Last year was election year and because an old friend was running for President of the United States, I quit writing my bi-monthly column for The Clyde Fitch Report and did my best to refrain from political commentary. Now that a new year is upon us I feel much more comfortable putting my two cents forward. So at webbhubbell.com on a bi-weekly basis, I hope to post a few random thoughts about the Supreme Court, National and local politics, and of course, sports. I hope you will follow and tell your friends.

A couple of quick observations:

• Every day I am asked, “What can we do?” I will discuss this in more depth next week, but may I suggest you think first about your own home. Whatever your political persuasion, you must acknowledge that our President-Elect doesn’t fit the mold of a typical politician or world leader. As my wife once told me, “it’s time to talk to the children.” Our children and grandchildren are looking to us for guidance concerning what behavior and language is appropriate or not, what actions and policies can you support and what can you not, and most importantly is there a difference between support for the person and support for the office. I can think of nothing more important on the list of “What do I do’s” than engaging in a conversation with your children for the next four years. Remember that silence under the law is deemed consent.
• President Obama did an unprecedented thing this week. He wrote an article before he went out of office in the Harvard Law Review titled The President’s Role In Advancing Criminal Justice Reform. He clearly understands and articulates the issues well. Unfortunately, I think it also highlights how much needs to be done and although he makes his case for all that he has done, it also shows where his eight years of office have fallen short. I commend it to anyone who is interested in the issue, and hope he continues to discuss the need for reform.

Books: The award-winning Jack Patterson Thrillers, including my latest, A Game of Inches are all still available for birthdays, thank you gifts, and just to be nice presents. Autographed copies are available at my website, webbhubbell.com. Amazon and Barnes & Noble are selling hard copies and eVersions, and local independent bookstores either have them in stock or can get books from my publisher, Beaufort Books. If your favorite bookstore has run out, ask them to order you a copy today.Exciting News: My blog of daily meditations The Hubbell Pew has been given a facelift and added a more powerful search engine where you can browse amongst over 1600 meditations.  Please help me spread the word! Tell all your friends about this website and please visit yourself. Let me know what you think! Thanks!Speaking Engagements: I have been invited to speak in January at Covenant Presbyterian in Charlotte, and later in the year at The Charleston Library Society, and the American Association of University Women. Details to follow soon.A Favor To Ask. After you read A Game of Inches and if you enjoyed it like so many who are saying “this one is the best of the three” please write a review on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Powell’s, or Goodreads website even if all you do is award it five stars.

A second way to help is to drop by your local bookstore and suggest they carry all three of the award-winning Jack Patterson Thrillers: When Men Betray, Ginger Snaps, and A Game of Inches.

Most importantly, tell your friends, your book club, and your business organization what many are writing — that it is a “must read” and “one of the top summer reads.”

Charitable Organizations. I donated twenty books to the Charlotte Library so promising Pages could read my book. If your organization is having a silent auction or needs a door prize please let me know. I always set aside a number of my books for charitable events.

Until my next post all the very best and don’t forget to order and then review A Game of Inches. Happy New Year. Webb