Tempe Elks Lodge #2251 encourages and invites all residents to fly the United States of America flag on Tuesday, June 14th.  This is a National holiday established in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson.  The flag resembles freedom, honor and strength.  Be patriotic and show your support of the men and women still fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Fly your flag to show support of the those that served our country and those that suffered the ultimate sacrafice. Reflect on the freedoms you enjoy and the history of our county. 

National Train Day: Celebrating the 143rd anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad at Promotory Summit, Utah, the Arizona Railway Museum offers railcar tours and exhibits featuring the restoration work underway. One of the cars open for touring is the “Federal,” an Amtrack car used by U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and William Howard Taft. Taft signed the Arizona Statehood Bill on February 14, 1912.

President Bush recently pardoned 17 criminals, most convicted of minor offenses and few who served much prison time. What made it noteworthy is that Bush has issued so few pardons as president.

The emerging science of nanotechnology promises new miracles to enhance our lives — digital monitors as flexible as plastic wrap or steaks without cows.

The emerging science of nanotechnology promises new miracles to enhance our lives — digital monitors as flexible as plastic wrap or steaks without cows.

Good thing George Stephanopoulos wasn't a Sunday morning TV pundit in 1912.

Leading up to Flag Day today, we devoted a considerable amount of space in our Sunday Perspective section to the state of the Stars and Stripes across the Valley. Photographer Darryl Webb’s images displayed some flags in dreadful disrepair.

In 1980 William Clay, the president of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers union (PATCO) told their convention that they must “learn the rules of the game,” which were “that you don’t put the interest of any other group ahead of your own.” They must be “selfish and pragmatic” and emphasize that “what’s good for the federal employees (is) good for the nation.”

Guest commentary by Susan Stamper Brown

As he never tires of telling us, Glenn Beck hates Woodrow Wilson, the nation's leading Progressive in that movement's final years. It's a strange sentiment for a professed Christian, ostensibly committed to Jesus' injunction "to love your enemies." But I'm less concerned with Beck's religious hypocrisy than with his castigation of government regulation, the Progressives' response to the Constitution's injunction "to promote the general welfare."

As he never tires of telling us, Glenn Beck hates Woodrow Wilson, the nation's leading Progressive in that movement's final years. It's a strange sentiment for a professed Christian, ostensibly committed to Jesus' injunction "to love your enemies." But I'm less concerned with Beck's religious hypocrisy than with his castigation of government regulation, the Progressives' response to the Constitution's injunction "to promote the general welfare."

Welcome now Peter Camejo to that long line of the most obscure political figures in American history. He joins Winona LaDuke, Ezola Foster, Curtis LeMay, Fielding Wright and Glen Taylor, among others.

America has never been of one voice when it comes to war.

Chris Christie got laughs on the Letterman show last week when he showed up with a doughnut. I get what he was trying to do. People keep goofing on his girth, and a former White House doctor had just told CNN that if Christie were elected president, “I’m worried about this man dying in office.” So he figures that the best way to defuse the issue is to make light of his weight.

According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year to dine out. Americans spend more than $2.6 billion on flowers, $1.53 billion on gifts and $68 million on greeting cards every year. With these impressive numbers, wouldn’t it be great if some of that money went back into our community?

According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year to dine out. Americans spend more than $2.6 billion on flowers, $1.53 billion on gifts and $68 million on greeting cards every year. With these impressive numbers, wouldn’t it be great if some of that money went back into our community?

When defensive coordinator Will Muschamp eventually becomes the head football coach at Texas, his salary will start at $2 million. School spokesman John Bianco confirmed the figure Thursday evening. The Associated Press reported the figures earlier Thursday from an interview with Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds.

PRINCETON, N.J. - Pakistan's top diplomat outlined a strategy for battling terrorism Wednesday that emphasizes going-it-alone militarily within Pakistani borders and talking with opponents if they lay down their arms.

Here we go again. Temperatures in the Valley are expected to push into the 100-degree range this week, which would bring on the triple-digit heat about 10 days sooner than normal.

Ever since he was 8 years old, Ron Puechner has been loyal to a hobby that sees interest heat up during a presidential election year: collecting political memorabilia.

PRINCETON, N.J. - At Princeton, pride in being ranked No. 1 comes in a rolling wave of orange.

Bill Steigerwald: No matter what party partisans say, no American president is perfect — to say the least. But when historians get around to ranking our greatest presidents, the top spots invariably go to the usual titans — Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and the Roosevelts, Teddy and Franklin. Ivan Eland, a senior fellow at The Independent Institute (independent.org) and an expert on defense issues, begs to differ with the standard consensus -— by about 180 degrees.

By now, any well-meaning melodrama featuring a crusading educator who helps a classroom of cynical, atrisk minority students rediscover their zest for life is going to strike a routine tone.