Ponderings by Dan Ponder

A citizen asked me this question at Monday’s city council meeting.  At first I was confused by the question, but then I understood.  On no day of the year are people more aware of the taxes they pay than on April 15th.   At the same time, there is less and less money available for every…

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a deluge is “a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms”.  The second definition is “a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity”.  I would say that both of those definitions fit the rain we had on Monday afternoon here in Southwest Georgia. Do two…

What are the chances of finding a jewel in the desert two years in a row?   Last year, I wrote of discovering the Musical Instrument Museum, or “MIM” as it is more commonly known in its hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona.  It still remains one of the most impressive museums I have ever visited in my…

You may like her politics or not, but Hillary Clinton has accomplished much in her 67 years.  I heard an anecdote on the radio this morning giving the reason that she attended Yale Law School rather than Harvard.  She had been admitted to both. According to The New York Times Hillary was attending a cocktail…

I glanced over at the boat basin from the bypass in Bainbridge and was stunned at the number of cars that were seemingly parked in every direction.  “Are all these people here to watch people weigh in their fish?” I thought to myself.  The answer was a resounding yes and more. As a major sponsor…

My wife and I had the opportunity to attend a black-tie dinner this weekend in honor of four graduates of Auburn University that received the Lifetime Achievement Award.  It was an inspirational evening as we listened to these men talk about the role that education played in their success.   This seems a fitting topic…

The Oscar frenzy has been all over the media during the past week.  The talking heads discussed everything from the best movie to the best dress on the red carpet.   The best movie of the year, best actor and actress, and best supporting cast were debates worthy of Lincoln and Douglas.   Despite all the…

Mark Twain is credited with once saying, ““People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made.”  The memorization of that quote is practically required of any newly elected legislator.  It soon becomes part of their stump speech.   As a former lawmaker myself, and more importantly as someone who…

The tulips are blooming!  After a long, seemingly endless Winter, the first bed is in full bloom.  The bed in our office driveway and the beds at the end of the driveway at our home are always the first to show their colors no matter what variety is planted.  Those locations apparently have just the…

“I am just enjoying walking around seeing things I have seen on television all my life” said the Seattle Seahawks fan from Washington State as we stood on the subway platform in New York last week.  It was his first trip to the city. No matter how many times I have been, there is always…