IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Lots of people have cast negative ballots, said tacky things and made disparaging gestures about the year 2020 in general. The unanimous verdict indicated that, as one West Texan put it, “Ain’t what we signed up for.” A pessimist claims that if he attempted to cross an intersection– even if he looked every direction two
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury When my aged Uncle Mort called the other day, I figured he wanted me to hear his election rants. Instead, he told me his TV has been “muted” since political ads took over most channels several weeks ago. “So far, Maude and I are making it fine, particularly if we remember to wear blinders atop
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Google gets the last laugh, probably far more often than we know. Include one letter more than needed to “Google” and a subject turns research to clabber quicker than political candidates can call their opponents liars. (Seems like mere decades ago that such comments were tenderized, usually beginning with sentences like, “My worthy opponent deals
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury The words “wash and wear” exploded in the 1950’s, thanks to the introduction of treated cotton and synthetics that meant clothing could be worn straight from the washing machine. Ironing board sales plummeted, and housewives singing “Wash Day Blues” gave way to “Happy Days are Here Again.” Never in our dreams–up to and including wildest–did
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Mike Wilson, editor of the Dallas Morning News since 2015, has resigned the position, and the almost six-year tenure probably has seemed much longer. He was charged with what likely is an inevitability, that of converting most delivery of news from “the printed page” to digital transmission. Somehow, he has maintained excellence in both. There’s no
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury At the time of year when parents, children and teachers were committing to take on a new school year, our son-in-law Bryan Choate and our grandchildren Ben, 19, and Brittin, 16, were dealing with the sudden death of Julie (Mrs. Bryan) Choate. Bryan’s wife and the children’s mother, she died of a pulmonary embolism at
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury The day’s twilight came with September at its best. My wife urged me to take Sailor, our rescue dog, on a walk around the block. So away we went, thankful for a cool breeze, gorgeous sunset and sidewalks. We chanced to walk alongside a next-block neighbor who posed a random-as-it-gets question: “Do you remember anything
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury When someone suggests that life is difficult, there’s the temptation to ask, “Compared to what?” Actors dating back to Shakespeare have cited another comparison concerning the difficulty of making audiences laugh. They’ve said it thusly: “Dying is easy, comedy is hard.” Within a specific current context, Fletcher’s Corny Dog Pop-Up Stands are offering “bargains”
Read moreIDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury It quickly became the perfect storm, powerful enough to make strong men cry. The same goes for strong women, too, but Kim Peacock, president of GNS Foods in Arlington, is doing her best to keep her family-owned specialty premium nut company afloat despite “blows to the bow” that might cause others to jump ship. Consider this:
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Spirit Of Abilene 