Archive for ‘Opinion’
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Small World: Challenge in the Middle East — Redux
By Henry Precht BN Columnist Two questions are haunting American foreign policy architects these days: What to do about ISIS in the Middle East and what to do about Putin in Eastern Europe. On their faces the two problems are not linked; in the background they are. Each poses a serious question for stability in […]
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Darkside of the Sun: Doctors hate this old woman
By Mike Corrigan BN Columnist On the screen, a picture of a rather attractive older lady, smiling. Beneath: “Doctors HATE This 78 Year Old Woman!†You’re supposed to click on the picture to find out why such a sweet-looking senior citizen has become the focus of the animus of all the M.D.s in the United […]
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Small World: Getting to know the enemy
By Henry Precht BN Columnist Murders, beheadings, kidnapping, hostage-taking, guerrilla warfare: These are some of the tactics of fanatic Islamic fundamentalist in today’s Middle East. Hateful, barbaric acts. Yet, on the theory that it might be wiser to try to understand the mentality of these young men rather than just despise them, I will try to […]
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Uppermost House: Waving at the offspring
By S. Peter Lewis BN Columnist I thought I was alone in the house that evening so when I went in to take a bath I closed the curtain around the tub, but left the door half open. I’m lying there, gently simmering with a good book, and my 21-year-old daughter just walks right in. […]
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Small World: Obama and his discontents
By Henry Prect BN Columnist Every American president since World War II has, if I am not mistaken, ended his tenure of one or two terms at a lower level of approval than he had earlier reached. It is certainly true so far for President Obama. Why the recurring slumps? And why specifically the downturn […]
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Darkside of the Sun: Dems vs. Pubs — Dumb, dumber
By Mike Corrigan BN Columnist The Republicans would like to impeach President Obama. In fact, this is National Impeach Obama Week, according to the Tea Party. What a noble cause! And it isn’t only the Republican extreme right wing that wants to shower the President with calumny. Somewhat warped presidential timber Mike Huckabee said the […]
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Small World: The Ayes (don’t) have it
By Henry Precht BN Columnist Two significant anniversaries this month: The 1914 beginning of fighting in World War I in Europe; and the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident in Vietnam. The outbreak of conflict 100 years ago followed a period of intense diplomacy within and between two alliances. Germany and Austria on one side; Russia, […]
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Darkside of the sun: Where’s Waldo? On the computer
By Mike Corrigan BN Columnist My nephew Waldo has been out of work for 27 years, which happens to be his age. The other day, I ordered him out of the basement and into the car. “We’re going to find you a job,†I told him. “But… but… But I’ve almost cracked Level 74!” Waldo […]
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Small World: Turning 12
By Henry Precht BN Columnist Bobby, a young friend of mine, turned 12 last week. That’s an important stage: the end of childhood and the cusp of the last stage before adulthood. Bobby is deep into sports, meaning in his case, baseball and basketball. Both are highly organized – Little League for baseball and its […]
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Darkside of the Sun: Tough crowd, shining faces playschool
By Mike Corrigan BN Columnist “Now children,†said the man in the brown felt hat with a bird sitting on top of it and a bird sitting on top of that bird, “I will tell you a story. Would you like that?†“Yes, yes!†screamed the children. “For our Wi-Fi is out and we are […]