Political parties got off on the wrong foot in America. The Framers notoriously distrusted the English parliamentary parties, and made no provision for them in the Constitution ratified in 1788. Neither John Adams nor Thomas Jefferson – after George Washington the leading lights of the Revolution – wanted to become party leaders, even though they […]

It may be the understatement of the year to say we’ve had a tough go of it in 2020.  With that comes the natural inclination to ease up as we enter the holiday season. Now, though, would be the worst time to let your guard down when it comes to some very basic safeguards. There […]

When we temporarily closed the dental clinic in March, we understood the profound impact it would have on our patients’ oral health. Most of our patients have moderate to severe dental issues, requiring several visits to address the multiple issues that have impacted their ability to smile, eat, and sleep. Lack of fluoridated water, inability […]

President Donald Trump’s recent firing of Defense Secretary Mark Esper and subsequent resignations from the department of four more top civilian officials – either in protest or under pressure – are raising alarms in Washington. All were replaced by people with questionable qualifications. One defense official described the situation to CNN as “scary” and “very […]

The text came out of the blue: “Book goes to auction tomorrow! Been on calls with editors all last week. Several publishing houses interested. Fingers crossed.” My response: “Sensational! Keep us posted! We are so proud of you.” I was delighted but not surprised to get this amazing news from Erica Berry, a phenomenal writer […]

The 2020 election and its huge turnout are historic. President Trump gets the credit for bringing out more voters than any other American president. They defied Trump’s efforts to undermine confidence in voting. Determined to vote, the people also would not let COVID-19 cut off the breath of democracy. Despite a well-run election, with special […]

As challenging a year as 2020 has been, we still should be thankful that it has been the best year in human history to be alive. Consider: In 1920, according to the book “Enlightenment Now,” the average person spent 11.5 hours each week doing laundry. By 2014, he or she was completing laundry chores in […]

Ray Charles famously sang, “I said Georgia / Ooh Georgia / No peace I find.” Ray got that right. It’s perversely fitting that the 2020 freak show will bleed into 2021, capped by twin Senate contests in a traditional red state that’s tilting purple. We’ll get no semblance of peace, however fleeting, until the voters […]