Columns - Benton Evening News

Kent Bush: Thanks to Clinton's nomination, now we have to worry about Big Sister

I'm so old, I read George Orwell's "1984" in 1984. I also saw Apple's "1984" ad where a woman dressed as like Hooters waitress smashed the screen of a huge monitor setting the masses free from boring old computers made by "Big Brother" which was a thinly veiled attack on Microsoft.

Kent Bush More Content Now Jul 27, 2016 4:00 PM

Kitchen Call: Fresh mint takes the heat off

Midsummer. My basil plants are flourishing on the deck. Pots of dill generously season my potato salads and stuffed eggs. Hearty sprigs of oregano add the perfect depth to my tomato sauces. But I have no mint. An essential hot-weather herb, mint's freshness makes cool seem cooler.

Linda Bassett More Content Now Jul 27, 2016 10:40 AM

Breaking Bread: Steeped in fun: Herb group hosts tea in gardens

Most tea parties don't begin with a trip to a hen house to gather eggs for egg-salad sandwiches. But the annual children's tea at the Stratford Ecological Center in Delaware isn't the ordinary kind; it's the garden variety.

Lisa Abraham More Content Now Jul 27, 2016 10:01 AM

Lost in Suburbia: Blue skies shining at me

"Honey, do we have any sunscreen?" wondered my husband. "Yes," I responded. I bought, like, a case of it years ago."

Tracy Beckerman More Content Now Jul 27, 2016 9:48 AM

Arthur I. Cyr: Confronting North Korea's challenge

Sustained North Korea threats, and nuclear weapon and missile tests, have led the Obama administration and Prime Minister Park Geun-hye's government of South Korea to agree to deploy the Lockheed Martin THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Air Defense) anti-missile system. Beijing is reacting with consternation, but China's arms buildup and aggressiveness at sea further justify the South Korea deployment. Earlier, the system was deployed on the U.S. West Coast, Guam and Hawaii.

Arthur I. Cyr More Content Now Jul 26, 2016 2:27 PM

Dr. Elaine Heffner: Social learning

Children are entering groups at earlier and earlier ages. Once in groups, they begin to be thought of as being in school. Being in "school" they should be "learning," and learning has come to mean the three R's, plus mastery of other material once only expected of children in grade school. As a result, the importance and value of play is not fully appreciated. It is as if learning and play are not only different, but opposed: If children are playing, they are not learning. It is only when being taught letters, numbers or other academic material that they are seen as learning.

Dr. Elaine Heffner More Content Now Jul 26, 2016 10:28 AM

Shayne Looper: Don't ignore the past, believe in the future

There are two kinds of people at a party. There are those whose words and actions announce, "Here I am!" and those whose words and actions say, "There you are!" The "Here I am" person might be the life of the party but it's the "There you are" person that makes you glad you came. I met someone the other day -- we were alone in a business setting -- who hardly acknowledged my presence. That was alright with me. He's probably not much of a talker and he seemed like a decent guy; I liked him. But it got me thinking that there is a better and a worse way to encounter people, whether one is meeting them for the first time or the thousandth.

Shayne Looper More Content Now Jul 26, 2016 10:15 AM

The Mom Stop: Saying 'thanks' to the teachers

A package arrived at our door last week, one that my son has been looking forward to: A new backpack.

Lydia Seabol Avant More Content Now Jul 26, 2016 9:43 AM

Kent Bush: A great idea that came a little too late

Have you ever had an idea that was a really good idea, but when you finally came up with the idea, it was too late to make it become a reality? I know I have. I did just this week.

Kent Bush More Content Now Jul 25, 2016 3:50 PM

Kent Bush: Trump misses opportunity to jump start his campaign

Donald Trump joined a very short list Thursday night. There aren't many people who can say that they have been named a candidate for President of the United States by one of the country's two major parties. That is a rare honor. With his acceptance speech, Trump officially became the Republican candidate in 2016. I never thought it could happen. I certainly never thought it would happen. But it happened, and like myself, not all Republicans are thrilled about it. Trump's speech Thursday did little to change that. By now the shock of Ted Cruz being allowed to speak at the Republican National Convention despite the fact that he refused to endorse the nominee has worn off. Many were equally shocked that Trump allowed Peter Thiel, an openly gay Republican, call the party's social policies "fake culture wars." Thiel received a standing ovation for his comments from the crowd, including Trump's family. Many staunch Republicans are in mourning for the GOP they once knew. Nicole Wallace dedicated much of her professional life to the Republican Party. She worked as the communications director for George W. Bush during his tenure in the White House. "The Republican party that I worked for for two decades died in this room tonight," Wallace said Thursday. She pointed to Trump's statements on immigration and foreign policy as particularly troubling. Meghan McCain -- daughter of Sen. John McCain who was his party's nominee in 2008 -- echoed Wallace's comments. "The party I was part of is dead," McCain said. Listening to American Family Radio Friday, seemingly every segment was asking listeners if they would still vote for Trump despite troubling statements during the convention. That isn't the effect you expect the Republican National Convention to have on the party's faithful. After four days of prime time coverage, you expect a major spike in the candidate's popularity. I don't think that will happen after a week of controversies and an acceptance speech that painted America as a post-apocalyptic wasteland that only a Trump presidency can repair. Trump's speech was a 90-minute grocery list of everything that should cause us to be afraid to leave our homes. This is a big change from the statements of President Barack Obama on how to handle adversity. "We didn't come here to fear the future, we came here to shape it," Obama said. Of course the most famous presidential quote about fear came from Franklin Roosevelt when he said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Thursday night, Trump's acceptance speech could have been summed up with the quote, "The only thing we have to fear is … if you have 90 minutes and I will tell you about all of them." Whether you loved Trump's speech or hid in your closet due to oppressive fear for the rest of the evening, you have to know that about half of those who vote in November will pick Trump. There are several reasons and none of them have to do with Thursday's speech. 1. He is probably a Republican and Hillary Clinton probably isn't even though Trump has supported multiple Democrats and Clinton used to be a Young Republican. 2. Latent racism and the prolific use dog whistles to make sure people like David Duke continue to praise the campaign. Duke said of Thursday's speech, "I couldn't have said it any better." 3. Mike Pence will be a good Vice President. I'm not sure that's true but some will vote for Trump because of Pence. 4. He isn't Hillary Clinton. Honestly, No. 4 will get him most of his votes. Those evangelical radio listeners came to the conclusion that even though Trump isn't a good candidate for them, Clinton is worse. Trump won't care that many voters hold their noses while they vote for him. The candidate who best appeals to voters who are on the fence will win in November. Getting a good turnout from your base is important, but Republicans will vote and most will vote against Hillary if not for Trump. It won't be because of Thursday night or anything they heard at the convention last week. Trump said last week was the most beautiful and love filled convention in the history of convention. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Trump must love a good train wreck. The campaign didn't exactly get a jump-start toward November. With three months left, there is a lot of work left to do. -- Kent Bush is publisher of Shawnee (Oklahoma) News-Star and can be reached at kent.bush@news-star.com.

Kent Bush More Content Now Jul 25, 2016 10:25 AM