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
Lifelong Pursuits: Musing on the Triple Crown
Racing exploits the most fragile of domestic animals, already prone to ravages of physical abuse even by the well-intentioned. They bear pain without the sounds we notice from dogs and cats, or even cage birds. Injuries are common and some easily overlooked until they become laming or worse. An injured racehorse may not be worth the correct and optimal healing if the owner deems it too costly. A racehorse is bred and conditioned to win races. If it doesn't, it stops receiving the expenditure of money and attention it would otherwise enjoy. more »
"Gardens Are Works of Art Rather Than Nature"
"Every article of my dress was most assiduously studied; and while I can now smile with contempt on the singular hat, or odd-shaped pantaloons of some dandy of the present day, I recall to my mind the white coat, lined with blue stain, and trimmed with silver fringe, in which I was supposed to captivate all hearts on one memorable occasion." more »
Splitting the MMS Into Two, Call for Investigation of Oil Drilling Safety and Shutting Down the Atlantis Platform
“We also request that MMS describe how a regulation that requires offshore operators to maintain certain engineering documents, but does not require that those documents be complete or accurate, is appropriately protective of human health and the environment.” more »
Who Manages Oil Resources in the Gulf of Mexico? Investigating the MMS Culture
Finally, our investigation revealed an organizational culture lacking acceptance of government ethical standards, inappropriate personal behaviors, and a program without the necessary internal controls in place to prevent future unethical or unlawful behavior. more »
