IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Historians who tired of seeking origins that mattered much probably risked losing their licenses oh, 1.4 centuries ago. That’s when they scattered like quail in a hailstorm trying to identify the “inventor” of the hamburger. One of the few points of agreement is that they were introduced during the 1880s, depending on how deeply one

IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury If only life could be as simple as that Blue Bell ice cream delivery guy’s view of his job. It seems to take simplicity to another level. “I eat all I can and sell the rest.” That’s what the ad says, as company leadership leans on the old saying about life being a “cinch by

IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury I spend a good chunk of time each week working with, learning from, and encouraging fellow senior adults. It seems to me that the ones best able to “finish the race” don’t spend a lot of time employing the adverb “too.”  The public at large, however, generally chooses to use the word “too” for maximation of

IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury For youngsters, the wheels of time turn slowly, no matter how many “hurry ups” they desire. Indeed, dream fulfillment is painfully slow. The same is often true for grown-ups, too. For Branson, Missouri, the entertainment mecca was hit hard by COVID-19. There was no magic to “grease the wheels,” but as the pandemic weakens, wheels

IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Whatever is said usually doesn’t measure up to sheer artistry, since brush-and-easel greats can land haymakers to writers who are armed only with words. Use of color and much else conveys mind’s eye images to canvas, thus usually tilting communication effectiveness scales toward artistry. ‘Tis true. Artists worthy of the title typically say more with

IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Fifth-grade violinists from Grandview Elementary School are accustomed to taking Branson, Missouri, by storm, but this year they wowed audiences despite the “double whammy” of rainstorms and a pandemic. Founder-director Vicki Nichols, who has taken the Zebra Strings to Branson for 15 consecutive years on a chartered bus, opted out last spring when COVID-19 dangers

THE IDLE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Ever-deepening Christian faith is called upon by believers who sometimes are challenged by their “trust and obey” commitment. We need only point to COVID-19, which has laid claim to as many as seven million lives worldwide, and many times that number who have been affected greatly by the pandemic’s countless joy-sucking tentacles. We

IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Expertly written and acted, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum has been ransacked as an eye-catcher for many projects, presentations, and programs over the years. Based on the book and Broadway play, the 1960’s movie awakened in humankind that funny things do happen along the way, sometimes even en route to church. Much has been