In the mid-1850′s, a political party called the “Know Nothings” grew in America. They were also known as the American Party and the Republican American Party. They were fiercely anti-immigration, particularly against the unwashed masses of Catholics arriving on our shores from Germany and Ireland. They felt that these new groups would owe fealty to the Pope. They … Continue reading
Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the death of blues rock guitar great Stevie Ray Vaughan. He had just finished a monster show at the Alpine Valley ski resort in Wisconsin. Other players on the bill included his brother Jimmie, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and Robert Cray. After the show some of the performers boarded helicopters (continue reading)
For the NBA this became the “summer of Lebron” as the world was supposed to wait with bated breath to see which team this spoiled athlete would allow to pay him millions. Lost in the shuffle was a press conference with league commissioner David Stern in which he threatened that the 2011-2012 season may be cancelled. The NFL … Continue reading
As Barrack Obama has dropped in the polls lately I’ve wondered how this may affect Hillary Clinton’s presidential ambitions. Usually sitting presidents are immune from primary challenges within their own primary; except when they appear vulnerable. Ronald Reagan challenged incumbent Gerald Ford in 1976. The argument then was that Ford had never been elected president, having … Continue reading
Pretty soon I’ll be taking off for another cross-country drive. Since I’ll be travelling in remote areas with limited radio reception, I’m putting together a few CDs of top road trip songs. Some good driving songs will grab you at the opening power chord and have a thumping beat that makes you put the pedal to the metal. Others … Continue reading
Recently I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. For some reason I hadn’t expected much but it far surpassed my expectations. What I had not predicted was how it would be such a religious experience. Currently there is a special exhibit featuring the music of Bruce Springsteen. The title of the … Continue reading
The daughter of a friend of mine recently graduated from high school. During her time in school she participated in exchange programs in Japan, Israel and England. I think it’s great that American students learn about other cultures. One area that is overlooked in this process is other American cultures. I’ve travelled all over the US for the last four … Continue reading
On a recent jaunt around Idaho and Montana I noticed a lot more anti-government lawn signs and bumper stickers than I usually encounter in my purple state of Pennsylvania. Here are a few that caught my eye. Leaning against a barn I saw a piece of white plywood hand painted in black: “Keep the governments hands off … Continue reading
It seems our friends across the Atlantic have taken notice of plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero in lower Manhattan. Nigel Blite-Lillywistle, spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron, recently announced, “we feel it is horrendous to allow people who may look like the perpetrators of 9/11 to be permitted to build a terrorism center … Continue reading
As I was barreling down the interstate in South Dakota recently I noticed a brand of gas I had never seen before, Casino Gasoline. It seems like every gas station I passed had those two words prominently displayed on their sign. Being a bit slow on the uptake I finally realized that there actually were … Continue reading
Whenever I travel I like to get a copy of the local newspaper to see what’s going on around the country and to get other viewpoints. They provide more insight than reading the short paragraphs of USA Today. Last week I was in South Dakota so I had the opportunity to read the Rapid City … Continue reading
