I have cancer. I own it, so there. Now, bug off! See what just happened? For cancer survivors, like me, “cranky” might be a gross understatement. You, as a caregiver, may want to be part of my cancer journey, but don’t want to step on any landmines along the way. Who can blame you? But … Continue reading
Old lives matter if we cherish and protect them. But do we really cherish and protect them when there is a shortage of personal protective equipment and tests at nursing homes? Many have already died, but must even more die? Do old lives truly matter if our community doesn’t have a mask mandate or enforce … Continue reading
Aging and major health issues can get a guy down, but it only takes small act of kindness to keep me bouncing back. Last summer, I spotted my wife, Tanya, framing six colorful drawings on our bedroom wall. They were drawings of six bird species, including the Japanese Waxwing, Indian Roller, and the Elegant Pitta. … Continue reading
church in Minneapolis heads bowed in prayer calm, quiet reflection turns to panic and fear childhoods robbed classmates gone untold grief innocence shattered nation now prays for tender lives cut short wounds to heal nightmares to end nation now prays for a gathering will to end this violence ©Ron Cooper 2025 Continue reading
A small group of Americans are in the unique position to save Medicaid from disastrous cuts, and preserve democracy to boot. I’m referring to our country’s estimated 800 billionaires. Their collective wealth is measured in the trillions of dollars, and they would get hideously richer if the federal budget bill now pending before Congress becomes … Continue reading
Crashing website. Overwhelmed phone lines. Workforce cutbacks. Hostile work environment. Trump has long said that changes to Social Security are entirely off the table. But just look at what Elon Musk and his DOGE team are doing to undermine it. Make no mistake about it, but the huge staff reductions (reportedly 10,000+) and planned closing … Continue reading
It’s party time in our nation’s capital, as the peaceful transfer of power takes place and an inauguration is held. But just what are we celebrating? Is it: Mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, even if it means ending birthright citizenship for children born into these families? Or, pardons of January 6 insurrectionists lawfully convicted of … Continue reading
My seasonal allergies plague me all year, but they saved the day for a cute little squirrel who was caught in the sights of a cat poised to attack. That same cat, it turns out, had committed the deadly deed only days before. This will take a little explaining. The gray tabby is a community … Continue reading
Time flies when you’re having fun, but little did I ever think that we Cooper siblings would get so darn old! That thought hit me like a ton of bricks this year when my three sisters and I could all call ourselves septuagenarians. Seventy. Who among us was really marking time all that closely, what … Continue reading
My son, Jake, is overseeing the launch of The Story Center at The Boyle County Public Library in Danville, Ky., where he serves as assistant director of library operations. As his proud dad, I’d like to share a few details with you: Using a $1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation, Jake and his colleagues … Continue reading
Back in my college days, it was common to see a bumper sticker adorned with the American flag and this inscription: “Love It or Leave It.” Our country was terribly divided over the war in Vietnam. Many young people like myself were vociferously opposed to the war, and the proponents employed that bumper sticker to … Continue reading
We all need an everyday hero, and mine’s Tanya Cooper, my wife and best friend. Tanya is loyal and generous to a fault, and goes out of her way to keep me happy and healthy. One striking example: She has gone to work masked up for the past four years, dating from the start of … Continue reading
