Columns

By Scott SullivanEditorTinted LoveThe Taj Mahal, that shining white monument to love, is turning green, black and yellow. And India’s Supreme Court isn’t happy.Pollution and insect dung are discoloring Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan’s 17th-century temple built for his favorite wife.“You…

The optics don’t look regarding how our nation is handling the immigration situation.My ancestors came to the U.S. in the 1840s seeking a better life, more freedom from overreaching clergy and government, and a chance to own their own land.…

The Federal Reserve has done its job. Inflation, which recently reached its highest point in forty years, has gradually moderated. The labor market, while still resilient, shows signs of softening. Consumer confidence is shaky, small businesses are tightening their belts,…

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” -Robert Louis StevensonThe Fourth of July weekend is now in the history books and the local lakes are now resting from all the busy…

By Scott SullivanEditorLightning StrikesJust when I thought life had gone to hell came word human deaths by lightning have dropped from 300-plus per annum in the 1940s to only 13 so far this year. Now there’s more people, or targets,…

My sister Beverly is the family genealogist. She started some 60 years and has stayed with it ever since.It is not exactly an obsession, but she has converted a bedroom into her office, complete with walls lined with shelves, and…

I was sent an article from the Lansing City Pulse written by Kyle Melinn, that claims there are four state legislators that are married to lobbyists.As Melinn says “that means in four households, one person works for the state to…

By Frank Passic ALBION 100 YEARS AGO—JULY 1925             We continue with our theme of “Albion, 100 Years Ago.” July 1, 1925: “On Saturday afternoon at 1 o’clock the boulder which has been placed in Victory Park by the members…

     This coming Friday, July 4th, is our nation’s 249th anniversary since the delegates to the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence.  Two hundred forty-nine is not considered a major milestone event.  We’ll wait until next year for a…

I just read a report from the Michigan Health Purchasers Coalition (MIHPC) that essentially concluded that larger hospitals have had profits increased dramatically.Now we all know, if we have spent any time in a hospital, we are charged exorbitant amounts…

I am now into my third week of Stage IV Cardio Rehab, or better known as the “Healthy Heart” program. It was suggested that I sign up for this extra session of Cardio Rehab at Health Trac. Unlike Stage II,…

Living the Christian life can be seen as giving and receiving. First, Jesus gives himself to us, we receive him and then we give ourselves to him. Lately, I have been contemplating just how well I have been able to…

By Scott SullivanEditorHeartWho knew Ypsilanti was the cultural heart of Michigan? Me thanks to Mondly, a language learning program which surveyed 3,012 respondents nationwide asking, “Which town in your state best represents your cultural identity?”Divided by 50, that means 60.24…

The most popular male vocal duet in 1930s England was Flanagan and Allen. Their songs were light, filled with a bit of syncopation, close harmony and left audiences smiling with a renewed sense of hope.Among their big hits was “Underneath…

Dropping bunker buster bombs in Iran last week will go down in history as one of the best military operations ever. Our planes went to and left undetected after dropping the world’s biggest bombs in an effort to destroy Iran’s…

We are definitely in “shorts season”. With the temperature in the eighties and humidity also in the high numbers, it’s very comfortable to venture outside wearing shorts. The fashion experts are out there, so we must pay attention to make…

The news that the world is at war is not new, as it seems that no matter which channel you watch there are reports of bombings, rioting, countries violence, lives lost, and vast sums of money spent to win. Over…

By Scott SullivanEditorAge of AnxietyMy wife’s pit bull wears three collars. “WTF?” I asked her.“You bought him the pink one with cartoon bones on it,” she said. “The black is a thunder collar to calm him down during storms. The…

   Earlier this month a longtime friend sent me one of his favorite quotes from Ecclesiastes: “Whoever increases knowledge increases sorrow.”  He added a modern refrain: “And spikes our anxiety.”  I thought about it the next morning when I went…

For some reason I feel the need to move from one house to another, or one office to another, every few years. This time my fiancé and I, decided to move from our condo to a house on an acre…