“I used to be scared of death until I found out it’s now called “end of life.” Phew, that was close!”

With Old Glory waving, our nation recently celebrated its independence. Our military forces marched through Washington and magnificence jets zipped over it. With bands playing in the background, our president took the time to explain that he is responsible for a large part of this independen…

This has been a crazy week and my thoughts have been scattered. So, here’s a scattering of things I’m thinking about this week:

You’d expect a guy with Abe Navarro’s position to have a big, fancy office.

“Getting old is not for sissies.”

Eva Mozes Kor took me to task on a spring afternoon.

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball. That happened to me last week. My husband had a heart attack. My healthy husband, my no smoking, minimal drinking, no fat, healthy husband. Our world was in a bit of a turmoil. He is doing fine after a stint to repair a 100 percent blockage in a signif…

“Be alert. The world needs more lerts!” — MAD Magazine cartoon caption from the ’70s

When you fall in love, don’t hurt yourself. Not realizing it, you could be plunging into an abyss. When I first fell, it was like jumping into a land of bliss as it was both amazingly wonderful and deeply troubling; all these deep emotions stemming from the depths of all my body parts. My he…

This summer, my church is doing a sermon series on the beatitudes, the “blessed ares” that Jesus taught his disciples. He said things like, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” and “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” “Blessed” means happy…

July is finally here and despite the heat and humidity, it’s Americans’ favorite month for vacations and enjoying the great outdoors. Back in 1952, probably to sell more hotdog buns, The American Bakers’ Association declared July to be National Picnic Month. Picnics were popularized in the m…

My dad and his five siblings were close and always made it a point to have family reunions once or twice a year. We also got together regularly on certain holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.

The Supreme Court of the United States last week decided they will not interfere in political redistricting cases. By a one vote majority, they are enabling gerrymandering.

What does Congress know? Nothing I tell you. They've did it again, trying to dictate how serious families raise a child. They did this by passing COPPA a few years ago. This law attempts to protect children's privacy, as babies now go online almost before they can walk.

Several weeks ago, my pastor told a story that had people whispering, “Whoa.” It happened years ago when a young, pregnant woman came to our church and gave her life to Jesus. The baby had problems developing and had to undergo an extensive delicate surgery while still in the womb. Our whole…

“I got infected with the comedy bug” - Former comedian and entrepreneur Vernon Thompson

Cities often tout their low cost of living as a tool for attracting new residents. On the face of it, that would make sense. After all, who wouldn’t like to pay less for the things they buy; home, auto, food and recreation? Who would not wish to move to an adjacent neighborhood and pay less for all these things? Of course, if all of this were true there would be a mass exodus of families and businesses from expensive places. Quite the opposite is happening, and that warrants a brief lesson in economic geography.

Despite all the rain, the first day of summer arrived last week. This started my wife Diane and I humming “Summertime,” the famous Gershwin song from the folk opera “Porgy and Bess.” We listened to several versions of this song, including an early one by Billie Holiday, a classic rendition b…

I was listening to a cable news interview with President Donald Trump the other day. Throughout the interview, he blamed former President Barack Obama for everything that’s wrong in America today. He may have a point. I’ll get back to that later.

My reaction might not have been typical. I saw that photo of employees turning their backs on Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and did not immediately decry the insolent rudeness of federal bureaucrats. I felt sorry for them.

Words are power. People who use words eloquently are lauded and listened to. They also carry a huge responsibility. When you have the power to sway people with your words, you should weigh them carefully. The temperature in our country is as extreme as it has ever been between people. The na…

INDIANAPOLIS — For some reason, the archdiocese of Indianapolis seems to want to provoke another Reformation.

It was easier to live one’s life back when living it was much simpler. Unless you’re a full-fledged participant in the relatively new cyberspace universe, your life is probably not worth living. Ask yourself, do I want to be hacked, losing my identity, my credit cards and having my Facebook …

File this under “stuff you should know” — If you visit the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, it’s highly frowned upon to take home pieces of petrified wood — and it’s illegal. However, that doesn’t stop people from doing it. Evidently, they’re not aware that these contraband souveni…

Trying to define the essential doctrines of the faith of all Christians is like trying to move the Rocky Mountain range to the East coast one teaspoon at a time. The immense adventure becomes frustrating before it begins because of the realization that no matter what doctrines are chosen as …

“Guys number one fear with online dating is the girl is chubby. Women’s is they’re going to get murdered!” 

Every Hoosier lives in one, but few know its name. Every taxpayer supports one, but few know for what and why. The ugly step-child of local government, once of consequence, is now considered expendable. But the township remains despite having powerful forces seeking its legal execution.

CHICAGO – Psssst, Mr. President, you will not be running against Hillary Clinton in 2020.

Last Saturday Target stores across the country experienced a major computer system failure that shut down their cash registers for two hours. Television footage of frustrated Target patrons abandoning their shopping carts was seen on all the news outlooks. Target representative Jenna Reck sa…

It pains me to confess this, but I am an ultracrepidarian. You might not want to hear it, but there’s a good chance you are one as well.

It’s a pity people can’t choose the time in which they live — and serve.

I have never really shared the story of Otto Morris Jr.

Last Saturday I went to a graduation unlike any other I’ve ever been to. No caps and gowns. No “Pomp and Circumstance.” Just a bunch of rag-tag kids with behavior problems.

During a 1961 address to the Canadian Parliament, President John F. Kennedy said, “Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. Necessity has made us allies. What unites us is far greater than what divides us.”

“Batting, running the bases, friends, and Daddy!”

Last April, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) increased the speed limits for some highways in Clark and Floyd counties, including a large section of I-265. In making this decision INDOT considered the road design, traffic volume, the Ohio River bridges project, recent expansio…

I’d like you to meet someone.

Every "ism" that has ever been uttered by man was brought home this week in a variety of ways. "Not in My Back Yard" has been at the forefront because of the discussion on where to build a 40 unit permanent supportive housing project by BWI, but many others reared their ugly heads in a varie…

This year we honor the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, the beginning of the Battle of Normandy, which occurred on June 6, 1944. It was the largest amphibious military assault in history with 6,000 ships, 176,000 allied troops, and 14,000 aircraft. We suffered 10,000 casualties, 4,414 of those wer…

Although spelled with a little less Jewish flair, Hollywood crafted a movie experience in 1970 called Tora! Tora! Tora! The film featured a host of the country’s premier actors — Martin Balsam, Jason Robards, Joseph Cotton, E.G. Marshall and James Whitmore — in a dramatic retelling of the st…

The world could end in a traffic jam. It’s blocked everywhere, not only in Washington, but also at Mount Everest. If you follow breaking news, you’ve seen climbers clumped up near the top of the tallest mountain in the world. Why would anyone want to climb Mount Everest? There’s no sensible …

The remains of ash trees across northeast Indiana are sad reminders of the destruction caused by a beetle apparently introduced to the U.S. in wood cargo material nearly 20 years ago. Since 2004, the emerald ash borer has wiped out most of the area's beautiful ash trees. Now, the Indiana Dep…

Back in 2010, on a warm Wednesday evening at a nearby lake, Minnie Sockman’s sins were washed away. She was 67 at the time and couldn’t remember ever being baptized, although she thought maybe she had been. As a kid, she was in church every Sunday, but then she took a 32-year hiatus from reg…

“When the waitress asked if I wanted my pizza cut in four or eight slices, I sad, “Four. I don’t think I can eat eight.”