Comments by Gene Scarborough | Eastern North Carolina Now
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We all owe a big THANKS STAN --- to our publisher. If you have never visited and talked with him, you may have no clue the long hours involved in this enterprise he conceived.
He amazes me with "plans in progress" for more stuff. The latest is the ability to view things here on a small screen portable device. With computer savvy and open mind, he is making improvements to make us even more readable, guys! 
Commented: Friday, May 8th, 2015 @ 10:35 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Renewable Energy Welfare Queens Receive Nearly $300 Million In Tax Credits - And That's Not AllWhen Fracking and Oil Drilling in the Graveyard of the Atlantic get really going --- maybe you will focus on environmental corruption between Piedmont and Sounds.
We are about to become a Crude Oil Sandwich, I fear~~~and promoting Renewable Energy in NC is the wise alternative to me! The real problem in NC is Wealth Welfare to corps and the rich while us of the Middle class / Small business segment are getting our deductions removed each year! It is a strange PR technique to convince us the Conservatives in Raleigh are doing any common citizens ANY FAVORS AT ALL . . . 
Commented: Friday, May 8th, 2015 @ 7:21 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Do you guys check your post list and look to see how many "views" we get? I admit I do.
Wouldn't our English Teachers from Clarkston days be proud we aren't embarrassing them as do most students today . . . 
Commented: Friday, May 8th, 2015 @ 7:14 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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I am having a hard time weeding through the PR of Conservative NC governing these days. They are telling us we are being helped on State Taxes---yet I no longer have the $50K deduction on new equipment bought. Meanwhile, large corps get a big break over private jets they can buy to whisk their Execs to exotic destinations on the pretense of "soliciting business!"
I attended a meeting in Greenville 2 weeks ago in which 4 average citizens spoke on how their taxes went up---BECAUSE deductions have been reduced significantly on middle class workers! This entire deal over "Unemployment Insurance" is a terrible misnomer! "Insurance" is simply "the sharing of risks." IN REALITY --- small business is paying into a closely monitored system with careful accounting attached. The second your account is exhausted they come to YOU for more money to cover it. An example is a buddy of mine whose tractor repair shop is somewhat seasonal. These days, when farmers are working their equipment during the growing season they want it repaired yesterday. In the winter --- when a wise farmer would do the repairs, my buddy has an empty yard and has to lay his other mechanic off. That man keeps his pay coming by filing for Unemployment. Once that is gone---my friend has to pay more so his man can keep being paid while not working in a business which is seasonal!!! My friend can't go to the doctor or dentist from being forced to pay employees he does not need! True Unemployment INSURANCE should mean bigger businesses --- which are less cyclical should be able to keep paying for their insurance so my friend does not pay more the second his fund runs out! What we are talking here, folks, is FORCED SMALL BUSINESS TAXATION! 
Commented: Friday, May 8th, 2015 @ 5:45 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Stan --- did they consult with you on our Koch-bought Senator's comments???
Commented: Friday, May 8th, 2015 @ 5:23 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Brown University doubles down on "diversity"These "how should we do higher education" articles are most interesting to me an an Emory grad. They are focusing on a diverse faculty which exposes students to the World. In reverse, they now have about half the new class each year from a foreign country.
If you go to Atlanta, you quickly see it has changed from a bunch of Southern white folks drinking beer in merging red clay neighborhoods to areas where there is not an English sign on the main street of foreign eateries and stores. Like it or not, NC is having the same changes. I see women in Arab garb around Rocky Mount. It was long famous as the "half-way stop between NYC and Miami." Now it's "diversity" is with all the gangs of every kind from America. You know, the Bloods / Crips / Hells Angels / you name a low-life-drug-selling bunch of reprobates and Rocky Mount has it! When compared to the snooty Brown crowd up north, us Southerners can rejoice in redneck! The attacks on UNC governance seem to be a statement that "we don't like diversity here anymore --- and any gay, foreign, non-conformists better go "summers eaylse!" Many of the religious conservative schools around the Southeast "protect" womens frum de-virgent hand holdin' an' any strange Bibles besides KJV edder!" Is that why kids take exotic trips to Mexico and Spring breaks to South America these days??? You can't get exotic MJ and strong beer like that here!
Commented: Friday, May 8th, 2015 @ 5:18 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Muslim / Christian GenocideAT LAST --- you guys are starting to communicate your real question: "How can we stand by when heads roll in the Middle East. Maybe we should NUKE 'UM!"
The tactics of the Terrorists are the same as Early American Indians with General Custer. They knew he had better arms and more men, but lured him to Little Big Horn. He now had no fort and on the open plain they had the advantage! That was the Native American response to our GENOCIDE of them. The same applies to 9/11 and the beheadings by the sea. It is the same kind of eye-horror as lynchings and hangings in the Frontier Days. The reality was a strange mix of entertainment and justice all mixed up in a ball. It was intended to frighten people into obeying the law. With 9/11 Bush took the bait. In the same continued battle with the Middle East, our President is attempting to negotiate Treaties and get the Troops home. Are you both wanting me to say---"Send in all you want and damn the costs? We must win and prove we can boss the Middle East?" 
Commented: Friday, May 8th, 2015 @ 4:29 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Muslim / Christian GenocideI beg your pardon, Stan---but you are doing the Conservative dance over "hate without appearing hateful." Killing is Killing--- mass or individual / hate is hate ---whether to an individual or a group.
I am trying to be to the point and stay nice, but you and Robert are so Conservative as to not see how the hateful parts of Conservatism aren't nice ~~~ in fact pure EVIL. Hitler and the Nazi Party did not see it either / the nation of Germany did awful things --- thinking they were Aryan Supremacists deserving whatever they took. When you loose you moral center----as we did with POW Torture of Bush/Cheney----I just call it "immoral evil with stupid people not seeing the immoral part of it." Psychosis is dangerous. Too many are suffering from such today = you DO NOT KNOW YOURSELF AND EVEN IN THE MIRROR HAVE ON A MASK OF NICE. God is not fooled and sees you to your core of foolish humanity. Jews of the OT were convinced God commanded them to commit genocide on all the people and animals they were to conquer. Jesus just whupped tail on the Moneychangers at the Temple who suffered from the same DECEPTION, my brothers. . .
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 8:51 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Muslim / Christian GenocideStan---Is this Southern-speak / Conservative-speak / or Bull-speak??? I really do not follow any logic in your comment over war. I know you expected me to agree or somehow show my ignorance that "we should NOT kill Muslims in masses."
Killing is the same word as genocide. The genocide is like saying "execute" as opposed to "kill the bastard." Stan wants some kind of high ground applied to conservatives advocating war against an "evil nation." America has always wanted some justification to go to war rather than just "we want their oil + heroin poppies." The current fiasco in the Middle East is hard to justify. 9/11 brought commercial jets into buildings with thousands killed. Questionable government intelligence prevented it from being stopped despite our knowledge it was in the works. The biggest question I still have is WHY WAS THE STANDING ORDER TO INTERCEPT AND FORCE DOWN A JET CLEARLY HIJACKED NOT FOLLOWED??? Such has to be COUNTERMANDED from a high level. That level is George Bush / Dick Cheney. We attacked Iraq over some pretense of WMD and Sadam Hussain somehow promoting ISIS. At the same time, I am told ALL OUR MILITARY BASES are located on a proposed oil pipeline long drawn in the sand to the Persian Gulf. Surely oil and government would never lie to any of us!!! The Old Testament and Conservatism seem to go together in lock step. "Eye for eye / tooth for tooth" is its simple basis. The only "justice" is obtained with vengeance. From the days of the 10 Commandments battles rage and people are never happy or peaceful in the Middle East. Perhaps, about 10% of most Conservative Preaching is from the New Testament. They cloak the Jesus Way with a black tarp of get even HATE. I am a Believer that Jesus is the Christ--the Son of God--who showed us more of what God is really like. The Jews were looking for a new David with a sword, instead they got a Prince of Peace who said, "Forgive you enemies!" that is the secret to solving HATE---you fail to respond in kind. Instead you work on understanding and diplomacy. John Kennedy recognized the Vietnam problem was really a Civil War. Our Generals and Conservatives had couched it in terms of Communism vs. Democracy. There was no win to it for us an ocean away. The Genocide of him in front of our eyes in Dallas was a great American tragedy before my college freshman eyes! I won't ever forget! Blood and brains sprayed over a pink dress and flowers will forever be burned into my brain. His wife chased his skull fragments over the back of the car! I studied it carefully at the time --- and into today. A single bullet from a lone assassin is ridiculous for me! I have seen the Zapruder film as his head peeled from front right to back. It took a bunch of people and an immoral level of evil to bring it off. Conservatives rejoiced / I threw up!!! The exact same HATE is being applied to our President with dark skin today. JESUS HAD DARK SKIN FOLKS!!! Killing is WRONG according to the 10 Commandments. Add all the "buts" to it you want, God loves LIFE and is the creator of such / Jesus was brutally killed by religious conservatives, BUT God raised him from the dead! ANY KIND OF GENOCIDE SUCKS, Stan. Take my word. It accomplishes NOTHING!!!
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 6:15 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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My best first advice upon entering the Insurance sales business was titled, "The cigarette rule." The instructor told us to listen to the client and come back on the second visit with a good plan which you lay out and explain as best you can.
Next, light a cigarette and sit back. The first one to speak will buy the policy! If it is you in your anxiety, you will buy your own policy. If it is the prospect, he is fixing to start askng questions which will lead to a sale at the end! 
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 1:33 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Muslim / Christian GenocideSince Jesus encouraged all his followers to be full of grace and love---I will err on the side of such and let God deal with any more details of judgement . . .
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 1:28 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Muslim / Christian GenocideAnother note on the subject of "Who gets into Heaven," Tony. This poem got me thinking as we all had to memorize it in the 8th grade of Clarkston High School:
www.poetryfoundation.org Until this "Muslim going to heaven" thing came up, I had forgotten about Abu ben Adhem, buddy!
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 6:54 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Muslim / Christian GenocideSimple answer: The Bible in the New Testament speaks ONLY to a witness for Christ and his being God's Son. Their view is a witness rather than a theological treatise.
If you look at man's relation to God, there is some dispute over what is the real nature of both Heaven and Hell. The idea of Purgatory is not even there, but a serious thing for Roman Catholics. All is in the category of "things not seen nor proven." It is my view that when Jesus said, "Love God and your neighbor as yourself" it implies that this is far more important than the NT witness that "Jesus is the ONLY way to Heaven." They lived in such a bad earthly starvation/surf place that their only focus was on The Eternity to Come---as if only they would be there. The Soul on earth knows no "perfect knowledge" --- and then all will be revealed to us.
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 6:44 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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I DID think of the temptation story in Genesis, Ted. Now you have become a "mind reader with a slide rule!"
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 6:24 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on The Right-of-Center Constitutional DivideI like the paragraph about "Courts should butt out . . ."
There is a story told of one appointed Judge who did not "do as expected." When the critics confronted him about "How could a __ (fill in in the blank) Judge like you do this? His answer was: "When I took my oath it was 'to support and defend the Constitution.' My decision was NOT based on my political leaning, it was to do as I vowed as I took my Oath of Office, my friend. I ONLY interpreted the Constitution of the United States of America --- as it was intended --- by those who wrote the words long ago."
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 5:36 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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The Engineer, Ted, always has deep thoughts---deeper than most engineers can manage with a slide rule!
My "ministerial take" makes me want to encourage some more observations ---- like the comparison of the image on the screen to that on the paper. It hits me that the "slight mis-match" is kind of like we all do between "what we think we are vs. what others perceive us to actually be." Us humans usually think we are PERFECT / in reality we are all UNIQUE and perceived in many different ways by others! God sees us "to the soul!" Despite our imperfections, he loves us ALL --- HIS HUMAN CREATIONS! Can't wait to get to Heaven where, hopefully, there are no big snakes and we celebrate Eternity TOGETHER.
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 5:26 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Muslim / Christian GenocideStick with your Conservatism, Stan --- maybe a few of us "liberals" will make it to heaven as well, brother!
Try not to be too surprised when "All God's Children" --- includes us both and a few Muslims thrown in as well, man . . .
Commented: Thursday, May 7th, 2015 @ 5:17 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Muslim / Christian GenocideStan--as usual--makes his stuff in a skewed fashion to promote the end he wants / I took the subject and did it from ALL SIDES . . .
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 5:53 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Council Of State Unanimously Approves Dix SaleThat cinches IT--folks!!! Now all the patients taking a few years over on Legislative Hill ~~~ HAVE TO STAY THERE!!!!
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 3:53 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Small-Town NC Case Shows Federal OverreachPROOF POSITIVE ~~~ "YOU CAN'T LEGISLATE MORALITY!!!"
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 1:03 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Across North Carolina: Volume VIIStan---you have shown us why "Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina!!!"
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 1:01 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Training The Next Batch of Low-Information VotersToo many teachers are not excited about their subject --- therefore, their pupils don't care to think about it either!
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 9:51 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Friday Interview: Markets Work Best In Most CasesA camel---is a horse designed by some Government Committee, folks!!!
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 7:27 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Island Awash in Title Questions, IrregularitiesThe early White Settlers took all this land from Native Americans---giving them diseases and death along the way . . . "Indians" had better sense than to brave the waves in a canoe for a spit of sand!!! Who is the smarter of the two outlooks???
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 7:23 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Scandal reveals two cultures at Chapel HillI think we need to KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid . . .
We have, all over this country, athletes who cannot speak a good English sentence with words pronounced properly. We have a big segment of grads who cannot write a short article for the company newsletter. The purpose of ANY good education is to speak, write, and think---not to make alumni spend great sums to win a National Championship with athletes who can hardly communicate beyond a great pass, dunk shot, or slick move against their opponent on the football field and basketball court. We have too many atheletes---partying with srippers and getting drunk. We have too few who can actually THINK and REASON over important real-life decisions. This goes for any student thinking College is a big party with guaranteed $60K income upon graduation---to play on the company computer and do their Facebook stuff!
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 6:53 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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The KOCH BROTHERS' money buys them oil --- when (not IF) a well blows between the Outer Banks and the pristine Gulf Stream---this kind of decision could be the source of another Ice Age or, more likely, the heating of the atmosphere further . . .
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 6:28 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on N.C. General Assembly Legislative Update, 050415I applaude the level-headed, common-sense of this legislation
~~~~~NOW what to do with FRACKING and OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING AND EXPLORATION . . .
Commented: Wednesday, May 6th, 2015 @ 6:24 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Muslim / Christian GenocideThanks, Tony --- I did my best to put it into perspective which you obviously GET!
Commented: Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 @ 7:57 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on More Terror in Obama's AmericaI love messing with Stan --- now you give me a second Conservative to poke, buddy!
Commented: Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 @ 9:52 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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It is wise to look at other countries and changes taking place in Europe. I buy the analysis given here over their attempts to replicate America's united states. With all political philosophies there is both good and bad---depending on whether the public is served or the rich get richer!
Communism sounded great to the peasants of Russia / Capitalism sounded equally great as immigrants come here with a dream of going up in social class and wealth. Then GREED kicks in and we have the problems of INEQUALITY now growing in both Europe and the US. Just like the Hebrew story of the Old Testament --- you have great times being God's Chosen People / bad times when it is perverted to a small ruling class of great wealth. God sent Prophets to tell the chosen kings of Israel they had messed up. God allowed an earthly King when people kept wanting one. David was a great King / David failed miserably when he lusted after Bathsheba and had her husband killed by treachery / David had is own son, Absolon, revolt and be killed with the same treachery. TRUTH always rises, but can be lost over GREED and LIES. Read the deep agony of David in Psalms---he confessed his sins and went on with life. He was not perfect anymore than any of us. He was HONEST more than he was perverted by his human dark side. It seems that 100 year cycles are the typical time frame.
Commented: Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 @ 6:50 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Thanks, Ted~~~I love old cars and old photos so I shall sooth my nerves when Stan gets me riled over "liberals" . . .
Commented: Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 @ 6:31 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on More Terror in Obama's AmericaHere is the first word for your count, Tony --- liberal
Commented: Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 @ 6:29 am
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on More Terror in Obama's AmericaSo-o-o-o~~~what is your real point, Tony????
I call it like I see it. What's your count on Stan and company words= stupid / ignorant / liberal / president / . . . If you read this fine e-magazine, then do the comparison of my numbers to theirs---which are pretty consistent with put down of anything they perceive as "liberal." 
Commented: Monday, May 4th, 2015 @ 8:14 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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Commented on Poverty Center’s Demise Is UNC’s GainJust call out the same National Guardsmen as tended Kent State and "shoot the bastards!" You will have to go to Ohio, though since our NC citizens do a little bit of thinking before shooting . . .
Commented: Monday, May 4th, 2015 @ 5:55 pm
By: Gene Scarborough
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