As government controls more portions of the economy, democracy transcends to socialism. Sometime in this transition democracy ceases to be democracy although the term continues to be used, and no-one can identify that moment when it is too late to pull free. So why should the dependent class, defined as the approximately 47 percent who […]

This will sound like the start of a bad joke, but please bear with me: What do Everett Dirksen, Otto von Bismarck, H.L. Mencken, and “the Preacher” in the book of Ecclesiastes have in common? Well, if you’ve been gone to college and studied multiculturalism or been taught that western civilization is nothing special, you […]

Water was probably the substance for the first mirrors; reflecting images back to humans. The earliest mirrors were from polished stone and black volcanic glass obsidian. Visit www.mirrorhistory.com to read the history of mirrors. Is a mirror an object of vanity? In Greek mythology, Narcissus was known for his exceptional beauty. He gazed at his […]

“Do you have black lung disease?” Every time I have an appointment at the hospital clinic, they ask me that. At first, I thought I must look a lot sicker than I feel. They never ask me if I have diabetes or lupus or tennis elbow, just black lung disease. I asked the nurse if […]

One of the most influential teachers I ever had didn’t, so far as I know, have any formal training as an educator. Last week Jim Bouton, the person most responsible for persuading me that reading wasn’t just for nerds, passed away at age 80. Back when I started my adolescence, which ended up lasting close […]

Donald Trump’s strongest political case for re-election is the success of the American economy. It’s also a big risk, and he knows it. That’s why he lambasts the Federal Reserve for not lowering interest rates. He believes that lower rates will stimulate more growth, keeping the historic Obama-Trump recovery going. His demands for lower interest […]

“I took Duckworth to the dog show up in the city last weekend,” Dud said. The other members of the Mule Barn truck stop’s world dilemma think tank and philosophy counter just looked at him. Doc put it gently. “Dud, was this so he could get some inspiration on looking good?” Duckworth was a medium-sized […]

When pundits discuss the Democratic presidential primary in South Carolina, they usually focus on one issue: Who will black voters support? It’s an important question; African Americans are a critical part of the Democratic coalition, yet they are mostly absent from the primary season’s first Democratic contests in Iowa, where 2016 Democratic caucus participants were […]