Outside The Box

We have a holiday message for you this year. It’s not quite Christmas yet, but we’re getting into the spirit of things. For many of us, this is the time of year when our better angels prevail. Hopefully by now our hearts have softened a bit in anticipation, and open hearts sometimes lead to open … More A Holiday Message For Another Political Year

How are you feeling with just over a week of Eastern Standard Time under our belts? Are you still waking up an hour “early?” Having an extra cup of coffee in the middle of the afternoon? Do the circles under your eyes remind you, in an unflattering way, of a grumpy raccoon? Here at home … More Time For A Change

There are surely as many different kinds of people as there are human beings in the world, but today we’re considering just two: those who, whether from choice or circumstance leave the families of their birth behind to seek out their destiny, and those who keep family central to their journey through life. Some of … More The Lonely Traveler

We can’t see truth in politics, but we can see its shadow. The formal definition of politics is the “art or science of government,” which seems like a worthy, almost noble pursuit. When we watch politics play out in the real world it comes across like the label on a sausage wrapper with the comforting … More Only the Shadow Knows

Back in the mid 90’s there was a brief but tacky series of television shows called “When Animals Attack.” It was produced by Fox, the network that serves up conservative values with a side order of scandal, and celebrities in bikinis. The series depicted graphic animal attacks on humans for an audience unlikely to ever … More When Celebrities Attack

Last weekend I tried the much talked about “Beyond Burger.” Here’s my unofficial and entirely subjective review. It tastes OK. Let me explain. “OK” is a step above “fine.” “Fine” is what my wife and I say when the hard working server who has been friendly and courteous throughout our unremarkable meal asks how we … More Where’s the Beef?

There are some days we just don’t like democrats and republicans, and today is one of those days. That doesn’t mean that we don’t vote like they do from time to time. We even agree with them on occasion. Most of the time we genuinely like the folks who wear the hats or put the … More Partisans

“Take my advice, Don’t listen to me,” is the first line in the old song, “Hippie Dream,” whined by Neil Young. Most people love or hate Neil and/or his music. Naturally your author is somewhere in the middle, and Mr. Young has penned some unforgettable lyrics. So in that same spirit, we decided to write … More A Little Advice

“It’s none of our business,” my wife said in response to my grumbling as we drove down the valley. I wasn’t quite foolish enough to remind her that she had voiced similar complaints the day before. Over the course of several days we had observed from a distance the progress of a man working on … More Nobody’s Business. Everyone’s concern.