Craig's Corner

Its resolution season. 45% will make them this week and 8% will succeed at them. Losing weight, getting organized, spending less and saving more are the top three goals people have. I gave up on New Year’s resolutions some time back less out of frustration and more out of a realization that having self-improvement goals shouldn’t be tied to the calendar. A couple I know have a great tradition – on New Year’s Eve they write down their 10 resolutions for the upcoming year. They then open the resolutions from the prior year to see how they did. It’s a fun way to keep yourself accountable for a goal without all the hoopla. As we enter the 2016 political season, however, it’s all about hoopla. The media – television, newspapers, social media – have covered political campaigns like sporting events for more than a generation. Who’s up, who’s down is more important than what they stand for. The reason why a candidate supports a policy is far more interesting to speculate on than the is

Inspired by Major Henry Livingston Jr. (1748-1828)  (previously believed to be by Clement Clarke Moore) Liberally AND Conservatively adapted... 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the country Not a consensus was found, not even agreement; The issues were outlined by the pundits with care, In hopes that St. Freedom soon would be there; The politicians were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of re-election danced in their heads; And pappa in his earplugs, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter's nap, When out on the internet there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the windows I flew like a flash, Clicked open the laptop and logged in to see. The emails and videos of the candidates grew Gave the fact-checkers much work to do, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny hopefuls, With a little old

I enjoy Star Wars – but am not a super fan. My partner is and we enjoyed all six movies (in episodic order) this week in anticipation for the first showing of Episode VII. Not everybody is a supporter of the George Lucas franchise – and that’s what makes America great. In America you’re supposed to be able to say “Star Wars is great” or “Star Wars sucks” and have it be ok. Spirited debate? Sure. It’s a little thing the founders thought of called the First Amendment. It was so important to them that it is, you know the  FIRST thing they agreed on to define the new country.  Too bad free speech is becoming a vestige of a galaxy long long ago. A middle-schooler wearing a t-shirt with a storm trooper holding a gun on it was banned from wearing the shirt. The school is in Texas . Texas! Texas is where you can wear a side arm to Starbucks or sling your shoulder rifle during a spree at Walmart. The ‘zero tolerance’ policy at schools takes no prisoners. Common sense isn’t part of the

I’m not book smart. I pick up things by watching and doing, less by studying and memorizing. This resulted in my being a mediocre student but a smart-ass wise-aleck in the classroom. Even though I learn a little differently than many, I have a deep appreciation for history. I agree with poet and philosopher George Santayana who said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (Thanks Wikipedia !)  This has never been more true than today. Adolph Hitler  was an Austrian-born German politician who was leader of the Nazi Party, NSDAP), Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and Führer ("leader") of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945. He was a decorated war veteran from World War I He gained popular support by attacking the Treaty of Versailles and promoting Pan-Germanism, anti-Semitism, and anti-communism with charismatic oratory and propaganda. He denounced international capitalism and communism as being part of a Jewish conspiracy.

We have a wonderful gift giving tradition in our family. My grandmother gave each of her grandchildren some money to buy presents at the holidays. Her premise was that there’s as much (if not more) joy and satisfaction in being the gift giver rather than the receiver. It stuck and I’ve been a giver ever since. In September I remember seeing the first holiday display go up in a store. People on social media bemoan the “early” start of the marketing and commercialization of the Christmas season. If nobody bought anything from that display until the beginning of December, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the displays would disappear until then. The marketplace is the decider. “Black Friday” has become its own event – rather than just a description accounting people use to describe the day after Thanksgiving when many retailers move from being in the ‘red’ to being in the ‘black’. Now there’s Pre-Black-Friday sales and Black-Friday specials all throughout November. It’s a