Today it seems the Elon Musk post from last week has run its course. Page views for this site are now back to a sadly normal state -- in the range of 30 to 50 views a day. This return to earth arrives after five straight days of views in excess of 400. Two days … Continue reading Spreading the word to an international market
Can’t you smell that smell? Industrial hog farm practices go to court, finally
I saw an Associated Press story this morning about the start of a federal civil trial involving pork-producing giant Smithfield Foods and folks who unfortunately live near massive industrial livestock operations -- sites labeled quaintly as "farms." This is apparently the first of dozens of lawsuits stemming from neighbors of the facilities where millions of … Continue reading Can’t you smell that smell? Industrial hog farm practices go to court, finally
An Elon Musk joke turns into a bonanza for Elon University
Typically when I see Elon trending on Twitter what I find is a combination of posts about Elon University and Tesla inventor / co-founder and SpaceX designer / founder Elon Musk. And weigh that heavily on the side of Elon Musk. The guy is a newsmaker as well as an innovator and promoter. But the … Continue reading An Elon Musk joke turns into a bonanza for Elon University
Remembering April 1, 1993, when a shooting spree rocked Burlington
Update on Aug. 11, 2019: The New York Times today published a telling story that examines the lives of recent mass shooters in the United States. No one is surprised that all are men, but also nearly all expressed anger or hatred toward women in a variety of ways to friends, via internet chat rooms, … Continue reading Remembering April 1, 1993, when a shooting spree rocked Burlington
An enduring Easter family tradition
Easter was always about my grandfather. Well, that's probably overstating the case. And of course time changes things. Now it's also about my grandmother and my father and, well, many others, too. But when I was a kid growing up in the mountain town that will always be my first home, Easter was about my … Continue reading An enduring Easter family tradition
Town of Elon’s ‘parklets’ are more than talk now
The town of Elon started talking about "parklets" in the fall of 2017. Last week I saw the start of what the downtown additions are going to look like. Up to now, the parklet idea was merely a concept, something conceived on the West Coast to turn small areas into places where people can sit, … Continue reading Town of Elon’s ‘parklets’ are more than talk now
Monitoring breaking news: About that ticker at Elon
Nine days ago on March 13 a sharply divided Elon town Board of Aldermen decided to alter its existing law regarding electronic signs and allow Elon University to begin operating a non-stop news ticker outside the School of Communications, on Citrone Plaza overlooking the main drag -- Williamson Avenue. The ticker had been shut down … Continue reading Monitoring breaking news: About that ticker at Elon
Throwback Thursday: Five years ago we noted a special day in Burlington
Five years ago this week -- on March 19 -- we managed to pull the wool over the eyes of Don Bolden, a retired newspaper reporter and editor, editor emeritus of the Times-News, historian, community leader and community treasure. He's also the guy who originally hired me at the Times-News in 1984, but don't hold … Continue reading Throwback Thursday: Five years ago we noted a special day in Burlington
The funeral for Lee Harvey Oswald, a job nobody wanted
News I saw overnight about the funeral in Porterville, Calif. for the late mass murderer Charles Manson reminded me of another occasion a reviled or controversial figure was put to rest. When presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was killed in the tumultuous days following the murder of John F. Kennedy it was difficult to find … Continue reading The funeral for Lee Harvey Oswald, a job nobody wanted
Words and ideas from elected leaders really do matter
Friday morning as I prepared to leave for work I checked my Facebook newsfeed. I usually gaze for a few minutes at it and the Twitter feed to see what might have happened overnight. Could be news, sports, commentary or mainly just plain everyday human crap disguised as thought. Lately there is way too much … Continue reading Words and ideas from elected leaders really do matter
Madison's Avenue 