I recently wrote about a wildfire burning on the outskirts of my hometown and how it brought up emotions of fear and empathy for my friends still there. Fortunately, the Doce Fire was dealt with without the loss of life and very little property damage. When I heard that fire was contained, I figured I…
Category: Point of View
These are my posts where I give an opinion about something, take a stand one way or another, give praise and also give criticism.
Supreme Court decisions not a completely happy ending, but still a step in the right direction
Today was a landmark moment for gay people in the United States. It was historical. In some ways, it was hysterical. It was historical in that the Defense of Marriage Act was struck down as unconstitutional. It was hysterical in that opponents of same-sex marriage are still acting high and mighty. The Supreme Court issued…
Best place for brunch is on a farm
June is National Dairy Month, a friendly reminder that the white liquid in those impossible-to-open little cartons from the school cafeteria does not just magically appear. In Wisconsin, many rural areas commemorate the occasion with Brunch on the Farm, a chance for city folks to see for themselves where their food comes from and why…
When home is where the heart is, try to avoid heartburn
For the past few days, there has been a breeze shaking the cottonwood trees near my home, raining down a fair amount of cotton in the area where I live. It has bunched up in clumps on the grass and even wafts through my car as I drive with the windows down. It’s a curious…
Meeting a number one with intense dislike for number two
As you may have noticed, I have not been posting to the blog much lately. As much as some would like to believe that I have finally run out of things to say, I can assure you that is not the case. When I created the blog more than a year ago, I had set…
Should we compound a loss of innocence with a loss of liberty?
Gun control. Two words that tend to strike terror into the hearts of people that own guns. Every so often, the debate flares up and causes people to question whether the Second Amendment of the Constitution is going to be erased. It’s back again, and it’s one that’s going to get ugly. President Barack Obama…
There’s trouble in Christmas City, and they’re going after the baby Jesus!
For many of us, Christmas is a time for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s also a time for giving and receiving presents and watching your infant children shriek at the sight of a fat guy in a red suit. However you celebrate the season, the last thing you want is someone telling you,…
Westboro wing nuts bring their own brand of horror to tragedy
Violence shattered the innocence of a Connecticut town on Friday. A man whose motives we may never fully know or understand killed 20 children at an elementary school, along with six staff members and himself. It is unfortunately a type of story that has become more and more prevalent in American society today. Another crazed…
Words turn into weapons, and bullies are way too eager to wield them
Bullies are out there, and they pop up when you least expect them to. Their appearance at first glance might appear kind, but upon closer approach, the toothy grin and bright eyes turn into a hateful snarl, and you find yourself abused just because you’re different. When I was growing up, bullies were easy to…
It’s peanut butter jelly time, unless it’s lunchtime at school
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were a huge staple in my diet growing up. There were times when my family did not have a lot of money to spend on food, and a cheaper option was the PB&J. Even now, I’ll whip together the tasty sandwich to satisfy a snack attack. I wonder how my…
When intelligence is insulted, don’t prove their point
Nobody likes to have their intelligence called into question. However, when someone does that, it does not bode well from your side to prove them right. Recently, I got my beats switched around at the paper, and I was assigned to cover school board meetings for Shawano. For those of you not living where I…
For want of a roof, the expansion could be lost
I love the theatre, especially community theatre, which gives me a certain desire to see as much funding as possible go toward the performing arts. However, when I see how tight money is for everyone, and how governments are slicing and dicing all over the place, I realize that the gravy train for public arts…
Rural Roots and American Rainbows 