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Today's Opinions

  • Fishing Lines: Fish by the rules, so we can all have some

    There are some new rules that you should know about. Starting June 1, all anglers who are fishing for any Gulf reef fish are required to use circle hooks, dehooking devices and venting tools. These rules cover all reef fish including grouper, snapper, triggerfish, porgies, sea bass, hogfish and tilefish. The rules cover both state and federal waters.

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  • Trouble in Cedar Key: Decoration Day

    Think back over the years as to how Memorial Day has changed. When I was a kid, there was a national holiday at the end of May. We called it Decoration Day. It didn't matter what day of the week it came, it was still a national holiday. Schools were closed, people were off work, farmers left their fields. We all joined in the celebration.

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  • Reflections: Dialectic

    There are days when I have great thoughts and I think to myself, "Hey, those things would make a great article!" Only trouble is, when I sit down to write an article I can't remember them.

    My writing coach, many years ago, told me, "Tom, you should carry a small recorder in your pocket and whenever you have a great thought, put it on tape."

    Today there are recorders that don't even have tapes. They work on memory chips instead. Well, I don't have either one and old age is setting in. I would probably buy a voice recorder when shopping if I could remember.

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  • True Faith: When and how will wars end?

    "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Romans 12:17-18 NIV)

    One bumper sticker that has been appearing for a while proclaims the message, "Stop This Endless War!" Whenever we see something like that, we assume that the person is concerned about all the carnage and human degradation that goes along with armed conflicts. Exactly which war this bumper sticker is crying out to us about is a question that only the owner of the bumper knows.

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  • True Faith: Seniors, God's world is waiting for you!

    "If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand." (Psalm 37:23-24 NIV)

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  • Trouble in Cedar Key: Naked in the Streets

    Naked in the streets. How long has it been since you've read those words? Let me guess. Sometime seven or eight years ago I bet, in the Cedar Key Beacon. Those words marked the heading of a long-running weekly column written by Van Proctor. The heading featured a picture of Van wearing a broad-rimmed straw hat, a hat few have ever seen, at least not in public. Van was a standard of sorts. He wrote whatever he wanted and he got away with it.

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  • Reflections: Hawaiian revision

    Last week I wrote about the Hawaiian Islands and made a boo-boo. I said the Island of Kawai was known for its popular places. I mentioned Honolulu, Waikiki Beach and a few others like Diamond Head. But, duh! Anyone knows those places are not on Kawai. What I meant to say was the Island of Oahu. Honolulu and the other places are on Oahu.

    The funny thing is I have been to Hawaii. It was just drain bramage that made me do it. As a matter of fact I have been to Hawaii twice before, so I don't know how I made the boo-boo. Well, anyway, here's some accurate information:

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  • Fishing Lines: The ultimate challenge: Who knew?

    Throughout my fishing career I have always tried to seek new challenges. Challenges are what bring us back to the water time after time to reach new goals or overcome extreme adversities.

    I have pursued and won challenges like light line tarpon, huge sharks, bull redfish on 10-pound test, spear fishing, and guiding, all of which can test your skills and patience.

    But none of these difficult challenges compares with the task I took on last week on the FFA trip out to Seahorse Key.

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