New Family Traditions
Our Thanksgivings have been changing. This year was a milestone. My parents are deceased, as are Barb’s. Neither of us is from this area. We have a blended family with five kids. They are… Read More
Author: Dave Clark
Will Regionalism Succeed this Time?
Here we go again. There is yet another attempt to pull the Tri-Cities region together. At last there is movement towards the consolidation of the external industrial recruiting programs. We have even re-named ourselves… Read More
Do We have a Mental Health Crisis?
I have recently watched an email thread among my West Point classmates discussing the suicide epidemic among veterans, particularly combat vets. Why do so many people appear to have mental impairments? Moreover, why do current conditions seem… Read More
Is Trump wrong for pulling out of Syria?
There has been much hue and cry about the recent decision to remove American forces from Syria. The Kurds were stalwart allies in the fight against ISIS. It appears that we abandoned a valuable… Read More
What is more important, the Message or the Messenger?
Our understanding of politics is muddled by confusion between policy and image, between the message and the messenger. In today’s debates, one side despises the President because he is a repugnant human being and… Read More
What do we do with the Homeless
Several weeks ago, while sitting outside at a local downtown restaurant, we observed a man stumbling down the street. His course veered off towards the benches in the median and with a blood-curdling “thump”… Read More
Stupidity has its own rewards
“Could-a. Should-a. Would-a.” The mantra of someone who just screwed-up. My mantra over the weekend. I could have worn a pair of hiking shorts with deeper pockets. I should have left the other keys… Read More
So similar, yet so very unalike
I have just returned from a trip out west to Rocky Mountain National Park. Like the Smokey Mountains of our region, the vistas are awe-inspiring. Likewise, Estes Park is not dissimilar to Gatlinburg, lots… Read More
Why don’t we use what we have?
Sunday night I attended a concert at the back portico of the MeadowView Conference Center. It was affiliated with the Tennessee Big Shots, the regional World Long Drive golf championships, which was a magnificent… Read More
Who should pay the bill for bad decisions?
It is time for a serious discussion about personal responsibility. At this point, I will warn the reader that some of my commentary may seem insensitive, but we need to to address the problem.… Read More
