With September fast approaching one can't help but think of 2001 and its aftermath - Pfizer warrants, secret warrants to search homes, computers, phone taps and e-mails. Of course, no one believed the government was actually reading e-mails, but it turned out that AT&T and a few other providers were giving access to our private communications. I suspected this was true when it began to take two or three days for e-mails to reach people. The government was, and may still be, tracking our LUDs; who knows. Something I never thought of was recently brought to light: Governments are now using Google Earth to spy on you from the sky. If you added a storage shed or a pool or a fence without permission and permits, they know it. What's to say they are not using it to monitor your actions in your own yard or whom your guests are? I'm all for protection from terrorists but again convoluted logic is at work here. We can't protect our borders from invasion, but finding people who did not get a permit is a top priority. Using convoluted logic the government spies on its own citizens yet is determined to shove a mosque down the throats of NYC on the site where all of those victims and heroes died. Spit in the faces of the American people and make them like it.

It is exciting to know that Big Lots will be back in North Augusta soon. It was a sad day when they closed the doors a few years back because they have some of the coolest products at times. Maybe by opening here Paula Deen can unload all of that cookware she hasn't been able to sell; Big Lots bought millions of dollars worth of it.

Radio or television programs with some self-appointed expert telling people how to live, save, spend, raise children or work on relationships are not my cup of tea, but I do respect their right to spout whatever advice or garbage they wish. It makes me wonder how we older folks managed to be raised with morals, responsibility and respect for others and their property when today's youth seem to have none of those attributes. Self-appointed experts make plenty of money dishing out advice and telling it as they see it and now we have one less to listen to. Dr. Laura canceled her show because the politically correct of this country were appalled at her use of a word considered to be a racial slur while trying to make a point. I hate the word but according to the U.S. Constitution we have the right to free speech and if someone says something you don't like then too bad. This day and time the Constitution seems to be going through the shredder and none of our guaranteed rights are protected any more, so think before you speak.