Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, was a brilliant 17th century scientist, mathematician and philosophy. Among his many accomplishments he invented calculus independently of Newton, and his notation is the one in general use still today. He also discovered the binary system, which is the foundation of virtually all-modern computer architectures. In philosophy, he is mostly remembered for the theories he put forth that are known as optimism.

In his work Théodicée Leibniz seeks to justify the apparent imperfections of the world by claiming that the present world is the optimal of all possible worlds. It must be the best possible world because God who is perfect created it.

Leibniz’s idea that “We live in the best of all possible worlds,” has been a source of great embrace as well as considerable scorn.

When we make the statement like, “It is all be for the best,” we are in fact embracing Leibniz thinking.

It is not a stretch to suggest that the idea of America itself is founded of Leibnizoian thought.

However one could argue that if this is the best of all possible worlds then things cannot be improved upon?

In the Lilly Tomlin Broadway show “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” one of Tomlin’s character’s is Trudy, a homeless person in NYC whose past electroshock therapy allows her to “channel-switch” into other people’s brains. Trudy also talks to aliens; in one act of the play she asks the aliens something to the effect of, Why if humans have evolved some much, why is it they do not have the ability to change themselves?

Many of us realize that even with a waterfall of grace people only change by a great deal of hard work. I am not a person who believes that people are born good and that we only need to encourage that goodness. Experntually and academically I have come to believe that only by earnest striving against our carnal nature can we actually become good and useful human being. Our society has moved too far from John Calvin and to close to Depak.

While the body and mind have limits, they can be shaped and structured toward improvement. We also have the freedom to do nothing to improve our lot and therefore surrcome to atrophy and disease of the body and the mind. As individuals we either make the most of what we are given or neglect it to our own detriment. Thankfully we have this freedom to choose for the most part.

This leads me to convene the Court of Peeves.

“Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye the court of peeves is now in session.”



Etiquette is quickly defined by Webster dictionary as the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life.

Etiquette and likewise manners have its roots planted in the history of a society. Good manners in one culture can be shockingly offensive to members of a different culture. However the principle and purpose of etiquette and manners can be reduced to a simple phase, “respect shown to others.”

Etiquette is not just what fork to uses and it is not a restriction on personal expression. It is how to conduct ones self respectfully so that you and those about you feel comfort.



Recently I attended a funeral, which was proceeded by a religious service. Before the service began I noticed a teenage boy roaming around the sanctuary in jeans, t-shirt and flip-flops, this seemed out of place as all the other attendees including the boy’s parents were dress neatly. Of course I am what today is known as “Old School.”

To me causal dress it not appropriate for funnels or church. I still think that ones attire is a sign of attitude. Now, if the boy only owns jeans, t-shirt and flip-flops then I understand. However this did not seem to be the case, therefore in my estimation this was disrespectful. Let me also add that it is the parents who I hold responsible not the child.

This brings me to cell phones, turn them off, you are not that important. In church or meetings, turn it off. If you are at lunch or a meal turn it off, if you are having a conversation with someone in person, don’t answer the phone. It is rude. No one wants to listen to your conversation, if you are so important that you cannot turn off your phone to have a civil interaction with others then you are too important to be interfacing with we mere mortals.



In an attempt to rebut Sarah Palin’s GOP convention speech in which she said that being a governor was a lot like being a community organizer but with real responsibilities, the chattering class on the liberal left came back with what they thought was a pithy retort, “Jesus was a community organizer; Pilate was a governor.” This phase has been repeated throughout the blogisphere and on cable news’ leftwing echo chamber. This oft repeated inaccuracy has been so fervorently embraced that one would think that it had been reveled to Moses on the mountaintop.

While I will not argue the point that this is demeaning to Governor Palin, I will however take issue with the idea of Jesus as a community organizer.

New-age gurus and from Oprah to Depak have portrayed Jesus as just a good man who was an icon of social reform. But this is not what the bible says of Jesus. It plainly states that he was the Son of God and that his life, death and resurrection where the fulfillment of salvation for humanity. To reduce his mission to that of a community organizer is to destroy the whole foundation of Christianity.



What if Obama loses and it is not because most Americans are racist.

Yet the steady line that is coming from the liberal leftwing of the demos and their paid talking heads is that Obama will only lose because of his skin color. As a person who has believed in equal right all my life this line of thinking makes me sick. Let’s look at this logically, or as logically as anything political can be observed. There are more registered democrats than republicans. Republicans will vote Republican that’s what they do. If democrats are the majority and they vote for Obama then he should win, unless the Obama apologist are saying that a huge swaths of democrats are rabid racists?

Could it be that some people will not choose to vote for Obama because they do not think he is up for the job, not because they are racists?



Slouching Toward Thought





Library Location

At a recent meeting of the library guild it was announced that a dissicion had been made as to where the new Pell City Library would be located. According to Pell City Librarian Danny Stewart the new Pell City location will be on Hardwick Road next to the Williams Middle School.

There are a good many people who no doubt will and should be surprised by this announcement.

There has yet to be a public announcement of the new library site from the mayor’s office. Mayor Stocks has worked very hard to bring about a resolution to the question of the libraries location, no doubt a public hearing and a thoughtful process will go into the final dissicion.

The citizens of Pell City should give full attention to this dissicion as it will impact the city for years to come. It would be a shame if the will of a few should determine the good of the many.



Mill Fire

The fire that served as the final death knell for Avondale Mill’s was fought back in February. Many firefighters from all over the county worked diligently to extinguish the blaze. The News-Aegis has repeatedly asked for a report (as required by city ordinance) as to how much money fighting the fire cost the taxpayers of Pell City and surrounding county. Finally with the assistence of City Clerk Jennifer Brown we have receive what appears to be a somewhat incomplete report stating that the total cost of fighting the fire was $70,513.61. The document filled by Fire Chief Swell, has the report as completed on 2/16/08. The fire which occurred on 2/14/08 and burned for several days was not completely out on 2/16/08. Do you see a problem?

Here’s more food for thought, why doesn’t Pell City send a bill for fighting the fire to mill property owner “Thunder” Thornton? I have his address.