By Patrick J. Wood Publisher Dear Reader, Recently I was asked what has sustained me during this year of turmoil, upheaval, and – for many – tragedy. My answer boils down to one word: Faith. Throughout this long political season of conflict and controversy, I have had faith in our country. I believe in the vision …
By Patrick Wood Publisher Dear Reader, Every year children ask their parents about the truth of Santa Claus. This gives new life to a timeless story of a white-maned gift-maker who lives at the North Pole with his joyous spouse, industrious elves, a team of magical reindeer who cover vast distances pulling a sleigh through the skies. …
By Patrick Wood Publisher Dear Reader, The season is upon us and already in full swing, or as full as it will get in this crazy year. Admittedly, this is the most unusual of Hanukkah and Christmas events we will probably ever experience in our lifetimes for a multitude of reasons. We most likely will be clustered in our …
By Patrick J. Wood Publisher Dear Reader, Take a moment if you have a moment, and why not discover the inner layers of you. When you think about it, there’s a lot to explore. Is it possible you do have a musical bone in your body after all? Try playing the piano. Start with just the …
By Patrick J. Wood Publisher Dear Reader, Now that the election is over, we must focus on the peaceful transition of power to a new administration. One of the defining features of our democracy is that we accept the results of each election as it occurs in this great country of ours. The peaceful non-dramatic transition of …
By Patrick J. Wood Publisher Dear Reader, What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time we gathered for Thanksgiving in groups large and small, paying no attention to how many or few were with us. Now, we are encouraged to keep it small, or not do it at all. That doesn’t feel …
By Patrick J. Wood Publisher Dear Reader, Election Day has passed, but it seems that the conflict still lingers. I’d like to talk about that in a pragmatic, nonpartisan way. That’s a tough needle to thread; I’ll know I succeeded only if I get ticked-off letters from both sides of the aisle. Half of us think the …
By Patrick J. Wood Publisher Dear Reader, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day. From defense.gov and va.gov we can learn some important historical facts about this day. Originally Veterans Day was called Armistice Day and marked the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when hostilities in World War I ceased. …
By Patrick J. Wood Publisher Dear Reader, Someone recently initiated a conversation on the meaning of life. This question continues to be a reoccurring one since at one time or another, each of us might have wondered what we’re doing here. G. T. Reker and P.T.P. Wong characterize personal meaning as “coherence and purpose in one’s existence, the …
By Patrick J. Wood Publisher Dear reader, Voting in the United States to elect representative government is an honor, a privilege and the duty of all Americans. In the 2016 U.S. presidential election over 250 million Americans were eligible to vote. Sadly only 55 percent of them voted. In the early 1800’s only white men with property …
