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
When It comes to Speed Dating, Too Much Choice Is a Bad Thing
"Results showed that choosers made fewer proposals (positive dating decisions) at events in which the available dates showed greater variety across such attributes as age, height, occupation and education, and this effect was particularly strong when choosers were confronted with a larger number of opposite-sex speed daters" more »
Civil War at 150: Still Relevant, Still Divisive, Pew Reports
As the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War approaches, most Americans say the war between the North and South is still relevant to American politics and public life today. In a nation that has long endured deep racial divisions, the history of that era still elicits some strong reactions. more »
Hospital Compare Website Offers Data about Hospital Acquired Conditions
For the first time, Medicare patients can see how often hospitals report serious conditions that develop during an inpatient hospital stay that could possibly harm patients. This data about the safety of care available in America’s hospitals has been added to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Hospital Compare website more »
Justice Elena Kagan's First Dissent: Discriminating on the Basis of a Child’s Religion When Awarding Scholarships
From now on, the government need follow just one simple rule — subsidize through the tax system — to preclude taxpayer challenges to state funding of religion ... Today’s holding therefore will prevent federal courts from determining whether some subsidies to sectarian organizations comport with our Constitution’s guarantee of religious neutrality. more »
