It’s not progress if it lowers the quality of life

Image courtesy of Del Stone Jr.

Well, well. Here we sit on Okaloosa Island. On the right lies our scenic marina-slash-sewer, aka Choctawhatchee Bay. Rumors of the Gulf of Mexico place it to our left, its existence privy only to the gloating apparatchiks who inhabit the… READ MORE

Welcome to our little town, with its own pet crematorium

This image was obtained from the town of Cinco Bayou's website.

Welcome to the town of Cinco Bayou, a pleasant enclave amid a sea of tackiness, its tree-lined streets providing access to quaint shops and beautiful homes … and now, in an exciting new development, a pet crematorium. Cinco Bayou is… READ MORE

Jeff Newell will not be the last of his kind, but he will be the best

While the nose art indicates the name of this Collings Foundation B-24 is "Golden Girl," the plane was known as the "All American." Journalist Bruce Brewer stands atop the fuselage prior to the flight from Panama City to Crestview in March 1998. Image courtesy of Del Stone Jr.

The afternoon was cold, and Jeff Newell was trembling. “We get to go flying!” he enthused, rubbing his hands together, his voice rising and falling in a little boy’s sing-song. The freezing wind mattered little. More important was the aging… READ MORE

The giving of advice has become an industry

Image courtesy of Flickr user Got Credit by way of a Creative Commons license. https://www.flickr.com/photos/gotcredit/

A word of advice: Ever get the feeling you’re being overwhelmed with advice? I have here a press release from the National Headache Foundation, which I’ve been keeping since last month. The NHF wanted me to have a “headache-free Valentine’s… READ MORE

It’s time to put a stop to cellular hellular

Image courtesy of Mike Skoropad by way of a Creative Commons license. https://www.flickr.com/photos/192905932@N07/51156116220

They got mail: Last week I asked you guys to e-mail birthday greetings to Karen Jarnigan (formerly Wolf) and Tavel Bell (formerly Cowen), who both used to work at the Daily News and then moved along to bigger and better… READ MORE