THE IDLE AMERICAN THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Texas A&M University–a major educational institution respected throughout the world–emerged unscathed from a litany of “Aggie jokes” that were shared for decades, though not so much now. They were, of course–exactly that–jokes. Actually, they likely enhanced a storied heritage, but they made some Aggies M-A-D. My Uncle Mort’s keen eye on

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Hills are greening up, fiddlers are tuning up, and visitors from around the globe are showing up as the entertainment mecca of Branson, Misssouri, gears up for a record-breaking season in the beloved Ozarks. It’s a magical place known for musical excellence where God is honored–and where there are so many fiddlers–it’s difficult to predict

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury To most mortals–mere or otherwise–the thought of jumping rope 30,660,000 times causes hair to stand on end, eyes to crossand regimens to crumble. Not so to a preacher man named Van Minter, whose morning routine is vital to each day. He has kept this commitment for almost 12,800 days, having begun his 36th year on “leap

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury We are among the dwindling few who still answer the doorbell when it chimes between sunup and sunset. (If we don’t hear it, we can rely 100% on our new rescue dog, Archie, to “bark” an alert.) Oh, it’s not quite that simple. First, we use the peephole to see who is seeking entry.

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Every now and again, someone comes up with suggestions for additions to the list of what to do when there’s nothing to do. As often as not, such “yawn fodder” winds up to fill holes–gaping or otherwise–just before newspapers go to press. I have another thought concerning an item that should be forever deleted from

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Texas’ prime grilling season is only weeks away. I await in the shadow of a conundrum, not knowing whether to mark off calendar days with giddy anticipation or be “gloomed” like Charlie Brown stumbling away from another setback. There’s a certain limpness accompanying the unknown. That’s how I remember a sudden desire at age

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury In our mind’s eye, most of us old-timers recall taking on life in slow motion when contrasted with today’s starts, stops and swerves now endured by the masses by day and by night. If identified with a fable, we were the turtles, and jet-setters of today are the hares. Or so it seems. In bygone

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury It’s an old joke from the 1990s, pulled from the files each time the Super Bowl rolls around. Late Congressman Charles Stenholm, a distinguished Christian statesman from Ericksdahl (near Stamford) popularized the yarn in Texas, claiming that it originated in Washington, D.C. It was during more civil times, when Republicans and Democrats not only talked

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury In a perfect world, coaches, parents and participants would rightly refer to sports aspirants as “student athletes.” Today, however, this often is not the case. For many–in both high school and college–reference to “student athletes” is an oxymoron, as far apart as the east is from the west.  The best coaches–at all levels–first are teachers