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Daffodils, Omelets And Rosemary Clooney

Is it finally Spring? I think Mother Nature might have made up her mind. She has been sort of a brat about it: “Oh let’s give them a nice day that soars above 78 degrees but plunges them down to 19 overnight. And tomorrow, bright sunshine but keep it at a high of 36. That should keep them guessing.” We’ve been guessing alright. I don’t know whether to leave the house in a black down winter jacket, a cardigan sweater or a striped summer tee top. I still have both boots and flip-flops by the front door. I don’t understand how the daffodils and jonquils have put up with it. ...

Citizenship Is Before Supreme Court

The Fourteenth Amendment is back before the U.S. Supreme Court in a way that presents an issue of extraordinary importance. Yet what’s before the court in Trump v. Barbara isn’t one of the clauses that is often before the court. This time it’s the Citizenship Clause: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the (s)tate wherein they reside.” In this action, birth, not naturalization, is at issue. One specific issue is: What does “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” ...

The Hap- Happiest Time Of The Year

Springtime is upon us with sights of up-shooting tulips, trees budding, signs of daffodils, a little chill (COLD) in the air, and the feel of returning sunshine. It’s a time of hearing returned robins, children playing outside, and the call of “Play” by umpires at all levels, followed by the roar of the crowd, and crack of the bat, because Spring is not all that’s returned. Baseball has awakened from its hibernation state, and America’s Pastime has returned to fields of green, with the excitement, emotion, and fervor, I find myself experiencing at this time of every year. ...

The Cost Of Blind Trust

In the early stages of the pandemic, I wrote a column here about the use of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin to treat COVID-19. The pushback from readers was immediate, despite the fact that I had quoted several doctors who had seen success using the protocol in healing critically ill patients. I wrote about a Democrat congresswoman who had begged her doctors to prescribe her ivermectin as she entered a critical phase of the illness, but they refused. Her husband was able to source the ivermectin for her by calling in favors, and within hours she could feel she was on her way to ...

Are You A Fruit Fly Or A Bloodhound?

The fruit fly is a pesky little fly that is apt to be seen in mid-summer to early fall. They are enticed by the sweet smells of ripening or rotten fruits and vegetables that permeate the air. Their desire for sweet things can also be an advantage- for the home-owner that is. You see, remediating the problem can be as simple as setting the right bait. Take an 8 ounce plastic water bottle and cut it in half. Flip the top half over and slide it down into the bottom half creating a funnel, leaving a little space at the bottom for fluid. Pour a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar ...

Continuing Education In Humor Is Serious Business

Long car drives are good for sweeping out the sticky cobwebs. Lottsa time to think. On my way back from the writing conference I recently attended in Dayton, I had 375 highway miles to review the stimulating weekend, to relive many new stories. The conference’s real name is the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. It is named for Erma, the housewife humorist and distinguished alumna of the University of Dayton, the conference venue. She began writing for her school newspaper in junior high school. And never quit. Dayton is a Catholic University. It was Brother Tom Price, Erma’s ...