Michael J. Fox is one of the iconic actors of our generation. Whether you remember him from the TV sitcom Family Ties, the movie Back to the Future, or his numerous other shows and films, you probably have a mental image of an upbeat, irreverent, witty guy. And you’d be right. His fourth memoir was published on Tuesday. No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality reads as if Fox is talking directly to us. He tells the now-familiar... Read more

The governor of Mississippi made a remarkable statement on his Facebook page this week. Tate Reeves wrote: “It is fair to say that this last week and a half has been—personally for me—the most difficult of 2020—a year we can all agree has by its very nature been tough on all of us.” He explains: “My two oldest girls have been by themselves in self isolation since the Wednesday after Halloween. My youngest tested positive (along with many of her... Read more

According to Belgian tradition, Santa Claus lives in Spain but visits their country each year on the morning of December 6, walking on their rooftops to drop gifts into their chimneys. Coronavirus restrictions were posing a problem for this year’s visit, however. So, government officials made some exceptions: Santa will not be required to quarantine for fourteen days upon arrival, and he can work during evening curfew hours. Nonetheless, officials encouraged St. Nick to “always respect distancing, wash hands regularly,... Read more

Luke Combs auditioned for The Voice several years ago but was turned down before he made it to the televised competition. A letter from the producers explained that he wasn’t “interesting” enough for their show. Last week, Combs won CMA Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year. Persistence is essential to purpose.  Dustin Johnson won the Masters yesterday on his tenth try. He previously led going into the final round of five other majors, but his only... Read more

With all the bad health news in the news, I thought we should start today with some good news: chili pepper consumption could help you live longer. The American Heart Association reports that regular chili pepper consumers could have longer lifespans due to the fruit’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and blood-glucose regulating properties. These factors help reduce a person’s risk of death from cardiovascular disease or cancer.  New guidelines for Thanksgiving  Now to the bad news: The recent coronavirus outbreak is... Read more

Tarra Simmons quit school at thirteen and gave birth at fifteen. Nonetheless, she graduated high school and nursing school, then worked for eleven years as a registered nurse. However, drugs she was taking for depression, along with the alcohol abuse that began when she was a teenager, led to a downward spiral that nearly destroyed her life. Tarra was arrested three times for selling drugs and sentenced in 2011 to thirty months in prison. When she was released in 2013,... Read more

Julie Loving, age fifty-one, is the mother of two and has run nineteen marathons and multiple triathlons. Earlier this month, she added another credential, one very few can claim: she gave birth to her granddaughter. Julie’s daughter suffered several miscarriages and attempted multiple rounds of in vitro fertilization and surgeries before her doctor concluded that her uterus was unable to withstand a pregnancy. He suggested that she consider gestational surrogacy—she and her husband would produce an embryo that would be... Read more

When a contestant named Burt Thakur won Jeopardy!, host Alex Trebek asked him, “Any family members back home cheering you on?” Thakur replied, “Here’s a true story: I grew up, I learned English because of you.” He explained: “My grandfather who raised me—I’m going to get tears right now—I used to sit on his lap and watch you every day.” Then he added, “It’s a pretty special moment for me. Thank you very much.” The video has been viewed 5.8... Read more

Legendary Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek died yesterday at the age of eighty after a battle with cancer. His life story was part of his appeal: his father was a hotel cook who emigrated to Canada from Ukraine. Trebek graduated from college with a philosophy degree and worked as a newscaster before beginning his career in game shows in 1973. In his autobiography, The Answer Is . . . Reflections on My Life, Trebek stated his life motto: “A good education... Read more

Americans are still waiting for votes to be counted in Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump need some combination of these states’ electoral votes to win the White House. Lawsuits are being contested in several states as well. I was being interviewed on radio this week when the host noted, “This is the election 2020 deserves.” Here’s what he meant: the year began as 1974 with impeachment, then it became 1918 with... Read more