Personal expressions of the world around us through text, sight and sound.


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You can narrow your search using one or all of six criteria:

  1. Article Scope:
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    • NOTE: Based on the number of articles found and other filter settings, the Date Scope may be adjusted automatically. However, in most cases you can still use the form to choose a specific range.
  3. Author--regular contributors are listed by name; "special" is used for ocassional or one-time authors. (They are idenitified by name in the article list using a "byline" field in the database).
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    Even though we try to keep the number of topics limited and as general as possible, the list of topics is long and constantly growing simply because of the wide scope of content covered by aritcles on the site. A good alternative to using the drop-down list is to click on a topic from the Summary View of the Article List, or the category and topic summary at the top of an Article.
    NOTE: Because topics are added over time, some topics may not be associated with earlier articles to which they could apply. From time to time, we update category and topic links.
  6. Keywords
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Viewing the Results

In addition to the "Most Recent" and "Top Articles" lists, there are three Views of the searchable Article List: (where you are now):

  1. Quick. Shows Categories in alphabetical order, with a list of articles by post date (most recent first), title, author. This is the default view. Return to it anytime by selecting "Clear Filter" in the Article Filter.
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  3. Summary. Expands a single Category to include a brief description of each article, the primary category, and any topics assigned to it.

Actions from the Article List

  • Click on an Article title to view it.
    • A link at the bottom of the article will bring you back to this page.
    • If you have expanded the Collection Scope to All, and view an article or blog entry outside this collection, the return link will take you to the corresponding "home" page. To return to this page, use the Back button in your browser or use the Site Menu.
  • Click on a Category name to expand the list into Summary View, which will include more detals about the articles within that Category, including the topics associated with it.
    • If you have selected "All" in the Article Scope, the initial Summary View will reset the Article Scope to "This Collection only." From there, you can go back to "All" if desired.
  • Click on a Topic name (Summary View) to see recent articles associated with that topic. From there you can expand to "All" articles or narrow the search using the Filter.
    • There are some categories that also appear as topics. In this case, the filter will set the topic, since that will return the greatest number of results. From there, you can modify the Search Filter to narrow your search.

Actions from the Article (listing of Categories and Topics at top of Article)

  • Click on the Category or a Topic and you will be taken to the Article List page with the search filter set accordingly. (The notes under Article List also apply here).

Printing the List or individual Articles

Using Print this page at the upper left will print the content displayed in the Articles List or an individual Article, without any of the surrounding page elements. The filter form in the list view is replaced with a summary of the filter settings.

Please note: Using the "Print this page" option is highly recommended over the print options available through the Share utility (described below).

Additional Hint: On some smaller devices you may find it helpful to use the Print option to display a simpler content-only view. Depending on the device, you may not actually be able to print, but it may produce a view that is easier to read. You will need to close the print window to get back to the site navigation.

Sharing and Commenting on Article Lists and Individual Articles

There is a lot of discussion about the merits of commenting within a site. At this time we have decided not to integrate it into the site. The AddThis Share utility that appears at the upper left on the page as well as at the end of articles allows you to share the selected page through Facebook, Twitter, and more than 200 other social media services. Most of these options allow you to add comments.

You can also comment through the site's own social media connections, which are linked through the icons in the site masthead (only active social media accounts are shown).


25 articles found.

SUMMARY VIEW  Expanded details within a Category. Click on article title, Category, or a listed Topic

To change sort order or make another search, modify the form above

Communication

 2 records found

When Did Americans Lose Their British Accents? by Matt Soniak / Pocket


(December 11, 2021)
The absence of audio recording technology makes 'when' a tough question to answer. But there are some theories as to 'why'…
Topics: Change • History • Language, Meaning • Trends


The Facebook Threat by Stu Johnson


(October 16, 2020)
Increasing concerns for the role of Facebook in fueling social strife…
Topics: Civility • Crime, Justice, Punishment • Freedom • Internet • Media • Politics • Racism and Inequality • Social Issues • Social Media • Social Unrest, Division • Technology • Trends • Voting & Elections



Education

 1 record found

Narrowing One Gap by Stu Johnson


(June 13, 2020)
A glimmer of hope at a dark hour…
Topics: Demographics • Education • Hopes & Dreams • Racism and Inequality • Social Movements • Statistics • Trends



General

 3 records found

We Must Become Children So Our Kids Can Survive by Garrison Keillor


(November 2, 2023)
The classic story: the elders make a desperate choice to spare their children the grief of history and put language and life story behind and become as children themselves in order to start anew…
Topics: Attitudes • Beliefs • Character, Integrity • Choices and Decision Making • Contemplation, Insight • Parenting, Parents • Politics • Religion • Trends


Many States Moving Away from Embosed License Plates by Rob Stump / TheDrive


(September 23, 2023)
If you live in Colorado and any of the twenty or so other states moving to printed license plates, you may have to trade in your old plates…
Topics: Change • Current Events, News • New Year's • Technology • Transportation • Trends


The Hart of America by U.S. Census Bureau staff


(November 19, 2021)
Census Bureau Announces Hartville, Missouri, as 'Center of Population' for the United States
Topics: Demographics • History • Statistics • Trends



Government & Politics

 3 records found

Watkins for President 2020 by James N. Watkins


(July 17, 2020)
Throwing his pen in the race with the Tupperware party—'Putting a lid on government'…
Topics: Faith • Government • Humor • Politics • Trends • Values


Driven Apart or Drawn Together? by Stu Johnson


(November 21, 2018)
Reflections on the state of the nation at the mid-term elections…
Topics: Attitudes • Civility • Demographics • Diversity & Pluralism • Faith • Government • History • Media • Politics • Social Media • Technology • Trends • Trust • Voting & Elections


Top Ten Ways to Reduce the National Debt by James N. Watkins


(April 24, 2017)
With tongue only partly in cheek
Topics: Financial • Government • Planning • Policy, Policy Formation • Politics • Trends



History

 1 record found

From Landlines to Tamagotchis by Special


(November 10, 2023)
Love letters to obsolete technology…
Topics: Computers (and other Digital devices) • History • Media • Technology • Television • Trends



Holidays

 1 record found

Work Matters —The need to check our priorities by Stu Johnson


(September 7, 2015)
On this Labor Day, a look at the need to make work matter if we wish to have a strong society…
Topics: History • Labor Day • Statistics • Trends • Work



Humor

 1 record found

Confesstions of a Chocoholic by Barbara Greenleaf


(April 14, 2023)
My love affair with chocolate has stood the test of time. True, I recently broke up with the milk variety to go over, literally, to the dark side…
Topics: Food & Nuitrition • Humor • Social Issues • Trends



Life Events

 2 records found

Flaoting Down the Canyon Through the Rapids by Garrison Keillor


(February 29, 2024)
I accept change, even some changes that pain me. In that respect, life is not unlike rafting through fhe Grand Canyon with calm pools between the boiling rapids…
Topics: Change • Character, Integrity • Choices and Decision Making • Contemplation, Insight • Contentment, Satsifaction • Humor • Learning • Lifestyle, General • Optimal Aging • Trends


Mortal Remains by Thomas Lynch / submitted by Stu Johnson


(September 29, 2019)
The dead are no longer welcome at their own funerals…
Topics: Change • Choices and Decision Making • Dying and Death • Trends • Tribute, Testimony



News & Current Events

 5 records found

Pull Up Your Socks, People, Let's Get Going! by Garrison Keillor


(February 22, 2024)
The country needs something marvelous and fascinating to disperse the current gloom…
Topics: Change • History • Humor • Politics • Technology • Travel • Trends


Where Are Those Christmas Presents? by Rebecca Heilweil / Vox


(December 18, 2021)
The history of the metal box that's wrecking the supply chain…
Topics: Business • Change • Christmas • COVID-19 • Crisis • Current Events, News • History • Holidays • Holiday Season • News • Trends


Down to the Wire Reports from the U.S. Census Bureau


(October 2, 2020)
Census count exceeds 99% as court orders extension of counting…
Topics: COVID-19 • Demographics • Government • News • Research • Trends


Another Milestone by Stu Johnson


(September 24, 2020)
Another look at COVID numbers as we hit 200,000 deaths in U.S.…
Topics: COVID-19 • Dying and Death • Demographics • Disease • History • News • Statistics • Trends


Explaining White Privilege By Lori Lakin Hutcherson


(June 26, 2020)
An honest response to a white friend…
Topics: Current Events, News • History • News • Racism and Inequality • Relationships • Social Issues • Social Movements • Trends • Values



Relationships

 1 record found

The B-I-B-L-E and LGBTQ by James N. Watkins


(February 16, 2019)
Addressing he issue with truth and grace…
Topics: Bible • Character, Integrity • Choices and Decision Making • God • Jesus • Lifestyle, General • Love • Relationships • Religion • Social Issues • Social Movements • Trends



Technology

 1 record found

The Lost History of the Electric Car from The Guardian


(August 21, 2021)
And what it tells us about the future of transport…
Topics: Circumstances, Life Events • Coping • History • Innovation, Invention, Creativity • Opportunity • Predictions & Forecasts • Science & Technology • Technology • Transportation • Trends



Trends

 2 records found

So Much is Known but Mystery Remains by Garrison Keillor


(February 23, 2023)
We've learned something about privacy lately, namely that it doesn't exactly exist…
Topics: Change • Computers (and other Digital devices) • Social Issues • Technology • Trends


New Storm Rising by Richard Bergstrom


(October 2, 2021)
When the cold front of demographics meets the warm front of unrealized dreams…
Topics: Change • Coping • Demographics • Trends



Work, Employment

 2 records found

What if My Grandchild is Not College Material? by Barbara Greenleaf


(March 19, 2021)
He or she could have a bright future in the real world!…
Topics: Advice, Guidance & Mentoring • Choices and Decision Making • Family • Financial • Grandchildren • Relationships • Trends • Work


Am I a 'Feminist'? Yes and no! by James N. Watkins


(March 10, 2016)
Happy International Women's Day!…
Topics: Opportunity • Relationships • Social Issues • Trends • Work