THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury When I began writing weekly more than two decades ago, I informed readers that they could expect occasional recipes worthy of clipping, putting under magnets on refrigerator doors or placing toward the front of recipe boxes. I have failed. Maybe it was because the recipe–offered more than 20 years ago–failed to generate any

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury My aged Uncle Mort sometimes stumbles across what he calls “business opportunities,” not unlike hogs stumbling over acorns every now and again. He claims that an epiphany experienced during a recent Sam’s Club visit has led to his dusting off a rarely-used business card indicating that he is a “consultant.” I’m not sure

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Far-out occurrences often are illuminated through the miracle of the Internet, sometimes resulting in findings that may, uh, need additional study. Such occurred recently in Dallas, where a homeowner was troubled by skunks who had burrowed their way under the foundation. Then, frustrations increased when the little varmints proceeded to make unwelcome noise with

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Prayers of university presidents and school superintendents for commencement exercises to be executed as planned often are short-circuited. Some leaders are extremists–the kind who decree that neither blaring air horns nor unseemly yells will be tolerated. Their wish is for “pomp” to be exceeded only by “circumstance.” Often, they experience countless “slips ‘twixt cup

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Dilemma horns seemed to gore when I contemplated this week’s piece. I could have ridden (written?) off in either direction and still wound up with words to spare. Would I write about what I miss most–sights or sounds–that now seem permanently closeted in yesteryear?  I yearn to ask readers for directions to a place

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury My grandkids might understandably say of me, “Oh, Poppy, you are so yesterday.” And they are so right, clearly on target if they encase me with the “day before yesterday” crowd. Whatever, they often kid me about needless effort expended in simple written communication.  For example, I frequently scrawl the word “okay.” They assure me

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury It would be daunting for researchers half his age, but it didn’t stop Dr. Ray Van Cleef from reconnecting with his baseball players from six decades ago. The longtime Texas community college administrator couldn’t resist trying. Late in 2022, the search began. At age 94, he employed the usual communications efforts–some of them

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury I’m sure Will Rogers was a friendly guy, even if the quote usually attributed to him has been taken out of context. During an interview, he mentioned prominent men he’d met, all of whom he liked. (Lesser guys weren’t referenced.) This observation aside, I have a friend whose admirers feel as strongly about

THE IDLE AMERICANCommentary by Dr. Don Newbury Way back when, I agreed to serve as judge of pageants held annually in Fort Stockton and DeLeon. I–and another couple of judges–were to select queens of the Water Festival and the Peach and Melon Festival, respectively. It shouldn’t have been “rocket surgery,” but I didn’t realize that I would be detested (or near