Yarbrough: Open letter to public school teachers

I can’t believe I am writing a back-to-school letter to you in July. That’s because I can’t believe you are starting a new school year in July. Somehow, that doesn’t seem right.

Yarbrough: The Olympic Games, 27 years later

It has been 27 years since the Centennial Olympic Games began in Atlanta on a Friday evening, July 19, 1996, with the lighting of the cauldron by Muhammad Ali. Remember?

Yarbrough: Could this columnist be replaced by ‘Artie Fishel’ intelligence?

“Hey! Who are you and what are you doing in my office?” Beep! “Hello, human person. My name is Artie Fishel. I own Artie Fishel Intelligence and I am very smart. I am fluent in more than 7,000 languages, which is 6,999-and-a-half more than you know.

Yarbrough: Some random thoughts on random subjects

Happy Belated Birthday, America! I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy, even though I wasn’t born on the 4th of July. As for Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again,” I would remind everyone that America was great long before Trump showed up – and remains great today.

Yarbrough: Happy to debunk ‘Happiest States’ report

Somebody named Abigail who works for something called Scholaroo just sent out a report entitled “The Happiest States in the U.S.” Alas, Georgia – where you and I reside – apparently is not such a happy place to live. We are something like 40th out of the 50 states (or 54, if you listen to Joe Biden.

Yarbrough: Banning women from Baptist pulpits

Hear this, a Baptist’s prayer: “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord this promise to keep. If I should die before I wake, don’t let girls in the pulpit, for goodness sake.

Yarbrough: On fathers past and present

I have been called a lot of things in my long life – not all of them complimentary – but one of the most satisfying has always been “Dad.” It is a sobriquet I earned with the considerable involvement of the beloved Woman Who Shared My Name.

Yarbrough: In defense of a Southern accent, y’all

Well, swat my hind with a melon rind! I just found out why I’m so slowwitted and eat my peas with a butter knife. It’s my Southern accent, y’all.

Yarbrough: Make way for a new oxymoron – United Methodist

We are all familiar with the term “oxymoron,” meaning a figure of speech that combines words with opposing meanings, such as bittersweet or jumbo shrimp, freezer burn, or pretty ugly. Here’s a new one to add to the list: United Methodist.

Yarbrough: What is fueling Georgia Power’s rate increases?

If you happen to be a Georgia Power Company customer, I have some good news and some bad news. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. Your bill is going up $16 per month starting June 1. That’s on top of what you are already paying for your service. And the good news?