Posted inHealth

A son’s love and hospice supported a Salem woman during her last days

There's a lot of negativity floating around these days. I fall prey to it. I also contribute to it. So to be able to share a 100% positive story of how an old friend and hospice workers made a Salem woman's last days before she died as comfortable as possible -- that's a pleasure. Jim Ramsey is the friend. I've known him since the early 1970s. When he was part of Ramsey Real Estate, Jim was the realtor who found a house for my wife and me in 1977, enabling us to move from Portland to Salem when I got…
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Posted inWriting/Weblogs

I’ll accept the praise of my writing, even though it’s a bit over-the-top

I have to be honest. As much as I aspire to humility, in truth I really enjoy being praised. That was evident to me today when I read a comment on my Church of the Churchless blog by a regular reader of my posts, who calls himself Appreciative Reader. An apt name, since in the comment he praised my writing on the blog in a fashion that would have embarrassed me if I wasn't so much in agreement with this Noel Coward quote. I've shared the comment below. It means a lot to me, so I wanted to make it…
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Posted inCurrent affairs

Ukraine aid bill passes in House. Bad news for Russia.

I'm happy for Ukraine. This embattled nation, which has been bravely fighting the unprovoked Russian invasion since February 24, 2022, has been waiting for more American aid for months due to dithering by House Republicans.  But today Ukraine had something to celebrate: $60 billion in aid. It took Democrats to get the aid bill across the House finishing line, first by supplying votes needed to have the bill move out of the Rules Committee, then by supplying votes needed to have the bill approved by the full House. The vote breakdown is a mark of shame for the 112 House…
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Posted inCurrent affairs

Iran’s attack on Israel shows urgent need for military aid to Ukraine

It's time. Way past time, actually. For the good-for-almost-nothing House Republicans to show that they're not completely useless by finally getting off their GOP butts and passing the Senate bill that has much needed aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan this coming week. A lot of damage already has been done. Ukraine is running out of artillery shells, ammunition, air defense missiles, and other essential military gear needed to fend off the Russian invasion of their country. All because of Republicans. The GOP used to be the party that stood up to Russia and wanted the United States to defend…
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Posted inSports

I enjoyed women’s Final Four more than the men’s

It was a slogan for a cigarette brand, Virginia Slims, way back in 1968, but it still seems an appropriate way to describe the state of women's basketball in 2024: You've come a long way, baby. (OK, calling a woman "baby" may not be appropriate to some. However, that's part of how far women have come, both off and on a basketball court.) Yesterday I watched the women's NCAA championship game between Iowa and South Carolina. It was the most watched basketball game, men or women, college or pro, since 2019. For good reason. South Carolina was undefeated. Iowa had…
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Posted inHome life Scootering

Why I didn’t buy a Can-Am Spyder after my test drive

At the age of 75, I figured my motorcycle and scooter days were beyond me. After owning a little Honda 55 in high school, which I took to college, I got my motorcycle endorsement in my 40s, owned one for a year or so, then limited myself to cars until I bought a Suzuki Burgman 650 scooter in 2009. I liked it a lot. Rode it for about three years. I might still be, except I succumbed to my wife's dislike of the maxi-scooter, since every time I rode it, she was convinced I was going to die riding it.…
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