IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Let’s make a worldwide observation. Man’s “inhumanity to man” has been chronicled–as well as played out, unfortunately–across the centuries. (Hey, now. I’m writing in broadest terms that likewise include women, too. They’ve worked right alongside, and often ahead, but that’s a whole ‘nuther story.) In these uncertain days when calendar pages seem to
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury If bodies grew weary of exercising, two of my friends–Dr. Lanny Hall in Abilene and Katheleene Green in Burleson–would be too sore to stand up. Truth to tell, Katheleene has been a devotee to physical exercise much longer. She attains age 100 come July 18. Dr. Hall, three decades her junior, has never
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury It is a good thing that we have memories to sort through while we shelter in place. Grammarians or not, we’re given to making the present tense, and the past, perfect. As we take stock of what used to be–while greatly shaken by “what is”–we think back on happenings faced hurriedly the first
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Lanes don’t get slower than those to which we’ve all been assigned. Thoroughly “slowed down,” I am reminded of the old duffer stopped numerous times on the freeway who refused to accelerate to minimum speed. Finally, the officer said, “If you don’t start moving faster, I’m going to strongly suggest that you sign
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury It’s a challenge my 106-year-old Uncle Mort hasn’t faced–not ever–and the same is true for the rest of us. The world teeters on a fulcrum of fear, much of it unknown. Enough is known, though, to shiver the strongest timbers and shake boots previously used for putting “get-along” in little “dogies” (pronounced “dough”’-gees),
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury My Uncle Mort, who lives so far out in the country that nobody passes his house going to town, called the other day. “I’m going to shock you, nephew,” he said. “’Cause I’m planning a ‘give-away’ that folks won’t be able to refuse.” He had my attention. I felt flushness in the face–sure
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury There was “people-watching” at its best recently when Texans gathered at polling places to exercise their voting preferences in primary elections. Yep, it was a foretaste of the “Big One” in November. They showed up in attire ranging from the serious sloppy to “after five,” with a few of the latter adorned as
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Gawkers gathered to gaze at a gigantic “goof” of an implosion attempt gone bad. Thus was the origin of the “leaning tower of Dallas.” The demolition company’s failed effort to take down an 11-story office tower could make Lloyd D. Nabors Demolition shift gears into construction rather than destruction. The former Affiliated Computer
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury The season of spring–God bless it–wears many faces. It has inspired poets to greatness, encouraged the downhearted, confounded meteorologists and induced weeping by throngs of spouses who don’t care for yard work. I am one of those, ashamed that I’m far south of my wife’s expectations, rarely carrying “my part of the mulch.”
Read more
