Tag: Bright

Hang up Your Phone and Just Think

Remember those bathroom readers filled with trivia, factoids, and stories? They’ve been entertaining in the throne room since 1988. Though the 35th anniversary edition came out last fall, it didn’t hit the bestseller lists. The truth is most of us have something else to distract us in the bathroom—our smartphones. We pull them out on…


An Experiment in Tradition Nurtures Wonder

In 1936, a 13-year-old boy from New York, who had run away from home, walked down a lonely road in South Dakota while a storm menaced in the murky clouds above. A trucker pulled over by the wayfarer and shouted, “Kid, there’s a tornado brewin’. Get in!” The boy did so, and was saved from…


Alexis de Tocqueville: America’s Social and Political French Connection

On April 30, 1789, George Washington stood on a balcony in New York, his hand on the Bible. Before a large crowd at Federal Hall on Wall Street, he took the oath of office to be the nation’s first president under its new constitution. Less than three months later, the nation that practically assured America’s…


Treasury Department and IRS Issue Guidance for Bonus Tax Credit for Fossil Fuel Communities

The Biden administration issued final guidance on the bonus tax credit for American communities dependent on fossil fuels. The new rules, issued by the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service on April 4, will allow “green” energy companies to secure additional tax credits when investing in local communities economically tied to oil and coal extraction….


Profiles in History: J.N. Reynolds: Obscurely Born for Greatness

J. N. Reynolds (1799–1858) was born into obscurity. The date of his birth is rather obscure as well. He was born sometime in the fall of 1799 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. There is even uncertainty if the “J” in his initials stands for Jeremiah or James. His father died a few years after his birth, leaving…


Truth Tellers: Bach’s Music ‘Mandated by God’s Spirit’

We live in secular times. One of our former presidents, Calvin Coolidge, said that “the business of America is business.” Certainly, making and taking money seems to be heavy on the minds of many people. Even in music, a prominent contemporary composer remarked, “I began working in a record store when I was a kid. The…


Nitric Oxide Loss: The Single Most Important Factor Impacting Cardiovascular Health

Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the most important signaling molecules in our body involved in virtually every organ system. Some researchers say that there is a very clear progression of cardiovascular disease that begins with the loss of NO production. Every age-related disease and every chronic disease—whether it manifests in the kidney, the brain, the…


Dormant Mail Order Plants and Bulbs

Q: When I ordered some grapevines and raspberry plants back in January, it sure seemed like having them arrive in April would be a good idea. The catalog and websites I ordered from predicted this would be a good time to plant the bare-root plants. The plants arrived on time, but the temperatures predicted for…


How the Current Real Estate Market Can Affect Your Finances

The real estate market is in an interesting state right now. Home sales are slowing because of higher interest rates, but prices in some areas have yet to drop, demonstrating how much the current real estate market can affect your finances. Overall, the median existing-home sales price in January 2023 was up 1.3 percent from…


It’s the Perfect Time of Year for an Asparagus Casserole

In this baked asparagus recipe, tender-crisp asparagus spears are smothered with a creamy cheese sauce, then the casserole is topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs. Blanching the asparagus first in boiling water helps preserve its vibrant green color. Medium-thick asparagus spears work best for this recipe. If your asparagus spears are very thick, they may need…