Columnists - The Journal

In life’s mosaic, ‘fragments of possibility’

Imagine – scarlet. Bring it to mind in all its richness. Sit with this vivid, intense color, and let it speak to you. Now, fuchsia. And then, magenta. Try azure. And in a while, w...

DATE: Jan 12, 2016 | CATEGORY: Thoughts Along The Way

Veterans’ children with birth defects may qualify for help

The main objective of the Veterans Service Office is to provide prevention, protection, advocacy and support services to veterans and their families so they can maximize their quality of lif...

DATE: Dec 18, 2015 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Holiday tree provides light and cheer in dark days

I got my Yule trees put up this past weekend, and mostly decorated. Our colleagues at the Durango Herald had an article last week on the comparative merits of real trees versus f...

DATE: Dec 17, 2015 | CATEGORY: View from the Boondocks

Fact Check: Carson misses the boat on federal lands

Ben Carson said: “The fact that the government owns 2.4 billion acres of land is ridiculous. What do they need with all that land?” “I would advocate returning land to the states....

DATE: Dec 10, 2015 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

19th-century fur trapper Denis Julien traveled against the current

The mystery of 19th-century fur trapper Denis Julien

DATE: Dec 10, 2015 | CATEGORY: Gulliford's travels

A remedy for Fiorina’s bout with Obamacare

The Affordable Care Act – Obamacare to some – is a perennial target of Republicans. But at the GOP presidential debate in Milwaukee, Carly Fiorina made a particularly strong statement about ...

DATE: Dec 2, 2015 | CATEGORY: Columnists

Thinking About Health Medicare makes it easier for end-of-life counseling

What a difference six years makes! In 2009 at the height of the debate on the Affordable Care Act, New York’s former lieutenant government Betsy McCaughey appeared on television ...

DATE: Dec 2, 2015 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Some facts about screening the Syrian refugees

Carly Fiorina “The vast majority of (Syrian) refugees are young, able-bodied men looking for work.” According to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, males are 49.7 percent an...

DATE: Nov 26, 2015 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Fact Check: Democratic candidates miss on dollars, common sense

The three Democratic presidential candidates faced off on the second debate Saturday night. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said that in President Ronald Reagan’s first term,...

DATE: Nov 20, 2015 | CATEGORY: Columnists

I wonder ...

For those of you who read this column somewhat regularly you know that I wonder a lot. I wonder about a lot of things, some of them worth writing about, most of them not. I wonder...

DATE: Nov 20, 2015 | CATEGORY: Thoughts Along The Way

Winter survival depends on animals’ ability to adapt

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued an official El Niño warning for this winter based on temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. An El Niño doesn’t always ...

DATE: Nov 20, 2015 | CATEGORY: Powerful solutions

Losing your life, and finding the divine

Durango is a nice enough town. I suspect it’s favored by those who live there. After all, for them it is home. But I can’t imagine choosing to live there – not after living in Cortez. And ma...

DATE: Nov 4, 2015 | CATEGORY: Thoughts Along The Way