Military spending in the United States eats up more than half of our nation's "discretionary spending," or the portion of the budget that the president requests and Congress appropriates every year. Yet, you don't hear cries for change when it comes to military...
In the Political Arena, Facts Are Like Fossils
When people stop believing in facts, and the mainstream media stops reporting facts, we are a lost people. That's a fact. Cheri Jacobus, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors and a Republican consultant, is advocating for a fact-based solution to the current...
First Bites: Bat City’s Best Tacos, BBQ and Pasta
Austin makes a strong impression on the newcomer. It's sunny and warm, the people are warm and friendly, and there are seemingly a million places of interest for the food and beverage lover to consider and discover. Both Zagat and WalletHub rank Austin high on their...
Black Mirror Is The Clearest Mirror of All
Black Mirror, the Netflix series now in its fourth season, makes an indelible impression on the soft parts of the brain. Season 3, episode 1, in particular, is perfect TV programming for the Digital Age. Vox calls the “Nosedive” episode a social media nightmare...
The Year In Place: 2017
When you live in or near a big city, it's crucial to get out of the city and reconnect with the outside world. I'm pleased to report that we found several adventurous ways to do just this in 2017. Coast-to-Coast in 2017: Cannon Beach Roseburg Ashland Omaha Gleneden...