IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Just two decades ago, visionary Galveston leaders risked public monies, made promises they hoped they could keep, and readily shared their vision with cruise lines. They fully believed that cruising was ready to “take off.” Galvestonians–proud of their historic island city–were “in” for the long haul, and Carnival officials wanted to be. They
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury A casual statement made by my Uncle Mort at his 107th birthday party recently may go a long way in explaining why he continues his relentless pursuit of get-rich-quick inventions. He said he suffered a monumental financial blow–a borderline “gut punch”–from Wall Street. Mort rues the long-ago day he put all of his available
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury The prophet Isaiah really started something when he foretold of signs to indicate the coming of the Christ child. I know. This is a scriptural reference heard mostly at Christmastime. It is noted, though, that signs were big in biblical times, and remain big now. Today, some signs with their modern-day digital technology,
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury When the Great Depression had a strangle hold on the nation in 1930, the “haves” were outnumbered by the “have-nots” greatly. It wasn’t even close. Most scenes seemed rural, and many young men joked that they didn’t know their first names weren’t “Gitwood” until age 14 or so. Thing was, nearly everyone was “pore.”
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury That my Uncle Mort is determined to keep his enlightened self-interest inflated to the max is a foregone conclusion. For more than a century, he has claimed much from Independence Day celebrations, since he and Uncle Sam share the same July 4 birthday. Mort, who turned 107 recently, has always chosen red, white
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IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury So awash are we in acronyms these days, we may start tossing them asunder at any time. Such drastic action carries with it results akin to “throwing the baby out with the bathwater.” Acronyms are everywhere, and youngsters using them–probably throughout the world–are rendering many “tried and true” acronyms obsolete. We of wrinkled
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Radio listeners heard it from the lips of England’s Prime Minister–the inimitable Winston Churchill. In the 1939 radio broadcast, he said Russia “is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” Fast forward 80 years to Uncle Mort’s 107th birthday party on July 4. This old Churchillian quote fits my kin quite well,
Read moreIDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Attention drawn to “red light cameras” has a broadened focus in Dallas. Some “Big D” traffic signals–designed to be effective for 25 years–have been in service since 1940, with almost all in use since 1980. If tell-tale cameras had been that old, there’d have been black-hooded photographers straddling elevated supports trying to apply
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IDLE AMERICAN Commentary by Dr. Don Newbury Uncle Mort, who attains age 107 come July 4, issues requests for “no talking” and “no chore assignments” about this time every year. It’s no bother to Aunt Maude. In fact, she looks forward to the week or two annually when her hubby is in deep thought. She charitably calls such interludes “thought.” Others
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Spirit Of Abilene 