Senator John McCain's military credentials are better than mine, but it's worth noting that ethical issues stand apart from heroism and longevity in the service, which don't automatically correspond with enlightened judgment.
When policymakers discuss alternatives to medical liability litigation, it is not uncommon for them to talk about the creation of a system of "health courts" to address issues of alleged medical negligence. Creating a health court system, however, will not make it easier for ordinary Americans to receive affordable quality health care and would, on an involuntary basis, take the issue out of the jury system a core facet of our system of government that has served our citizens well for more than 200 years.
When our oldest was 11, she started sleeping with a fan trained on her.
On July 16, last summer, we celebrated a 40year old accomplishment, the Apollo 11 visit to the moon. There seems little question of the significance of the act, and it wasn't the pocketfull of rocks that were brought home. Nor was it the muchcelebrated scientific/technological advances like the development of freeze dried foods or even the technique of adding nutritional value to baby food. What it was all about was upstaging the Soviets. We had been humiliated by a Russian, Yuri Gargaron, as first man in space in 1961.
Last week Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog, predicted six more weeks of winter. My question is: when have we not had six more weeks of winter after February 2nd? Has spring ever started on February 3rd? What sort of scam are those guys in long coats and top hats running over there in Punxsutawney, Pa.?
Soon after the televised exchanged between President Barack Obama and the U.S. House Republican Caucus, two days after the president's State of the Union Address, Internet chatter exploded. The public, press and pundits were electrified. They wanted more. It was good theater.
Ayla Brown made it to the finals on American Idol, but her dad won the prize.
With apologies to James Whitcomb Riley: "The word police will git ya if ya don't watch out."
Stunned is not a strong enough word to describe my reaction to the sign I saw at the end of my Uncle Fud's driveway when I arrived at Chigger Mountain Farm last week.
"What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered," asks Bill Murray, playing weatherman Phil Connors in "Groundhog Day," one of the funniest films of all time.
