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Looking for Orphan Train riders
In the 1850s, thousands of children roamed the streets of New York homeless. Many were simply abandoned by parents who couldn’t afford to keep them. Life on the streets for these children meant begging for food or stealing to survive. Many looked to gangs to …
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Some things are just ‘fair to middling’
Somewhere along the way to growing up, I acquired the expression “fair to middling.” As an adult, that often has been my answer to, “How are you?” Under the old method of grading cotton, which was phased out in this area, at least, probably by …
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Kilz that idea
I am a Kilzaneesta. It’s kind of like a fashionista except you wear paint; lots of it. Kilz is my brand of choice. It seems to work for some of my various projects. Projects, yes, it’s plural. I am on overload with things that need …
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Is there a conspiracy afoot?
It seems Americans love a conspiracy. Is that what Chavis Carter’s death was? On Monday, the autopsy report was released, listing cause of death as suicide. But, like an onion, peel back the layers and you’ll see a lot to this story. Being nosy person …
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Scared to fly
Can I be honest? I’m scared. All my life I’ve been afraid of something. I find reasons to think myself out of situations or second guess myself and this time is no different. The thought of living on my own, paying for my own utilities …
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Broken promises: Tomorrow never came
“Hello?” my sister Lorie answered in a lowered voice. “Where are you?” I asked, already knowing the answer. “I’m at work but I feel fine,” she replied. “You promised you would go to the doctor,” I said with disappointment. “If it happens again, I will …
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For the love of children, DO SOMETHING
Every newspaper column and news article I’ve read about babies and toddlers dying after being left in a vehicle address the need to educate parents/caregivers of surviving children, to try to prevent additional deaths. That’s missing the boat. You can’t fix stupid. More than 550 …
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Kudos to soldiers for asking ‘what if’
We all know the drill: Innocent until proven guilty. This week it seems only right to commend a couple unnamed National Guard soldiers who notified their superiors when they thought one of their own might be serious about doing harm to others. The man charged …
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Happy birthday, Social Security; tough cookies, everyone else
The announcement came last week that the USDA will impose tougher penalties for food stamp rule violations. Amazingly, the food stamps cover one out of every seven Americans. That floored me. I had no idea that that many people were on food stamps. I know …
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King of rock ’n’ roll but not ‘The King’
In 1977 the average annual income was $15,000, according to thepeoplehistory.com. Average rent was $240 and a gallon of gas was 65 cents. New York City had a massive blackout, the first Apple II computers went on sale, and “Star Wars,” “Smokey and the Bandit” …
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Pop a top again
Have any “first time” memories that really stuck out in your mind? One of my strongest first time memories, I guess, came back in the summer of ’77. I remember it well. It was a hot Saturday afternoon, I was a DJ at a radio …
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Borrowing time, fire: Young people don’t know what they’re missing
Teenagers and young adults today would never be able to grasp the concept of being sent barefooted to a neighbor’s to borrow the time, to borrow fire or a single needle, nor would they want to grasp it. They each are too busy with their …
