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Small Town Trains, Hope For The Future?
Posted 06/16/2026
By Tom Poland
A Southern Writer
www.tompoland.net
tompol@earthlink.net
The road looks just like one on Granddad’s farm running into hardwoods where a spring bubbled in shade. Come sundown in Granddad’s battered old car, we’d ride that road through trees to pastures where white-faced cattle grazed. But where I am right now it’s bright daylight. 2:45 p.m. Another state even.
Had it been 1835, I would have been staring at the hardwood rails and wooden ties of the Charleston-Hamburg Railroad Line. A plume of steam might have been towering over the trees … the clanging bell and hissing-puff-puff-puff of a steam engine sounding as a smokestack smoked away.
I’m staring at the past in Blackville, South Carolina, where imagining an old steam locomotive brings memories of two other rail lines that suffered the disappearing railroad blues—the Wilkes-Lincoln Railroad and the Savannah Valley Railroad. What if those rail lines and others had prospered? Might we have a small-town train network today?
—
The Charleston & Hamburg Railroad connected Charleston to the Savannah River at Hamburg, South Carolina, near Augusta. Completed in 1833, the line stretched 136 miles, one of the world’s longest railroads at the time. The first steam-powered railroad in the United States, the first to carry mail, and the first to provide regularly scheduled passenger service is gone but you can see its railbed as you drive Highway 78.
The end of the Charleston and Hamburg Railroad occurred gradually due to an 1844 corporate merger, physical destruction during the Civil War, and track abandonment in the late 20th century.
Over in Georgia, the Washington and Lincolnton Railroad, incorporated 1914, spanned about 20 miles between Washington and Lincolnton. They built it to haul cotton, timber, and passengers between Lincolnton and the larger rail networks accessible in Washington. The Wilkes-Lincoln Railroad Company died due to 1890s’ financial depressions, agricultural setbacks, and the “Danburg detour,” a more direct path through Wilkes and Lincoln Counties, making Danburg 25 miles closer to Augusta by avoiding Washington.
Across the river, the Savannah Valley Rail turned Mount Carmel, South Carolina, into a cotton-driven railroad town whose golden years ran from 1885 to 1920. The Great Depression, boll weevil, and the growing popularity of automobiles ultimately did in the Savannah Valley Railroad. You can still see the old railbed.
Given the headaches cars create I wonder if passenger trains will someday use the interstate highways as railbeds. A little digging revealed that it’s highly likely trains will use certain corridors of the interstate highway system, but a nationwide replacement by railways is improbable. High-speed trains require straighter, flatter paths than most interstates provide.
A glimmer of hope exists. Some see highway right-of-ways, wide center medians, and shoulders as a golden ticket for rail expansion because the government already owns the land, reducing the legal nightmares of eminent domain. Well, if traffic-choked cities get worse and they will, I think “interstate rails” will get a serious look. Widening the roads sure won’t work. Decades of data prove that more lanes do not solve gridlock. They simply attract more drivers, something called “induced demand.”
Riding the rails from town to town brings back Petticoat Junction and those gals bathing in the Shady Rest Hotel water tower. Old Uncle Joe was a moving kinda slow at the Junction and so will cars that drive themselves in an era of unprecedented traffic jams. A small town network of trains sure would be nice. Just roll right long and wave at folks hopelessly mired in traffic. As you hit the countryside enjoy up-close looks at remote, untouched landscapes highways and major passenger trains simply cannot reach.
Tom Poland’s website at www.tompoland.net
Email Tom about most anything at at tompol@earthlink.net
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Mr. Penny Pincher
Treading Water, True Crime, and the Thin Line Between ‘Oops’ and ‘Oh No’
Posted 06/16/2026
By Patrick Byrne
We appear to be obsessed with misery. The number of shows you can watch depicting horrible crimes carried out by loved ones or perfect strangers points to this fact. I recently stumbled upon a Dateline channel on Sirius dedicated to providing listeners to the gruesome details of one murder after another. I’ll admit to listening for longer than what can be deemed healthy, but it’s really easy to get sucked into the depravity of it all.
Personally, I think channels like Dateline and other shows about crime exist to do one thing: they make us feel better about ourselves.
Think about this in the context of anything having to do with a neighbor, friend or loved one. It’s very easy to say, “I’d never do that,” or “wow, that was a stupid decision. I’m so happy that’s not me.” If these words have never crept into your mind, you’re a much better person than me or the majority of us on the planet.
The reality is, any of us could be caught in an unexpected situation either by our own doing or because of someone else’s poor decision.
Years ago, my friends and I were in Charleston for the weekend. As I sat off the end of the boat in the water, relieving myself due to one too many beers, my friend took off leaving me stranded in the middle of the harbor. As I sat there treading water, a massive shipping container about 20 yards away drove past. Had that container ship been heading my way, escaping it would have been impossible, and I surely would have drowned. What ended up being a funny story as I climbed into the boat a few minutes later, could’ve ended in disaster.
Lives would’ve been ruined, potential prison time loomed and an untimely death all due to young stupidity.
I’m not saying all of us would go out tomorrow and commit a premeditated murder; however, is it so impossible to think you could make a mistake? Getting in a fight and bashing a beer bottle over someone’s head isn’t all that hard to conceive when alcohol, adrenaline and additional poor choices enter the mix.
The same can be said about our choices with money. It’s easy to pass judgement on someone for making a poor decision with credit or to purchase an item they can ill afford. The reality is often much more nuanced. Being good with money is a skill, one that’s not readily taught in school or passed down from parents to their children.
Conversations about money amongst friends and neighbors can be taboo. It’s much easier to criticize without having all the facts or having ever had a discussion about a particular situation. Clearing the hurdle of being uncomfortable to help those in need will go a long way toward eliminating unsecured debt and poor financial decisions in our country. Helping your neighbor rather than reveling in their misery will not only make you feel better, it will help them and their family succeed financially.
I’ll leave you with this.
Be sure to always check the side of your boat before taking off. You just might have a straggler clinging to the side.
Patrick Byrne
Patrick lives in Tega Cay with his wife and two daughters. After 25 years working for a Big 4 bank where he held multiple marketing/communication roles, he retired from the corporate world to pursue his passion for writing. An opportunity to develop a local paper proved too enticing to turn down. Patrick is a graduate of Winthrop University where he majored in Communications. Patrick can be reached at patrickbyrne@tegacaysun.com and patrickbyrnecreative.com
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Dr. Tom’s Cyber Bits & Tips
A $25 Million Email Lie: How a South Carolina Fraud Ring Fooled Victims Across America
Posted 06/16/2026
By Dr. Thomas Hyslip
The Email Looked Exactly Right
Imagine you are in the middle of closing on your new home. Your real estate attorney sends you an email with updated wire transfer instructions. The sender’s name looks right. The email address looks right. The message sounds professional. You wire the money.
It is gone within hours, drained from an account controlled by criminals before you realize anything is wrong.
That is not a hypothetical. It is exactly what happened to multiple victims across the United States in one of the largest business email compromise schemes ever prosecuted in South Carolina. And this week, a federal jury in Columbia made sure the people behind it will answer for it.
The Verdict
On June 11, 2026, after seven days of trial, a federal jury convicted Demani Jawara Bosket, 51, of Saluda, South Carolina, and his niece Tanya Lashawn Bosket, 53, of Charlotte, North Carolina, on multiple counts of wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Demani Bosket was found guilty on six separate counts of wire fraud. Tanya Bosket was found guilty on four counts.
Demani Bosket now faces up to 30 years in federal prison and fines of up to $50 million. Tanya Bosket faces up to 20 years and the same potential fine. Seven other members of the fraud ring entered guilty pleas before the trial concluded, including defendants from Charlotte, Jacksonville, Savannah, and Auburn, Washington.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI Columbia Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General. The Secret Service was able to recover approximately $2.5 million to return to victims, a fraction of the more than $25 million stolen between 2020 and 2024.
How the Scheme Worked
This was not a smash-and-grab operation. It was a patient, methodical, and highly sophisticated transnational fraud that unfolded in carefully coordinated stages.
It began overseas. Foreign criminal entities identified target companies and gained unauthorized access to their email systems. Once inside, they did not immediately steal anything. Instead, they watched and waited, monitoring email communications for weeks or months, searching for signs of an upcoming large financial transaction, a real estate closing, a vendor payment, a loan disbursement, an inheritance transfer.
When the moment arrived, they struck. Using what are known as spoofed email addresses, the criminals sent fraudulent messages to victims impersonating attorneys, title company representatives, business partners, or bank officials, redirecting payments to accounts they controlled.
Those accounts were where Demani and Tanya Bosket came in. According to evidence presented at trial, Demani Bosket served as a U.S.-based recruiter and manager for the fraud ring, instructing co-conspirators to register sham businesses with state authorities and open bank accounts in those businesses’ names. When stolen funds arrived, Bosket directed members of the ring to drain the accounts immediately through cash withdrawals and cashier’s checks, moving money through multiple accounts to prevent banks and victims from recovering it. A portion was kept by the U.S.-based ring members before the remainder was sent overseas.
The targets ranged from construction companies and private equity firms to title companies, law firms, and even individuals receiving inheritance transfers. Victims testified during trial that they had no idea they were communicating with criminals until their money was already gone.
What Is a Spoofed Email Address and How Do You Spot One
This case hinges on a technique that is deceptively simple and devastatingly effective. Understanding it could protect your bank account, your business, and your home purchase.
A spoofed email address is one that is designed to look like a legitimate address at a quick glance but contains a subtle difference. The criminal is not actually sending from your attorney’s real account. They are sending from an account they created that looks almost identical.
Common spoofing tricks include swapping letters that look similar, such as a lowercase L for the number 1, or a zero for the letter O. They add or drop a single character, for example yourlawfirm.com versus yourIawfirm.com with a capital i instead of a lowercase L. They use a completely different domain that sounds plausible, such as firstamericantitle.net instead of firstamericantitle.com. They add a word that seems legitimate, such as payments.yourbank.com instead of yourbank.com.
At a glance, especially on a mobile phone where the full address is often hidden, these differences are nearly invisible.
How to Protect Yourself
The good news is that a few simple habits make this scam extremely difficult to pull off against you.
Never wire money based solely on an email instruction. This is the golden rule of wire fraud prevention. Before wiring any amount of money, always call the sender directly using a phone number you already have on file, not one provided in the email. Confirm the wire instructions verbally before sending a single dollar.
Look at the full email address, not just the display name. On most email platforms, the sender’s display name can say anything the criminal wants it to say. The actual email address is what matters. On a phone, tap the sender’s name to expand the full address. On a computer, hover over or click the sender name to reveal it.
Be especially suspicious of any email that changes previously agreed payment instructions. Legitimate real estate attorneys, title companies, and vendors very rarely change wire instructions at the last minute. A sudden change in payment details, especially via email alone, is one of the clearest red flags in the book.
When in doubt, pick up the phone. If you receive any email requesting a financial transfer or change of payment details, call the sender using a number you have independently verified. One phone call is all it takes to expose this entire class of fraud.
As U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling put it after the verdict: “The jury saw through this scheme and rendered the right verdict.” Thanks to the patience of federal investigators and the testimony of victims, a criminal ring that stole $25 million over four years is now facing the consequences. But the best outcome is one where the money never gets stolen in the first place.
Stay safe out there, and I will see you next week!
Feeling lost in the digital world? Dr. Tom is here to help!
Join Dr. Tom every week in his column, Dr. Tom’s Cyber Bits and Tips, for byte-sized advice on all things cyber and tech. Whether you’re concerned about online safety, curious about the latest cybercrime trends, or simply want to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape, Dr. Tom has you covered.
From practical cybersecurity tips to insightful breakdowns of current threats, Dr. Tom’s column empowers you to stay informed and protect yourself online. So, dive in and get savvy with the web – with Dr. Tom as your guide!
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Dr. Tom’s Cyber Bits & Tips
South Carolina Bans Addictive Social Media Features for Users Under 16
Posted 06/11/2026
By Dr. Thomas Hyslip
Gov. Henry McMaster has signed a new state law that will strip autoplay videos, infinite scrolling, push notifications and like counts from the social media accounts of South Carolina users younger than 16. The measure was championed by state Rep. Brandon Guffey, a York County Republican whose teenage son died by suicide after an online sextortion scam.
The law, called the Stop Harm from Addictive Social Media Act, aims to protect the mental health of children by cutting off design features the state considers addictive and by giving parents more control over how their children use major platforms. For families across York and Lancaster Counties, it means the largest social media companies will soon have to identify younger users in South Carolina, change what those accounts can do and seek a parent’s permission before a child can keep an account.
A York County lawmaker leads the effort
Guffey, who lives in Rock Hill, has pushed for stronger online protections for children since his son Gavin, who was 17, died by suicide in July 2022. Guffey has said a stranger posing as a young woman on Instagram coerced Gavin into sending intimate images, then tried to extort him for money. After his son’s death, Guffey sponsored Gavin’s Law, the 2023 measure that made sexual extortion a felony in South Carolina. He has since carried that advocacy to Congress and the White House.
Guffey has described social media companies as “the big tobacco of this generation” and has said he hopes the new state law becomes a model for the rest of the country.
What the law changes
For account holders younger than 16, the law bans a set of features it labels addictive, including continuously loading feeds known as infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, push notifications alerting users to new content, and content metrics such as like counts. Those restrictions apply even when a parent has given consent. The law also prohibits targeted advertising to children and younger teens and adds privacy requirements for how platforms handle minors’ personal information. Parents will be able to monitor and limit the amount of time their children spend on covered platforms.
How age estimation would work
Rather than requiring users to upload a government identification, the law directs covered platforms to estimate the age of account holders based on their activity and the birthdate tied to the account. A covered platform is defined as a company that generated at least $1 billion in advertising revenue worldwide in one or more of the preceding three years, a threshold that captures platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
A platform must begin estimating a user’s age after the account has been active for a set number of hours, then refine that estimate as use continues. According to written testimony NetChoice submitted in opposition, platforms would have to estimate within 14 days of a user reaching 25 hours of use over six months whether that user is older than 17, with 80 percent confidence, and raise that confidence to 90 percent once the account reaches 50 hours. Accounts that have been active for seven or more years are exempt from the age estimation requirement. The law creates a private right of action for affected families and allows penalties of $10,000 per violation.
Industry pushes back
NetChoice, a trade group whose members include Meta, Google, TikTok and YouTube, opposed the bill as it moved through the General Assembly. Amy Bos, a vice president for the group, argued that the measure violates free speech protections and functions as a digital identification mandate that could put children’s data at greater risk. NetChoice has already sued the state over a separate law McMaster signed Feb. 5 aimed at minors online, the South Carolina Age Appropriate Design Code Act. That case, NetChoice v. Wilson, is pending in federal court on First and Fourteenth Amendment grounds.
When the law takes effect
The Stop Harm from Addictive Social Media Act cleared the General Assembly with broad bipartisan support and was signed May 19. It is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, leaving the largest platforms about seven months to build the age estimation systems the law requires.
Whether the law survives a likely legal challenge remains an open question, given the pending case over the state’s earlier measure. For now, families in York and Lancaster Counties have until the start of next year before the changes reach their children’s screens.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text at 988.
Sources: South Carolina House Bill 4591, the Stop Harm from Addictive Social Media Act, as posted by the South Carolina Legislature; the Office of Gov. Henry McMaster; written testimony submitted by NetChoice; the Alliance Defending Freedom; and reporting by The Associated Press, WIS News 10 and Live 5 News.
Feeling lost in the digital world? Dr. Tom is here to help!
Join Dr. Tom every week in his column, Dr. Tom’s Cyber Bits and Tips, for byte-sized advice on all things cyber and tech. Whether you’re concerned about online safety, curious about the latest cybercrime trends, or simply want to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape, Dr. Tom has you covered.
From practical cybersecurity tips to insightful breakdowns of current threats, Dr. Tom’s column empowers you to stay informed and protect yourself online. So, dive in and get savvy with the web – with Dr. Tom as your guide!
This content is being shared through the S.C. News Exchange and is for use in SCPA member publications. Please use appropriate bylines and credit lines.
The Civil War Changed Funeral Customs
Posted 06.09.2026
By Tom Poland
A Southern Writer
www.tompoland.net
tompol@earthlink.net
A do-it-yourself casket for a pet is as close most get today. I’ve heard of people paying a carpenter to build a casket for a dog, and I get it. Just placing a pet in the ground doesn’t seem loving.
If I were a carpenter and you were a lady, would you hire me to build a casket for your pet? Would you hire a carpenter to make one for your baby? Many years ago folks hired woodworkers to build caskets for family members, but that and other practices changed in a big way. I never think of Abe Lincoln at funerals, but I do now and you will too.
Care for the dead went from a private ritual in the home to a commercialized professional industry thanks to the Civil War. Before 1861, “undertakers” were typically local furniture makers or carpenters who built coffins as a side line. In A Fistful of Dollars Clint Eastwood tells a local carpenter to “Get three coffins ready.” After dispatching four men instead of three, he tells the carpenter, “My mistake. Four coffins.”
Before the Civil War, Americans buried their dead at once to avoid decomposition. The Civil War created the need to preserve bodies for long journeys back to families, northern mostly. Dr. Thomas Holmes, the “father of modern embalming,” came up with arsenic-based arterial methods to stop decomposition. Holmes’s way didn’t exactly meet with a wave of success, but when John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln, the “Lincoln Effect” would make a difference.
President Abraham Lincoln’s embalmed body traveled on a widely viewed two-week funeral train procession. A “natural-looking” president “asleep” convinced regular folk that embalming offered a way for dignified, open-casket viewing.
A transition of sorts took people from the new post-Civil War practices to the rise of the funerary industry, but it took time. For a good while folks bought caskets from general stores. Can you imagine preparing loved ones for their final resting place and buying a casket from a nearby store?
Well, it happened up in Valle Crucis, North Carolina. In 1923 W.W. Mast advertised that his general store had “quality goods for the living; coffins and caskets for the dead.” Another ad said the store sold everything from cradles to caskets and boasted that “if you can’t find it here, you don’t need it.”
In a bit of an oddity I’ve seen caskets for sale by the side of the road, and I’ve seen a casket in an old general store. Up near Helen, Georgia, I saw a child’s casket in the Old Sautee Store. Not for sale, of course, but a reminder of how things used to be. A brass plate on its hinged cover carried two words: “Our Darling.”
About four years ago I came across three caskets in an abandoned house. They had survived from that period of do-it-yourself funeralizing, relics of how things used to be.
And do you know the difference between a coffin and a casket? A coffin, nicknamed a toe pincher, has six sides. A casket is rectangular. After the Civil War caskets took over, another change.
In the old days people ordered caskets and held funerals for loved ones at their home. They buried family members on their property. That tradition died outside some who still practice burial without embalming. Often referred to as green burial or natural burial, it’s completely legal in many areas.
The folks who practice green burial? I doubt they think of Old Abe when burying loved ones. I’m not sure just what they think, but I can sure see where they’re coming from. Things change, and depending on your view, not always for the best.
Tom Poland’s website at www.tompoland.net
Email Tom about most anything at at tompol@earthlink.net
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Living on Purpose: Our world is not meant to be perfect
Posted 06.09.2026
By Dr. William Holland
The Lord has given most of us a good life filled with blessings, but with me, no matter how much “stuff” we accumulate, it does not bring spiritual contentment or joy. And in all honesty, it’s not supposed to. I’ve been around a while, and lately I’m rarely pleased with anything. I realize I’m probably too picky, but I have a standard that simply wants what I pay for. It seems no matter how much I spend, there are always details that disappoint me. For example, over the years we’ve had a lot of remodeling work done on our home, as most of you know, it’s not cheap. The problem is that instead of skilled craftsmen who take pride in their work, there is now an army of people who try to hurry and finish a job without the conviction of doing it right.
Another area I’m growing weary of is the food industry. In our area, there are only a few places that serve decent meals, while the overwhelming majority of restaurants have disgruntled employees, and this lackadaisical attitude shows up in their service and their products. I do not believe it’s demanding too much to have an expectation to be satisfied with my purchase. Again, it’s obvious in our day and age that most people do not want to work, and couldn’t care less about doing what they are paid to do. Whether it be new cars, new houses, clothing, vacations, or whatever, it seems that very few things are what we dreamed they would be. Surprise: it was never intended to. Even Solomon, who had everything, was depressed because nothing on earth can spiritually satisfy or take the place of our personal relationship with God.
I’ve often wondered if my expectations are unrealistic, but I just believe that when we pay for something, we deserve a quality product and quality service. It’s one thing to make a mistake, but when there is no effort or concern to give people what they pay for, this is unacceptable. Controlling how we react to disappointments can help our emotional roller coasters, and when we recognize that flaws and failures will always be with us, it allows us to appreciate the small victories when they happen. How encouraging it is to imagine that many of our loved ones, our new name, our new body, our inheritance, and citizenship, along with crowns and rewards, are all a part of our glorious and “perfect” future. How wonderful to know that heaven will be filled with endless praise, everlasting joy, perfect peace, and contentment without darkness, discouragement, or disappointment.
We are only briefly passing through this “imperfect” world, and the only thing we will take with us when we leave is an account of how we lived. It’s sad but true that not everyone is concerned with their eternal destiny. We are graciously given eternal life when we repent, confess, obey, and receive Christ as our Lord who willingly paid our ransom. Billy Graham is quoted, “I will not go to heaven because I am a preacher. I’m going to heaven entirely on the merit of the work of Christ. The most thrilling thing about heaven is that Jesus Christ will be there!” “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born-again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (I Peter 1:3-4).
When we talk about hope, this usually means we are wondering if something is going to turn out the way we want, but there is a spiritual hope empowered by faith where we can definitely know that God is watching and listening, and that our prayers will be answered without having to worry or be afraid. Romans 15:13 reminds us, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” You see, those who trust and know God have been born again into an eternal inheritance that can never change or fail. Adam and Eve, and even the earth is under a curse, but there is coming a day when mediocrity will be no more. God has always been perfect, and in the future, we will be perfect, heaven will be perfect, and we will never be disappointed again.
Dr. Holland is a minister, chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.
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Living on Purpose: What we think about matters to God
Posted 06.09.2026
By Dr. William Holland
Are we ashamed of God? Is God ashamed of us? Do we not realize that God knows our thoughts? Yes, the spiritual atmosphere within society has changed in the last 75 years, and one of the reasons is the older generations who stood fervently for God have passed on, and many of the younger ones do not have the same passion for Christ. Do we care about developing an awareness of His presence? Look at the technology that has evolved in this period of time, and it’s easy to see the minds and hearts of the masses have allowed themselves to be tempted to adopt a different way of thinking and believing. A tsunami of knowledge has been released upon the world, and with more information, we have more distractions. There was a time when families would gather in the evenings and read and discuss the Bible and pray together. What happened?
Television in its early days was closely monitored and not allowed to be consumed night and day. This is when kids played outside, parents read the newspapers, neighbors were friendly, and family and people enjoyed each other’s company. Compare this to today’s world, where many choose isolation, where they are mesmerized by some type of electronic device. Are we trading our individual thoughts, creativity, and personalities for the sake of artificial intelligence? Instead of developing spiritual discernment and quietly listening to learn what God wants us to do, we are deliberately being controlled by “Pied piper” devices luring us into mental captivation. We have the choice to decide how we use our time, which also includes a responsibility to reject being willingly governed by any spiritual force other than God.
Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Shouldn’t we be guarding our minds from evil persuasions, and how high on our priority list is knowing God and standing with him? Maybe some people use distractions as a way of hiding from Him. Have you noticed that many people dislike silence and prefer to have something playing in the background? We don’t always need to have the television on or the car radio on. The silence is a secret place because it helps us to hear God’s voice. If we constantly need background noise, something is wrong. Are we afraid to be alone with God? Do some feel convicted or guilty because they are not walking with Him in obedience and holiness? Life is filled with distractions we cannot help, but we surely do not need to intentionally make it worse. We notice in Luke 5:15-16 that the more Jesus gave of Himself, the more time He spent praying in secret for clarity to maintain His relationship with the Father.
Be encouraged today, for since Christ accomplished His mission on the cross and rose from the dead, those who are partakers with Him are preserved by the greatest power and authority in heaven and earth. He is the creator of all things, the Alpha and Omega. Let us not place our confidence in this earthly realm; instead, let us actively and intentionally trust the one who knows, created, and controls everything. Humans strive to build the perfect life, but only Christ embodies true perfection. His desire is for us not to worship the material, but to set our hearts on the spiritual realm. The message for this hour is urgent: a dark enemy seeks to deceive, kill, steal, and destroy. But you are not powerless. Resist this attack by saying no to fleshly desires. Draw the line today—determine in your heart that you will not give your heart to the world. Choose to be a living sacrifice: holy and acceptable. Take this stand now and commit fully to God.
What we consume through our eyes and ears acts as “food” for our souls, ultimately shaping our thoughts. I John 2:15 declares, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.” A few chapters over, God says, “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world has become an enemy of God.”
Dr. Holland is a minister, chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.
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Mr. Penny Pincher
In Sports and Life, the Struggle Is Part of the Reward
Posted 06/09/2026
By Patrick Byrne
In many ways, sports are like life. Each game or season brings its share of triumphs and, in the case of really terrible teams, a long string of defeats and misery. It’s probably why so many of us love watching sports. The competition is exciting but we’re also able to identify with the effort and sacrifices made by individual athletes and teams in order to achieve their goals.
My father lived his entire life having never seen the Boston Red Sox or Chicago Cubs win a World Series. He didn’t necessarily like either team but he loved baseball. As a fan of the game, I have no doubt he would’ve welcomed the idea of the Cubs finally hoisting the trophy. Given he was a die hard Yankees fan, he had no problem with Boston living in misery forever, although he probably would’ve conceded their time had come. The point is, generations of baseball fans lived and died with zero championships for either of these teams.
The current NBA finals has the New York Knicks battling the San Antonio Spurs. Basketball crazy New York City hasn’t won a title in over 50 years. The Knicks last title was in 1973, which is the same year the Spurs joined the ABA prior to their inclusion into the NBA in 1976. In stark contrast to the Knicks, the Spurs have won 5 championships in total, with their last one occurring in 2014.
New York City is basketball crazy. I haven’t been in years but the last time I went, there seemed to be a basketball court on every street corner, each one of them packed with players and crowds cheering them on. The fact that the Knicks haven’t brought a championship to a city that’s literally littered with basketballs seems unfathomable to me.
And yet, perhaps that’s the appeal.
Sports, like life, is about longing and reaching for something that we perceive to be bigger and better. Instead of enjoying what we have at that moment, many of us are constantly looking for an upgrade. Whether that’s in the form of a car, house, clothes or vacation destination, we’re looking past our present into a utopian future meant to fulfill our dreams.
Let’s use the Charlotte Hornets as a good example. Since moving to the Charlotte area thirty years ago, I’ve been a fan of the Hornets. As the first pro franchise in the city, the support within the community was unrivaled. Even when they were terrible for the first few years, the Charlotte Coliseum was packed with fans and each game was an event.
The Hornets had a nice season this year but overall, they’ve been one of the worst franchises in the NBA. There’s something to be said about the pain associated with being a fan of a losing team or franchise. You know what to expect and although you’re let down year after year, there’s hope that it will get better. I’m talking to you Jets and Browns fans. I feel your pain.
What happens when that pain subsides? Does the team mean as much to you anymore? There’s a reason people say, “be careful what you wish for, it just might come true.” I’m not saying it’s a bad thing for your favorite lovable loser to win it all; however, reaching the summit after years of struggle can only lead to an inevitable drop.
Dynasties create fans for life and those same fans are clinging to championships from 10, 20 or 30 years ago. Perhaps being a fan of a team like the Hornets makes things a lot less complicated. It also sets realistic expectations while providing a sense of thankfulness for the wins along the way, no matter how small.
It seems to be a pretty good lesson for life.
Another good lesson is to steer clear of being a Jets fan. A loveable loser is one thing but a perennial loser is another thing entirely.
Patrick Byrne
Patrick lives in Tega Cay with his wife and two daughters. After 25 years working for a Big 4 bank where he held multiple marketing/communication roles, he retired from the corporate world to pursue his passion for writing. An opportunity to develop a local paper proved too enticing to turn down. Patrick is a graduate of Winthrop University where he majored in Communications. Patrick can be reached at patrickbyrne@tegacaysun.com and patrickbyrnecreative.com
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The Deadly Silo
Posted 06/09/2026
By Tom Poland
A Southern Writer
www.tompoland.net
tompol@earthlink.net
I’ve always looked at silos with wonderment. Silos fill me with a sense of mystery. Just how do they work? Then I began to notice nearly all of them seemed abandoned. What’s the deal here?
First, let me say that I have long viewed silos as picturesque. They rise from the earth to command the eye. They make fine landmarks for giving directions. “Once you pass the two silos to your left, take the first dirt road to your right.”
Better ways exist today to store crops and grains, and silos have fallen into disuse. They stand as monuments to hard-working men and women, an architectural marvel from another time. They gave a farmer a way to store livestock feed and crops while protecting them from weather, moisture, pests, and spoilage. The classic tall cylindrical concrete or steel silo fermented silage or held dry grains like corn and soybeans. I hear that they’re rarely built today but when they were it was the work of specialized contractors.
Many an old tower silos stands abandoned. I’ve seen one so long in disuse that a fully grown tree has grown up and out it. One stands in lake waters. I see a good many with their tops missing. I can’t say I’ve seen any torn down but it happens. Here today, gone tomorrow.
Now, let me say that my view of silos changed forever when I visited the Bart Garrison Agricultural Museum of South Carolina. Josh Johnson, curator, told me how the museum got its name. Bart Garrison died in a silo. I read his tombstone.
“Bart” James Bartlett Garrison, July 19, 1960 — May 9, 1990, Died In A Farm Silo Accident At Age 29 Years, 9 Months, 16 Days, Christian · Beloved Son And Brother, Gentleman · Farmer · Golfer, Never Married But Looking.
He and his family have my sympathy. He was working on the family’s Denver Downs Farm in Anderson, South Carolina, when grain engulfed him and Matthew Pickens. That shocked me. I had no idea silos could to that.
In the U.S., something like 20 to 30 people die each year in grain entrapment and agricultural confined-space incidents, things like suffocation. Fatality rates for those trapped in grain exceed 50 percent. I looked into the dangers of silos and found four ways they can kill a farmer or farm worker.
Grain Entrapment and Suffocation: Flowing grain acts like quicksand. If a worker steps into a silo while unloading equipment is at work, he can be pulled under and buried in seconds.
Explosions and Fires: Grain dust suspended in the air is highly combustible. A small spark or friction can cause devastating explosions. Josh Johnson told me hot gases can develop and lead to spontaneous combustion and third degree burns.
Toxic Gases: Fermenting silage produces lethal gases like carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which can quickly displace air and asphyxiate workers. Nitrogen Dioxide, heavier than air, often appears as a yellowish-orange haze that smells like bleach. Inhaling it causes “silo-filler’s disease,” which triggers fluid buildup in the lungs and can be fatal hours later. Fermenting crops release vast amounts of CO₂, which can cause a worker to lose consciousness within seconds and die from asphyxiation.
Structural Failure: Spoiled grain or uneven unloading can create immense internal pressure, leading to sudden collapses.
I’ll never look at a silo the same. And I salute the brave farmers who have worked with them. Here’s a man walking through a gate across a green pasture to check his silo’s moisture levels or do a bit of maintenance. If something goes bad wrong, his silo is about to become a large tombstone. When we sit down to farm-raised food we should never forget that not only is the work hard, it’s often also dangerous.
Tom Poland’s website at www.tompoland.net
Email Tom about most anything at at tompol@earthlink.net
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Living on Purpose: A best friend is a gift you give yourself
Posted 06.02.2026
By Dr. William Holland
I was thinking the other day about how wonderful it is to have friends. Last week I went to lunch with my best friend, and we always have a great time sharing our thoughts about life. Most of us have acquaintances, but we can usually count on one hand those who are trustworthy and loyal. These special friends are always ready to celebrate our victories and console us when we are going through a difficult time. The bottom line: we can trust them with everything, and we know that if anything serious were to happen, they would be by our side all the way to the end. In this day and age of electronic relationships, it’s refreshing to have those we can confide in and be transparent with. We were not created to be an independent island to ourselves, and are grateful for our spouse, but we also have a need for social interaction as we learn how to love, trust, listen, and respect others.
An old Irish Proverb says, “A trusted friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.” Friendship is all about sincerely caring for another person without any ulterior motives. We realize that within our social network, many are not really deeply connected with us, and that is alright. We accept that we will not be best friends with everyone, and no doubt, these casual friends also feel the same way about us. Have you ever been talking with someone and as they ask how you are, they instantly move on to another subject before you hardly have a chance to answer? I believe a true friend is someone who really cares about what’s going on with us. They laugh when we laugh and cry when we cry. Donna Roberts is quoted as saying, “A true friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.”
The story of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane just before he was to be crucified allows us to see a brief moment of His human side and how He really wanted the spiritual and emotional support of His friends as He was facing death. Since Christ experienced so many things in his life, we can know that he understands loneliness and the value of having someone walk with us in our journey. As the story is told in all four gospels, he asked three of his close friends to accompany him to a quiet place called the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. When they arrived, he asked them to stay awake and pray, as he was going a little further down the path to pour out his heart to the Father. As He walked away, it’s clear that He felt an overwhelming sadness and anguish as his words are recorded in Matthew 26:38, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me.”
The very next verse is significant to his devotion to God and his determination to fulfill his mission as the sacrifice to save and forgive those who believe. “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” After a while of interceding in agony, he returns to hopefully receive some positive encouragement, but instead finds them asleep. This happens on three separate occasions, and the last time he stands over them and, with compassion, says, “Sleep on now and take your rest. Behold, the hour is now at hand, and the son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.” Yes, they were not alert when he needed them, but just because they could not keep their eyes open does not mean they did not love him. (I would say we would have done the same thing). The point is that we all want our closest friends around us when we are walking through our experiences, whatever they are.
I’ve always heard there comes a time in our lives when we realize who actually matters, and who never did, and that good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget. The wonders of friendship are not the outstretched hand or the kindly smile; it’s the spiritual inspiration when two people mutually discover they enjoy spending time together. When we are in the hospital or in the nursing home, and our family and friends are holding our hands, we realize that these were our greatest blessings.
Dr. Holland is a minister, chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.
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