Some random thoughts as we say farewell to 2018 and wonder what 2019 will hold. I saw this sign in Wichita recently: We are ugly house buyers. There is no photo, so I can’t be sure what these realtor wannabes look like, but I am guessing a clearer statement would be: We buy ugly houses. But, I don’t know. Perhaps […]

I’m sure more than one set of eyes rolled when the news broke that the state of Kansas recalled some 731 license plates with the letters “JAP” on them. Apparently, one of the vehicle tags was spotted in California, and a gentleman there wrote our governor, the Kansas Department of Revenue and the U.S. Department of Transportation to express that […]

No matter which way you lean politically, one thing should be clear to everyone: America is facing a crisis of killing, and guns are the weapons of choice. As I write this late Thursday, the country is reeling again from another mass shooting, this time at a country music bar in California. For the record, this is the 307th time […]

Because words matter; sometimes actions speak louder than words, and sometimes they don’t. Because men (and women) are of God, and borders are of man. Because people are people, no matter what they look like or where they are from. Because being louder doesn’t make one righter. Because, historically, 25 percent of Kansas are responsible for making decisions that affect […]

I typically become unhappy when parents take students out of school for family vacations. Why can’t they travel during the summer or Christmas break or spring break? I have been heard to ask. Well, last week, I basically did the same thing. My wife and I packed up the camper and headed for the hills. Technically, it was the mountains, […]

A person never knows what can be found at a second-hand store. I was perusing the bookshelves at a local charity shop recently and came across an interesting paperback, “The Band Name Book.” Its pages contained just what one would expect in a volume with that title, a list of thousands of rock music group names. The original retail price […]

rSome people mistakenly believe that spending money on travel is a waste of funds. I certainly disagree. There is much to learn when one mounts a car, boat, plane, motorcycle or even a bicycle for a long-distance journey. A June trip to the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom was most assuredly a learning experience. Allow me to share […]

I own books. I also own a Kindle electronic reader. Each has its particular strengths, and each has obvious weaknesses. I believe they can coexist in the modern world. Obviously, books were here first. Once Johannes Gutenberg developed movable type, the printed word took off. From the Bible to “Fifty Shades of Grey,” books have affected human lives in profound […]

The recent arrival of our twin grandchildren has started my thinking about what sage advice I can give them as they grow. I remember hearing plenty of interesting, though often inaccurate, maxims. Here are some of my favorites. Wait an hour after eating to go swimming. I was told I might get cramps as blood moves from my extremities to […]

I have been announcing sporting events for, well, more years than I care to admit. I started while I was still in my 20s. And, I like to think I have learned a thing or two because, as the TV ad goes, I have seen a thing or two. So, as another basketball season has come to a close, by […]