How's your civics literacy?

Most Americans are sadly lacking when it comes to knowing their country’s history. They also stink at understanding how our government works.

But don’t try telling them they are woefully illiterate when it comes to civics. Keep you fake facts to yourself.

Learning to cope with climate change

In my day, we had a clear winter, followed by a noticeable spring, radiant summer and a glorious fall. Sometimes the winter would drag into the spring, and if we were lucky, summer often lingered into fall.

Flossing tools, manhole covers and roundabouts

And what kind of person flosses his teeth in a grocery store parking lot? Have you no shame?

By the numbers in the General Assembly

Each session of the General Assembly is comprised of two years, which typically go from January to May (often ending much earlier, particularly in election years). State lawmakers earn an annual salary of $22,667, as well as a per diem of $229.

Robert Houk

You might disagree with his politics, but it’s hard to dispute his work ethic. I recall seeing Corker at a busy cafe in downtown Nashville during his time in Sundquist’s Cabinet in the mid 1990s. The restaurant was packed with the lunch crowd when Corker and other officials in the governor’s office were seated at a table with dirty dishes.

Robert Houk

As Americans we each have the right to decide how and when we display our patriotism, but if you are going to fly the U.S. flag, you should follow proper etiquette in doing so.

Remembering the glory days of fake news

Beginning in 1979, the Weekly World News brought us such notable headlines as “Elvis lives,” “Bat Boy found in cave” and “Space Aliens meet with President Clinton.” This was journalism you couldn’t find anywhere else, not even in the pages of the other so-called supermarket tabloids.

A week to treasure the U.S. Constitution

This is Constitution Week, which was created by Congress in 1955 at the urging of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The idea was to set aside one week each year to observe the signing of the Constitution.

Brazilla Reece left his mark on GOP politics

There have been several congressmen from the 1st District who have made history (including his long-serving protégée Jimmy Quillen), but none stood on the national political stage quite the way Reece did in the years following World War II. Reece, who died in office in 1961, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1920.

Searching for the truth about chemtrails

If you are unfamiliar, chemtrails are what some conspiracy theorists call the frozen contrails in the sky that follow airplanes. Instead of being explained as condensation coming from the engines of the planes (as I and many others have always thought), these folks are certain the trails are actually sinister chemicals that eventually fall from the sky and are breathed by unsuspecting humans around the world.

They were beautiful days in the neighborhood

“Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” was a quiet place to go. Many children need that. I did. I still do.

Poltroons, scalawags and lollygaggers — oh my!

Poltroon has largely fallen out of usage today. Merriam-Webster says it is now among the least popular words in the dictionary.

That’s a shame because it’s the kind of word that rolls right off your tongue. The same is true for “scalawag.” When’s the last time you heard someone called a scalawag other than in a pirate movie?

Alf and Bob had fun on the campaign trail

I don’t know about you, but the rancor and negativity of political campaigns these days make me wish candidates would return to the civility of the 1886 race for Tennessee governor.

That contest featured two brothers from the beautiful Happy Valley community of Carter County, who shared a buggy as they crossed the state to speak before record crowds.

Let's make 'Jackson' a Broadway smash

In 1814 we took a little trip