Why is it that, no matter how long we live, we tend to remember what happened when we were 5 years old more clearly than we remember five years ago? ...more

March 14, 2010

This probably is not the way to establish my liberal street cred, but someone has to tell those left-wing Obama-bashers to shut up. They just don't get it. Hence their growing displeasure with President Barack Obama for "betraying" what they perceived to be the permanent political realignment in 2008 they've dreamt of for decades. ...more

January 2, 2010

The faculty union at the University of South Florida filed a grievance against the university this week over the size of spring semester classes. ...more

November 6, 2009

Tips on how to fatten your wallet. ...more

April 2, 2009

Otis Anthony has dedicated his life to improving conditions for blacks in Tampa. One of his many contributions is a collection of oral histories, articles and transcripts he gathered in the 1970s and has since donated to the University of South Florida for preservation. The following are excerpts from some of his interviews. ...more

February 8, 2009

We roasted a goose for Christmas. It was delicious, but now we have 2 cups of goose fat from the pan. Is there anything we can use it for? ...more

February 1, 2009

What's the secret to flaky pie crusts? Mine always seem to come out tough. With a standard recipe (1/3 cup shortening or lard to 1 cup flour, plus a pinch of salt for flavor), the secret is cold. Have the lard cold. Use just enough ice water to moisten the flour to stick it together, and then handle it as little as possible. If it won't be baked right away, keep it in the refrigerator. You don't want the shortening to melt into the flour at all until the crust is baking. The little balls of shortening covered with flour are flattened when the crust is rolled out, and when they are baked, they make the flakes of a tender, flaky crust. ...more

November 30, 2008

If we're going to dupe our children into eating healthfully, let's do it right. ...more

August 27, 2008

Holidays are the season for nostalgia. Without fail, reference to the "good old days" often turns into debates over contemporary headaches. ...more

December 31, 2007

As suspects go, this caper was easier to solve than: Who shot Lee Harvey Oswald? ...more

December 20, 2007