“It is good to be children at times and never better than at Christmas.” — Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol Ten years ago I added another day to my “Top Ten” list of my entire life. That November day n 2011 was cool and grey. The Winter birds flew across
Turmoil verses resolution. Toxic verses refined. Tumultuous versus reverie. We are worlds apart in many places and many view the world with friction instead of fraternity. We can make choices of how we want to see ourselves. In spite of the raucous behavior of some individuals instead of tenderness, those
Third of three parts The previous part is at thevoice.us/the-1619-project-creates-startling-reactions The 1619 Project: a New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah Jones, editor, recently was examined in Kirkus Reviews, which reviews books The first two parts set up part three which is a dialogue between Karen Long, manager of the Anisfield
It was a beautiful September day and Dale Berman came to the Cole Center in Aurora for his Fox Valley Park District book interview. What a complete delight! Dale Berman was born January 3, 1934. He served in the U.S. Army, 1954-1956, in South Carolina with anti-aircraft artillery on the
In celebration of Christmas and Hanukkah, I’m presenting the tale of this heartwarming event from my past, the days when I was a musician, traveling throughout the Midwest as part of a troupe of magicians and clowns presenting 90-minute Christmas magic shows twice daily to benefit charitable organizations. I was
Second of three parts The first part is at thevoice.us/genesis-purpose-of-the-1619-project-explored The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah Jones, editor, recently was examined in the Kirkus Reviews, which reviews books. In part one, the purpose of the 1619 Project was explored, which started with with the first ship
“The happy person is the person who does something.” —Mary Lemist Titcomb In the late 19th Century the American School Library was a traveling frontier library published by Harper & Brothers. The Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of American History has the only complete original set of that series complete with
We’ve just celebrated Thanksgiving Day (I’m writing this essay on that day). Well, not all of us are celebrating, because that day has been so ingrained into our collective psyche that we’ve forgotten what the true origin of it was. We have been taught that the first English-speaking people came
By Bruce J. Black, Horticulture Educator, Illinois Extension Winter is that time of year where gardeners rest and plan for Spring. But with the holidays, why not make loved ones plant gifts? Impossible bottles, or bottles with an object inside that doesn’t seem like it can fit through the bottle’s
Holiday season is in full gear. Such a season covers a wide range for many of us from financial concerns to bad or good memories, of simple frowns in dealing with frustrations of all kinds. It is with confidence we can say it is possible to get through it, enjoy
First of three parts The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones, editor, recently was examined in the Kirkus Reviews, which reviews books. Here is the review. “A dramatic expansion of a groundbreaking work of journalism, The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story offers a profoundly revealing vision
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us.” — Jane Addams Elizabeth, the child, passed the night and went straight into her Heavenly Father’s arms. She died of malnutrition in the tenements of New York City, 1910. She left four
Ever wonder? Do you ever wonder what happened to the neutron bomb? Neither do I. I’m kidding. I do wonder because it was supposed to be the next big thing in ultimate weaponry. When detonated, it would kill people due to radiation poisoning and not destroy their stuff, things such
Readers will be pleased to know that I have brought on a part-time research assistant (RA). So, I no longer will have to make things up for my writings, and can use real facts based on research, if I choose to do so. What an improvement! New RA Kyle Dennison
If we think to one year ago we should remember the countrywide shutdown because of COVID-19 was accelerating and not slowing down. It took until earlier this year that the pandemic was finding corrections and modification. Will we continue that course of improvement without sustaining setbacks? An optimist would find
Last of a three parts The previous part is at https://thevoice.us/facebook-prioritized-growth-over-safety-60-minute Frances Haugen said in her time with Facebook she saw, “conflicts of interest between what was good for the public and what was good for Facebook.” Scott Pelley reported on a recent CBS 60 Minutes television show Frances Haugen
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” —Declaration of Independence The story about women’s suffrage begins with Lucy Stone and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Susan B. Anthony did get the education she wanted, but then she was forbidden to speak in public against slavery. •
I came across a fascinating essay two weeks ago, and I’d like to share it with you, dear reader. Upon checking my E-mail, one of my monthly feeds – www.wama.com – caught my eye immediately. The headline of the essay shouted “Is Hemp Stronger Than Steel?” Ever the Curious George,
By Tom Siebert I am the least objective reviewer of a Bob Dylan concert, having devoted endless hours listening to his genius music since college days, having literally lived for his next album, and having now seen him live for the fifth time Wednesday, Nov. 3, along with nearly 4,000
Homelessness is one of those subjects no one really wants to talk about. It’s not as salacious as a crime story, or as fertile ground for heated partisan debate, as many other topics in the news, which is why it is seldom in the news at all. Consequently, it’s seldom
