The H1B Visa – it’s hard to believe that it has been only about eight months since Elon Musk’s controversial remarks regarding this program in the United States were generating outrage and dominating the news cycle. I think that this is perhaps why life seems so overwhelming at times; we never really bring one controversy … Continue reading
Who’s the Real Villain?
As I work to improve my Spanish language skills before moving to Mexico in September, I’ve started reading the Spanish editions of many of the stories I enjoyed as a child. Most of the stories bring back wonderful memories of having the stories read to me, by my mother, grandmother, or a beloved teacher at … Continue reading
Opting Out – Is It Doing Our Children More Harm Than Good?
I’ve never been an “outdoorsy” sort of person, especially when the weather is hot (and in North Carolina, where I currently live, it’s hot from late April through early November.) So, one of my hot weather guilty pleasures is to watch YouTube videos of the often out-of-control school board meetings, where parents, students, and sometimes … Continue reading
Trapped in the Twilight Zone
When I was a kid, one of my favorite late Saturday night past times was to watch reruns of Rod Serling’s anthology series known as The Twilight Zone. I loved the show because the stories usually weren’t exceptionally scary (except for an episode called Living Doll, which featured actor Telly Savalas, who I knew more … Continue reading
Fueling the Fire or Starving the Beast?
What the film: FernGully: The Last Rainforest Taught Me About MAGA Escapism – in these turbulent political times I suspect that there are many Americans who, me included, just need a break from all of the negativity. I must admit that the outcome of the 2024 Presidential election hit me hard and in the months … Continue reading
Do I Really Hate America?
Ever since the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, I have found it increasingly curious to understand why the Make America Great Again (MAGA) crowd, who largely condone the skirmish at the U.S. Capitol, accuses those on the left of being anti-American. Politically, I would label myself as a Progressive Democrat, and although … Continue reading
Is “Flip-Flopping” Always a Bad Thing?
“Flip-Flopping” or Simply an Evolving Point of View? In the world of politics, facing accusations of being a “flip-flopper” is often the kiss of death for a potential candidate. Back in 2000, when then Vice-President Al Gore launched a campaign to be the successor to President Bill Clinton, many believe that Gore’s change of direction … Continue reading
Will I Ever Use This in Real Life?
Although many things in society have changed between the time when I was a middle school and high school student from 1975 to 1981 and today, I suspect there is one area in which older Gen Xers like me and today’s Gen Zs. For generations, students in required history courses have often questioned the need … Continue reading
Always Define Your Terms
Always Define Your TermsI’m sure that anyone out there who has studied Algebra is familiar with the maddening nature of word problems. You know the ones: “The PTA Bake Sale raised a total of $177.50. Cookies were sold for 50 cents each and frosted cupcakes were $1.50 each. If the combined total of cookies and … Continue reading
Forgive Us Our Sins
Back in 1995, actors Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt starred together in the crime thriller, Se7en, about a serial killer whose crimes fashioned to represent the seven deadly sins: sloth, gluttony, lust, wrath, envy, greed, and pride. The order of the sins is important; they traditionally begin with sloth, which is considered as the least … Continue reading