The Highroad

Bob Dylan once sent a two-word lyric to Ben Harper, a talented songwriter he admired. “Well well,” was the lyric, and Dylan challenged Harper to make a song of it...

When asked what the world needs, people tend to go all gushy and offer up such fuzzy stuff as “world peace” and “more kindness...

It’s been nearly 50 years since poverty in America was a front-burner issue on our nation’s political agenda — and it’s time to move it up again...

Imagine “net zero.” That’s the wonky phrase attached to an elegant idea — namely, converting communities to total renewable energy, complete recycling, and a culture of conservation to bring humankind’s carbon footprint into a sustainable balance with a healthy earth...

In most state legislatures today, bizarre is not unusual, and off-the-wall has become the political center...

Amy Meyer was curious. Then she was appalled. Then she was charged with the “crime” of using a cell phone to video what appalled her...

Prostitutes are amateurs compared to Texas state Sen. Kel Seliger, whose going rate is $20,000 a pop. At least that’s what he was paid last year by Waste Control Specialists...

Factory farms are not farms at all. They are corporate-run concentration camps for pigs, cows, chickens, turkeys and other food animals...

Earth Day cometh — the 43rd year of this national focus on our globe. Should we weep? Or cheer? Both. The first step toward any recovery is admitting that we have a problem. In fact, beaucoup of them. For example, despite the squawking of profiteering polluters and...

I like the word “lift.” It implies upward progress and a can-do communal spirit: Yes, let´s all put our backs into it, and lift this load. It´s so American...

Turf wars can be the silliest of all scuffles, and no place does silly with more zeal than Texas...

It’s one thing for Big Oil frackers to bust into our Earth, our communities and our economic well-being — but the fracking fad is also busting the free speech rights of locals who dare to speak out against it...