Always looking to expand my mind, I recently purchased an educational text on electricity. It is written on a level that takes this technically complex product and puts it on a down-to-earth level. The authors, both university professors, do a great job of explaining this innovative product and the ways it impacts people’s everyday lives. […]

When you’re immortalized in song, you can reasonably assume that you’ve made it. When a government agency is immortalized in song, well, that’s profound. The group Alabama did just that for the Tennessee Valley Authority with their 1988 hit, “Song of the South.” One verse reads, “Well Momma got sick and Daddy got down. The […]

From an early age, we’re taught to speak for ourselves. It’s part of the process of growing up and developing our own identity. “Please, may I have some more?” eventually gets you more food. Pointing out that your malicious sibling broke the lamp may keep you out of trouble. You gain confidence and a sense […]

My good friend Kent Lopez is manager of the Washington Rural Electric Cooperative Association, serving in a position similar to mine. Kent is a transplanted Tennessean, and he recently shared the following about his work: “My alarm goes off an hour earlier this time of the year. The State Legislature is in session. So I […]

By now we’ve all come to the realization that the Mayans were wrong. Or, more accurately stated, we were wrong about the Mayans. Just because their calendar ended on Dec. 21, 2012, didn’t mean civilization was going to end on that date. The lesson we all should have learned is that calendars just mark an […]

When we talk about our community, we’re usually referring to a town or neighborhood. The nation’s electric cooperatives have a somewhat different perspective on community. Our community is local yet it extends hundreds of miles away. A good illustration of that concept involves a Virginia co-op aptly named Community Electric Cooperative. Tennessee line crews have […]

With around $12 billion of annual revenue, the Tennessee Valley Authority ranks as one of the largest electric utilities in the U.S. More importantly for you, those dollars come from you and businesses located in the Tennessee Valley. The percentage varies a bit for each local utility, but in 2012 about 77 cents of each […]

It’s always good to keep in mind where you started a journey, but it’s pretty important to see where you’re going. It’s a point proven by the difficulty of driving your vehicle while constantly looking in the rearview mirror. If you focus too much on what’s behind you, sooner or later you’re going to end […]

Let’s check your knowledge of Tennessee history: What is the three-letter acronym Elvis Presley liked so much that he displayed it on clothing, jewelry and planes? If you’re over a certain age, that’s an easy one — TCB. “Taking Care of Business” was one of the King’s favorite mottoes. Now let’s check your knowledge of […]

Early in his career, the late, great writer and humorist Lewis Grizzard was sports editor for the Chicago Sun-Times. Grizzard rose quickly in the newspaper field — from Athens, Ga., to Atlanta and then on to bustling Chicago. But, young and successful, he didn’t particularly care for life in the big city. Securing an opportunity […]