Peg Luksik
Thu, September 02, 2010
Just Stuff
The executive was on a business trip to an exotic city. During a break between meetings, he decided to wander through the open air marketplace.
At one of the booths, an elderly ...
Thu, August 26, 2010
Not Like the Others
Did you ever watch Sesame Street with your kids? There was a game called, "One of these things is not like the others", in which several objects were placed in a line. The object of the ...
Fri, August 13, 2010
Mirror, Mirror
Mirrors are funny things. They show exactly what is standing in front of
them, without either embellishment or camouflage. So if we are looking for
the fairest of them all, we all hope ...
Mon, August 09, 2010
Insanity
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting the result to be different.
One might apply that definition to this year's elections.
Every ...
Fri, July 30, 2010
Whatever Happened to Polite?
Many high schools across our nation are now having seminars for parents on how to behave at the sporting events of their children. Referees are having obscenities screamed at them from the stands, ...
Thu, July 22, 2010
The Source of Liberty
When Pope Benedict XVI made his historic visit to the United States, he was welcomed by enormous and enthusiastic crowds. His Holiness reminded us all that faith can bring meaning and purpose to ...
Wed, July 14, 2010
Just the Facts, Please
The ongoing debate over the nature of Islam and the level of threat that it may pose to America has been loud and vitriolic. On one side, there are those who proclaim that Islam is a religion of ...
Fri, July 09, 2010
Redefining Morality
The young woman was dating a very nice guy. They had gotten past first impressions and the fun-filled entertainment that fills the time in new relationships, and were beginning to talk about ...
Fri, July 02, 2010
Missing Words
Our national birthday celebration is about to begin. There will be municipal fireworks, concerts and parades. Neighbors will enjoy backyard barbecues and block parties. The stars and stripes will ...
Tue, May 25, 2010
Definitions
It's not always enough to use the same words.
Comedians pepper their routines with the double meanings that the same words
can have. English-language students ...
Fri, April 30, 2010
A Tale of Two Movements
Politics is like a seesaw. The politician stands between competing positions, trying to balance the two. The positions are held by advocacy groups who each want the political figure to embrace ...
Wed, April 14, 2010
Breaking the Contract
In every country, there is a relationship between the citizens and the state. The nature of that relationship determines whether the citizens are free or the state is a tyranny. It was a break in the ...
Fri, April 02, 2010
Practicality
Today is Good Friday. On this day, Christians around the world will gather to commemorate the most impractical act a man ever committed. On this day, one man chose to die so countless others, many ...
Wed, March 24, 2010
Enough
This weekend Americans watched a new era begin in Washington. It does not promise to be an era of freedom or prosperity.
For months, citizens have been attending ...
Tue, March 16, 2010
The Cost of Conviction
We Americans are proud of our varied ethnic heritages. We laughingly debate who is more stubborn, or creative, or outgoing. And we enjoy sharing how many different backgrounds are contained in our ...
Fri, March 05, 2010
Is it a Right?
Underneath all the debate over how to change America?s health care system lies a basic question. Our answer to that question will determine how we should proceed with delivering health care in ...
Fri, February 26, 2010
Beyond Disrespect
We display yellow ribbons to support our military men and women.? We pray for them, privately and publicly.? We write letters and send supplies.? In every segment of our society, Americans are ...
Wed, February 17, 2010
Removing the Tentacles
Federal government policies almost always reach far beyond their intended
consequences, creating problems in areas that their Washington advocates
never anticipated. It's like a ...
Tue, February 09, 2010
Reality's Ugly Head
Police officers receive reports of activity by criminals all the time.
They receive these reports in two basic forms.
The first type of report begins with the ...
Thu, February 04, 2010
New Budgeting
In the 1960's, the schools introduced "New Math". The students were no longer taught to use basic principles of mathematics to arrive a solution to the problem presented. They were ...
Thu, January 28, 2010
Hello, Mrs. Cleaver
In the 1950's, Beaver Cleaver and his family were invited into our homes every week. We met Ward and June Cleaver, parents who seemed to have all the answers. We met Wally, the older brother who ...
Tue, January 19, 2010
American Government Out of Touch with Voters
Today, the levels of distrust and alienation between we Americans and our elected officials are frighteningly high and getting worse. If we are ever going to restore the relationship between ...
Fri, January 15, 2010
Redefining Success
Every business or civic organization knows that the key to achieving their goals begins with a clear definition of what "success" means.
A delivery ...
Tue, December 22, 2009
Come to the Stable
When my kids were little, we used to tell them a little bit of the Christmas story every night in December. Each night we would review what had already happened, and then add a piece. Sometimes I ...
Wed, December 16, 2009
From B to A
A little over 2000 years ago, a girl named Mary believed a Messianic prophecy, and an angel who told her that she was about to play a pivotal role in it. And because she believed, and acted on that ...
Tue, December 08, 2009
Yes, Virginia
Years ago, a little girl named Virginia O'Hanlon wrote to the editor of the New York Sun asking if Santa Claus was real. His answer, which spoke of skeptical men in a skeptical age who only believed ...
Mon, November 30, 2009
Good Enough?
Sometimes extra-curricular activities seem to teach our kids more about excellence than academic subjects.
One of my sons is a singer. Throughout his high school career, he has sung for ...
Tue, November 24, 2009
The Unnamed Holiday
Welcome to the 2009 Unnamed Holiday Season
We will shop for Unnamed Holiday gifts. Our children will participate in public school Unnamed Holiday concerts ...
Tue, November 17, 2009
Thanks for the Fleas
Like most Americans, I have spent a lot of time on my knees, asking God for help with the challenges that members of my family were facing. As each of my kids grew, I prayed with them as well as for ...
Tue, November 10, 2009
Support and Defend
We have parades and speeches. We attend memorial services. We watch reruns of war movies. We may even buy a veteran or a current member of our armed forces a beer.
Our annual ...
Wed, November 04, 2009
'Not, I,' Said the Dog
Once upon a time a little red hen decided that she wanted to have some bread to eat. So she planted wheat, tended her crop, harvested the ripe grain, ground it into flour, and then baked her bread. ...
Fri, October 30, 2009
Trick or Treat
Halloween a Socialist Holiday?
Did you ever notice that Halloween was a socialist holiday?
People who do not work knock on the doors of people who do and ask them to share their wealth. And the ...
Tue, October 20, 2009
Transfusions
The patient was wheeled into the emergency room. The paramedics who brought him
filed a report describing that he had been weak and lethargic. They had been unable to revive him at home, and ...
Mon, October 12, 2009
Do You Know What You Should Do?
Have you ever been in charge of a project or program? Then you have probably been the recipient of the advice of friends, co-workers, or onlookers who are full of wisdom about how you could be doing ...
Thu, September 17, 2009
Changing the Question
There is an exercise that is often presented to students called the "Lifeboat". In the exercise, there is a lifeboat with ten people in it. The students are given a bio of each of the ...
Wed, September 02, 2009
Ask Not . . .
When John F. Kennedy challenged Americans in his inaugural address, the idea that the government should somehow provide for the individual citizen was in its infancy. In his speech that day, Kennedy ...
Fri, August 28, 2009
Hyphenated Americans
Every March, Americans of Irish descent, and Americans who just love a good party, come together to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Schools and workplaces will look like someone mandated green ...
Thu, August 20, 2009
Where's the Bill?
Some members of the U.S. House and Senate are spending the month of August holding town meetings about the federal health care overhaul. They continue to express surprise at the level of anger and ...
Thu, August 13, 2009
Talking Back
In the town meetings being conducted across America, citizens are asking the members of Congress who are promoting the proposed health care reform if they are willing to sign themselves and their ...
Fri, August 07, 2009
Ideology Matters
Supreme Court Justices have unique job descriptions in the political arena. First, their appointment lasts for their lifetime, without any opportunity for review. Second, the sum total of their ...
Wed, July 29, 2009
Wooden Bowls and Broken Hips
Once upon a time there was a grandmother who lived with her
son and his family. As she aged, her coordination deteriorated, and she began to spill things at the table, sometimes breaking dishes ...
Wed, July 22, 2009
Dying Slowly
There is a scene in the second movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy where we meet the King of Rohan, a man who had been known throughout the land for his bravery and strength. But when we first ...
Tue, July 14, 2009
Beyond the Wallet
Over the past four months, thousands of Americans have participated in the 21st century version of the Boston Tea Party, protesting the actions of politicians who seem to believe that they have an ...
Mon, July 06, 2009
Care, Not Cards
Elected officials in Washington are poised to begin debate on health care. They can't wait to expand the government's role in medicine, citing the need to control costs and guarantee health services ...
Mon, June 29, 2009
I Win
Anyone who has ever played a game with a five-year-old knows that there is only one rule. The five-year-old has to win. Any other rule is just a suggestion if it would result in the five-year-old ...
Tue, June 23, 2009
"L'etat, c'est moi!"
French King Louis XIV believed that he had the right to do whatever he desired as the ruler of France. When asked to explain how he thought the king should interact with the rest of the government ...
Mon, June 15, 2009
Higher Authority
Today, everyone is quoting the Founding Fathers. The words of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin, to name just a few, are appearing in newspaper articles, ...
Mon, June 08, 2009
Golden Chains
The South Caroline Supreme Court recently ruled that the Governor was "required" to accept the stimulus money that the federal government is "offering" to the states. The ...
Tue, June 02, 2009
Giving Sight to the Blind
Judge Sotomayer, President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court, has been widely quoted as saying that Latino women would make better decisions than white men. Her statements in this area have ...
Tue, May 26, 2009
Climbing Down the Ladder of Success
Is America one major corporation, with 50 branch offices spread across the land, or is she a system of franchises, each of which is separately "owned and operated"?
The federal ...
Tue, May 12, 2009
Beyond the Law
It has been said that it is unfortunate that the Founding Fathers did not include the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in the Constitution because if they had, we would not be ...
Tue, May 05, 2009
No More Apple Pie
The young mother was visiting Grandmom with her two small children. It was about 4:30 and the older asked for a cookie. The mother replied that dinner was in less than an hour, so he couldn't have ...
Wed, April 29, 2009
Mistakes?
Two women were sitting on a Little League field. Both were mothers of large families. The first had only one daughter and many sons. The daughter was second in line. The second was expecting her ...
Mon, April 20, 2009
After the Ball
Last week, in more than 700 locations, groups of Americans gathered to protest the arrogant and irresponsible actions of their federal government. They created a media storm, with both positive and ...
Tue, April 14, 2009
The Taxman Cometh
Among the sneakiest things the government has done was institute a withholding tax system, and make some taxes "employer taxes".
The withholding system ...
Tue, April 07, 2009
When the Cock Crows
It is one of the most well-known expressions from one of the most well-known stories ever told. Peter tells Christ, his Lord, that he will never, ever, betray Him. Peter's protestations of unending ...
Tue, March 31, 2009
Creating Debt
Everyone is aware of the burgeoning debt being created by the federal government. Some economists have estimated that the federal government spends about $1,000,000,000 every 8 minutes. That is not ...
Mon, March 23, 2009
We're Having A Heat Wave
Earlier this month, the second annual Conference on climate change was hosted by the Heartland Institute in New York City. Over 700 registrants gathered to hear from scientists and international ...
Mon, March 16, 2009
Ireland's Apostle
St. Patrick's Day in America has become a day of wild celebration. The weekend was full of parades, and Irish pubs will do a land office business for the entirety of the week as Americans, with or ...
Tue, March 10, 2009
Dangerous Disrespect
Every President establishes priorities. He decides which issues and constituent groups and agendas are important to him, and which are not. Sometimes, he communicates his decisions through ...
Mon, March 02, 2009
Alice's World
Last week, Indiana law professor Dawn Johnsen, Pres. Barack Obama's nominee to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, had her Senate confirmation hearing. During confirmation ...
Mon, February 23, 2009
The Tree in the Backyard
Almost every child has had the experience of asking his parents for a new toy of exorbitant cost, and hearing that the family could not afford it. And when he pushed for the desired object anyway, ...
Tue, February 17, 2009
Moo!
The latest "stimulus package" has passed both chambers of Congress and is being signed by the President. Although we all heard promises of how Washington would be different with more ...
Tue, February 10, 2009
It's Spelled with a 'Y'
Change we can believe in. It will be the end of politics as usual. There will be a new transparency in government as the era of pork-driven, special interest influenced policy is over.
Tue, February 03, 2009
Post Game Wrap-Up
There is no doubt about it. America loves football. Perhaps it's because football is uniquely American. And in spite of all the hype about multi-culturalism, America has a culture that is ...
Tue, January 27, 2009
Put on a Happy Face
It used to be that America was the land of opportunity. Each person had the chance to strive for his dreams. It was understood that the striving meant hard work through disappointments and ...
Tue, January 20, 2009
In His Image
This week the 36th Annual March for Life happens in Washington. Over 200,000 Americans will travel, at their own expense in the dead of winter, to stand in witness to the brutal killings of their ...
Mon, January 12, 2009
The Shell Game
Everyone has seen it played, and lost, at least once. There are three tea cups and one prize. The prize is placed under one of the cups. The cups are shifted rapidly and randomly, usually with the ...
Tue, January 06, 2009
Accommodating Bullies
It's among everybody's favorite movie themes.
The young fellow gets pummeled every day by the bully who wants his lunch or his homework or his girl or his ...
Mon, December 29, 2008
Resolutions
Christmas brings presents and New Year's Day brings resolutions. We can exchange the presents that didn't fit or work for better alternatives, so we can continue to enjoy the gift in the days and ...
Mon, December 22, 2008
A Visit
In two days, many of us will be celebrating the Birth of a Child. We will attend church, hear or read the familiar story, sing the familiar hymns, and then go home to open presents and enjoy a ...
Tue, December 16, 2008
Divine Rights
Throughout history, the relationship between government and divinity has been, to be polite, stormy.
From the Pharaoh of ancient Egypt to the emperors of Rome to ...
Tue, December 09, 2008
'Tis the Season
The stores are full of holiday shoppers. The television networks are playing holiday programs. The radio stations are airing the holiday classics. In fact, the holiday season is in full ...
Tue, December 02, 2008
Yes, Virginia!
Years ago, a little girl named Virginia O'Hanlon wrote to the editor of the New York Sun asking if Santa Claus was real. His answer, which spoke of skeptical men in a skeptical age who only believed ...
Wed, November 26, 2008
The Land of 'If'
It's the favorite word of the experts, who begin their dire predictions with the word, "if", and then continue to tell us that economic or social or military disasters are on the way. The ...
Tue, November 18, 2008
Centerpieces
Every holiday table has one. It may be composed of large bright blossoms artfully arranged in a golden vase. It may be a woodsy display of fall foliage. It may be a single elegant candelabra. But ...
Tue, November 11, 2008
If You Can Read This . . .
Most of us have seen the bumper stickers that say, "If you can read this, thank a teacher." And while teachers may be responsible for helping generations of children acquire the technical ...
Thu, October 30, 2008
Silence
The noise today is deafening. Every politician is clamoring for our attention with radio, television and print commercials and news reports. The entertainment industry offers a never-ending supply ...
Wed, October 22, 2008
I'm Not Political
I'm Not Political.
It's the phrase of the season. Those who use it often utter the words with pride, as if they are somehow above the "dirtiness" of ...
Tue, October 14, 2008
Dangerous Silence
In this election cycle, many of our churches have opted to remain silent, not wanting to insert "God" into a political debate.
That is tragic, since at ...
Mon, October 06, 2008
Trick or Treat
Halloween came early this year. The U.S. House and Senate played a trick on the American taxpayer to treat Wall Street and their favorite pet projects in a bailout bill that many observers say will ...
Mon, September 29, 2008
Dollars and Non-sense
Jack was renovating his bathroom. As he was working on the plumbing, his neighbor Sam stopped by. Sam was a very helpful fellow, and offered to assist Jack with the plumbing repairs. Jack was a ...
Tue, September 23, 2008
Insanity
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting the result to be different.
One might apply that definition to this year's ...
Tue, September 16, 2008
Legacies
What will we leave behind?
Public figures, in politics, sports, and cinema, write memoirs and autobiographies. Business leaders create charitable trusts bearing their names. Both groups put their names on buildings and ...
