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On the Iran war and assorted other topics

Some random thoughts while wondering why Bigfoot is suddenly on the move in Northeastern Ohio: • I’m having a bit of a hard time getting worked up about the United States and Israel taking out most of Iran’s leadership and a good portion of the rogue country’s military assets. The ...

Some friendships are just built to last

I think I was in sixth grade when I decided that I had outgrown Eddie. That’s when I started turning in my homework as Ed. It seemed more mature, even if I really wasn’t. But the family and friends I’d grown up with never received the memo. Why not? It was 1979 and we had no way to ...

Some things are better left unsaid or unposted

“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” — George Carlin No, I’m not referring to any actual people with that well-known quote from George Carlin, one of the greatest comedians of our time. And I understand that “our time” refers to people of a certain age, commonly referred to in a disparaging manner as “boomers” by folks whose familiarity with the 20th century is questionable at best. I’ve always found it odd that people who remember when things were different are automatically denigrated as “Boomers” ...

It’s almost time for two great words: ‘Play ball’

During a press conference in April 1986, President Ronald Reagan reportedly said that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” The Great Communicator — as Reagan became known during his two terms — was not wrong. ...

When will the family of Raymond Fife see justice done?

Raymond Fife would have turned 53 on Jan. 27. Had he lived, Raymond might have celebrated his birthday with his wife and children, his siblings and his mother, Miriam. Danny Lee Hill and Timothy Combs made sure that didn’t happen when they took 12-year-old Raymond’s life in September 1985. No one ever got to know the man he could have become. I remember reading about the case when it happened. The viciousness and randomness of what happened to Raymond changed Warren and the people who lived here. Some parents wouldn’t let their kids go outside alone after that. There had ...

Even if it’s ICE-y outside, keep protests out of churches

Don Lemon, in his neverending quest to reacquire some form of relevance after his CNN show assumed room temperature, barged into a St. Paul, Minnesota, church during a Sunday service — accompanied by a horde of obnoxious protesters — to rail against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ...