Last night was one of my wife’s favorite night’s of the year- the Academy Awards. I think the whole concept of famous people giving each other awards is a bit silly, especially those who act absolutely shocked that they were picked when their chances were basically 1 in 5. I am also perplexed by those…
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One week ago today approximately one hundred million of us gathered with varying degrees of enthusiasm to witness our country’s “biggest sporting contest” involving the two “best” teams from the most financially successful league in the Universe (every one of its teams is among Forbes’ 50 most valuable sports franchises in the World). Advertisers lined…
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The most pressing and controversial issue in our country today is whether to build a 1,954 mile wall along our Southern border. The most pressing issue on the minds of the 800,000 federal workers who are not working or worse, forced to work without a paycheck, is whether this issue will ever be resolved until…
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I was taking Vinny for a walk down my street the other day following a major snow storm. I was captivated by the wide swath of pristine white that embellished the landscape as far as I could see, and the sheer joy of my white golden retriever immersed in it- as if he was granted…
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On this Thanksgiving weekend, many of us express gratitude to live in a country like the U.S. One of the core reasons many say (aside from greater economic opportunity and our plethora of freedoms – speech, religion, the press and the like) is that we live in a democracy. But do we actually? A democracy…
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Recently, and with no one around, I gingerly escorted a spider outside my house. That’s right – I carefully caressed the 8-legged creepy creature in a piece of Charmin Ultra Soft (my wife’s only allowable bathroom tissue) and set him down gently on the grass. The only thing I didn’t do is provide the lad…
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The recent death of John McCain is a blow to anyone who subscribes to the notion that our political leaders should have some testicles (figuratively speaking — I am all for women candidates). Regardless of whether you are a Democrat or Republican or generally support the positions of one side or the other, why is it that…
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To those who have been clamoring for another book, I present “Searching for the Dragonfly” for your summer reading pleasure. It’s a different kind of a book than Belladonna – no murder or trial (which I know will disappoint some), but there’s still a lot of mystery, humor and romance- along with a heavy dose of spirituality.…
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We have been privileged to live in an era where the three greatest men’s tennis players of all time have played for an extended period at the same time. With apologies to Laver, Borg, Emerson, Sampras, Connors, Lendl, and McEnroe, none of them could hold a racket to the collective speed, power, conditioning, and sheer…
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Compared to our canine brethren, we humans are blessed with a much larger brain, the advantage of being able to walk upright and two opposable thumbs, enabling us to perform activities a dog can only dream about – like opening up the food bin and helping himself to a larger portion. However, when it comes to…
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On this Mother’s Day, I honor aMazing Moms like my wife who are incredibly devoted to their offspring and always put them ahead of themselves. We Dads often fall a little short (and that may be a charitable description). Perhaps it’s because the mother is the one who actually gives birth, provides initial nourishment, and has…
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As the weather finally turns Spring-like in the Lou, the trees have turned magical. It got me thinking about how similar they really are to us and how we often take them for granted. So, at the risk of being too corny or sentimental, here is an ode to these spactacular living giants among us. They…
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Today would have been the 86th birthday of my dear friend, Betty Roth. I don’t understand why many people and religions choose to celebrate the anniversary of one’s death rather than their birth, but I choose the latter. I was privileged to give a eulogy for Betty when she passed away several years ago. She…
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Color is a pretty important aspect of life for most of us fortunate enough to be able to perceive it (the 92% of men and over 99% of women who are not color blind). The world is clearly a more attractive place when you can bear witness to a shimmering blue ocean, a lush green…
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Today would have been Curt Flood’s 80th Birthday, but he died from cancer over two decades ago at essentially my current age. To honor my boyhood hero, one of the best baseball players I ever saw, and a man of great principle and intellect on the anniversary of his birthday, I reprint a story I…
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