Just a thought by Judith Martin-Straw

You very likely have a ballot; maybe it’s sitting on your desk, or languishing with a pile of mail on the table. It’s actually very important, and you should fill it out and mail it. …[READ MORE]

The art of the essay is about taking an idea out to play, in order to prove a point. There’s a thesis statement, “Hey, how about this?” and then some argument for and against, and …[READ MORE]

The text of Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny – 20 Lessons from the 20th Century is brief, blunt, essential reading right now. The advice of Snyder, a historian and a specialist in totalitarianism, is as simple …[READ MORE]

I keep coming back to Sandra Bland.  I’m as distraught and depressed as most everyone else, but I’m taking some very cold comfort from the fact that it has always been like this.  As author …[READ MORE]

Breaking up with a a media outlet that you have considered essential for years is a challenge. Sheer habit alone will keep you there, but sometime change is so needed, nothing can prevent it.   I …[READ MORE]

With the dark cloud of recession looming large, current economic policies remind me that voting with my wallet is the ballot they have to count. I find myself asking friends and family – what are …[READ MORE]

A friend was talking about having to take a ‘stress test’ as part of a physical exam, and the phrase set off laughter among the group of listeners.  “Oh, a stress test like, getting out …[READ MORE]

It comes back, over and over again, to the basic choice of civilization. Either some people are more important than others, and they should make the decisions – OR – everyone’s voice matters and we …[READ MORE]

The unfortunate phrase “doubling down” has been used so often by mainstream media that it’s become kind of bland, and it shouldn’t be. It’s gambling language, and it is used to frame a situation where …[READ MORE]

As someone who has anxiety issues, I often practice meditation as way of helping myself through a challenge. While I’ve been teaching yoga for decades; at this moment, I’m not going to suggest that you …[READ MORE]