Peg Luksik
Fri, April 12, 2013
Whose Children Are They?
"We have never invested as much in public education as we should have because we've always had kind of a private notion of children: your kid is yours and totally your responsibility. We haven't had ...
Wed, March 27, 2013
When the Cock Crows
It is one of the most well-known expressions from one of the most well-known stories ever told. Peter tells Christ, his Lord, that he will never, ever, betray Him. Peter's protestations of unending ...
Sun, March 17, 2013
For Want of a Word
In the fifth century, a man named Patrick walked the hills and dales of
Ireland. As he walked, he spoke about a faith that could change an
individual life, and was changing the world. He ...
Tue, February 19, 2013
Counting Government's Calories
We have all seen the new calorie information that the government has required restaurants and fast food places to include on their menu listings. The calorie information is to be clearly and ...
Tue, January 22, 2013
A Tale of Two Nations
Once upon a time there was a King. He ruled over an empire that reached across an ocean. After a time, those of his subjects who lived on the other side of that ocean began to disagree with his ...
Fri, January 04, 2013
Changing the Question
There is a classroom exercise called the "Lifeboat". In it, there is a lifeboat with ten people in it. The students are given a bio of each of the people, and then told that only nine will fit in ...
Mon, December 17, 2012
For Unto Us
The young husband watched his wife with worried eyes. When she caught him looking at her, she always smiled, but he could see the lines of discomfort and exhaustion etched on her face, and his ...
Mon, October 15, 2012
Fatal Errors
In the early days of computers, everyone had to use command prompts to accomplish their task. If you gave an impossible command, the computer would flash the words, "Fatal Error" in big red letters ...
Thu, September 13, 2012
While America Slept
In the 1930's, two powerful leaders played international chess. The fate of the entire world would be determined by the outcome of the game. The first leader wanted peace, so he continued to allow ...
Tue, September 04, 2012
Dear Mr. President
Dear Mr. President,
When I first heard about your interview with Jessica Yellin on CNN, I thought I misunderstood what you said. So I checked.
You really did say that you ...
Tue, August 28, 2012
Gnats and Camels
If you follow the topics that people seem to get most upset about on social
networking and major media outlets, you would think that we live in a
nearly perfect world.
Thu, August 23, 2012
Empty Nests
I sent my youngest child to college this week. We hugged good-bye in the parking lot of his dorm, and I watched him walk up to the door. I felt like I was watching him as a six-year-old walking ...
Wed, August 15, 2012
Treating Symptoms
The patient went to his doctor's office complaining of sore throat, swollen glands, headache and fever. The doctor gave him aspirin for the headache and fever, lozenges for his throat, and sent the ...
Tue, July 24, 2012
Co-exist?
We have all seen the bumper stickers that say, "Coexist" with the letters stylized to represent the various religions around the world. On the surface, the sentiment is lovely.
The ...
Tue, July 17, 2012
As You Reap
The latest FBI report over the scandal at Penn State has resulted in the predictable level of finger pointing, and Monday morning quarterbacking. The general consensus is that the abuse was allowed ...
Tue, July 10, 2012
Patterns
When trying to determine a person's value system, you need to look at more than one event. A person who values punctuality, for example, may be late for something. But the tardiness ...
Tue, July 03, 2012
Created for Freedom
Stand in front of a mirror and ask the person you see this question:
"When your government looks at you, do you want it to see a creature of an all powerful State, or do you want it to ...
Tue, June 26, 2012
Freedom of Worship
If you have been carefully listening, you will notice that when government officials now talk about religion and the Constitution, they refer to our guaranteed "freedom of worship" instead of ...
Tue, June 12, 2012
Silent Messages
The Tony Awards were given out earlier this week. There were all the usual
recognitions for best actor and actress, best director, and best
writers. There was also an entire set of awards ...
Tue, June 05, 2012
Words Matter
A stand-up comedian once did an act that talked about how important it is to use the correct words when we speak. He gave a few examples to illustrate his point. The most dramatic involved the ...
Tue, May 29, 2012
Why Celebrate?
This is America's time on the calendar. Memorial Day is barely behind us, and within the next six weeks, we will be celebrating Flag Day and the Fourth of July. That we Americans think this nation ...
Tue, May 22, 2012
Tell the Truth
This weekend, the nation will honor its men and women in uniform. There
will be parades and dinners and memorial services in nearly every town in
America. Government officials will make ...
Tue, May 15, 2012
What's Right with America
We have all heard so much bad news that I thought it would be nice to remember what makes this nation worth fighting for.
Last night my high school senior son was ...
Tue, May 08, 2012
Start the Helicopter
The education establishment has a new term, "helicopter parent". They use
it to refer to parents who hover over their children. They now warn
parents not to be helicopter parents, but to ...
Wed, May 02, 2012
Don't Impose
This week many of us received e-mails telling us to check our gasoline receipts because gas stations in places across the country had reset their pumps to cheat their customers. The pumps would ...
Wed, April 25, 2012
Getting Sober
Anyone who has ever known a recovering alcoholic has probably heard the story of what finally caused that person to face his addiction and get sober. They also have probably heard that after the ...
Thu, April 19, 2012
Stop the Algae
I have listened with great interest to the debate surrounding the energy situation. If I understand the concerns of the environmentalists correctly, they are looking for an energy source that is ...
Wed, April 11, 2012
A Different Perspective
Today's America seems to be dominated by the word "me". There is a continual barrage of complaints from those who aren't getting everything they think they deserve. At the same time, there is a ...
Tue, March 27, 2012
The Power of One
The news is, frankly, rotten. Corruption is everywhere. We have allowed ourselves to be divided into subsets of disconnected groups all constantly at war with each other. The fabric of our society ...
Wed, March 21, 2012
Freedom's Catch 22
In a novel published in 1961, author Joseph Heller describes a pilot who tries to get himself declared insane so he won't have to fly any more combat missions. The doctor informs him that since no ...
Tue, March 13, 2012
The Cost of Conviction
We Americans are proud of our varied ethnic heritages. We laughingly debate who is more stubborn, or creative, or outgoing. And we enjoy sharing how many different backgrounds are contained in our ...
Tue, March 06, 2012
One Woman's Point of View
You will notice the title of this week's column — one woman. That is what I am, and in the end, that is the only entity that I can speak for. As a woman, I am insulted by the comments ...
Tue, February 28, 2012
All the Wrong Places
The news these days is enough to make any sane person start looking for a closet to hide in.
Children were shot in a school in a small Cleveland suburb — by a child. Two of the ...
Wed, February 22, 2012
Dying Slowly
There is a scene in the second movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy where we meet the King of Rohan, a man who had been known throughout the land for his bravery and strength. But when we first see ...
Tue, February 14, 2012
Breaking the Contract
In every country, there is a relationship between the citizens and the
state. The nature of that relationship determines whether the citizens are
free or the state is a tyranny.
Wed, February 08, 2012
Beyond the Wallet
The federal Department of Health and Human Services has recently announced
regulations that would force every employer to provide coverage for
elective sterilizations and contraceptives, ...
Tue, January 31, 2012
Changing the Question
There is an exercise that is often presented to students called the "Lifeboat". In the exercise, there is a lifeboat with ten people in it. The students are given a bio of each of the people, and ...
Tue, January 24, 2012
Negative Progress
In the debate over illegal immigration, perhaps we should begin with the
words of the Emma Lazarus poem inscribed on the base of the Statue of
Liberty:
Wed, January 11, 2012
A Tale of Two Women
One lived in Texas, the other in Oklahoma. One was with her parents, the other with her child. One was in a cafeteria, the other was at home. One had no gun, the other was armed.
Wed, January 04, 2012
Removing the Tentacles
Federal government policies almost always reach far beyond their intended consequences, creating problems in areas that their Washington advocates never anticipated. It's like a "Murphy's Law" for ...
Tue, December 20, 2011
A Christmas Story - About Christmas
There are more Christmas stories on television this year than ever — and they don't even mention the fact that Christmas happened because a Child was born. So I decided to write a Christmas ...
Wed, December 14, 2011
For Unto Us
They are among the most well-known words ever spoken. Most of us will smile when we hear them, and complete the phrase in our minds. We will see a stable, and a star, and shepherds, and hear the ...
Mon, December 05, 2011
Yes, Virginia!
Years ago, a little girl named Virginia O'Hanlon wrote to the editor of the New York Sun asking if Santa Claus was real. His answer, which spoke of skeptical men in a skeptical age who only believed ...
Tue, November 29, 2011
The Unnamed Holiday
Welcome to the 2011 Unnamed Holiday Season!
We will shop for Unnamed Holiday gifts. Our children will participate in
public school Unnamed Holiday concerts ...
Tue, November 22, 2011
Thanks for the Fleas
Like most Americans, I have spent a lot of time on my knees, asking God for help with the challenges that members of my family were facing. As each of my kids grew, I prayed with them as well as for ...
Wed, November 16, 2011
Only Legal
Last week, the nation watched in shock and disbelief as one of college
football's national icons was fired. Everyone agreed that Coach Paterno
had committed no crime, and that he had ...
Wed, November 09, 2011
Necessary Blindness
During one of the Presidential debates, the moderator asked the candidates where they stood on illegal immigration. He followed up on his question by asking them if they would therefore deny ...
Thu, November 03, 2011
Finding America
What, exactly, makes this nation "America"?
It's not economics. Economic conditions are always the result of a nation's culture and policies, not the cause. We need to ask ...
Mon, October 24, 2011
Put on a Happy Face
It used to be that America was the land of opportunity. Each person had the chance to strive for his dreams. It was understood that the striving meant working hard, through disappointments and ...
Wed, October 19, 2011
What Lies at Center of Society?
American society has traditionally been centered around the family, defined as those related by blood, marriage, or adoption. This definition has been both flexible enough to allow for two-parent, ...
Tue, October 11, 2011
Do You Know What Your Problem Is?
Any mechanic will tell you that the first step in fixing something is to correctly identify the reason for the problem. If you try to solve the wrong problem, your actions not only won't fix the ...
Mon, October 03, 2011
Definitions
It's not always enough to use the same words.
Comedians pepper their routines with the double meanings that the same words can have. English-language students ...
Mon, September 26, 2011
Redefining Morality
The young woman was dating a very nice guy. They had gotten past first impressions and the fun-filled entertainment that fills the time in new relationships, and were beginning to talk about ...
Mon, September 12, 2011
Just the Facts Please
The ongoing debate over the nature of Islam and the level of threat that it may pose to America has been loud and vitriolic. On one side, there are those who proclaim that Islam is a religion of ...
Tue, September 06, 2011
What Ever Happened to Polite?
Whatever happened to polite?
Many high schools across our nation are now having seminars for parents on how to behave at the sporting events of their children. ...
Wed, August 31, 2011
One Life
My father died this past Sunday. He wasn't rich or famous. He never held an elected office. Most of the world didn't even notice his passing.
But my Dad changed ...
Wed, August 24, 2011
Endowed Not Entitled
Once upon a time there were two brothers. The older would, by birthright, inherit all that his father owned. A day came when the older wanted something to eat. He had been outside all day, and was ...
Tue, August 16, 2011
Other People's Money
There is a program on one of the cable channels on which a woman is given a
credit card worth $5,000 to purchase a brand new wardrobe. She does not
have to pay the money back. She does ...
Fri, July 15, 2011
Leadership
There is an exercise sometimes done in business settings to identify leaders. Prospective managers are brought into a training session. In the back of the room a lovely buffet is set up, with ...
Thu, June 16, 2011
Daddy's Home!
I have lived with two fathers in my life — the one I called "Dad" myself, and the one I chose to be "Dad" for my children on the day that I married him. They were very different men, but they ...
Tue, June 14, 2011
A Tale of Two Viewpoints
There was going to be a political rally. The speaker was a leading conservative. The event was to be held at sports arena. Thousands were expected to attend.
Wed, May 25, 2011
Truth, Justice
Since the beginning of World War 11, 859 men and women have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, with over half of them being honored posthumously. Today, there are 85 living Medal of ...
Fri, May 13, 2011
Naked Emperors
Everyone is familiar with the Andersen fairy tale about the emperor who hired two swindlers and wound up parading down the street in front of his subjects with no clothes on. No one said anything ...
Wed, April 20, 2011
When the Cock Crows
When the Cock Crows
It is one of the most well-known expressions from one of the most well-known stories ever told. Peter tells Christ, his Lord, that he will ...
Wed, April 13, 2011
Oh, Grow Up!
The teen passed his driving test. Finally, he could go somewhere without his parents giving him a ride. He went to see each of his friends so they could celebrate his being behind the wheel, then ...
Thu, March 24, 2011
Where Have All the Manners Gone?
Once upon a time in America, parents disciplined their children, and society supported them in doing so. It was understood that no child was always wonderful, and that in the minutes when he wasn't, ...
Fri, March 18, 2011
Honorary Citizens
This is the day every year when every person who lives in America can claim to be an "honorary Irishman". Any individual who wishes, participates in the fun of the Wearing of the Green and Hoisting ...
Sun, March 13, 2011
Trust
It seems like the bad news just keep multiplying. There's the escalating
level of international unrest and violence, the growing financial woes of a
government that can't seem to hold back ...
Thu, March 03, 2011
Is It a Right?
The Pennsylvania State Senate is currently debating a new school choice bill. Among its provisions, the bill would create a state board to administer funds, called opportunity scholarships, to ...
Mon, February 21, 2011
Thirty Pieces
A Philadelphia abortionist, Dr. Kermit Gosnell, is being charged with multiple counts of homicide. The report of the Pennsylvania grand jury that issued the indictment described a filthy facility ...
Wed, February 16, 2011
It's My Nature
Once upon a time a scorpion needed to cross a river. It asked a crocodile
who was swimming past to give it a lift. The crocodile laughed at the
notion that it would be stupid enough to ...
Thu, February 03, 2011
Job Descriptions
Throughout the past year, there has been a great deal of rhetoric over the job description of those elected to the positions of Congressman and Senator. The feeling of alienation that many citizens ...
Tue, January 25, 2011
The Issue That Won't Go Away
This week hundreds of thousands of Americans will gather in Washington to march in peaceful protest of the Supreme Court decision that stripped our smallest children of their right to exist. They ...
Tue, January 18, 2011
Our Motto
"Just do it." "Have it your way." "It's the real thing." "Fifteen minutes can save you fifteen percent."
We've all heard them. The company motto is supposed to express the most ...
Thu, January 06, 2011
Recreating America
Many of us have spent the past year trying to put America back together through the political process. Whether the elections will result in any substantial changes in government policy is still ...
Thu, December 23, 2010
An Impractical Holiday
When you think about it, Christmas is the most impractical holiday on the calendar.
The story begins in a garden, where an Almighty Father faces a man and woman who ...
Mon, December 13, 2010
Since You Asked
In a recent televised debate over teacher strikes, the representative from the PSEA continuously shouted one question at his opponent. He demanded that his opponent name one student who had lost ...
Tue, December 07, 2010
For Unto Us Is Born This Day . . .
December 7, 2010
There are more Christmas stories on television this year than ever - and not one of them even mentions the fact that Christmas happened because a Child was born. So I ...
Tue, November 30, 2010
What If . . .
A renowned inventor was once asked how he could be so creative in his ideas? He replied that he would look at a problem and ask himself, "What if…?", filling in a different solution each time. ...
Wed, November 24, 2010
Beloved
It's Thanksgiving, and for many of us there seems to be more to be worried about than to be thankful for. It can appear that God has taken us at our word, and withdrawn from America.
Thu, November 18, 2010
Witness
We are about to move into the most unusual time of the year — the time when Americans will be buying gifts, putting up decorations, and planning parties around a holiday that has no name. That ...
Mon, November 01, 2010
And Everybody Said 'Amen'
We all say it at the end of every prayer, mostly without even thinking about it. In actuality, when we say, "Amen", we are saying, "So be it", meaning that we agree with the words expressed in the ...
Mon, October 25, 2010
It's Magic
The woman was a single mother with two small children. Her husband had decided that he didn't want to be a father anymore and had left for parts unknown. She worked two part time jobs and made just ...
Fri, October 08, 2010
No Limits
The activity seemed fairly straightforward. The class was to discuss what should be done with a wallet full of money that a person found on the street.
The wallet also contained ...
Fri, October 01, 2010
Peeping Tom's, Dick's and Harriet's
By now everyone has heard about the young man from Rutgers University who jumped off the Washington Bridge in New York because his roommate filmed and web-streamed the young man's sexual encounter. ...
Fri, September 24, 2010
Leaps and Bounds
George was having some problems with his wife. One afternoon, he expressed his frustrations to his administrative assistant, a lovely woman who had worked in his office for several years. She had ...
Fri, September 17, 2010
The Trophy Generation
The company CEO happened to glance out his window one morning at about 9:30,
and noticed a recently hired young employee strolling across the parking lot
toward the office door. He assumed ...
Sat, September 11, 2010
In Remembrance of . . .
In Remembrance of ….
The moment will be etched forever in the memories of every American who saw
it. Americans were killed on American soil by a foreign ...
Thu, September 02, 2010
Just Stuff
The executive was on a business trip to an exotic city. During a break between meetings, he decided to wander through the open air marketplace.
At one of the booths, an elderly ...
Thu, August 26, 2010
Not Like the Others
Did you ever watch Sesame Street with your kids? There was a game called, "One of these things is not like the others", in which several objects were placed in a line. The object of the game was to ...
Fri, August 13, 2010
Mirror, Mirror
Mirrors are funny things. They show exactly what is standing in front of
them, without either embellishment or camouflage. So if we are looking for
the fairest of them all, we all hope ...
Mon, August 09, 2010
Insanity
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting the result to be different.
One might apply that definition to this year's elections.
Every ...
Fri, July 30, 2010
Whatever Happened to Polite?
Many high schools across our nation are now having seminars for parents on how to behave at the sporting events of their children. Referees are having obscenities screamed at them from the stands, ...
Thu, July 22, 2010
The Source of Liberty
When Pope Benedict XVI made his historic visit to the United States, he was welcomed by enormous and enthusiastic crowds. His Holiness reminded us all that faith can bring meaning and purpose to ...
Wed, July 14, 2010
Just the Facts, Please
The ongoing debate over the nature of Islam and the level of threat that it may pose to America has been loud and vitriolic. On one side, there are those who proclaim that Islam is a religion of ...
Fri, July 09, 2010
Redefining Morality
The young woman was dating a very nice guy. They had gotten past first impressions and the fun-filled entertainment that fills the time in new relationships, and were beginning to talk about ...
Fri, July 02, 2010
Missing Words
Our national birthday celebration is about to begin. There will be municipal fireworks, concerts and parades. Neighbors will enjoy backyard barbecues and block parties. The stars and stripes will ...
Tue, May 25, 2010
Definitions
It's not always enough to use the same words.
Comedians pepper their routines with the double meanings that the same words
can have. English-language students ...
Fri, April 30, 2010
A Tale of Two Movements
Politics is like a seesaw. The politician stands between competing positions, trying to balance the two. The positions are held by advocacy groups who each want the political figure to embrace ...
Wed, April 14, 2010
Breaking the Contract
In every country, there is a relationship between the citizens and the state. The nature of that relationship determines whether the citizens are free or the state is a tyranny. It was a break in the ...
Fri, April 02, 2010
Practicality
Today is Good Friday. On this day, Christians around the world will gather to commemorate the most impractical act a man ever committed. On this day, one man chose to die so countless others, many ...
Wed, March 24, 2010
Enough
This weekend Americans watched a new era begin in Washington. It does not promise to be an era of freedom or prosperity.
For months, citizens have been attending ...
Tue, March 16, 2010
The Cost of Conviction
We Americans are proud of our varied ethnic heritages. We laughingly debate who is more stubborn, or creative, or outgoing. And we enjoy sharing how many different backgrounds are contained in our ...
Fri, March 05, 2010
Is it a Right?
Underneath all the debate over how to change America?s health care system lies a basic question. Our answer to that question will determine how we should proceed with delivering health care in ...
Fri, February 26, 2010
Beyond Disrespect
We display yellow ribbons to support our military men and women.? We pray for them, privately and publicly.? We write letters and send supplies.? In every segment of our society, Americans are ...
Wed, February 17, 2010
Removing the Tentacles
Federal government policies almost always reach far beyond their intended
consequences, creating problems in areas that their Washington advocates
never anticipated. It's like a "Murphy's ...
Tue, February 09, 2010
Reality's Ugly Head
Police officers receive reports of activity by criminals all the time.
They receive these reports in two basic forms.
The first type of report begins with the ...
Thu, February 04, 2010
New Budgeting
In the 1960's, the schools introduced "New Math". The students were no longer taught to use basic principles of mathematics to arrive a solution to the problem presented. They were instead told to ...
Thu, January 28, 2010
Hello, Mrs. Cleaver
In the 1950's, Beaver Cleaver and his family were invited into our homes every week. We met Ward and June Cleaver, parents who seemed to have all the answers. We met Wally, the older brother who ...
Tue, January 19, 2010
American Government Out of Touch with Voters
Today, the levels of distrust and alienation between we Americans and our elected officials are frighteningly high and getting worse. If we are ever going to restore the relationship between ...
Fri, January 15, 2010
Redefining Success
Every business or civic organization knows that the key to achieving their goals begins with a clear definition of what "success" means.
A delivery business, for ...
Tue, December 22, 2009
Come to the Stable
When my kids were little, we used to tell them a little bit of the Christmas story every night in December. Each night we would review what had already happened, and then add a piece. Sometimes I ...
Wed, December 16, 2009
From B to A
A little over 2000 years ago, a girl named Mary believed a Messianic prophecy, and an angel who told her that she was about to play a pivotal role in it. And because she believed, and acted on that ...
Tue, December 08, 2009
Yes, Virginia
Years ago, a little girl named Virginia O'Hanlon wrote to the editor of the New York Sun asking if Santa Claus was real. His answer, which spoke of skeptical men in a skeptical age who only believed ...
Mon, November 30, 2009
Good Enough?
Sometimes extra-curricular activities seem to teach our kids more about excellence than academic subjects.
One of my sons is a singer. Throughout his high school career, he has sung for ...
Tue, November 24, 2009
The Unnamed Holiday
Welcome to the 2009 Unnamed Holiday Season
We will shop for Unnamed Holiday gifts. Our children will participate in public school Unnamed Holiday concerts ...
Tue, November 17, 2009
Thanks for the Fleas
Like most Americans, I have spent a lot of time on my knees, asking God for help with the challenges that members of my family were facing. As each of my kids grew, I prayed with them as well as for ...
Tue, November 10, 2009
Support and Defend
We have parades and speeches. We attend memorial services. We watch reruns of war movies. We may even buy a veteran or a current member of our armed forces a beer.
Our annual ...
Wed, November 04, 2009
'Not, I,' Said the Dog
Once upon a time a little red hen decided that she wanted to have some bread to eat. So she planted wheat, tended her crop, harvested the ripe grain, ground it into flour, and then baked her bread. ...
Fri, October 30, 2009
Trick or Treat
Halloween a Socialist Holiday?
Did you ever notice that Halloween was a socialist holiday?
People who do not work knock on the doors of people who do and ask them to share their wealth. And the ...
Tue, October 20, 2009
Transfusions
The patient was wheeled into the emergency room. The paramedics who brought him
filed a report describing that he had been weak and lethargic. They had been unable to revive him at home, and ...
Mon, October 12, 2009
Do You Know What You Should Do?
Have you ever been in charge of a project or program? Then you have probably been the recipient of the advice of friends, co-workers, or onlookers who are full of wisdom about how you could be doing ...
Thu, September 17, 2009
Changing the Question
There is an exercise that is often presented to students called the "Lifeboat". In the exercise, there is a lifeboat with ten people in it. The students are given a bio of each of the people, and ...
Wed, September 02, 2009
Ask Not . . .
When John F. Kennedy challenged Americans in his inaugural address, the idea that the government should somehow provide for the individual citizen was in its infancy. In his speech that day, Kennedy ...
Fri, August 28, 2009
Hyphenated Americans
Every March, Americans of Irish descent, and Americans who just love a good party, come together to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Schools and workplaces will look like someone mandated green ...
Thu, August 20, 2009
Where's the Bill?
Some members of the U.S. House and Senate are spending the month of August holding town meetings about the federal health care overhaul. They continue to express surprise at the level of anger and ...
Thu, August 13, 2009
Talking Back
In the town meetings being conducted across America, citizens are asking the members of Congress who are promoting the proposed health care reform if they are willing to sign themselves and their ...
Fri, August 07, 2009
Ideology Matters
Supreme Court Justices have unique job descriptions in the political arena. First, their appointment lasts for their lifetime, without any opportunity for review. Second, the sum total of their ...
Wed, July 29, 2009
Wooden Bowls and Broken Hips
Once upon a time there was a grandmother who lived with her
son and his family. As she aged, her coordination deteriorated, and she began to spill things at the table, sometimes breaking dishes ...
Wed, July 22, 2009
Dying Slowly
There is a scene in the second movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy where we meet the King of Rohan, a man who had been known throughout the land for his bravery and strength. But when we first ...
Tue, July 14, 2009
Beyond the Wallet
Over the past four months, thousands of Americans have participated in the 21st century version of the Boston Tea Party, protesting the actions of politicians who seem to believe that they have an ...
Mon, July 06, 2009
Care, Not Cards
Elected officials in Washington are poised to begin debate on health care. They can't wait to expand the government's role in medicine, citing the need to control costs and guarantee health services ...
Mon, June 29, 2009
I Win
Anyone who has ever played a game with a five-year-old knows that there is only one rule. The five-year-old has to win. Any other rule is just a suggestion if it would result in the five-year-old ...
Tue, June 23, 2009
"L'etat, c'est moi!"
French King Louis XIV believed that he had the right to do whatever he desired as the ruler of France. When asked to explain how he thought the king should interact with the rest of the government ...
Mon, June 15, 2009
Higher Authority
Today, everyone is quoting the Founding Fathers. The words of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin, to name just a few, are appearing in newspaper articles, ...
Mon, June 08, 2009
Golden Chains
The South Caroline Supreme Court recently ruled that the Governor was "required" to accept the stimulus money that the federal government is "offering" to the states. The Governor did not want to ...
Tue, June 02, 2009
Giving Sight to the Blind
Judge Sotomayer, President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court, has been widely quoted as saying that Latino women would make better decisions than white men. Her statements in this area have ...
Tue, May 26, 2009
Climbing Down the Ladder of Success
Is America one major corporation, with 50 branch offices spread across the land, or is she a system of franchises, each of which is separately "owned and operated"?
The federal government ...
Tue, May 12, 2009
Beyond the Law
It has been said that it is unfortunate that the Founding Fathers did not include the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in the Constitution because if they had, we would not be ...
Tue, May 05, 2009
No More Apple Pie
The young mother was visiting Grandmom with her two small children. It was about 4:30 and the older asked for a cookie. The mother replied that dinner was in less than an hour, so he couldn't have ...
Wed, April 29, 2009
Mistakes?
Two women were sitting on a Little League field. Both were mothers of large families. The first had only one daughter and many sons. The daughter was second in line. The second was expecting her ...
Mon, April 20, 2009
After the Ball
Last week, in more than 700 locations, groups of Americans gathered to protest the arrogant and irresponsible actions of their federal government. They created a media storm, with both positive and ...
Tue, April 14, 2009
The Taxman Cometh
Among the sneakiest things the government has done was institute a withholding tax system, and make some taxes "employer taxes".
The withholding system ...
Tue, April 07, 2009
When the Cock Crows
It is one of the most well-known expressions from one of the most well-known stories ever told. Peter tells Christ, his Lord, that he will never, ever, betray Him. Peter's protestations of unending ...
Tue, March 31, 2009
Creating Debt
Everyone is aware of the burgeoning debt being created by the federal government. Some economists have estimated that the federal government spends about $1,000,000,000 every 8 minutes. That is not ...
Mon, March 23, 2009
We're Having A Heat Wave
Earlier this month, the second annual Conference on climate change was hosted by the Heartland Institute in New York City. Over 700 registrants gathered to hear from scientists and international ...
Mon, March 16, 2009
Ireland's Apostle
St. Patrick's Day in America has become a day of wild celebration. The weekend was full of parades, and Irish pubs will do a land office business for the entirety of the week as Americans, with or ...
Tue, March 10, 2009
Dangerous Disrespect
Every President establishes priorities. He decides which issues and constituent groups and agendas are important to him, and which are not. Sometimes, he communicates his decisions through ...
Mon, March 02, 2009
Alice's World
Last week, Indiana law professor Dawn Johnsen, Pres. Barack Obama's nominee to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, had her Senate confirmation hearing. During confirmation ...
Mon, February 23, 2009
The Tree in the Backyard
Almost every child has had the experience of asking his parents for a new toy of exorbitant cost, and hearing that the family could not afford it. And when he pushed for the desired object anyway, ...
Tue, February 17, 2009
Moo!
The latest "stimulus package" has passed both chambers of Congress and is being signed by the President. Although we all heard promises of how Washington would be different with more ...
Tue, February 10, 2009
It's Spelled with a 'Y'
Change we can believe in. It will be the end of politics as usual. There will be a new transparency in government as the era of pork-driven, special interest influenced policy is over.
Tue, February 03, 2009
Post Game Wrap-Up
There is no doubt about it. America loves football. Perhaps it's because football is uniquely American. And in spite of all the hype about multi-culturalism, America has a culture that is ...
Tue, January 27, 2009
Put on a Happy Face
It used to be that America was the land of opportunity. Each person had the chance to strive for his dreams. It was understood that the striving meant hard work through disappointments and ...
Tue, January 20, 2009
In His Image
This week the 36th Annual March for Life happens in Washington. Over 200,000 Americans will travel, at their own expense in the dead of winter, to stand in witness to the brutal killings of their ...
Mon, January 12, 2009
The Shell Game
Everyone has seen it played, and lost, at least once. There are three tea cups and one prize. The prize is placed under one of the cups. The cups are shifted rapidly and randomly, usually with the ...
Tue, January 06, 2009
Accommodating Bullies
It's among everybody's favorite movie themes.
The young fellow gets pummeled every day by the bully who wants his lunch or his homework or his girl or his ...
Mon, December 29, 2008
Resolutions
Christmas brings presents and New Year's Day brings resolutions. We can exchange the presents that didn't fit or work for better alternatives, so we can continue to enjoy the gift in the days and ...
Mon, December 22, 2008
A Visit
In two days, many of us will be celebrating the Birth of a Child. We will attend church, hear or read the familiar story, sing the familiar hymns, and then go home to open presents and enjoy a ...
Tue, December 16, 2008
Divine Rights
Throughout history, the relationship between government and divinity has been, to be polite, stormy.
From the Pharaoh of ancient Egypt to the emperors of Rome to ...
Tue, December 09, 2008
'Tis the Season
The stores are full of holiday shoppers. The television networks are playing holiday programs. The radio stations are airing the holiday classics. In fact, the holiday season is in full ...
Tue, December 02, 2008
Yes, Virginia!
Years ago, a little girl named Virginia O'Hanlon wrote to the editor of the New York Sun asking if Santa Claus was real. His answer, which spoke of skeptical men in a skeptical age who only believed ...
Wed, November 26, 2008
The Land of 'If'
It's the favorite word of the experts, who begin their dire predictions with the word, "if", and then continue to tell us that economic or social or military disasters are on the way. The ...
Tue, November 18, 2008
Centerpieces
Every holiday table has one. It may be composed of large bright blossoms artfully arranged in a golden vase. It may be a woodsy display of fall foliage. It may be a single elegant candelabra. But ...
Tue, November 11, 2008
If You Can Read This . . .
Most of us have seen the bumper stickers that say, "If you can read this, thank a teacher." And while teachers may be responsible for helping generations of children acquire the technical ...
Thu, October 30, 2008
Silence
The noise today is deafening. Every politician is clamoring for our attention with radio, television and print commercials and news reports. The entertainment industry offers a never-ending supply ...
Wed, October 22, 2008
I'm Not Political
I'm Not Political.
It's the phrase of the season. Those who use it often utter the words with pride, as if they are somehow above the "dirtiness" of ...
Tue, October 14, 2008
Dangerous Silence
In this election cycle, many of our churches have opted to remain silent, not wanting to insert "God" into a political debate.
That is tragic, since at ...
Mon, October 06, 2008
Trick or Treat
Halloween came early this year. The U.S. House and Senate played a trick on the American taxpayer to treat Wall Street and their favorite pet projects in a bailout bill that many observers say will ...
Mon, September 29, 2008
Dollars and Non-sense
Jack was renovating his bathroom. As he was working on the plumbing, his neighbor Sam stopped by. Sam was a very helpful fellow, and offered to assist Jack with the plumbing repairs. Jack was a ...
Tue, September 23, 2008
Insanity
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting the result to be different.
One might apply that definition to this year's ...
Tue, September 16, 2008
Legacies
What will we leave behind?
Public figures, in politics, sports, and cinema, write memoirs and autobiographies. Business leaders create charitable trusts bearing their names. Both groups put their names on buildings and ...
