WR's blog

Ghoulardi's admonition is a good one for the national holidays--especially the Fourth of July. To the delight of many viewers of WJW in Cleveland in the early sixties, the host of Shock Theater often lit firecrackers on the set to blow up model cars, effigies of local personalities he lampooned, and even the letter he received from the fire marshal telling him to stop lighting explosives in the building. Ghoulardi did end the practice after he dispatched a big one that deafened some of the crew and started fires that took a couple dozen extinguishers to subdue.

It's summertime, and for many American students, school is out. It's time for pursuing all the studies that a busy academic schedule did not allow--reading new plays and advancing in math and science, history and art. It's time for visiting museums and attending concerts of baroque and classical music, or trying to advance in the understanding of architecture. It's time for starting to learn a new language and practicing the use of it in travels abroad.

The annual Dean Martin Festival was held June 18-19, 2010 in Steubenville, Ohio, the hometown of the star. Deana Martin, his daughter, appeared at the Naples Restaurant there, and then hosted a substantial part of the show on the grounds behind the Spot Bar. She played herself--a gracious lady to everyone, a seasoned performer and a fine emcee. In the process, she introduced several impersonators of her father--actors of varying abilities.

Consumers would benefit from more information about the costs of medical care. For some procedures, patients can already get a predetermination of benefits. Dentists offer this service, so that their clients can get an idea of their options and decide what they can afford. But too often patients find out about the cost of their care only after they have received it. Patients--consumers in the health care system--do not always have easy access to the prices charged by all potential providers.

Often the question 'Do you believe in God?' gets no more of a response than 'Yes' or 'No'. And then the conversation goes on to another subject. This may happen because the questioner is not aiming to determine whether God exists or to discover anything about the nature of the Deity; the questioner already has a mind made up and is just trying to find out where to class the interrogatee. Or this may happen because the respondent gives the questioner what is assumed the questioner wants, to win favor or avoid strain in the relationship, and keep the conversation going.

Environmentalists have long focused on laws as instruments for preventing or reducing pollution, preserving forests, and managing natural resources.

Legislation that serves these purposes is useful, even essential, to protecting nature from violent assaults, safeguarding the resources on which we depend, and maintaining the health of the planet.

Often the news that older celebrities are having children prompts more discussion about the appropriate age for childbearing and, by extension, the best age for rearing children.

Questions arise about the wisdom of procreation for women approaching 50. There are serious concerns as well for men around 50 or older siring children.