Happy Memorial Day weekend. With all the negative news around us, we've got nothing but Saturday stars today. Deal? Deal.
We'll start with those who gave their lives for the freedom of this country, this community and the rights we cherish, even the points and counterpoints right here at Right to the Point.
Of course, those who made the ultimate sacrifice deserve more than a weekend in which we are racing to the lake, the grill, the Yeti for another Co-Cola or all of the above.
But especially on this weekend, the image of the Chattanooga National Cemetery makes me smile and be thankful.
A mixture of pride and purpose, of sadness and sacrifice, of greatness and gratitude.
Thank you, veterans, and the families who sacrifice while they are making the ultimate sacrifice. You're everyday stars.
Great dog days of summer
Your Chattanooga Lookouts are playing well this season.
The team carried a three-game winning streak into Friday's game and is in the thick of the Southern League North divisional race.
That said, the biggest star come Sunday at AT&T Field will be on four legs rather than two.
Meet Maggie, a 10-year-old border collie that has gone from rescue dog to first-class therapy dog at Erlanger's Children Hospital.
Maggie will make history Sunday, becoming the first dog to "throw" out the first pitch as part of the Children's Hospital night, as the Lookouts honor the current and former patients and their families at our area's world-class facility.
For those wondering, Maggie will walk the ball from the mound to the plate.
Hope she knows that spitballs are illegal.
Party pooper, regardless of the party
Doing the right thing when you know a black eye could be waiting for you is more than a plot line for a great episode of "The Andy Griffith Show" or an afterschool special.
In this case, for Tennessee Rep. Mike Carter, who took the toughest of stands within the Republican party this week, it could also be called leadership.
As most of you know, Republican House Speaker Glen Casada is the living, breathing personification of Forrest Gump's famous quote about "Stupid is as stupid does." He has stepped down from his role in the Tennessee House, and in truth, he's as fit to hold office as a lamppost or a cement slab.
And with Carter as the flag-bearer and truth-giver in trying to make this mess right - and the rest of the state's GOP power players falling in line - it looks that serving the people over the party finally became part of the priorities in politics.
How refreshing.
A trending thought with merit
Not sure how it started, but earlier this week the Twitter worm turned a tad.
#IfSocialMediaDidn'tExist was trending on Twitter, the social media platform that has become an online field of hate and harassment for the social media morality mob and the pearl-clutching PC folks.
If social media didn't exist, there would be far fewer celebrities for celebrities' sake - the folks - think the Kardashians as a starting point - who gamed the system and reaped the rewards by using Twitter and Instagram rather than talent or ideas to reach those lofty perches of fame and wealth. That would be a great thing.
If social media didn't exist, we would share less but talk more, type anonymously less and listen more, and still not know what "LOL," "WTH," "SMH" or "LMAO" mean - and we would still know how to spell.
We would have more kids playing outside. We would be more personally connected. Good. Better. Best.
That said, we would not know Grumpy Cat - or his 12 kajillion photogenic furry feline friends - or see the antics of ridiculously stupid criminals.
(Side note: Yes, that would include a fugitive who is wanted on seven outstanding warrants. Said fugitive has vowed to turn himself in if his mug shot gets 15,000 likes on Facebook.)
Only on social media, right? Good and bad.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.