This may be redundant news for many, but Merriam-Webster has announced its Word of the Year for 2023. No doubt there were “word” parties held in anticipation of just what term would win the coveted prize. I envision many logophiles anticipating the climactic moment much as football fans sit on the edge of their seats [...]
I hope you’ll indulge me in a little personal column this week. It’s all about my mom, who ended her 95-year residency on planet Earth by joining the heavenly chorus last Saturday. Even though my dad was the natural-born performer between the two, Mom not only played the piano well but also had a great [...]
The song says, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” I think the majority of that lyric refers to the festivities that take place in December. It’s tough to beat presents under the tree and “much mistle-toeing.” But before all that fun and frolic commences, we all get the chance to take at least [...]
In just under a year, America will once again head to the polls to vote for a president. Which means it’s time to buckle up and prepare for the barrage of advertising that’s sure to hit the airwaves, social media, and our mailboxes. As of right now, the two main nominees for the White House [...]
Perhaps you’ve noticed several economic issues in the news of late: autoworker contracts, no raise in the interest rate, a conviction for cryptocurrency fraud, and congressional squabbles over funding for at least two wars. Another matter that could impact many recent graduates of institutions of higher learning is a repeated attempt by the Biden administration [...]
To say the least, there’s a bit of unrest going on in the world at the moment. The biggest powder keg, no doubt, is currently confined to a few square miles in Gaza. People should be out enjoying the beauty of the adjoining Mediterranean Sea. They’re not. Hamas’ attacks prompted Israel to strike back mightily, [...]
Back in the good old days of the pandemic, school systems across the country had to find inventive ways to make sure they kept their high school graduation numbers up while ensuring that those graduates maintained at least a modicum of proficiency in life skills basics. You know – reading, writing, ’rithmetic. Some districts waived [...]
Let’s see. Headlines of the day. Well, there’s the new mess in the Middle East. There’s the old mess in Ukraine. The United Auto Workers are setting up more picket lines. The moon blocked out the sun for a minute or two. New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez has some splainin’ to do about gold bars [...]
I’ve been very fortunate to set foot in all the lower 48 states of the Union. I use the words “set foot in” because there was one state into which I literally did just that. Once while driving in the upper reaches of northern South Dakota, I saw a sign that indicated the North Dakota [...]
Most people would probably know that Dianne Feinstein, who died this week at age 90, was a member of the U.S. Senate for a good long time (over 30 years). With her initial victory in a special election in November 1992, she became California’s first female to join that august body. But that wasn’t the [...]