Tom Purcell
No wonder the ratings for the Winter Olympics are so much better than they were four years ago. Four years ago, the Winter Olympics were held in China. The Beijing Games were designed to showcase the glory of the communist state. Athletes were under..
Note to Editors: A prior version of this column was distributed in 2024. All my father ever wanted as a young man was to marry my mother and start a family — plans that were interrupted when he was drafted into the Army during the Korean conflict...
Girl Scout cookies are back, and the new inverted food pyramid gives me permission to eat them — sort of. I’m addicted to Girl Scout cookies, you see. I measure Thin Mints servings by the sleeve, not the cookie. I gobble down Tagalongs the way g..
Groundhog Day levity has arrived just in time — but not everyone thinks so. Every Feb. 2, Phil the Groundhog emerges from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa. If he sees his shadow, winter will last six more weeks; if not, spring is..
When I was a kid in the 1970s, no words broadcast on KDKA radio were sweeter than: “Bethel Park School District — closed.” The moment we heard them, we threw on our snow gear and headed for the sled slopes, determined to squeeze every free sec..
I drove my 89-year-old mother through our old Pittsburgh neighborhood last Sunday. It was like many suburban neighborhoods that sprouted up across America in the 1960s and ’70s. Many of the people who moved there grew up in the city. They wanted m..
Note to editors: A version of this column was distributed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2025. He helped pave the way for Martin Luther King Jr. and others to end Jim Crow — but few know his name. So respected was this civil rights pioneer that..
I was so determined to hit Jimmy Miller in the shins with my toboggan that I didn’t notice the pond. Maybe I’d better explain. Winter is upon us. When the snow falls, there's only one place a kid should be: out in the elements riding sleds down ..
As the new year begins, the media roll out their annual tributes to the rich and famous who’ve passed on. But I’d rather tell you about one of the wealthiest fellows I ever met — John Swiatek, who died in 2009 just shy of his 84th birthday. Jo..
Get this: the federal government is offering New Year’s advice on improving our health and managing our money — courtesy of the National Institutes of Health and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Their first recommended resolution: getti..
Here’s something we can all do this holiday season: show heartfelt support for our men and women in uniform. There are currently about 2.1 million serving in the armed forces — 1.3 million on active duty and about 800,000 in the reserves. Roughl..
The Northeast was blanketed with snow last weekend, and I loved it — because I love how snow humbles us. When it snows in my hometown of Pittsburgh, people pour out into the streets. We shovel sidewalks and driveways, invigorated by the crisp air ..
Full Archive
- 02/16/2026 Why the Olympics tanked in China but thrive in Italy
- 02/12/2026 Older generations teach the lost art of romance
- 02/10/2026 Girl Scout cookies vs. the inverted food pyramid
- 01/30/2026 When Groundhog Day becomes controversial
- 01/26/2026 No snow day for NYC kids
- 01/20/2026 The neighborhoods the silent generation built
- 01/16/2026 The civil rights pioneer history forgot
- 01/12/2026 Kids’ winter cure for nature deficit disorder
- 01/05/2026 The wealthy man the media ignored
- 12/29/2025 Uncle Sam schools us on New Year’s resolutions
- 12/22/2025 Holiday gratitude: Supporting the men and women who serve
- 12/15/2025 Dreaming of a white Christmas
- 12/08/2025 What 90 years of Harvard research says about happiness
- 12/01/2025 Bring Charlie Brown back to broadcast
- 11/24/2025 American generosity
- 11/17/2025 Thanksgiving fake news
- 11/09/2025 When entrepreneurs strike the right chord
- 11/02/2025 A Veterans Day tribute
- 10/27/2025 Halloween’s 30-year slide: From outrageous to obsolete
- 10/20/2025 Brilliant tips from our nanny government
- 10/13/2025 Fake authentic stuff
- 10/06/2025 Hope for civility?
- 09/29/2025 Data privacy? What data privacy?
- 09/22/2025 Rescuing Bill Belichick
- 09/15/2025 The death of the university
- 09/08/2025 The new golden age of the automobile
- 09/01/2025 The real crime: fatherlessness
- 08/24/2025 Government runs on gobbledygook
- 08/19/2025 Bless the Little Sisters
- 08/11/2025 Navigating crime in Washington, D.C.
- 08/04/2025 Mother Nature is out to sting me
- 07/28/2025 What would Carson say?
- 07/21/2025 How PBS and NPR can go commercial
- 07/14/2025 Covering Uncle Sam’s debt
- 07/07/2025 Hail the heroic hot dog
- 06/30/2025 Celebrating our republic — if we can keep it
- 06/23/2025 Zero tolerance summer camp
- 06/17/2025 Let’s return to comfort food
- 06/08/2025 Father’s Day: Why I still sleep with my window fans
- 06/02/2025 Why Flag Day matters
- 05/23/2025 Let’s bring back the sounds of summer
- 05/19/2025 Numerous reasons to honor our veterans
- 05/13/2025 If TikTok existed in 1980, my prom would’ve gone viral
- 05/05/2025 My mother’s ultimatum
- 04/28/2025 The latest on money and happiness
- 04/21/2025 A better way to pour gas
- 04/15/2025 Scamming sophisticated scammers
- 04/07/2025 Spring has arrived in Washington
- 03/31/2025 70 years ago, we beat polio
- 03/24/2025 Drowning in decisions
- 03/17/2025 More children needed
- 03/10/2025 Restoring our Irish sense of humor
- 03/03/2025 How not to name a puppy
- 02/24/2025 Dreaming of tax simplification
- 02/18/2025 Why fewer Americans are moving
- 02/10/2025 The history of executive orders
- 02/03/2025 NASA stranded in mediocrity
- 01/27/2025 We need Punxsutawney Phil
- 01/20/2025 Why skilled trades are safe from AI
- 01/15/2025 Unknown Civil Rights Hero Paved the Way for MLK
- 01/07/2025 The simple joy of snow
- 12/30/2024 Will Rogers knew Congress too well
- 12/23/2024 Our national debt is beyond comprehension
- 12/16/2024 Memories of a 1970s Christmas
- 12/09/2024 Advice for federal teleworkers
- 12/02/2024 Sign me up for cursive
- 11/25/2024 Why kids can’t walk alone
- 11/18/2024 Why I still love “The Waltons”
- 11/11/2024 Celebrating Our Great Americans
- 11/04/2024 Dying makes life worth living!
- 10/30/2024 After Saudi visit, ‘freedom’ just another word for home sweet home
- 10/21/2024 The sweet taste of Halloween
- 10/15/2024 The dread of daylight saving time
- 10/07/2024 Re-embracing the American spirit
- 10/01/2024 My father, the crook and the British sports car
- 09/24/2024 Candidates are supporting the trades
- 09/17/2024 Offering some tax advice
- 09/09/2024 Think twice before relocating to a rural home
- 09/03/2024 The house we live in
- 08/27/2024 My ‘David Cassidy’ haircut
- 08/26/2024 America’s last truly free market
- 08/19/2024 Why price controls don’t work, even for pencils
- 08/12/2024 Government-mandated vacations
- 08/05/2024 Survivor of a baby boomer childhood
- 07/29/2024 Forgetting our Olympic woes
- 07/22/2024 We need a better load of BS
- 07/16/2024 My childhood neighborhood did not raise assassins
- 07/08/2024 A hairy situation for balding men
- 06/30/2024 Fond memories of our Fourth of July gatherings
- 06/24/2024 How air conditioning changed politics and the world
- 06/17/2024 Government largesse for writers
- 06/12/2024 Beware increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity scams
- 06/10/2024 Father’s Day: A 1974 Plumbing Disaster
- 06/03/2024 Needed: The common sense humor of Will Rogers
- 05/27/2024 Memories of my free-range childhood
- 05/20/2024 For Memorial Day, honoring family members of those who serve
- 05/13/2024 The importance of home ownership
- 05/06/2024 For Mother’s Day — teaching the art of laughter
- 04/29/2024 National Day of Prayer
- 04/24/2024 Advice for 2024 promgoers
- 04/22/2024 Longing for the days of email rudeness
- 04/15/2024 Take our daughters and sons to grandma’s
- 04/08/2024 A good month to prevent distracted driving
- 04/01/2024 Insights from great minds on Taxes
- 03/25/2024 Message for my digital goddaughter
- 03/19/2024 Still living the American dream
- 03/12/2024 Missing my Irish ancestors
- 03/04/2024 No brainer
- 02/26/2024 Will forgiving college debt win or lose votes?
- 02/19/2024 Reading more books is good for America
- 02/13/2024 The loveless state of modern romance
- 02/06/2024 Shaming Girl Scout cookies
- 01/30/2024 The sad future of AM radio
- 01/23/2024 When fun is against the law
- 01/16/2024 Our over-coddled kids
- 01/09/2024 Making the best of the common cold
- 01/02/2024 The urgency to become cyber-secure in 2024
- 12/26/2023 A win-win New Year’s resolution
- 12/19/2023 Restoring Christmas joy
- 12/12/2023 Let’s make America profane again
- 12/04/2023 How to restore the gift of giving
- 11/28/2023 Tips for Out of Control Tipping
- 11/21/2023 The delicious history of pumpkin pie
- 11/14/2023 Footing our growing debt service bill
- 11/06/2023 Exposing ‘Bootgate’
- 10/31/2023 A stylish way to improve men’s health and wellbeing
- 10/24/2023 The dying art of Halloween costume humor
- 10/17/2023 Hoping for a happier Autumn
- 10/10/2023 We need a rebirth of empathy
- 10/03/2023 The President’s dogs that bite people
- 09/26/2023 Love and honesty will get us through
- 09/19/2023 Dressing Up for Senate success
- 09/12/2023 NFL bets on greed
- 09/07/2023 Thurber’s Tail: How to survive your sharp-toothed puppy
- 09/05/2023 Jimmy Buffett was a super-spreader of happiness
- 08/29/2023 A smaller home is a happy home
- 08/25/2023 Dogs and cats also facing tough times
- 08/14/2023 Paying attention pays off
- 08/07/2023 The Feds fail to see the light
- 08/02/2023 To aliens, human wisdom Is unbelievable
- 07/24/2023 A/C hasn’t only made life cooler
- 07/18/2023 The lost freedom of bike hikes
- 07/11/2023 The American dream is a life without debt
- 07/06/2023 Dodging increasing crime rates
- 06/30/2023 Puppy’s dad saved by the potty bell
- 06/27/2023 A collaborative way to celebrate July Fourth
- 06/20/2023 Good luck paying Uncle Sam’s debt
- 06/13/2023 Father’s Day: Lucky to be my father’s son
- 06/05/2023 A personal salute to Flag Day
- 05/29/2023 Americans rediscover the summer picnic
- 05/23/2023 A day to honor our war dead
- 05/15/2023 Curing our loneliness epidemic
- 05/09/2023 A good day to celebrate an extraordinary mother
- 05/02/2023 The incredible life of bees
- 04/25/2023 A taxing ‘Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day’
- 04/20/2023 Thurber’s Tail: Play it safe on National Lost Dog Awareness Day
- 04/18/2023 What we need this Earth Day is more green thumbs
- 04/10/2023 Will’s wit soothes a taxing time
- 04/04/2023 Hey, Medicare, I’m counting on you
- 03/28/2023 Dumbing America down — digitally?
- 03/20/2023 Let’s get our kids behind the wheel
- 03/14/2023 Wishing you St. Patrick’s Day laughter
- 03/07/2023 Still time to save us from daylight saving time
- 02/28/2023 Hey, ChatGPT, don’t quit your day aob
- 02/21/2023 Rooting for Senator Fetterman
- 02/14/2023 The mistruths of politics
- 02/07/2023 How to write a romance story
- 01/31/2023 Grateful for National Freedom Day
- 01/24/2023 Grateful for Punxsutawney’s silly fun
- 01/18/2023 Thurber’s Tail: Answers to questions about your pets
- 01/17/2023 Stove debate a real gas
- 01/10/2023 Laughing your way to happiness
- 01/02/2023 The shameful return of earmarks
- 12/27/2022 Best 2023 resolution? Get a pet.
- 12/19/2022 Hope is all we have
- 12/12/2022 Decking the malls with nostalgia
- Thurber’s Tail: Inspirational quotes about dogs
- 12/06/2022 Truth is, we like to be lied to
- 11/30/2022 Thurber’s Tail: Can our puppies change our hearts and our world?
- 11/29/2022 The gift of Christmas cheer
- 11/22/2022 Digging the return to vinyl
- 11/21/2022 Thurber’s Tail: How my dog brought joy to my elderly dad
- 11/15/2022 Giving thanks
- 11/14/2022 Thurber’s Tail: Can Dogs Talk?
- 11/08/2022 Laughs to ease your election pain
- 11/07/2022 Thurber’s Tail: How NOT to Name a Puppy!
- 11/01/2022 Pre-election stress disorder
- 10/31/2022 Thurber’s Tail: How Dogs Make Us Laugh
- 10/26/2022 Thurber’s Tail: Halloween Safety Tips for Pets
- 10/25/2022 Halloween is for kids, isn’t it?
- 10/17/2022 Rooting for my baseball heroes
- 10/11/2022 Our wild debt party is over
- 10/03/2022 Hung up on rudeness
- 09/27/2022 Hey, Congress, stop fiddling with our clocks
- 09/20/2022 An extension of tax grief
- 09/13/2022 Thank you for being mannerly
- 09/05/2022 Health care confusion
- 08/29/2022 The elephant in the college classroom
- 08/22/2022 When it comes to boys, schools are flunking
- 08/15/2022 End-of-life challenges in modern times
- 08/09/2022 On Winning the Lottery
- 08/01/2022 The keys to living well
- 07/25/2022 The value of overbearing fathers
- 07/19/2022 Teens not working doesn’t work for America
- 07/12/2022 Drive-in theater rebirth here to stay
- 07/05/2022 The Need to vacate this summer
- 06/27/2022 Why we oooh and aaah on the Fourth of July
- 06/20/2022 Summer bike hikes a relic of the past
- 06/13/2022 What My Father Wants Most
- 06/07/2022 Learning to Enjoy Life’s Real Agitations
- 05/29/2022 Growing up in a world of childhood worries
- 05/24/2022 A bear of a stock market
- 05/17/2022 Enjoy the prom while you can, kids
- 05/09/2022 Fatherly inspiration key to learning the art of grace
- 05/02/2022 Let’s unleash the entrepreneur
- 04/26/2022 More focused than ever at 60!
- 04/19/2022 Taxes always on my mind
- 04/12/2022 Learning to appreciate the regular flu
- 04/04/2022 We must fix the nursing shortage
- 03/29/2022 What Is a woman?
- 03/21/2022 How commoners can cope with inflation
- 03/14/2022 A world in need of Irish wit and wisdom
- 03/08/2022 Old family photos bring new perspective
- 03/01/2022 Ukraine’s Hero in Chief
- 02/21/2022 Four-day workweek? I wish.
- 02/14/2022 Social Insecurity
- 02/08/2022 The Scandalous Silence about China
- 02/01/2022 Thin mints should be our next government ban
- 01/25/2022 Beating Inflation Is Laughable
- 01/18/2022 It’s time to cancel ‘snow days’
- 01/10/2022 Reshaping America’s Battle of the Bulge
- 01/04/2022 We’ve Got Our Eyes on You, 2022!
- 12/27/2021 Hail to Our Everyday Local Heroes
- 12/20/2021 The AOC’s of Student Loan Debt
- 12/13/2021 The Merry Return of Christmas Cards
- 12/06/2021 The Best Christmas Gift is Time
- 11/29/2021 Just Say No To Unaffordable Spending
- 11/22/2021 A Tradition To Be Thankful For
- 11/16/2021 Give Thanks for Our Blessings, Big and Small
- 11/08/2021 Never Forget Our Vets
- 11/01/2021 A Good Month to Grow a Beard
- 10/25/2021 Memories of a Non-Political Halloween
- 10/18/2021 Shouldn’t America Be Happier?
- 10/11/2021 The Pitfalls of Daylight Savings Time
- 10/04/2021 The Rise and Fall of the Shopping Mall
- 09/27/2021 Is It Autumn for America?
- 09/20/2021 Let Them Eat Kix
- 09/13/2021 Save Water, Shower with a Bureaucrat?
- 09/07/2021 A Revival of Horse Sense?
- 08/30/2021 Praise Be to the Family Potato Salad
