Let’s begin with some surprising good news: politicians can agree to get along. I’m not referring to last night’s presidential debate, which we’ll get to in a moment, but to a video tweeted from the governor’s race in Utah which has gone viral. Democrat Chris Peterson and Republican Spencer Cox appear side by side, though socially distanced. They introduce themselves and tell us we should vote for them. Then they take turns making statements that are countercultural and refreshing: “There... Read more

Pope Francis is calling for the passage of civil union laws for same-sex couples. This is a significant departure from the position of the Vatican’s doctrinal office as well as the pope’s predecessors on this issue. His remarks came as part of a documentary that premiered last night and reflects on pastoral care for those who identify as LGBT. “Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re children of God and have a right to a... Read more

“There are three things I’ve learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.” So declares Linus in It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Today, let’s discuss all three.  We’ll begin with the last. As Maggie Maloney observes in Country Living, “No autumn is complete without the most sacred of traditions,” which she identifies as viewing the classic Peanuts movie. The Halloween special first aired in 1966. It centers on Linus’s belief that the Great Pumpkin exists... Read more

Melissa Nielsen kissed her husband Curtis goodbye and told him she would see him soon. She then left for her daily morning walk around their neighborhood in Rigby, Idaho. Within minutes, Curtis’s phone rang. It was Melissa’s friend saying she’d discovered her on the side of the road. Curtis rushed to the scene, where he found his wife lying on the ground. Their next-door neighbor, Lincoln Lear, was standing nearby in horror.  Lincoln’s life was already deeply difficult. His wife... Read more

A free speech demonstration staged by conservatives in San Francisco on Saturday was attacked by several hundred counterprotesters. An Associated Press photographer witnessed a Trump supporter being taken away in an ambulance. When demonstrators threw glass bottles and plastic water bottles over police barricades at the group, the event was canceled. The event’s organizer posted photos of his bloody mouth with a front tooth missing and another hanging loosely. The San Francisco Police Department said three officers were assaulted with... Read more

The Senate Judiciary Committee has completed its hearings on President Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Yesterday, the senators made their final remarks and heard witnesses testify about her character and qualifications. The American Bar Association, which rates federal judges, noted that it has found Judge Barrett to be “well qualified,” its highest rating. Since Republicans hold a twelve-to-ten majority, the committee is expected to approve her nomination when it votes on October 22. This... Read more

The Senate Judiciary Committee has completed its hearings on President Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Yesterday, the senators made their final remarks and heard witnesses testify about her character and qualifications. The American Bar Association, which rates federal judges, noted that it has found Judge Barrett to be “well qualified,” its highest rating. Since Republicans hold a twelve-to-ten majority, the committee is expected to approve her nomination when it votes on October 22. This... Read more

In the interest of serving all our readers, I try to refrain from commenting on local news. However, after Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a gruesome ankle injury in last Sunday’s game, a story so impressed me that I wanted to share it. Dak’s neighbors put a huge sign in front of his house with giant letters in Cowboys colors. The top line reads, “GET WELL SOON.” The line below it reads, “YOUR NEIGHBORS.” In these days of pandemic... Read more

In the interest of serving all our readers, I try to refrain from commenting on local news. However, after Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a gruesome ankle injury in last Sunday’s game, a story so impressed me that I wanted to share it. Dak’s neighbors put a huge sign in front of his house with giant letters in Cowboys colors. The top line reads, “GET WELL SOON.” The line below it reads, “YOUR NEIGHBORS.” In these days of pandemic... Read more

Donald McNeil is the New York Times science and health reporter focusing on plagues. He has “become a household name for many over the past several months” due to his early and consistent reporting on the coronavirus pandemic. His article this week in the Times, titled “A Dose of Optimism, as the Pandemic Rages On,” has therefore drawn significant attention. McNeil reports that “non-pharmaceutical interventions” such as mask-wearing and social distancing have “made a huge difference in lives saved.” Now... Read more