Barb Woolard

Perhaps some of the most misunderstood and misused words in our 21st-century language are “liberal” and “conservative.” In a fractured and splintered political atmosphere, both ends of the spectrum have mo […]

Andy Borowitz, the Jonathan Swift of the Internet, wrote this about how contemporary humans often respond when confronted with facts:
Scientists have discovered a powerful new strain of fact-resistant humans who […]

Still befuddled by the disconnect between evangelicals’ avowed religious beliefs and their support of Donald Trump’s candidacy, opposition to reasonable measures for reducing gun violence, vitriolic hatred f […]

The latest news from the academic world is all about trigger warnings and safe spaces, and these discussions have at times convinced me that I chose the right time to retire. When I first read the now well-known […]

Now don’t get me wrong. I think growing old is a beautiful thing. It means I’ve been blessed with many years of life and experience, it means I’m a survivor, it means I’ve endured whatever life has thrown at me, […]

Pivot, schmivot! Donald Trump is once again on the clock to prove that his latest pivot can last more than 36 hours and that he is now ready to be President of the United States. In the past, when people spoke […]

In this age of global real-time communication, the public apology has become almost as routine as the daily weather report. No longer is it possible to catch a comment or an act when it’s still in the smaller s […]

On November 28, 2013, the term Black Friday took on a whole new meaning for my family. With Thanksgiving over and Christmas just weeks away, my daughter’s household woke up with happy thoughts of decorating t […]

Walk into the average evangelical church, and to some extent even mainstream churches, and ask for a show of hands: How many of you are registered Democrats? I can tell you the response would be sparse. So how […]

. . . but words can never hurt me.

A familiar line? My parents and teachers taught me and my classmates and friends this retort to invalidate the power of bullies who said cruel things to us or called us mean […]

The divine mango has to be at least one of the foods of the gods! Sweet, juicy, dense, and creamy, its fruit is tantalizing and addictive–whether you’re looking for something to add to your oatmeal or want to […]

If you haven’t heard or read the term “politically correct” lately, you have not turned on your TV, read the news online or in print, and certainly not followed this year’s election. And you just may be the […]