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This is hard to talk about and I really don’t wish to divulge too much, but I need to point out that the more I interact with people (and I do interact with lots and lots of people from all walks of life and in very different circumstances and venues) the more I am noticing […]

Building Your Power of Expression Ameliorate, v. Pronunciation: əˈmēlyəˌrāt Meaning: To ameliorate is to take something bad or undesirable and make it better somehow; to make more tolerable. Usage: Take this medicine, as it will help ameliorate the pain. His reforms did much to ameliorate living standards. Although this environment is in utter disarray, it will […]

One day I was in a large ballroom at a hotel in San Antonio, Texas. I was preparing for a workshop I would be delivering in about 2 hours from that moment. I had a task to complete: I had prepared 220 copies of a 16-page handout – one per attendee – and I needed […]

In the previous two issues of Uncommon Sense, I have used this column to turn our attention to the Biden-Harris administration’s open border policy. In issue #314, I tried to think like a terrorist and speculate on what might have gone through the mind of a typical terrorist at the new reality of the open […]

There is a quote from a book I wished to use for this article. But I am frustrated because I can’t readily locate the quote. I wished to locate the quote so I could better understand the context of the quote. The quote is as follows: “. . . but perhaps he might gain internal […]

Building Your Power of Expression Droll, adj. Pronunciation: drōl Meaning: This word describes something that is curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement. Usage: He was notable for his unique brand of droll self-mockery. No, I didn’t do the chicken dance or anything so droll. Nick is very droll; he’s got a very […]

We live in truly amazing times. If you are located in any part of the Western World, and perhaps almost anywhere on earth, it is astonishing to consider the nature of the society in which we live. Opportunities for formal education, informal education, the chance to read amazing books and other writings in other formats, […]

Ever since Donald Trump left office in January 2021, our southern border has been, for all intents and purposes, wide open. While it is true that neither President Joe Biden nor Vice President and “Border Czar” Kamala Harris have ever candidly stated the obvious, which is that the border is open by design, that in […]

I met Linda in 7th grade. We became close friends in high school, as we were both singers in a vocal jazz group called The Harmattan. We were also close friends in high school because her boyfriend, Andy, was my best friend in high school. After high school (and after she and Andy went their […]

Building Your Power of Expression Risible adj. Pronunciation: ˈrizəbəl Meaning: Something that is capable of causing laughter. The word describes something that is amusing or worthy of laughter, often because it is absurd or ridiculous. Usage: The comedian’s risible performance had the audience in stitches. His risible attempts at dance moves made everyone at the party […]

I was thinking just the other day about phone books. Some of my younger readers may be clueless about what I am referring to. Prior to cell phones being ubiquitous, we had landlines in our homes and in our offices. Right now, I don’t recall when I stopped using a landline in my home, and […]

Sometimes it pays to try to understand your enemies. When Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were elected to the presidency during the 2020 election, the moment they got the keys to the White House in late January 2021, they immediately embarked on a project to do pretty much the opposite of whatever it was that […]

I recall an episode from my past, perhaps 30 or so years ago, I was in a grocery store in the Los Angeles area. Standing near the front of the store, right near the check-out lines, I saw several employees of that store talking frantically with each other. There must have been two or three […]

Building Your Power of Expression Paean n. Pronunciation: ˈpēən Meaning:A paean is a rich word loaded with meaning and energy. The word can refer to a song of praise or triumph, such as the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, or the National Anthem (“The Star Spangled Banner”) of the United States. Additionally, a paean can be […]

I had an unforgettable lunch some years ago in London. The venue was the popular restaurant called the Hard Rock Café. Since that London excursion, I have had lunch in the Hard Rock Café many times in many cities around the globe, from Sydney to San Diego, from Melbourne to Miami, from Barcelona to Baltimore, […]

It is an interesting undertaking to understand American Conservatism. People often throw the term around with only minimal understanding of what constitutes conservatism. I recently reviewed a speech on the subject by John Fonte of the Center for American Common Culture, a division of The Hudson Institute . Allow me to offer a quick summary […]

Judgment is a very important topic, and a lot of people have strong feelings about it, mostly negative feelings. Two Aspects of Judgment One aspect of the word involves the notion of exercising good judgment, as in making smart decisions or assessing situations with wisdom and intelligence. That’s a positive aspect of judgment. The opposite […]

Building Your Power of Expression Pining, pine n. Pronunciation: pin ng Meaning: To pine is to yearn for something with deep intensity – especially something that is unattainable. If a person longs for the return of something (e.g., a person, an earlier state of affairs, etc.,) they could said to be pining for that thing from […]

There is something to be said for distinctiveness. What sets one car apart from another car? Or, adding some granularity into the equation, what makes a Lamborghini different from a Ferrari, or a Bentley from a Rolls Royce? What makes an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max distinct from a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6? What makes […]

Sometimes it is instructive to merely make passing mention of the continued madness that is Leftism. Let’s take a quick stroll down memory lane to see the Left-wing trends and happenings that point to a growing erosion of decency and normalcy, shall we? The Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump does have some […]

Abraham Lincoln once said “The better part of one’s life consists of his friends.”  Hard to argue with that. Sitting just the other day with a great friend (SE) whom I first met back in 1996, I was reminded that while truly great individuals are not common, they are out there. It’s up to me […]

Building Your Power of Expression Specter, n. Pronunciation: ˈspektər Meaning: Although this word originally referred to a ghost, which for some people is scary enough, the meaning of this word has expanded to encompass anything that is widely feared as a possible unpleasant or even dangerous occurrence. Usage: The direction you are suggesting may well lead […]

Conversation can bring us together, but there is a major faux pas that can tear us apart. Allow me to explain. Just the other day, while sitting at my work station, I overheard two men speaking to each other. I’m not entirely certain what the topic of their conversation entailed, but they seemed to be […]

“May you live in interesting times.”     The quote above is said to be a bit of ancient Chinese wisdom. We certainly do seem to be living in interesting times, especially on the political front given that we are in an election season. And as we’ve heard in all of the presidential elections of […]

Life is very daunting for many people. If we keep our ears and our eyes open, we may find that many people need some encouragement; some need empathy; others, sympathy. I vividly recall a conversation with a man a few short months ago. Almost the entire conversation involved him telling me of his various physical […]

Building Your Power of Expression Ancillary,  adj., n. Pronunciation: ˈansəˌlerē Meaning: As a noun, this word refers to something which functions in a supplementary or supporting role. As an adjective, it is the quality of providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, institution, industry, or system. Usage: I need you […]

Strategy is crucial, not only to the viability of a business or an army, but even to the survival of the same. Strategy is a term rich with deep historical meaning. While the word came from earlier words that reach back centuries, our word strategy has only found coinage since the early 1800s. The word […]

Of all the factions that claim marginalized status in our culture today, the LGBT crowd is a fascinating case study in both self-fulfilling prophecy and projection. LGBT activists (which are distinct from the average LGBT person) have a vested interest in seeing themselves as victims – perpetually. They walk around with the deep-seated need to […]

One of the loveliest of pop songs from the 70s comes to us courtesy of Barbra Streisand. The song, written by Marvin Hamlisch, is titled “The Way We Were” and was used in the film of the same name starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. The lyrics are at once evocative of melancholy and nostalgia: […]

Building Your Power of Expression Coif,  v. Pronunciation: kwäf Meaning: As a noun, this word refers to a woman’s close-fitting cap, now only worn under a veil by nuns. But I use the word in its verb form, which refers to the style or arrangement of, say, someone’s hair, typically in an elaborate way. Usage: […]