversions. If I can manage to stay awake until supper, I’ve accomplished a lot. I then pass out around 8 or 9 p.m.

Of course, this doesn’t apply on days like the last few. My grandmother was undergoing outpatient treatment for breast cancer, so I rode down there with my mom Thursday afternoon. The majority of the trip was spent talking about the “Nashville Arrests” that had me glued to the television all morning. I’ll leave that discussion for another time. Samantha and I arranged to meet in Humboldt, and went to Martin from there. We then abandoned our plans to stay the entire weekend in lieu of following my Mom back to Nashville, where we’ve been for the last few days.

We went to “Moe’s Southwest Grill,” hence the title. It’s an experience, and a fantastic place to get a burrito.

This summer has definitely been an easier one for me, both on a personal and financial level. Samantha’s a lot closer, which is good for both of us. And other than the occasional date, I’m not spending hardly any money at all. Yesterday it was “Family Day” at The Frist, and the day prior my parents took all of us out to see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith — I’d give it four out of five stars. Although this was the second time we’d seen it, it was good to see the scenes missed when the inevitable bathroom run would occur. Something about 60 oz. of our carbonated beverage of choice and a movie just doesn’t mix.

All of this is said, of course, because tomorrow she’s back in Martin for work, and I’m stuck here. The monotony will resume, and I’ll go back to lamenting my lack of ambition to just get things accomplished. I think I’m going to buy some software or something to medicate. At least that’s one reason I can think of to go out to the computer stores.

I haven’t had a regular sleep schedule since before finals. It seems like the last few days Samantha and I are getting up at different times. When one is tired, the other is just then waking up. I’m feeling a bit out of sync with the world around me, and I think it has everything to do with the lack of structure that class and the newspaper provides. Time will tell.

In other news, I picked up Dave Matthews Band latest album, Stand Up. I’ve heard from one source that putting the disc in your drive causes an application to load, which is certainly not kosher. My copy doesn’t do that (I’ve got the DualDisc version), but I did run into trouble ripping the last three songs to Windows Media Player (yes, iTunes is better for this, but my song library is rather intricate, and almost all in *.WMV’s).

All of that aside, I like the album. Most Dave recordings are best digested over time rather than listening to them all at once. Set it on repeat, and work on something else. You will not get the same satisfaction (provided you like his music in the first place) by trying to listen intently to the new stuff. This CD is no exception, especially since it’s admittedly one of the most “out there” albums to date by the band. They made this as a fun experiment, to please their own muses. The DVD on the DualDisc version goes into that quite a bit, talking about the environment around the recording, and a rare glimpse at the creative process.

No, no marijuana was involved, at least in front of the cameras.

Now you see why I don’t do entrainment writing. My eyes are drooping, and Samantha’s just now starting to wake-up. I’ll either pass out here or on the way back to Nashville later this afternoon.

Greetings my friend

I think John Wilder is a fine gentleman. He has served many years with honor. I think what bothers a lot of us about his election as speaker is that we have worked so hard to achieve a majority in the Senate that we just wanted to see the leadership position that we all worked for.

But that is not my main concern. My main concern and the reason I wanted to see a Conservative in that role is to absolutely stop the income tax issue from being brought up in the Senate again. It remains a fear of so many of us in this state. I know that the Democrats and even a few Republicans would really like to get their hands on that money. The bright side is that an income tax grows less likely with every election of the legislature. What are your thoughts on the matter? I look forward from hearing from you for this is the way I learn various points of view.

Thank you,

R. Russell

My response:

Mr. Russell,

I agree with your point that the income tax issue falls further behind every legislative session. While there are many reasons, I say that it is because of the fiscal discipline the state has exhibited over the past few years. I personally believe that the income tax is better suited for Tennessee than further hikes in sales taxes or continuing to butcher programs, such as TennCare.

But all that said, I am optimistic for the state in the coming years, and do not see an income tax on the horizon. If we can continue to manage the books and not get too crazy on hot-button social issues, we should be fine.

Thanks for the note,

- Stephen Yeargin

And back again …

Thank you for the well spoken response. It is always refreshing to speak with people who might have differing ideas yet can still speak civilly and without the anger so common in the masses on every side. I hope we can all work together for a bright future for Tennessee.

R. Russell

Of course, not all went so well. I’ll run my response here if I ever get e-mail back from these folks.

It’s always interesting to try to understand where someone is coming from without knowing anything about them.

If you don’t think Wilder is power hungry, you need to pull your head out of the sand. He’s just like every politician I know. All it’s about is power. Why else would a politician spend absurd amounts of money to be elected to a low paying job.

Best regards,

B. Thomas

Then there’s the the hypothetical arguments …

Suppose that the democrats had won a 17-16 majority in the senate in November 2004 election after republican control in that body of 160 years and then turned around and elected a republican speaker for the 18th time… Would you have written the same letter to the Tennessean? I’ll wager that you would not have.

S. Moore

Related: Wilder elected Speaker Letter to the Editor