Because of the pandemic, for the past two years, like Repunzel,  I’ve been confined to my retirement tower with no hope of visitors. My 85th birthday came and went without a friend’s hug which is why I have sympathy for Britain’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. Yes, he was caugh

   David Brooks, commentator for the New York Times  says issues surrounding abortion are “hard and complex.” Two chief concerns are:  a) He believes a “piece” exists within every human being that gives them dignity—a soul. And b) He has no confidence that he knows w

Democratic U. S. Senator Joe Manchin prides himself on being a consistent man, one who cherishes traditions like filibustering. The filibuster is a tactic a Senate member uses to delay or halt measures when the legislator is in the minority. A case in point is the For the People Act.

The barriers to truth are many. People’s perceptions vary. They have biases. They ignore evidence, leave out facts, lie to themselves or diminish the importance of facts that give offense.    A writer complimented Kamala Harris on her fashion sense, recently.  By focusing on her

The clerk behind the counter at the electronics store told me programing my new television remote would be easy. “You hit these three buttons in this order and you’re done.” I cringe whenever a computer literate person tells me a task is easy.  It never is. And this time was no

  Dr. Anthony Fauci is concerned about the anti-science bias in this country and so am I. Inconceivable to me is news about doctors and nurses being assaulted for providing medical care. Practitioners who advise us to wear masks during a pandemic shouldn’t be blamed for the mes

Donald Trump’s presidency taught us the strength of our institutions depends upon our goodwill.  They work because we want them to.   If we doubted the integrity of the ballot box and our judicial system, for example, we’d condemn ourselves to second-guessing every outcome.  I

WISHING YOU THE HAPPIEST OF THANKSGIVING DAYS

Lately, I’ve wondered if the human brain is capable of living up to its democratic ideals. What raised this question was an article I’d read about bone development in a child’s hand.  At the age of three, a youngster is unable to hold a pen because he or she lacks sufficient bo

No, it hasn’t been 4 years. I’m sure of it.” “Four-and-a-half to be exact.” The voice coming out of the receiver was firm, almost authoritarian. I paused to count 4-and-a-half years on my fingers. In the silence, my computer guy continued.   “What you need is an upgrade,