THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury My Uncle Mort sometimes has “bats in his belfry.”  Fact is, he’s heard such second, third and fourth-hand opinions so many times that he’s begun research about these flying mammals.  Now, he swells with pride when he hears the description, believing that he and bats are both grossly misunderstood. The expression– first appearing in a

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury He’s likely been a “forward thinker” since “diaper days” some 80 years ago.  Glenn Dromgoole–my friend of almost 60 years–probably can trace his “can do” spirit back to pre-school tricycle races.  A proud graduate of Sour Lake High School and Texas A&M University, this distinguished journalist, editor, author and entrepreneur has “set the pace”

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury The expression about an ill wind blowing no good goes back almost five centuries. Just 52 years ago, however, a true-life example occurred at what seemed to be an unlucky turn of event at a Justin, Texas, rodeo. Dr. Ronny Collins and wife Terri–both at the rodeo–met for the first time, huddling with others

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Our sense of hearing is to be treasured. The sound of ships nearing shores, buzzers sounding at the end of victories and fireworks signaling a new year are but three examples.  There are, however, pitfalls to be endured. Sometimes we “over hear” too much, and–sadly–take off like a world-champion jockey on the fastest of

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury  A Wheel of Fortune contestant, one Reginald Somebody, answered matter-of-factly to host Ryan Seacrest’s query about life goals.  Reginald answered soberly. “My dream is to hawk beer in every Major League Baseball park in America.”  Sure enough, Reginald prevailed on that night’s show, winning $24,626. Stationed nearby were his mom and cousin. Seacrest typically  controls conversational

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury It’s usually a “ho-hum” thing when my Uncle Mort calls. If it’s about business, I make sure to “think monkey” in front of it.  Recently, his “jabber” included details of his “blind hog luck” while fetching groceries from the thicket’s general store. His visit coincided with the arrival of the bread truck, this time

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury It should come as no surprise to those of us who have reached “geezerhood” that our ear drums are challenged annually by random sounds–from up and down, here, there and all around.  It’s the sounds of New Year’s resolutions crashing against the floor. Sometimes we cry, creating a tear-filled pond en route to becoming

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury As the hours of 2025 dwindled to single digits, Americans FINALLY heard a new sports expression that is NOT likely to catch on. The guy from ABC-TV–describing the Michigan/Texas football game in Orlando–uttered a couple of ill-fitting words as he attempted to explain that one line shown on TV screens during football games is

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Often, I believe, writers spend too much time on the “what was” and “what will be” instead of the “what is.” I admit to such whimpering occasionally, and this time, make no promises to do better, but I’ll try. Keep in mind, though, that my promises–if golf shots–typically veer off to both the left