Tom Purcell
Thanksgiving is a myth? According to Smithsonian Magazine, our beloved holiday actually has two histories: one real and one largely made up. Naturally, we celebrate the made-up version. Everything we know about the “first Thanksgiving” comes fro..
We got it in the early 1970s — a Kimball organ that sat in our living room for 20 years or more. It had single buttons that played whole chords. Other buttons played cymbals, marimba and other rhythmic beats. I spent hours playing the thing. My fa..
Veterans Day reminds us to honor the men and women who served our country — men like Joe Horne. I met Joe years ago at a neighborhood coffee shop. We shared many enjoyable conversations, which is how I learned about his incredible life. A tailgunn..
Halloween has lost its punch. That’s according to pop culture expert Robert Thompson, trustee professor and founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. “The post-World War II years were the g..
When I visited Ready.gov, I was taken aback by this jarring disclaimer: “NOTICE: Due to the lapse in federal funding, portions of this website may not be updated … until after appropriations are enacted.” Nobody outside of the Libertarian Part..
It’s called “messy authenticity,” and it’s the latest trend to clearly demonstrate America has lost its collective mind. Looking for a Maison Margiela sweater with unfinished threads and gaping holes? It’ll cost you nearly $1,500. How abou..
Civility is making headlines again — that lack of it, that is. Recent surveys by workplace-research firms, such as Sogolytics and the Society for Human Resource Management, suggest that nearly half of Americans have witnessed or experienced incivi..
Ring. Ring. “Hello, this is Tom.” “We know who you are, Tom.” “Who is this? How’d you get my smartphone number?” “Your personal details are everywhere, Tom — public records, websites and apps you’ve downloaded.” “I didn’t g..
In our hopelessly polarized world, surely we can agree on this: Bill Belichick needs an intervention. If you haven't yet heard, Bill, 73, is engaged to 24-year-old former cheerleader, beauty queen and philosophy major, Jordon Hudson. They met four y..
Too many modern universities — for centuries hallowed halls that encouraged passionate debate — have lost their way. The first universities, Plato’s Academy (387 B.C.) and Aristotle’s Lyceum (335 B.C.), were built on Socrates’ conviction t..
Flooring the accelerator of Donny Krieger’s ’69 SS Chevelle was one of the great thrills of my life. I was only 15 when I slammed the Chevelle’s four-speed Hurst shifter into second and stomped on the gas. Its monster 396 V-8 let out a nasty g..
In 1965, Daniel Patrick Moynihan was roundly criticized for predicting the violent, hopeless future millions of children from broken families now face. Moynihan — a sociologist, diplomat and four-term Democratic senator from New York — was servi..
Full Archive
- 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
- 08/23/2021 Service Dogs Heal the Trauma of War
- 08/16/2021 Three Cheers for Us ‘Middles’
- 08/09/2021 Pets Can Help Solve Our National Empathy Shortage
- 08/02/2021 America Needs a Beach Vacation
- 07/27/2021 Striking up Some Ratings for the Olympics
- 07/19/2021 Car Buying Experience Hurt by the Dying Art of Haggling
- 07/13/2021 RVing Trend Good for Civility
- 07/06/2021 Thank For the Wonderful Days, Jack
- 06/28/2021 Civics Lessons for the Fourth
- 06/21/2021 Learning Summer Job Dignity for $1 an Hour
- 06/14/2021 My Dad Taught Me How
- 06/08/2021 The Dying Art of Conversation
- 06/02/2021 The End of the Handshake?
- 05/30/2021 Saving Our Elders from the Dirty Rotten Scammers
- 05/25/2021 My Beef With Beef
