Opinions

Ruffin’s Renderings: The Gospels

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Tuesday, October 15. 2019

I’m in the middle of teaching a college course on the New Testament, and we just finished talking about the Gospels. I’m also about to start teaching another course, this one on just the Gospels. [Full story »]

Social media effort could solve cold case

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, October 8. 2019

Earlier this year, we observed the 35th anniversary of the torture murder of Donna Ogletree Johnson. Her car, with her two dogs inside, was found about 4:30 p.m. on July 16, 1984 at a dumpster site on Piedmont Road not far from her home where she had gone to dump the trash.
[Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Processes and responses

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, October 1. 2019

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

At 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision that, on a 5-4 vote, decided the case of Bush v. Gore in George W. Bush’s favor. It was and is a controversial decision. It would have also been controversial had it gone the other way. [Full story »]

Battle of Potato Creek is a classic

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Rachel McDaniel

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Monday, September 23. 2019

The Battle of Potato Creek, which dates back to 1976, is the epitome of a high school football rivalry and the 2019 installment played Friday night was a classic. [Full story »]

Dead skunk in the middle of the road

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, September 17. 2019

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

I tend not to notice roadkill until it’s too late. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: Hurricane Dorian a revealing event

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, September 10. 2019

Growing up in Savannah, one always felt a collective, ingrained fear of hurricanes.

I don’t remember a really impactful one from my youth but I do recall seeing windows boarded or taped up and sandbags being filled in preparation for a coming storm. Of course, that was long before the breathless, diminutive Jim Cantore and The Weather Channel (TWC) prepped us for looming disasters weeks in advance. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Forty-four years later

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Rachel McDaniel

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Friday, August 30. 2019

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

In September 1975, I entered Mercer University as a freshman. Mercer followed the quarter system back then, so three courses constituted a full load of classes. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: Thankfully, football has arrived

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Rachel McDaniel

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Monday, August 26. 2019

The long drought ended Friday when football returned with both the Lamar County Trojans and the Pike County Pirates back in action. It had been far too long without real football. There is just nothing like Friday night football and knowing the college action will follow the next day. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Transitions

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, August 20. 2019

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

Well, the kids have started a new school year. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: It sticks in my craw

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, August 13. 2019

I can remember my grandmother using the phrase ‘it sticks in my craw.’ The word ‘craw’ is slang for crop which is the place in the throats of poultry and birds where seeds are stored as they break down into a digestible form. I have opened the craw of many a dove in the field to see what they were feeding on that brought them within range of my shotgun. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: We’d better move over

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, August 6. 2019

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

I recently completed teaching an eight-week class on Wednesday evenings at Mercer University’s Henry County Center in McDonough. My usual route home takes me down I-75 to the Barnesville/Jackson exit. [Full story »]

Geiger’s Counter: Geezers take heart

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, July 30. 2019

Geezers take heart. I bring good tidings.

I am rapidly closing in on my 65th birthday which is astonishing to me. When I was young, those who were 65 seemed ancient. But, there is no denying it, I am almost there.
All the old sayings about aging are true. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Our country, right or wrong

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, July 23. 2019

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

I love the United States of America. This is my home. I was born here. I have lived here all my life. I’ve visited a few other countries, but I’m always glad to get home to the good old U.S.A. [Full story »]

Flood of 94 was a news event of a lifetime

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, July 16. 2019

The Independence Day holiday in 1994 fell on a Monday. At that time, we were putting out this newspaper and printing several others at the printing plant in Barnesville. We moved production of some papers up and others back to enjoy a long weekend at the beach. [Full story »]

Ruffin’s Renderings: Small Steps and Giant Leaps

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Rachel McDaniel

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Tuesday, July 9. 2019

By Mike Ruffin
ruffinml@gmail.com

On Thursday, July 20, 1969 at 3:17 p.m., the Apollo 11 lunar landing module touched down on the moon’s surface. At 10:56 p.m. on that same day, astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin soon joined Armstrong on the moon’s surface. [Full story »]