In this contentious Presidential primary season, the Democrats’ Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have been recklessly tossing about charges and counter-charges like Molotov cocktails as their once-friendly rivalry has sunk into all-out warfare. Obama correctly characterized President Ronald Reagan as a man of powerful vision who profoundly changed the direction of America...<< MORE >>

After to listening to all the ballyhoo and pseudo-solutions to the great problems facing our country, I’ve decided to toss my hat the ring and give you the most common-sense solutions to our three of our mounting national crises: The Energy Crisis For this, I dig back into recent American history for a quick fix on conserving gasoline-the 55mph speed limit. You of course remember that when the first oil crisis hit this country, Congress responded with a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour, set in 1974 under then-President Richard Nixon...<< MORE >>

I love the old black-and-white flicks, and movie stars of great depth and ability, like Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, and Kathryn Hepburn, to name just a few of those grand old thespians. I also enjoy the story lines and the complexity of the writing involved in many of the old scripts. Without the benefits of computer animation and advanced motion picture technology, the people who made the movies in those days had to rely on such outdated concepts like human emotion, the complexities of love, life and death, and real relationships between people. Moral imperatives were also clearly understood, a basic secular code that transcended selfish desires and religious dogma; and this in an age of Depression, World War and spiritual uncertainty...<< MORE >>

This Veteran’s Day dawned gray and dismal. I awoke early in the A. M., as is the habit of men of my advancing years, brewed a pot of coffee, read a bit from a biography of Dwight Eisenhower, and then settled back to an All-American breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast, which I prepared in near silence as my beautiful Mexican-American wife slept nearby in the comfort of our bed. Ours is a small apartment and I, as the early riser, do my best to keep the noise level down so as not to disturb her sleep...<< MORE >>

One of the arguments I have tired of hearing is that “if we just clear our prisons of low-level drug offenders, we can deal with the real criminals out there.” Let’s get one thing straight before we go any farther: there is no such thing as a “low-level drug offender.” Certain drugs are illegal, and if a person uses those drugs he or she is breaking the law. Not only that, but they are providing a valuable market place for the low-life scum that sell drugs. I believe EVERY drug user, “low-level” or not, should be jailed. Remove the user, and the market place dries up; therefore you remove the dealer...<< MORE >>

I’m not a religious man. I don’t attend church services. I don’t pray, or ask for forgiveness, or understanding or worldly success or upscale possessions, good looks, glitter or glamour. I believe people who pray only for worldly possessions and worldly success are little people, and not worthy of attention, or friendship. I believe those who are silent in the observation of their faith, and are of a belief that is based on a deep personal understanding of God and others, and of their place in the world are individuals to be admired, and to be cultivated as friends...<< MORE >>

I live in a large apartment complex in a racially mixed neighborhood of apartments, duplexes and single-family homes, so it’s not unusual to see kids of all colors playing together on the streets and in the parks. Which is what I observed the other day when I was out for my run/walk: brown, black and white kids on bicycles hanging on a street corner near a city park, loudly and excitedly discussing that which motivates kids and which we adults have forgotten...<< MORE >>

I spent a fantastic day yesterday with my four children (now mostly grown) eating too much, talking too much, and watching the movie “Pan’s Labyrinth,” which they had vociferously demanded I order on pay-per-view. I realized that their mother and I had raised a great bunch of kids, who were maturing into solid and responsible adults, and there is no greater achievement in life than that. It also got me to thinking, hence the reason for this new column...<< MORE >>

Fourth of July, 2007, my 60th birthday. I wake at 4:40 a.m., catch a bit of news on the tube, make a pot of fresh Italian-roast coffee, down a cup or two, don my jogging outfit and take a leisurely three mile run in a light early morning mist under an overcast sky. I run on concrete in an urban setting, my solitude punctuated by a few lonely automobiles plying the usually busy streets. As I run, bits and pieces of thought occupy my mind . . .<< MORE >>

Like most Americans, I have become disgusted with both Republicans and Democrats. These mealy-mouthed, self-serving “leaders” have proven themselves to be unworthy of the people whom they are supposed to serve, and interested in themselves first, their respective parties second, media concerns and world opinion third, and their constituents (if they think of them at all) last. Check the latest “Immigration Bill” as an illustration of my point. The President’s poll numbers are hovering at near-record historic lows, but the Democratic Congress’ poll numbers, which was elected in response to public disapproval of the President’s and Republican Party policies, is even lower. The Democrats, who pledged during the last election to change the disastrous course the country was on immediately engaged in the same old “blame game” politics as their Republican adversaries once they regained the reins of power; pointing fingers and enacting do-nothing...<< MORE >>