Some years ago, a magazine publisher named Steve Forbes was running for president. His main pitch wasn’t how he was going to work for world peace or protect the good old U.S. of A. from all enemies foreign and domestic. Nope, his main pitch was that every American would be able to file his or her federal income taxes by […]
I have never paid much attention to the weather. After all, what’s the point? There is absolutely nothing I can do about it. Plus, the weather forecast is always more of a best guess than a guarantee. Even the meteorologists seem confounded. We’re supposed to be in the middle of an El Niño. In general, that means we should be […]
I have an idea for a TV show. It would be called Who Thought That Was a Good Idea? In it, I would sit at a kitchen table with a pot of coffee and two cups. Also sitting at the table would be my guest – an engineer, architect or other person who designs some of the crazy stuff we […]
I’m not often caught off guard. I usually keep my antenna up. In Oregon, I’ve found that to be a necessity. The other day, however, I was surprised. In point of fact, I had my socks blown clean off. And here’s the weirdest part – I was in Salem. To clarify, I have worked in that city 22 years. I’ve […]
As we come down the home stretch of 2023, it’s time to take an inventory. Some of the major events of the year: Went snorkeling with the family in Hawaii. Check. Didn’t drown. Check. Took about 20 minutes to recuperate from not drowning. Check. Took about 30 seconds to figure out that I might have a problem more serious than […]
By Carl Sampson The other day I was eavesdropping on a conversation about capitalism. The gist of it was that capitalism is bad and some people have too much money, while others don’t have enough. Furthermore, according to this discussion, rich people are not nice enough or generous enough. As Deion Sanders, my new favorite college football coach, would say, that’s a […]
I was heading to the store for another batch of stool softener — if you’re over 70 you’ll understand — when I heard the news: Jimmy Buffett had died. I’m not prone to emotions, but this did make me sad. Not “boo-hoo” sad; more like “that’s too bad” sad. His music had followed me through a big chunk of my […]
It’s going to be a long election season. Already, the folks on unsocial media are stretching, bending and breaking the truth about various candidates. How is a responsible voter to navigate all of the untruths? My best suggestion is to delete Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and all of the other apps. I feel dumber every time I look at them, […]
I recently turned 70 and got the best birthday present ever – a new lease on life. What I had self-diagnosed as industrial-strength heartburn turned out to be something else entirely. Only the persistence of my doctor led to the correct diagnosis. While I noticed the heartburn came and went, depending on whether I was walking uphill, she saw the […]
I am sitting here staring at the pinwheel of death. It’s not my death, but the end of my trusty computer’s useful life. Like me, everything it does these days is slow. Switching applications is a process. In the old days, it would sprint from one task to another, happily keeping up as I bashed my way through our taxes or […]
By Carl Sampson It’s the end of the world, again. I’m not talking about the banking system, which sets itself on fire every few years. Nor am I talking about inflation, which features Congress spraying down the economy with trillions of dollars and amping up inflation at the same time the Federal Reserve is jacking up interest rates to slow […]
I love comedy. There is nothing like a good, old-fashioned belly laugh to make my day. I watch movies, comedians, improv – you name it – to get a daily dose of the giggles. There’s one comedy group, however, that stands out from all of the rest. It’s also the biggest. With 535 members, it’s always up to some madcap […]
I’m standing in my home office. It is buried in pink insulation – the aftermath of one more home improvement project gone wrong. I should explain. My wife and I had a bright idea. Our house is 60 years old, so we thought it would make sense to put more insulation in the attic. Save on heating bills and all […]
It’s been said that only a meteorologist and an economist can tell you with absolute certainty today why they were wrong yesterday. In the case of the meteorologist, I am reminded of how bizarre things have gotten every time I look out the window. In the case of the economist, I am reminded of that every time I read a […]
About 20 years ago I was ensconced in my La-Z-Boy trying to figure out some stuff. The immediate topic at hand was how to make television better. No, I wasn’t thinking about what shows folks would watch; I was thinking about when they could watch them. “Wouldn’t it be great to be able to go on the internet and pick […]
One thing that’s been on my bucket list since before I had a bucket is learning how to fly. I think it’s in my DNA. Growing up, I spent most of my time on Air Force bases. My dad was in the Air Force 23 years. When I graduated from the University of Alaska, I was broke. I mean penniless. […]
Suddenly, we were 18 again. It was as though H.G. Wells had swooped us up in a time machine and transported us to a town just outside of Philadelphia in 1971. Though the mustaches and bald spots were plentiful and the gaits a bit slower, the room filled with members of the Conestoga High School Class of 1971 was vibrating […]
I’m not a fan of most holidays. I know what you’re thinking – this guy’s crazy. Who wouldn’t appreciate time off work to spend with loved ones? But hear me out. By and large, holidays are stress-inducing budget busters, and the reasons behind them often get lost in clouds of fireworks and barbecue smoke. To add to the “fun,” […]
We’re going to hire a new CEO for the state of Oregon next month, and the sparks are flying, as independent and former state Sen. Betsy Johnson has the Democratic candidate, former Speaker of the House Tina Kotek in attack mode. Apparently, Kotek’s getting nervous. Meanwhile, the Republican candidate, former House minority leader Christine Drazan, seems to be running a […]
When he was 12, my brother Paul had a knack for comedy. He could do a spot-on impersonation of Andy Griffith, who got his start in show business as a stand-up comedian before starring on television in The Andy Griffith Show. We lived in a house trailer in Bossier City, Louisiana – my dad was stationed there in the Air […]
Just got back from Alaska. I hadn’t been in the Great White North for 27 years, and I was anxious to see how things had changed. As it turned out, not much. Alaska was, is and continues to be a whole different ball game. Not only is the weather unlike anything you’ll ever find in the Lower 48 – 35 […]
I live in a neighborhood populated by heroes. I’m not talking about Spandex-wearing, pumped-up guys and gals appearing soon at a multiplex near you. I am talking about everyday heroes. The kind of people who pulled their weight in life and as a part of society. They raised families, worked at jobs. They offered a hand to those who needed […]
Like many 20-year-olds, I am prime-time in love with the movie Top Gun. I always have been and the fact that a sequel just came out has made my year. It is my nominee for Best Movie of the Year at the Oscars, and I haven’t even seen it. My problem – if you want to call it that – […]
“I’m ready to die,” she said, turning her head toward the apartment window. I looked at my mother-in-law, Nadine Stack, not knowing what to say. This was three years ago, and at age 97 she was in good health and still able to get around. She was even a member of the beanbag baseball team at Mount Angel Towers, the […]
Some if you may know that I’ve been having close encounters of the medical kind during the last few months. And, no, it wasn’t COVID. It was really nothing super serious, although, for the first time in my life, my doctor ordered me not to exercise. Every other time I’ve gone to a doctor I have been pestered to get […]
