Air-Minded: Reno Speculation

Two words: holy shit! In the aftermath of an airplane crash all manner of misinformation hits the news.  It’s even worse if there are a lot of witnesses.  You’d think it would be otherwise, but people are in general terrible witnesses, especially when they see something shocking and violent, something that happens in the blink […]

You Can’t Read That! Banned Book Review: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

You Can’t Read That! is a periodic post featuring banned book reviews and news roundups. Banned Books Week (September 24 to October 1) is almost upon us. What’s it all about?  From the American Library Association’s site: Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment.  Held during […]

Paul’s Book Reviews: Science Fiction

“A big tamarisk can suck 73,000 gallons of river water a year. For $2.88 a day, plus water bounty, Lolo rips tamarisk all winter long. “Ten years ago, it was a good living. Back then, tamarisk shouldered up against every riverbank in the Colorado River Basin, along with cottonwoods, Russian olives, and elms. Ten years […]

But Will Social Security Pay for My Cadillac?

The payroll tax — not the income tax, but the entirely separate payroll tax on workers and employers — is what funds Social Security.  When the program’s defenders say Social Security is paid for and does not contribute to the national deficit, they speak the truth.  Social Security is fully funded through 2037, and a […]

M Is for Monday, Medicare, and Memories (Why I Didn’t Write a 9/11 Post)

Oh lord, is it that time already?  First the AARP membership, then the Social Security, now Medicare.  My 65th birthday is rapidly approaching, and with it the transition from Tricare (the military’s medical insurance plan for retirees) to Medicare.  Last month I applied for a Medicare card from the Social Security office.  Today I drove […]

You Want Fries with That?

President Obama’s going to deliver a speech about jobs tonight.  I’m done with speeches and probably won’t watch.  Obama’s not getting anything through this congress, so what’s the point?  Given his past behavior, I think he’s going to make a rousing speech, then cave to the Republicans and give away the store.  The only jobs […]

Air-Minded: the Wright Way

When I lead visitors on walking tours at the Pima Air & Space Museum, we start underneath a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer.  I think about Orville and Wilbur often.  They showed us the way, and the F-15 Eagle I flew in the US Air Force used the same three-axis controls the Wrights developed […]