What was the question?

I know, White Plains Drifter. I never had a lot of luck with the "When did you stop beating your wife" line of questioning, so I abandoned it a long, long time ago.

On the other hand, I do sometimes ask questions when I already know the answers, sometimes just to confirm what I think I know (or refute it, as the case may be.) I just don't tell the person I'm questioning that I know the answer in advance, because that defeats the purpose of the technique.

Some of my best stories ever have resulted from my "dumb as a rock" act. But don't tell anybody. I may want to use the technique in the future.

And, I repeat, I never called Cindy Wilson crazy. I said, "She MAY be crazy ... " meaning I just don't know, because I've never met the lady. Heck, for all I know, she's sane and everybody else is crazy. I mean, you're talking to a man who just yesterday asked his wife, "Honey, where's my cellphone?" while I was actually holding it in my hand.

HAS ANYONE noticed this?  Sorry to drift from topic, but in this morning's AIM newspaper there is an article on page 3 "City manager receives 'good' on review", written by Charmaine Smith-Miles (I hate those double names).  The article was posted in full on AIM's web site this morning and I was the second one to post a comment early this AM.  It has now been pulled and no trace that I can find of it.  The only reason I can see is a quote from City Councilman Tom Dunaway that says "....John (Moore) doesn't take sides and he is fair in addressing individual council's concerns and he doesn't sue us."

It would make me think that someone may have been offended by the 'he doesn't sue us' part and had it pulled.  Anyone know any more?

The story hasn't been pulled, Prevail. It's just drifted off the "Latest" category of the AIM homepage because it's been replaced by newer stories. That's just an automatic chronological function of the platform, not an indication that somebody got upset and made 'em pull the story.

If you'll look at the "Latest" news listing, then click on "Local" to the right of that, you'll see that, as of this moment, the City Manager story is the sixth one down on the list that comes up. That will change when newer stories are posted on the main page, but it's still there.

AND .... if you had the second comment, and your AIM screenname is CWilson4, your comment is still there, too. (Dang, I didn't realize that was you. You're about as popular as jock itch over there too, aren't you?)

A little research and a bit of patience go a long way in this life, bud ... Try it sometime.

White Plains drifter said:

I think everyone would be amazed at the ease with which questions would be answered if they were asked in an earnest and respectful manner as JD asked Deepthroat yesterday, as opposed to Cindy's style.

For example: "Mr. Preston has received kickbacks from his real estate friends and I demand to see the closing statements for such and such transaction" or "Mr. Preston is an alcholic and I demand to see every credit card bill and every restaurant receipt for the last ten years" or my personal favorite "I think we've been paying for prostitutes with county funds and I demand to see the GLR 165 and the GLR 409 and the C3PO and the JENI8675309".

When you preface a legitimate question with an absurdity, sometimes the your question gets filtered along the poppycock with which you prefaced it. And JD, I don't think it is politically correct to call people with Cindy's predisposition "crazy" anymore. There are more clinical names now.

 So are those quotes of Cindy Wilson?

JD, some of us enjoy reading your posts which seem to be from a person in the know. 

You said you live in Pickens but I think you have been a journalist for many newspapers and perhaps magazines in your long career.  Would you give us the opportunity to read some of your writings by giving us the names and addresses of where you have written? 

Prevail, I've made no secret on here of the fact that I worked for The Anderson Independent & Daily Mail more than a quarter of a century ago. I've also noted that I've worked for dailies in Greenville and in Charleston, South Carolina. But you'll find no bylines by JDTippett, if that's what you're checking.

I've also made no secret of the fact that I worked for a local government for most of the 1990s. Those who have been paying attention even know what my job title was.

Beyond that, unless you're a newspaper publisher or editor (or a County Administrator) who has a job to offer me, I'm really not inclined to post my resume on The Cocklebur.

I will tell you that today alone, I have started AND finished my latest two books - "Barack Obama Book of Military Knowledge" and "The Virtues of Bill Clinton." They're each two pages long, although the second page of the Obama book is blank, while the second page of the Clinton book is an appendix (I don't know whose.)

Before bedtime, I plan to finish a third book: "Joey Preston's Guide to Open Government." I'll try to get to the second page before I wrap it up and send it to press, but I'll have to stretch to do that.

Seriously, bud, everything I've ever written under the "JDTippett" byline can be found on The Cocklebur or on the AIM's main website, absolutely free of charge. You'll have to dig much deeper to find the really good stuff (and, sadly some of the really bad stuff) that I've actually gotten paid for over the years.