Why Is It Called a “Station Wagon?”

Have you ever tossed and turned in bed at night unable to get this thought out of your head: “I’ve called it a ‘Station wagon’ since I was a kid. But why station wagon?” No, neither have I. But I’m reading Tales of the Jazz Age by F. Scott Fitzgerald in short daily email installments … Read more

At the McCain Ranch: McCain Discusses the Surge

by David Safier McCain takes a load off his feet after an especially tough week on the campaign trail. He gives us a new explanation of his earlier explanations of the surge. Son, I want to teach you a wonderful new word — SURGE. I ain’t gonna teach you what it means, ’cause that’s the … Read more

Dr. Word Asks: Can You Be Black and Blue Collar?

by David Safier In the media, the term “Blue Collar Voters” is both a euphemism and a code term for “White Working Class Voters,” and its use harms the political dialogue and has ugly racist overtones. Political campaigns use terms like this to spin the voters all the time, but here, as happens all too … Read more

Pay Students to Dig Out the Bufflegrass

by David Safier (TASL) If you don’t know about the threat of buffelgrass to Tucson’s desert ecosystem, you need to educate yourself. Jim Kiser has an excellent op ed in today’s Star, a group of scientists and politicians put together an eye-opening 10 minute video and the Bufflegrass Information Center website is filled with information. … Read more