The University of California, Berkeley is known for many things, some good and some very bad, even outrageous.

Mid-term election cycles tend to not favor the party in power in the White House. True to form, President Joe Biden and the Democratic majority in the U.S. House and tie balance in the U.S. Senate are bearing the brunt of voter concerns about runaway inflation, a recession, and the fast-risi…

The summer after we married, I gave Tink his most treasured gift.

Italy has elected its first female prime minister. Normally that would be cause for celebration by those who promote diversity, but press reaction in Europe and the United States is treating Giorgia Meloni as the second coming of Italian dictator and Adolf Hitler ally, Benito Mussolini.

The enormous mass public demonstrations in Iran could bring a change in regime. The fundamentalist Islamic rulers of the nation must be worried. A large number of cities across the country are experiencing the ongoing protests, though estimates of just how many vary.

Korea is in the news on several fronts, with even more noteworthy developments than usual.

I see so much negativity. Think about this: 2 years ago, we couldn’t go anywhere, we didn’t have a vaccine, and our friends were sick or dying. Cardboard cutouts were in the seats at ball games. Look at us now! Every stadium is packed. 100,000 fans packed into Bristol Motor Speedway! If you had told me in 2020 that in two years, we could get out and have fun again...BUT, gas would be a dollar a gallon higher, I would have taken that deal.

House Republican leaders have announced a plan they are calling a "Commitment to America" in time for the November election and presumably the presidential contest two years from now.

There are many compliments that I can give to my husband, Tink.

You almost always know a bridge builder when you meet them. They bring people together, share aspirations and inspire others. DeKalb County government's CEO, Michael Thurmond, is a bridge builder.

Supreme Court justices return to work next month following a tumultuous last session in which the majority issued some controversial rulings, most notably the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

“No problem.”

Have you noticed that when some political candidates and elected officials speak, their words often ring hollow? It’s almost as if they aren’t being honest (imagine that). Wouldn’t you like to know what they really mean? As a public service, I will list some common political doubletalk, followed by the truth. Clip and save this column, and the next time a politician speaks, you’ll have a handy translation guide!

The saying “the chickens have come home to roost” seems to apply to the immigration policies of the Biden administration, sanctuary cities and states.

It is no longer clear to me as to when I read first the words of Julia Reed. But it is quite vivid as to when I moved from being a reader of hers to being a fan.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II, preceded by husband Prince Philip last year, is generating worldwide condolences. They personified continuity of important institutions, and relationships, in a turbulent time. Most personally, they were married for 70 years.

Americans are not the only ones suffering from high fuel and food prices, along with rapidly increasing costs for housing and rising mortgage rates.

Our family, particularly on my father's side is of Scotch/Irish/Welch descent. I have long considered myself a bit of an Anglophile.

When Cassandra and Gary Wiseman bought 185 acres of land in rural Jackson County, they envisioned preserving the land through sustainable forestry stewardship. Over the next decade, they recognized the abundance of naturally growing muscadine vines throughout the property. This bounty ultimately sparked the dream of operating a vineyard and winery on the property.

I saw a billboard recently for a psychic who would reveal your future. I just laughed.

Watching BBC and Sky News coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, one is struck by the adjectives used by reporters, commentators and people interviewed outside Balmoral castle and Buckingham Palace: sense of duty, virtue, integrity, service.

It happens to all of us. We do a kindness for someone then never think of it again.

I’m confused.

Except for my long-treasured Blackberry, I have never been an early adapter. Never "that guy" with the newest gadget, toy or hot car. My one deviance was the first-year model of the Pontiac Fiero, and that engine caught on fire...

“A riddle, wrapped in an enigma, inside a mystery.”

That is how Winston Churchill, the great wartime leader of Great Britain, described the difficulty of dealing with Russia. He spoke the words in 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II in Europe.

California has become an example of what a state looks like when it is controlled by a single party - in this case Democrats - who are trying to impose a green energy secular religion on their people.

“Half of that goes to the bank for your college fund!”

People who follow politics are familiar with the scenario. When a Republican "wave" appears likely, or a Republican presidential candidate develops a significant lead over the Democrat candidate, the media begin reporting "stories" that the wave is receding, and the Democrat is gaining ground.

There is a scripture in the Bible. As far as I know, it is not in all translations of the Bible. But this I know for certain: It is in the King James Version.

The definition of winsome is "sweetly or innocently charming: winning, engaging."

The war in Ukraine continues, with no decisive victory and no conclusion yet visible. The greatest lesson so far is the unpredictability of war, a durable truth frequently ignored.

Frank Sinatra reportedly LOVED the color orange. At a certain point in his life he reportedly and almost constantly wore orange sweaters. I love the Chairman of the Board and adore his contributions to the American Songbook. However, this will continue to be something on which we disagree. But that is part of the beauty of America... civil disagreement. Not a Civil War.

In a beggarly attempt to buy votes, Biden just saddled you, the American taxpayer, with another half a trillion (some experts estimate a full trillion) dollars of debt to pay for mostly upper-middle class children’s college.

I recently picked up a Rolling Stone magazine. It was never known to be a source of country music information, but for some reason they decided to name “The 25 Greatest Country Songs of All Time.”

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has been in office only seven months and already he is listed at number five in a Washington Post story about possible 2024 GOP presidential candidates.

It happened the other day. I was reminded of the richness of my life because of the treasure trove of long-lasting friendships.

Predictably, North Korea has rejected an offer from the South Korea government of economic aid in return for nuclear disarmament. South Korea’s new President Yoon Suk-yeol initially made the suggestion during his inauguration in May. On Aug. 15, he advanced the proposal in a speech.

This has been the summer where Americans returned to travel, and took their chances with COVID-19 meeting them on the road.

The next time Republicans control all three branches of government they may wish to visit an old idea — the flat tax. When magazine publisher and Republican Steve Forbes ran for president in 1996, the flat tax was at the heart of his campaign.

“The wind blew some luck in my direction….I caught it in my hands today…”

Conspiracy theories sometimes have at least a thread of truth in them, which is what makes them valid to some on the far right.

Thankfully, Salman Rushdie survived the vicious knife attack in New York. The severely wounded author faces long recuperation and may lose an eye.

Everything about the family in which I grew up, was modest.

A long time ago I watched a documentary about poet Emily Dickenson’s life and writings.

In January 1925, President Calvin Coolidge, addressed the American Society of Newspaper Editors in Washington. In his remarks, Coolidge said, "the chief business of the American people is business. They are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling, investing, and prospering in the world."

Here's the story of the high-flying funny money that flew too close to the sun... and then...

The November midterm election is less than three months away.

Commenting about the FBI executing a search warrant on former president Donald Trump's Florida home, which he approved, Attorney General Merrick Garland said: "Faithful adherence to the rule of law is the bedrock principle of the Justice Department and of our democracy. ... All Americans are entitled to the even-handed application of the law, to due process, and to the presumption of innocence."