Buy American and Buy at Home this Holiday Season

This commentary was sent to us by the good folks at the Winston County Chamber of Commerce:

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high
gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods --
Merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. 

This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine
concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift
giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands.
Yes, there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in

a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

1. Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates
from your local American hair salon or barber?

2--Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some
health improvement.

3--Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned
detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a
book of gift certificates.

4--Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down
the dollars on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift
receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or
driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

5--There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift
certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about
a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this
isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town
American with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

6--How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

7--Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a
local cleaning lady for a day or a personal massage. Even a manicure or a pedicure.

8--My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is
struggling to get his repair business up and running.

9--OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin
their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery
and beautiful wooden boxes.

10--Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave
your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at
your hometown theatre.

11--Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese
lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights, only about
fifty cent stays in the community.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that
China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about
us, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow
their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our
communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.


BUY AMERICAN - BE AMERICAN - The job you save might be your own.

Saggy Pants Ordinance Might Hit a Little Too Close To Home!

I know there’s a lot of talk out there about passing a “Saggy Pants Ordinance” here in Louisville. I know other communities have done this and I certainly don’t like seeing a teenage boy grabbing at himself constantly just to keep his pants off the ground.  But for personal reasons, I have to say I am opposed to such an ordinance because it would be difficult for me to not violate said law on occasion.

I’m afraid I’ve reached that certain point in my life; a milestone of middle age that all men dread almost as much as prostate exams; a sign of the aging process that can’t be hidden with a toupee or a Botox injection.  I have finally reached the “droopy drawers” stage of my life. My pants and yes, even my underwear just won’t stay put anymore. The gravity that’s been working aggressively for years on various parts of my body has now attacked my britches.

Now a fellow might think that all this bagginess might be coming from a loss of mass in the posterior, allowing for more wiggle room in the standard pair of Khakis or jeans, but unfortunately this is not the case.  Most men my age could stand a little less baggage back there, but believe me, while this is one of the few areas you do want to shrink as you get older – it ain’t gonna!  No, the problem is coming from the other direction.

The late great Lewis Grizzard called it the “two-bellies”; a condition that men seem to suffer from as they reach their forties and beyond.  The two-bellies (TB for short) almost always appear in conjunction with droopy drawers and are most likely the cause of this sad sagging situation. If you’re not sure that you suffer from TB, let me provide some instructions for self-diagnosis because the medical profession refuses to recognize this or droopy-drawers (DD) as actual medical problems. All they’re going to do is put you on a low-fat diet and tell you to eat only those things that have the taste and texture of cardboard or Styrofoam packing peanuts.


These ailments are most obvious in the standing position. I suggest you wear a white t-shirt, your favorite pair of khakis and a standard belt. Place the waistline of your britches in the standard position and tighten the belt - one more notch than you usually do. Now, look in a full length mirror. What do you see? If there are two distinct bellies; one north of the belt and another south, you’ve got the TB’s. To further verify your condition, sit down and stand back up. Turn around and view yourself from behind. If the seat of your pants is in close proximity to the back of your knees, you are also suffering from “Droopy Drawers”.



 "HP" High Pants

 What has happened is that your waistband slipped below belly number two when you sat down. This is a design mechanism built into most trousers to keep their integrity intact and to prevent the top button from popping off with such force as to put out an eye or break a window. But by slipping below belly two, the seat is also lowered and the result is of course “DD”.

Some men try to overcome the effects of “TB” and “DD” by raising their waistline above belly number one to a point just below the neck. This is called high pants or “HP”. This actually rejoins the two bellies into one and produces a nice rounded shape in the midsection. However, it does seem to be only effective when wearing polyester pants and white socks with sandals and the general consensus of opinion is that “HP” is even less attractive than DD.

Most of us go through life after forty, adjusting and hitching up our britches and shorts every time we stand or take a few steps or when we suck in our bellies when we see a pretty girl. It’s just a fact of aging that we have to deal with; like stray hairs growing out of our foreheads at the same time our hairline is receding. There is no easy cure for “TB” and “DD”. Do a hundred sit ups a day and eat cardboard or deal with the symptoms by hitching up our pants and going about our business – or  -- switching to dresses – but most of us just don’t have the legs for that.  And as for you teenage boys out there – Pull up your britches while you still can!

W. McCully

Utility Profits- How Much is Too Much - Op Ed from PSC Brandon Presley

How much is too much?

My main responsibility as a member of the Mississippi Public Service Commission is to ensure that the people and businesses of our state have safe, reliable utility service at the lowest reasonable cost and that the public interest receives firm protection by the PSC.

The duty to the public interest requires me to balance the revenue needs of utility companies to operate with the rates customers in our state pay for utility service.  At times, the system of utility regulation gets out of balance with the scales tilting in the favor of the utilities to the detriment of the customers. We, at the PSC, have been working diligently to balance our regulatory environment over the past few years.

The PSC grants investor-owned utilities in Mississippi an opportunity to earn a profit on their investments at a rate set by the Commission.   That rate of profit is built into the charges customers pay for electricity, natural gas, some telephones, and water and wastewater services.

How much is too much?  I have become concerned that utility bills in Mississippi may be inflated because the profit rates established for electric and gas utilities are too high.  What prompted my concern was the decline in interest rates on borrowed money, a key factor in deciding a utility's rate of return.  As anyone who has refinanced a house, bought a car or shopped for a decent return on a certificate of deposit knows, interest rates are at rock-bottom levels.

The Mississippi PSC sets utility rates and profit allowances because the regulated electric and gas companies are monopolies -- they have defined territories with absolutely no competition. In fact, our state constitution clearly calls for regulation of these types of companies. These are private companies subject to state regulation.  They are financed by a combination of equity funds (stock) raised from their stockholders and debt.  The cost of their debt can be determined based on interest rates that utilities pay for short- and long-term borrowing.

The U.S. Prime Interest Rate in mid-2003 was 4 percent.  Since then it has been as high as 8.25 percent in June of 2006, but never lower than what it is now: 3.25 percent.  That means low borrowing cost for utilities, which should translate to lower rates for customers.

How much is too much?  The return on equity (or profit allowed) is more difficult to determine, and it can be one of the most controversial issues facing a utility regulator. In concept, the allowed return on equity is the return that utilities must offer to attract investors.  In recent years most regulatory commissions have allowed a return on equity of about 10 percent.  It has been as low as 6 percent in some cases and as high as 16 percent in others. Today the last approved return on equity for Entergy Mississippi was 11.63%, while Mississippi Power Company earned 10.62%/. The companies' average return, as last approved is 11.128%. I think that is too high.

In addition to being protected from competition as monopolies, utilities have seen reduced risk from hurricanes and other acts of nature thanks to a state-approved program known as “securitization.” At the same time, utilities in Mississippi use various "riders" which allow dollar for dollar recovery of certain expenditures related to storm damage, environmental compliance, energy efficiency and even certain asset purchase costs among others. Every one of these "riders," and other forms of guaranteed recovery, lower the risks utility companies face.

Understanding risk is another reason why we, as the PSC, need to ask the tough questions about utility profits. We are Commissioners, elected by the public to ask the tough questions of these companies on behalf of customers who entrust us with that duty. It is not enough to just go along with the system in place. It is high time these rates were questioned. We are doing just that.

Government-sanctioned profits of 10 to 11 percent for electric and gas utilities seem high when you consider low interest rates, the average U.S. stock risk premium, and reduced utility risk.  If utility profits are inflated, utility bills are inflated.  There is one thing that is certain, if interest rates had gone up as much as they have come down, utility companies would be lined up asking for rate increases.

How much is too much?  The Public Service Commission owes the people of Mississippi an answer to that question. I hope the recent inquiry about this topic, supported by all three Commissioners, will produce that answer and a positive result for the people of our state.

Brandon Presley represents North Mississippi on the Public Service Commission. You can reach him at1-800-637-7722 or at brandon.presley@psc.state.ms.us

The 8 Party Line - the First Facebook

People have become less discreet in their conversations. With the advent of cell phones, we’re privy to a lot of personal chitchat whether we want to be or not. In the checkout line at the grocery store or at the post office, everyone within earshot gets to hear about Aunt May’s arthritis, Susie’s boyfriend problems or that big catfish cousin Bob hand grappled down on the river..

 I was in the video store not long ago, minding my own business as I always do. As I approached the horror section, a man with a cell phone glued to his ear was delivering a hellfire and damnation sermon to some poor lost soul on the other end of the line. I suppose I can understand the desire to preach the gospel while standing in front of video jackets for “Saw 2” and  “Jeepers Creepers” but  it still seems to me that soul saving is something that really ought to be done on a face to face basis. 

When I was a kid – a few years back, folks were much more discreet in their telephone conversations, even though no one had even dreamed of such things as cell phones, picture phones and text messaging back then. Everybody was still tethered to the wall of their home by that old black rotary. I can still hear those rolling clicks as the wheel was dialed and if your finger slipped, you had to hang up and start all over again.

But you ask – why were people so cautious in conversation on their own phone, in their own house?  Because of that wonderful community service provided by Ma Bell; the eight party line, a kind of primitive Facebook.  Back in the old days, up to eight households had to share a phone line. When anyone on that line got a call, the phone rang in all eight households. Every family had their own personal ring code so that everyone knew who was receiving the call.

 Our personal code was two short rings together; a sort of a Stone Age version of the personal ring tones available now on cell phones. (My daughter likes to play with my cell phone and she changes my ring tone all the time without telling me. One day, it’s the “William Tell Overture” or “Brown-Eyed Girl” and the next it’s a charming version of "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy”.)

The eight party line served several purposes in a small community, not the least of which was as an unofficial bulletin board. If you had some news that you wanted to get out quickly, simply call someone on another eight line system and say something like; “I wouldn’t want this to get out, but--”.  By noon you’d  receive a call from your cousin three towns away asking “when’s the baby due?”

And the party line was the primary source of entertainment for a lot of people. As a child, my neighbor was a widow lady. Ms. Katie didn’t know how to drive which was just as well as she couldn’t afford a car anyway.  She was a very hard working lady who lived on a small fixed income and she had to watch every penny.  Her entertainment choices were pretty limited. Every afternoon, she would take a break from canning vegetables or yard work to relax for a while. After watching the trials and tribulations of those poor folks on “The Edge of Night" and “The Secret Storm", she would turn the television off and quietly pick up the phone for some real entertainment.

I would often visit Ms. Katie after I got home from school and find her sitting on a stool next to the phone with her hand over the mouthpiece and a big smile on her face. She would shush me and wave me in to sit on the floor or in an old vinyl chair covered with cigarette burns until the conversation lagged enough for her to lose interest. She would then regale me with tales about the love life of the teenage girls up the street or who was being harassed by bill collectors. For her, this was the juiciest gossip there was, and she didn’t even have to leave the house to hear it.  For me, I felt a little sinful about being a party to this. I guess that’s why I kept coming back every day.

Progress changes everything and the eight party line went the way of black and white TV and full service gas stations. Ms. Katie lost her primary source of entertainment and I don’t think she was ever quite the same again. She’s gone now.  I think about her often and I wonder if she could have dealt with all this new technology; cell phones and the internet and such. Probably not. But if she were still with us, I know what I’d do. I’d buy her a nice soft padded stool, set her up right there in the lobby of the Post Office and visit with her every afternoon so I can find out how Aunt May’s getting along.

w mccully