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

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury In all the years I’ve known my aged Uncle Mort, he has made few observations about horses, if any at all. For the past few days, he has spoken of little else, what with the news that the City of Dallas hardly knows what to do with one of its storied landmarks. Yep, trouble

 THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury The next thing we know is that three out of five New York doctors agree that watching television may be hazardous to our health. This isn’t exactly “breaking news” until one stares reality in the face, convinced that it isn’t easy these days to find 60 percent of persons in any group–professional or otherwise–who

  THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Craig Murphy, a well-known Fort Worth country music vocalist, has found his niche after trying several other pursuits that turned out to be short-lived. He’s certified in both law enforcement and auto mechanics, but his interest in both fields flagged quickly. During COVID’s darkest days, he tinkered with auto repair once more, but

   THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury We are buoyed annually by hopes that spring eternal when dogwoods and azaleas lead nature’s spring parade. So do concessionaires at Arlington’s Globe Life Field, where the youthful Texas Rangers will hit, run, throw and catch baseballs during the 2022 season in the American League West. No matter how the boys of summer