Comments from our readers:

RANT FOR THE absolute moron complaining about Columbia County not having black people in certain positions. Last time I checked, people in this country were free to live and work wherever they pleased. By the way, I want Paine College investigated.

A RAVE to the kind gentleman who paid for my groceries at Wal-Mart a few days ago. Thank you and God bless you.

THIS IS A RANT for the Richmond County sheriff's department that's supposed to protect and to serve out here on Winston Way and Albemarle Road. We need streetlights and more police patrol out here, especially at night and late evening. We are having problems with break-ins and people violating the no trespassing laws on our property out here. We will appreciate seeing your cars patrolling our neighborhood.

THIS IS A RAVE for you guys for having the courage to print the statistics of unwed mothers in Georgia and South Carolina. I've called in rants and raves before about the number of single mothers and unwed mothers here in the South. It's obvious the girls here in the South have no self-respect. Well, I can see with the statistics I was right, so I rest my case.

THIS IS A RANT. I guess the mayor and commissioners of North Augusta must use the sidewalks to get around town because if they drove on the streets they would be appalled at their condition. Hopefully they will correct that.

TO THE PERSON ranting about the potholes on Windsor Spring Road between Old Louisville Road and Peach Orchard Road: To begin with that's not a state route; that's a Richmond County road. On top of that, the contractor out there, Mavis Brothers Construction, is responsible for the potholes in the road.

IF DR. BEDDEN and a lot of the other Richmond County administrators agreed to a pay cut, they wouldn't have to worry about having to find money for the schools.

AP STORY SAYS that "lower oil prices are threatening Iraq's efforts to build a military capable of defending the country." Thus the U.S. will need to keep shoveling money to Iraq. How absurd. Lower oil prices don't mean Iraq gives oil away. It is still raking in billions. If flat-broke African countries can maintain armies with zero oil revenues, Iraq can afford a first-class military.

WHO WRITES these stories? Perdue signed an $18.6 billion budget. Your story says one veto "stripped" about $2 million from it, as though "stripped" is a big deal. It still leaves over $18 billion. Sorry, that ain't "stripping."

THIS IS A RAVE for us Democrats. I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4 percent on a gallon of gas are obscene but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15 percent isn't.