On Saturn retrograde
Between June 17 and Nov. 4, the planet Saturn will be retrograde in the sign of Pisces. Saturn is the planet of restriction, responsibility, commitments and karma.
Adding the watery sign of Pisces, which governs more of our emotional, empathetic and idealistic approaches to life, lets us look at old ways that do not work anymore and areas of our lives that we have been struggling with are revisited. This will give us a chance to get through these old issues successfully and start a new chapter in our lives.
This retrograde will surely be emotional, but letting go of the old makes way for the new. Some signs may be more accident prone during this transit, so be more aware and alert.
Saturn represents the larger trends of our lives generationally, while the smaller planet Mercury is an inner planet that shapes our day to day lives. This retrograde will make all of us grow and to see things for what they truly are, making an impact for generations to come.
When Saturn retrograde ends in November 2023, it will appear again next year in 2024, when it will bounce back and forth in Pisces until November 2024. But after that, Saturn will stay stationed for the next 20 years in the sign of Aquarius.
We had a little preview of this transit at the beginning of the year. But for now, there is work to be done during this Saturn retrograde period.
Shelley Dietrich, Murphy
The toothless Republicans
Democrat Party machinations have been exposed with the release of the Durham Report into the alleged Russian influence on the 2016 election. The FBI was exposed to be a Stalin-style intelligence organization focused on targeting President Donald Trump.
Being deceptive and merciless in political matters, like the Democrats, doesn’t occur to Republicans. The essential difference between Republicans and Democrats is Republicans concentrate on the merits of policies. Democrats are focused on gaining and retaining power and control.
When Republicans won the House majority, the Freedom Caucus was guaranteed corrective actions would be taken against Biden’s liberal agenda if they confirmed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
The examples of Democrat Party malfeasance go on and on, through the alphabet agencies like the CDC, DHS, DOJ, FBI, CIA and IRS. Yet through all this, the Republican Party’s response is temperate at best.
Policy examples:
- McCarthy agreed to step down if one Republican member challenged his leadership on a failure to uphold conservative principles.
Status: McCarthy is still the speaker. He crossed the line on fake spending cuts, concessions in debt ceiling negotiations and failed to release the J6 surveillance footage.
- Leadership promised to defund the DOJ special counsel’s politically motivated investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents and a probe into protesting the 2020 electoral college.
Status: The special counsel’s office is funded and continues the “witch-hunt.”
- Leadership promised to rein in extravagant spending in the oxymoron titled “Inflation Reduction Act.”
Status: Zero recoup of the $1.2 trillion act, giveaways for grid-destroying unreliable energy and the Internal Revenue Service agent expansion plan is funded.
- Leadership promised to rein in out-of-control fraudulent Medicaid expenses.
Status: No work requirements for Medicaid and only age adjustments for TANF and SNAP.
The country needs Republican Party “Attila the Huns,” not “Queensberry Rules” politicians.
Terry Payne, Marble
Landlines are lifelines here
My mother relies on her landline to communicate in Murphy. She has a cell phone, but she has trouble using it and often misplaces it. She needs a phone that always works and that she’s comfortable using; it’s why she’s kept her landline, even as prices have gone up over the past 10 years.
That’s why I was skeptical when her landline provider “upgraded” her service to “digital home phone service” – a landline alternative that tied her phone to her internet rather than old-fashioned copper wire.
It brought her bill down significantly, but it came with a cost. The call quality is terrible, and since her internet is spotty, her phone often doesn’t work at all.
When we couldn’t get her old service back, I discovered that in August, the Federal Communications Commission deregulated the telecom industry, and authorizer phone companies to shut down traditional landlines nationwide and switch users to internet-based services.
Landlines are lifelines for 1.3 million seniors in North Carolina. Having to rely on expensive landline alternatives that have poor call quality, stop working during power outages, puts seniors like her at risk.
I understand that landlines may not be “profitable” for the phone company to provide anymore. But this is why our Government exists – we regulate essential industries like telecommunications because not doing so leaves our most vulnerable people in the dust.
If the FCC won’t look out for our seniors, the government should step up. I implore our local leaders in Murphy to advocate for the most vulnerable members of our community, and fight to keep true landline phone service alive.
William Anderson, Murphy
Chic-fil-A is on the wrong side
On May 23, 1946, S. Truett Cathy opened a restaurant in Hapeville, Ga., called the Dwarf Grill. This restaurant was the precursor of a fast-food chain known today as Chick-fil-A.
Over the years, Chick-fil-A has become wildly popular. Their statement of corporate purpose, “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us,” was especially appealing to Christians who made this chain their favorite fast food destination.
However, Chick-fil-A has made a U-turn and is distancing itself from Christians in decisions that do not glorify God.
First, they announced they were ending donations to such groups as the Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes because their positions on marriage and sexuality were too “controversial.”
Next we were informed the company was funding radical and LGBT activists. They also gifted money to the extremist Southern Poverty Law Center and partnered with the Covenant House, an organization that hosts such things as Drag Queen Story Hours. The latest news is they are catering to the diversity, equity and inclusion crowd.
Despite this departure from biblical truth and drifting from its biblical roots, the corporation continues to exploit and profit from its Christian reputation. I’m sure many are unaware of the new trail Chick-fil-A is blazing away from glorifying God.
Since we have such a restaurant right here in our midst, I am writing this letter to make sure the citizens of our surrounding counties know the truth about Chick-fil-A. By knowing the facts, they may decide to take their business elsewhere.
Gary W. Meier, Young Harris, Ga.
Avoid the web of addiction
Summer is a time when kids and teenagers have much more free time, which they usually enjoy with their friends. They go swimming, hiking, enjoying outdoors and late-night adventures.
Some teens will also start to experiment with drugs. A new study show more people try LSD, cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy during the summer.
Not only is there a risk of addiction when using drugs, but using ecstasy in the summer brings about different risks. Many people use “X” at electronic music festivals. They dance, which increases perspiration, and often their drug use, resulting in them not sleeping. These factors can cause an accident and possibly lead to heatstroke with the high temperatures. There are several cases of hospitalization due to these festivals.
Dr. Joseph Palamar was the lead author in a recent study to see when teens start using drugs. Experimenting tends to come along with idle time, like summer vacation where you spend time with friends and don’t have much to do. There is a 30 percent increase in first time use for ecstasy and marijuana. There was also a 28 percent increase in cocaine use during summer.
Finding out your child or loved one is using drugs can be scary and overwhelming. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, reach out for help before it’s too late. We help people all over the United States find treatment and end the web that traps someone in addiction.
Alina Snowden, Denham Springs, La.
The writer is with Narconon NewLife Retreat Drug Education & Rehabilitation Center. Visit narcononnewliferetreat.org.