Opinion category, Page 101
Editorial: The hope and light of Hanukkah
The symbol of Hanukkah is not what you might think it is. For many, the Jewish festival of lights is most identified with a menorah — a branch of flames atop candles or cups of oil. But what the uninitiated might mistake for a menorah is really a hanukkiah. A...
Letter to the editor: Thankful for Biden’s accomplishments
Throughout this Christmas season, when you attend church, be sure to say a special prayer for all the wonderful things that the great President Joe Biden has done for the American people. His humanitarian legacy will live forever in history. In my lifetime, only the legendary Franklin Delano Roosevelt and...
Michael J. Zoosman: Will Biden become another Pontius Pilate this holiday season?
This year, the Jewish and Christian winter holidays are in cosmic synchrony. The evening of Dec. 25 — Christmas Day on the Gregorian calendar — falls on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev — the first night of Hanukkah on the lunar calendar. These popular festivals in...
Cal Thomas: Oh, Christmas tree!
When Washington politicians speak of a Christmas tree this time of year, they are not referring to an actual tree. It means they’ve loaded up a bill with another kind of “green,” the kind that’s decorated with money. The “bipartisan” bill passed just before midnight last Friday, minutes before a...
Smitha Vishveshwara: What connects us in this polarizing moment through space and time and humanity
Reeling from a divisive and turbulent election season, many of us seek spaces of solace, light, unity and worship as we turn toward the winter holidays. The cosmos and its reflection within us harbor such spaces. By viewing and embracing scientific insights through the lens of humanity, you form a...
Editorial: Share the special glow of Christmas
Christmas trees are like snowflakes. No two are alike. Some are made of aluminum and plastic. They might be put up on Black Friday — maybe even earlier in November. Some are real trees bought from parking lots outside grocery stores or fire stations. Some were cut fresh from a...
Dan Rodricks: Luigi Mangione and where we are now
In February 1992, chicken magnate Frank Perdue received a pie in the face from a protester in a chicken costume during a meeting of the University of Maryland Board of Regents in Baltimore. Perdue was founder, president and CEO of one of the nation’s largest poultry processors. More than that,...
Cal Thomas: Biden-Trump, the worst transition ever
The soon-to-expire Biden administration is behaving as if an invading foreign power is about to take over and the house must be burned down to keep the “invaders” from succeeding. In the past few weeks, the cynicism meter has ticked up several notches because of the decisions made by the...
Letter to the editor: What could go wrong with Trump in charge?
Donald Trump holds the record for the biggest fine ever levied against a casino for repeated and flagrant money-laundering offenses. He had his charity shut down because he misappropriated $2 million of donations that were supposed to go to veterans and sick children. He was ordered by a judge to...
Letter to the editor: Allegheny County tax hike outrageous
It’s as predictable as the sunrise. Allegheny County has enacted another outrageous tax increase of 36%, after striking down a more outrageous increase of nearly 50%. This follows the same old pattern of county government: floating out a huge number, then slightly reducing it to try and appear as if...
Letter to the editor: Voters want more choices
I agree with the writer of the letter “Ranked choice voting gives all voters a say” (Dec. 13, TribLive) that something has to change. Ranked choice voting looks attractive, provided the politicians don’t “game” it. However, it seems that most of us just want more choices. Third parties exist, and...
Editorial: Putin’s weaker than he looks. Seize the opportunity
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to project an image of economic strength while prosecuting the war in Ukraine, as if he could easily outlast the West’s efforts to counter his aggression. If President-elect Donald Trump and other Western leaders want to negotiate a prudent peace deal, they shouldn’t buy...
Letter to the editor: St. Nicholas legends show point of Christmas
It’s the demise of our culture, especially today, how we’ve taken great characters in history and twisted their purpose toward fulfilling our worldly fantasies. One of these characters is St. Nicholas (aka Santa Claus), the saintly legend whose story has been obscured by modern society. There are two events in...
Editorial cartoons for the week of Dec. 23
Editorial cartoons for the week of Dec. 23....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Dec. 23
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Dec. 23....
Letter to the editor: Did you vote for Elon Musk?
Who voted for Elon Musk to represent them in Congress? Why does anyone in Congress (Republicans) listen to him instead of their constituents who voted them into office? Tim Babyak Perryopolis...
Letter to the editor: The importance of Dec. 25
Christmas has been hijacked from a Christian holy day to a day of commercial self-gratification, and few people seem to care. When examining the roots of Christmas, one finds that by the fourth century, the Christian church had established itself as the official faith of the Roman Empire and had...
Editorial: Self-exclusion is a cry for help
The state does a lot of things to keep people safe. It creates laws about domestic violence. It paints lines on roads. It makes sure the water is clean, the ground is unpolluted and the air is clear. In many cases, the state keeps people safe from themselves. Pennsylvania governs...
Letter to the editor: Faith the only way to tell the Christmas story
He (Joseph) took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Friendship, the greatest gift
Not much good is expected from the combination of politics and the internet these days. But for our family, the gift of Christmas 2024 — celebrating a friendship across the sea that was borne of politics and the internet — is an exception to that rule. Some years ago, weary...
Kathryn Anne Edwards: The influencer economy exposes a 70-year problem for women
The holidays are upon us, and more than ever the burgeoning influencer economy is having an impact on what consumers buy. Few reliable statistics can be found concerning the influencer profession, but several studies suggest the industry is dominated by women in their homes selling products related to the personal...
James Densley, Jillian Peterson and David Riedman: Here’s what is so unusual about the Wisconsin school shooting — and what isn’t
The Dec. 16 shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., shocked the nation, not only for its horror but for its unique profile. This time, a teenage girl opened fire inside her school, killing a teacher, another student and apparently herself, and injuring six others. Although female school...
Sounding off: Politics letter-writers’ top topic
Don’t castigate real Democrats I stewed as I read and reread the letters “Trump’s victory shows rejection of Democrats’ ways” (Nov. 15, TribLive) and “Better under Trump? Think again” (Nov. 15, TribLive). As a lifelong Democrat, I take exception to the castigating of real Democrats. The Democratic Party has been...
Letter to the editor: Biden a flawed president, flawed man
I was a young, politically naive man during Jimmy Carter’s time in office, but even then I could see his was a failed presidency. The humiliation of the Iran hostage situation, including the failed rescue mission, high inflation, record high interest rates, etc. led to this conclusion. In spite of...
Editorial: Will Westmoreland County finally hire an elections director?
Westmoreland County Director of County Operations Greg McCloskey has retired. People do this every day. Yahoo Finance reports an estimated 6.1 million Americans have retired this year — or will in the next 10 days. McCloskey is 61 — a hair short of the traditional 65 but definitely in the...
