The Providence (R.I.) Journal, March 6: Like everything in Washington these days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress resulted in a bitter partisan tussle. Some 60 Democrats boycotted the speech, including Rhode Island’s Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. Critics deplored Netanyahu’s violation of diplomatic protocol in accepting an invitation to speak […]

Just say no.” That anti-drug campaign response coined by First Lady Nancy Reagan has become the motto of opponents of government policy. Critics can reject a policy without proposing an alternative. Their aim is to stop government action, not to solve problems. To avoid the label of being nothing more than naysayers, opponents may claim […]

Profound thought for the day: Our stories and anecdotes, when strung together, comprise the narrative of our lives. I’ve been drinking my Deep Juice. Every time the 13th falls on a Friday, I think of my father. He’s reached the age at which his anecdotes have been sorted and filed into various greatest hits, and […]

The priorities in this city favor the rich, buying land to expand the airport, buying land to make intersections better, or buying land valued less then we paid. Developers get parking for 99 years ”“ and the hungry get nothing. As former mayor of this city, I met with all the food pantries directors and […]

The Chinese are coming! And they’re bringing their golf clubs. Chinese investment in America reached $12 billion last year, according to the Rhodium Group, an economic advisory firm. “Absent political headwinds,” predicts Rhodium, “outbound investment by Chinese firms will continue to boom in 2015 and the United States will remain a key market.” Traditionally, much […]

The Record Journal of Meriden (Conn.), March 4: Among those most saddened to learn of the death of Hollywood legend Leonard Nimoy on Feb. 27, no doubt, were Trekkies ”“ the rabid, often-times colorful fans of the Star Trek franchise. Nimoy played the most iconic Star Trek character, the brilliant, stoned-faced, pointy-eared Mr. Spock, a […]

The Social Services Committee voted 4-1 against awarding any money out of this year’s budget to our food pantries. Why? Because they wouldn’t comply with a forced merge? 580 families were helped last month alone. People who didn’t choose their lot in life but for whatever unfortunate circumstances, find themselves going to food pantries to […]