THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Thomas Wolf, the author who insisted that we can’t go home again, got it wrong. One can indeed do so, but “home” may hardly be recognizable, and/or–truth to tell–noticeably improved.It’s a two-hour drive from our Metroplex home to Brownwood, our hometown, so our visits there have dwindled.Age has something to do with it.

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury We’ve all heard of the futility of trying to take “country” from rural lads after they’ve moved to town, and the same likely applies to attempts to take “clown” from rodeo entertainers, even when they climb the educational ladder to school superintendencies. This seems to elevate truth to a higher level when a clown

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury My phone pulsated with excitement that could be attributed to my Uncle Mort’s recent spate of news, both good and bad. I asked for the good news first. “You ain’t gonna believe this, nephew, but I went into the swamp last night looking for cases of Monkey Pox, and things got really strange.” Had

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury The collective “whoosh” sweeping across the nation this month is the sound of school leaders exhaling, most of them having awarded diplomas, seen graduates throw caps skyward and watched them depart–ready or not–to face the great unknown. The “whoosh” is as predictable as the next sunrise for administrators participating in events where “pomp” is

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Minds’ gristmills generally become unhinged–if not totally off the rails–on items of recent history. But their recollection of long-ago happenings may confound friends, and perhaps amaze whoever is doing the recollecting. Most of us invoke the Fifth Amendment, however, if asked what we had for lunch–even if questioned at mid-afternoon–and we’ll plead “no contest”

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury In 1845, poetess Elizabeth Barrett tried to count the ways she loved Robert Browning, her suitor and eventual husband. Her heralded message came through with clarity in her poem, “How Do I Love Thee?” Recollection of her counting came to mind in recent days during my attempts to count the ways broadcast journalists have

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury It’s an expression rarely heard these days, perhaps because there are so many lenses through which life-in-a-hurry can be viewed. When’s the last time you heard, “I saw it with my own eyes”? I never expected to see gambling interests advertising on TV sports or promotion of something called bitcoins. I’ve avoided pitches from

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury The memory is lodged in my brain’s recesses, as closely as mistletoe clings to mesquite trees. Our parents–neither with educational opportunities beyond high school–provided common sense counsel for my brother and me. One admonition on their rigid “you-ought-to-do” ladder has remained on the top step. Their advice was sound then and is so today.

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury My old Uncle Mort is nothing if not analytical, even when he’s not even looking for ways to make easy bucks. He called recently to provide his analysis of members of the Thicket Community Church whose pastor called for a special mid-week prayer session appealing for rain. It would be at high noon on