"Tote that barge"

Published August 20, 2017

August 15, 2017

Letters to the Editor

The Post and Courier

Charleston, SC

Dear Editor,

The Aug. 15 story about the State Ports Authority steaming ahead with new cargo records is a wakeup call to the S.C. congressional delegation to get behind the request of the SPA to federal officials for authority to run a barge capable of moving 1000 freight containers from Wando Terminal across the Cooper River to a rail facility for further transport across America. The P&C reported on this request a couple of weeks ago. 

As the SPA volume increases the risks to all motorists also goes up. Three recent experiences bear this out. I entered I-526 at Hungryneck Boulevard in Mt. Pleasant and headed west. At the next entry point, Long Point Road, six tractor- trailers with containers were coming up the access ramp and entering the westbound traffic on I-526. Three similar containers had just hit their stride on the Interstate.

A day later, I was on I-526 late in the afternoon heading east toward Mt. Pleasant. From the Don Holt bridge onward it looked like every five or six personal vehicles were bracketed by tractor-trailers carrying containers in both west bound lanes. 

Recently, I was on Long Point Road and needed to make a left hand turn. Eleven tractor-trailers carrying cargo containers came from Wando Terminal and blocked my turn before a traffic light further down the road interrupted the flow of traffic and I (and others) could proceed. 

These examples illustrate how the problem of tractor-trailers carry containers will only grow and seriously impact the traffic and vehicular safety in the Mt. Pleasant area. 

Kudos to the SPA for the effort to increase their operations. The SPA brings in money to the state and provides good jobs. 

It is time, however, to start a modern day version of “tote that barge.”

Sincerely

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Failing as President and Father

Subsequent to the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend of August 12-13, President Trump failed in the moral leadership Americans have the right to expect from their President. 

His failure to outright positively condemn the outrageous behavior of the Nazis, Kluxers, and white supremacists, at Charlottesville which among other tragedies cost the life of an innocent woman and two police officers, has brought criticism from responsible political, business, cultural, and religious leaders, and men and women on the streets across America. And he deserves all of it. 

On top of that he failed as a father and a father-in-law to his daughter Ivanka, who converted to Judaism nine years ago, and her husband Jared Kushner. A Nazi thug was seen in a video criticizing the President for giving “ his beautiful daughter to that Jew.” Mr. Kushner is the son of Holocaust survivors. 

And he failed the memory of Americans who fought and died to rid the world of Nazis. 

President Trump has said frequently how much he admires ‘his Generals'. And he should, the generals serving in his administration have rendered outstanding service to the country, some over 40 years.  

At the same time, he ought to remember the 177,100 Americans who died from battle casualties fighting the Nazis in Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, the South Atlantic and Europe. These Americans gave their lives so we who live today in this great Nation can enjoy our freedom and liberties, and don’t have to learn German. 

James Murdoch, the Chief Executive of 21st Century Fox and the son of Rupert Murdoch, a frequent ally of President Trump, summed it up most eloquently in an email sent Thursday, August 17, 2017, to “Friends.” He wrote:

“These events remind us all why vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation — a necessary discipline for the preservation of our way of life and our ideals. The presence of hate in our society was appallingly laid bare as we watched swastikas brandished on the streets of Charlottesville and acts of brutal terrorism and violence perpetrated by a racist mob. I can’t even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so.” (My emphasis.)

Mr. Murdoch in the same email said he and his wife were donating a $1,000.000 to the Anti-Defamation League. (Correction: An early edition said the gift was to the ACLU.)

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The day got better

August 15, 2017 - 

Monday did not begin on a good note. It would be later in the day before President Trump - coming late to the party - called out the alt-right Kluxers, white nationalists,  neo-fascists and other bigots reportedly yelling “Russia is our friend,” for their atrocious acts at Charlottesville two days earlier. 

Then I went for an early walk and it turned hot real fast. Next on the list was an appointment with the dermatologist. Among many men this is the second least favorite medical necessity, being dreaded only by a visit to the proctologist. 

The dermo doc looked me over good, froze a couple of spots (that hurts) and biopsied one. I left there wondering what else could go wrong. Would North Korea fire a nuclear-armed missile? 

Right then and there I decided I needed a treat of some sort and, strangely enough, a pedicure and manicure topped the list. So on I went to Nails and Spa. A friendly beautician from Saigon, named Le, took me by the foot and got started. 

“I had no idea how much it would tingle when my feet were soaked in ankle-deep warm water. The pleasant feeling of skilled hands carefully rubbing each foot. The pulsating tickle, like a feather carefully tracing my toes, arches, and heels,” This was also my experience. 

When she finished I decided a pedicure would be a continuing experience for me. About 25% of American men get a pedicure regularly and I decided to join that number.I am tired of having to use long-handled hedge clippers to do my toe nails. 

The manicure also went well and I left a happy man. My outlook was picking up. In the interest of fairness, I posted President Trump’s press performance earlier in the day on my Facebook page and was heartened by statements of the Generals that war with North Korea was not imminent. 

Later in the day, I confided in a lady I favor about my day and asked her not to laugh at my pedicure and manicure. To her credit, she wrote: “I think your manicure and pedicure is wonderful.  Relaxing, healthy and nails all look nice.”

So the day turned better as the evening came on and all is good with my world.

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"Ta Ra Ra BOOM dee-ay"

I got mine yesterday, did you get yours today?

I got this letter yesterday in my email thanking me for taking the time "to express my views regarding our country's domestic policy." The problem is I did not write to the President, nor anyone else at the White House expressing my views on President Trump's domestic policy. (Much of it, in my opinion, is not in the best interests of all the people in America.) Sending out this form letter with a facsimile signature is proof of how our email addresses are so vulnerable to capture and misuse that it makes one wonder if we should go back to writing each other with pen or pencil, (depending on your grade school skills), licking the envelope and increasing the workload of the USPS. 

And another thing. How dare someone at the White House address me by my first name? We are not on a first name basis. I don't know the President, nor any of his staff, and if they want to write to me they should stick to "Dear Mr. Archibald," until, in the unlikely event, we become pen pals. In the past, I made exceptions for President George Bush the First when he penned in his own hand a personal note thanking me for a newspaper column I wrote about him. I also made an exception for President Clinton who sent a 8 X 10 photo inscribed "To Francis." 

I believe emails like this sent out by staff with access to the presidential signature signing machine  give the Commander-in-Chief his daily happy ego massage when staffers report X number of people have been sent "thank you letters." So, if it makes him happy it is harmless unless he (and the staff) begin to believe their own bulls**t. 

Dear Francis: Thank you for taking the time to express your views regarding our country’s domestic policy. I am committed to unleashing America’s full potential through domestic policies that drive opportunity and economic growth, while ensuring the safety and security of the American people. My Administration will work each day to advance an America First agenda, and we will do it while remaining committed to a responsible fiscal policy that addresses our Nation’s mounting deficit and debt. My 2018 Budget, A New Foundation for American Greatness, will eliminate job-killing regulations, drastically shrink the size of the Federal bureaucracy, prioritize the safety and security of American citizens, and reduce our unsustainable $20 trillion debt, while protecting programs that our senior citizens depend on, like Social Security. My budget puts America first by investing in a stronger, safer America. That means making our communities great again by supporting law enforcement, rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, fixing our education system so that workers can get good jobs, and fighting to eradicate the scourge of drugs that is spoiling the promise of our youth. We must also return to the values and protect the Constitutional freedoms that made America a beacon of hope and opportunity to the world, including the right to keep and bear arms. My America First policies will bring a new wave of opportunity to this great land. You can learn more about my budget by visiting www.WhiteHouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/03/13/president-donald-j-trump-protecting-taxpayer-money. For more information about the steps my Administration is taking to keep America safe, visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/law-enforcement-community. Thank you again for your suggestions. Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams will define the next generation of American greatness. Your courage, goodness, and love will guide us along the way. As we look to the future, we know that no challenge will outmatch the resolve of the American people to overcome. Sincerely, Click to see complete blog.  Send comments here.