From television specials to newspaper editorials, the media are pushing the idea that current economic problems were caused by the market and that only the government can rescue us.

The idea that even the brightest person or group of bright people, much less the U.S. Congress, can wisely manage an economy has to be the height of arrogance and conceit.

Wouldn’t you think that between the big announcement – “You’re going to be a grandpa!” – and the actual event, someone would have clued in the most critical information a grandpa needs to know.

Attention, all taxpaying passengers: Make sure your seatbelts are fastened, and, oh, your seat cushions can be used as a floatation device. The captain has informed me that we are heading into some turbulent, irrational behavior.

Should the opportunity ever arise for you to deal with a bona fide race car driver on anything having to do with driving a car, you might benefit from lessons I’ve learned. Let me share them.

Week 4 report: The General Assembly gaveled in last week on Feb. 10 for the 16th legislative day of the 2009 session. The legislature was in session Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; however, numerous committee hearings were held Monday and Friday.

The Wall Street Journal online reported, as of Feb. 9, a total of 34 banks have failed or been taken over by federal regulators since early 2008. The credit turmoil and other factors contributed to “banks going bust.”

These are difficult times for many people. A few weeks ago, I was in a meeting with a number of pastors when the question was asked, “Is anyone finding that the offerings in church are down?” Every hand went up. People, businesses and organizations are finding that this is a time of adjustment.

President Obama is back in messianic campaign mode. It is unbecoming. When he’s not snarling at conservative opponents of his endless spending programs, he’s pandering to supporters as the nation’s community organizer-in-chief.

Paraskevidekatriaphobics – it’s a big word that describes the people who have an irrational fear of Friday the 13th, a day considered throughout history to be the unluckiest day of the year.

Barack Obama has a tough act to pull off. He must simultaneously petrify people and also restore their confidence. He must scare us to death and calm our fears.

Letters from parents often complain of a sense of futility in trying to argue with their own children, who have been fed a steady diet of the politically correct vision of the world, from elementary school to the university.

The Peachtree City Council voted its customary split last Thursday in favor of further destroying the declining peace and tranquility of our “planned” community.

Peachtree City Mayor Logsdon and council members Boone and Plunkett actually voted for the city submitting the foolish traffic signal at Ga. Highway 54 and Line Creek Drive.

This past week was the third full week the General Assembly was in session, and Friday marked the 15th legislative day out of a Constitutional maximum of 40.

It all started at the beauty shop. Most of women’s troubles that don’t begin with men begin at the beauty shop. But then you knew that.

In some cases, wool-gathering at the wheel may be as dangerous as driving under the influence. Dangerous in more ways than one. Having neither dictionary nor tape recorder in the car, I sometimes have to pound thoughts in through my forehead, saying, “Remember this, remember!”

The parking deck at Emory University Hospital can be pretty confusing because there are so many sections to it. Still, I’m familiar enough with it that I’ve never had much trouble.

“There is no disagreement,” said then-President-elect Barack Obama Jan. 9, “that we need action by our government, a recovery plan that will help to jump-start the economy.”

On the “Family Research Council Blog,” (www.frc.org), Tom McClusky asks the question, “What would you buy with a trillion dollars?”

The Republicans have a chance. Not that they deserve it. Not that they won’t blow it. Still, a chance — who’da thunk it back in those parched and yellow days of November 2008?

It never ceases to amaze me how a perfectly harmonious life can be thrown into disarray in an instant.

A phone call in the middle of the night pulls you out of what was a peaceful sleep and sends you God only know where. A knock at the front door and you open it. There, standing right in front of you, is a police officer or deputy sheriff just doing their job. Trust me when I say they have nothing but bad news to tell you, and if it’s at night, it’s really bad news.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was set up to combat fraudulent practices. The SEC’s website explains that “Ponzi schemes are a type of illegal pyramid scheme named for Charles Ponzi, who duped thousands of New England residents into investing in a postage stamp speculation scheme back in the 1920s.”

Dear Mary,
It’s been awhile since I’ve written you a real letter, but this will have to count. I just want you to know how much this election has meant to Daddy and me.

The central economic crisis of the next five years may not be the greed-induced worldwide depression in which we are now mired.

I have found the main troubles with governments are a lack of patience, aptitude and sincerity. We have all seen the memorable rush to action with horrible results. We have all seen the dreadful consequences of ignorance. And, yes, we have all witnessed the outcome of dishonest actions.

When Dixie Dew’s beloved babysitter up and went to heaven, I found myself in a quandary: What was I going to do about childcare when I traveled?

House Democrats passed a nearly trillion-dollar so-called stimulus bill last week at the urging of President Obama, but the spending may do little or nothing to get this economy moving again.

On Monday, Jan. 26, the Georgia House of Representatives convened for the sixth legislative day after adjourning for the previous week.

“May God bless you as you ponder these significant things in this significant time.”

In a few weeks on Feb. 25 we’ll celebrate “Ash Wednesday.” For those of us who use liturgical seasons to guide us through the church year, this will begin the season we call “Lent.”