Doris O'Brien is a retired college Speech teacher and banker. She has published two books of humor (Up or Down With Women's Liberation and Humor Me a Little) and for many years contributed light verse to the Pepper 'n Salt column of the Wall Street Journal. She is an avid writer of letters to the editors.
Doris celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary in the same year she welcomed her first grandchild. She now lives in Pasadena with a great view of the San Gabriel mountains — and the annual Tournament of Roses Parade.
She can be reached by e-mail: witsendob at (@) gmail.com
Still Learning: Lessons from a Lifetime in the Classroom, Eyes on the Prize
Julia Sneden wrote: I once had the father of a 5-year-old ask me: "On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate my daughter?" When I protested that I wasn't in the business of rating kindergarten children, he persisted: "But if you were? Where would you put her?" "As compared to what or whom?" I asked. "As compared to her academic potential? Her social skills? Her satisfactoriness as a daughter? Her athletic ability?"
"You know what I mean," he said. "Compared to the rest of your class, 1-10, where does she stand?"
There seemed to be no point in giving a serious answer to something like that, and I gave him what he wanted to hear. "She's a 10, of course," I said cheerfully. And mentally I added: "And you, sir, are a minus 3." more »
Which States Have the Most Job Growth Since the Recession? The 50 States and DC Have Added Nearly 12 Million Jobs
In 21 states, employment has increased less than 7 percent. But in other states, employment has bounced back strongly: In 14, employment has increased 10 percent or more since their low points. North Dakota has led the way thanks to its oil boom. Other top performers are Texas and Utah, where employment has increased more than 15 percent since December 2009 and February 2010, respectively. Next are California and Colorado, where employment is up more than 13 percent since their lowest points in early 2010.
May 13, 2015
By Jake Grovum
© AP
Although the nation’s unemployment rate is at a seven-year low of 5.4 percent, job growth among the states has been uneven, with several showing… more »
America’s Changing Religious Landscape: Christians Decline Sharply as Share of Population; Unaffiliated and Other Faiths Continue to Grow
Religious intermarriage appears to be on the rise: Among Americans who have gotten married since 2010, nearly four-in-ten (39%) report that they are in religiously mixed marriages, compared with 19% among those who got married before 1960. Nearly 1-in-5 people surveyed who got married since 2010 are either religiously unaffiliated respondents who married a Christian spouse or Christians who married an unaffiliated spouse. Just 5% of people who got married before 1960 fit this profile. more »
White House Life: A Tea for Military Mothers, the New China Service and First Ladies Biographies
Which two first ladies met their husbands through local newspapers? Who was the first First Lady to make regular nationwide radio broadcasts? Which First Lady cared for wounded soldiers in her husband's command? Who was originally a Broadway actress before becoming the First Lady? If you're looking to learn more about the past First Ladies who have helped lead our country, you're in the right place. Take a look at our full set of biographies. Then, quiz your friends. more »
