SHOLEH PATRICK
Recent Stories
MLP: Repeat it again?
Like sunshine to the desk-chained office drudge, like the length of this sentence, useless words are tantamount to frustration for Your Mrs. Language Person. The Snitty Old Biddy beseeches you, Dear Readers: Give words their due meanings and heed these admonitions against repetition.
SHOLEH: New Hope for Alzheimer's
For folks with early-stage Alzheimer’s hope is on the horizon. A drug newly approved by the Food and Drug Administration may help slow its progression.
No speaker. Does it matter?
It’s been 100 years. And McCarthy is only the second. The last and only other time a Speaker of the House wasn’t elected on the first ballot was in 1923. Like today’s 222 of a total 435 seats, in 1923 Republicans also had a slim majority, so while it’s very unlikely, with such stark division within the troops a minority-party speaker is at least a theoretical possibility.
How does the IRA affect you?
The Inflation Reduction Act, a big bill signed into law this month, is broader than its name may imply. With tax credits and other provisions for climate change mitigation, healthcare, firefighting and more, this 730-page bill covers a fairly broad range of items potentially impacting American life both long-term and short-term. As with most things these days, there’s already a rash of misinformation out there, claiming it does more, less, or different than what’s actually in the text of the new law.
Stressed? Go fish
August is National Fishing Month. As if simply indulging in the experience isn’t enough, many studies have confirmed the benefits of spending time in nature. At least two hours each week seems to be the magic number for better health and well-being, according to a study published in the June 13, 2019 issue of Scientific Reports (White, et. al.).
Happy birthday to the nation’s first “cops”
Say “federal law enforcement” and what springs to mind is the FBI. The U.S. Marshalls or the Secret Service. In the inland northwest, maybe the BLM or Forest Service cops in national parks. While trees do come into play (pulp, anyway) none of these was first at bat. The earliest federal law enforcement officer was a kind of mailman. His name was Benjamin Franklin. Yes, that Ben Franklin.
Americans WILL road-trip in 2022
Nothing, it seems, is going to keep the average American from following through on summer road trip plans according to a slew of surveys.
Nothing, it seems, is going to keep the average American from following through on summer road trip plans according to a slew of surveys.
Idaho above average in federal dependency
With such a high sentiment of anti-federalism of late, in March personal-finance website WalletHub released updated rankings for its 2022’s Most & Least Federally Dependent States.
National debt FAQs
The national debt hit $30 trillion last month. Here's a primer on the national debt, from the definition to how it affects Americans.
Irish roots reveal surprises
Each year as March 17 approaches, this column features some glimpse of all things Irish – St. Patrick’s story (okay, so he was English, but I digress), Irish-American traditions, Celtic history, three-leafed shamrocks (no, not four), and shepherd’s pie – all necessarily repeated in 20-plus years of writing it.