
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

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

I just finished typing 300 column inches of Mother’s Day testimonials from kids and teens. My fingers have boo-boos. I need Mommy to kiss them and make them better. (I should mention I had LOTS of help from Angie Toole,… READ MORE
The book “The Ugly American” was published in 1958 and lauded as an incisive analysis of America’s myopic approach to foreign policy in Southeast Asia. But over the years it has come to mean something else: the inclination of many… READ MORE
It couldn’t happen here. For decades Americans have watched mayhem overseas, smugly confident their shores were safe from chaos. Sept. 11, 2001 changed that. We’re talking about journalism, of course. While American media rushed to pat… READ MORE

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
I get some interesting mail. For instance, sitting on my desk is a letter from God. Well. I didn’t see THAT coming. Why would God communicate with via the Postal Service? Why not a good old-fashioned bolt of lightning? Relax…. READ MORE
We, the registered voters of Florida, are very happy the rest of you Americans have taken such a deep and abiding interest in our ballot-gathering process. Indeed, we feel honored to hold such a position of, well, how shall I… READ MORE

Image courtesy of Del Stone Jr.
I give up. I’m tired of the evil looks. I’m tired of the snarky remarks. I’m tired of the short end of the stick. So I’m defecting to the other side. I’m joining the opposition. I am now pro-development. Gosh,… READ MORE

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