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
A Puppy Lemon Law, Minimum Wages, Gas Taxes, Legal Marijuana Among New State Laws
Elaine S. Povich writes: A wide-ranging collection of new state laws went into effect Jan. 1, including legalized pot, a puppy "lemon law" and a ban on unauthorized drone surveillance. One new law protects the "Possum Drop," a Brasstown, NC, New Year's Eve event. According to the National Conference of State Elaine S. Povich writes: Legislatures, states enacted nearly 40,000 laws and resolutions during 2013 legislative sessions, and many of them take effect on Jan. 1. Many of the laws made headlines when they passed. Now state residents will feel the effects. more »
Elaine Soloway's Caregiving Series: Better Late Than Never
Elaine Soloway writes: I have a theory as to why Tommy picked today — eight days after my birthday. I believe he wanted to separate himself from the crowd — make his gift and card more special than the rest. He wanted to let me know he cared more for me than anyone else, more than the first-thing-in-the-morning well wishers or card and gift senders. more »
Tiepolo and Friends, Commedia dell-arte and Venetian Culture at the Morgan
"The names Tiepolo, Canaletto, and Guardi are almost synonymous with the time and place, and their paintings and frescoes are the works most commonly associated with the Settecento in Venice. The drawings in this exhibition, chosen entirely from the Morgan’s collection, bring to light the full spirit of eighteenth-century Venetian art and the many extraordinary individuals who participated in the resurgence of cultural activity that characterized the final years of the Republic." more »
Senators Press Medicare for Answers on Drug Program
ProPublica reporters, using Medicare's own data, identified scores of doctors whose prescription patterns within the program bore the hallmarks of fraud. The cost of their prescribing spiked dramatically from one year to the next — in some cases by millions of dollars — as they chose brand-name drugs that scammers can easily resell. more »
