Byron McNutt - Vilas County News-Review
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  • Guarding the public’s right to know

    THIS COMING WEEK, Oct. 2-8, is National Newspaper Week. For many of you I suppose it ranks right up there with National Sweet Cherry Week, Rooster Crowing Contest Week or Hog Hollerin’ Contest Week.

    Freedom of the press, in a practical sense, is
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  • Could a third party unite Americans?

    I’M TRYING TO understand how Make America Great Again (MAGA) became a derogatory term. Doesn’t everyone, Democrats and Republicans, want America to be great? Sept. 1 in Philadelphia, President Joe Biden added fuel to the political firestorm by calling die-hard Donald Trump supporters MAGA Republicans and
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  • We want to know what really matters

    IF WE ALLOW it, death can be our greatest teacher. It has a way of putting things into perspective and making us question our priorities, said Simran Malhotra. It will inspire us to live a life with no regrets.

    Health-care professionals who work in
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  • A refined lady grossly misunderstood

    IN PLANNING AN early fall trip to the North Woods to see the beauty of Colorama, a rather old-fashioned lady wanted to be very sure that everything would be just right for her vacation.

    She wrote the campground manager asking
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  • Our pursuit of the perfect game

    THE GOAL OF instant replay is to find “indisputable visual evidence” that will either confirm or overturn the call made on the field or court.

    The worst possible outcome is when the replay officials get the instant replay call wrong. Even perfect technology cannot outrun the imperfect humans who run it. Author James Hirsch said
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  • History students learn about freedom

    WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL year getting underway across the country, I’m reminded of something history teacher Martha Cothren did on the first day of school back in September 2005, at Robinson High School in Little Rock, Ark. She taught her history students a lesson that they will never forget.

    With the permission of
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  • True-blue Americans face retaliation

    WE MAY STAND on opposite sides of the partisan divide, but we should all believe it is better to search for solutions together than to remain divided. I’ll listen to reason from both sides, but it’s been in short supply for decades.

    There are a number of positions the Republicans have taken and
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  • What a coffee bean tale taught her

    HOW DO YOU handle adversity? This story about inspiration uses carrots, eggs and coffee to make the point. It was brought to my attention nine years ago and I think now is a good time to share it with you.

    It seems
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  • What options are acceptable to you?

    IT’S HARD TO avoid politics these days with midterm elections approaching. A widely-reported July Harvard Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) and The Harris Poll painted a disturbing picture as a large majority of American voters do not want either Joe Biden or Donald Trump to run for president in 2024. That’s
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  • Wish cherished friends ‘just enough’

    THEY SAY IT takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then, an entire life to forget them. This story is titled “Just Enough” and it was sent to me seven years ago. How many people do you know that you will never forget?

    The author said she
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  • Candidate offers fresh perspective

    DANIELLE ALLEN WROTE “I believe most Americans share a moral compass, even if they sometimes approach issues from different directions. American voters are hungry for common sense and purpose, but the major political parties are giving them strife and division instead.”

    Allen, 51, was
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  • Is it OK to mess with traditions?

    MY FELLOW SENIOR citizens are watching their world change before their eyes and we’re not sure all the changes are for the good. I guess change is normal and can be expected. It’s the rite of passage. Senior citizens love these United States and we sure hate to see anyone mess with the traditions that
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  • Bipartisanship is vital to democracy

    THE GENIUS OF American democracy is that it isn’t static. It adjusts and adapts over time to changing circumstances. It renews itself. Retired Wall Street Journal columnist Gerald Seib believes we are in the midst of another period of self-correction.

    With that in mind, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan urged
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  • Act helps people with no abilities

    WITH SO MANY major stories competing for your attention, you may have missed this Page 2 article. A bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently introduced legislation that will provide new benefits for many more Americans. How is this not already the law of the land?

    The Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA) is
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  • Is social media a blessing or menace?

    TODAY, EVERYONE WANTS to talk about their rights and privileges. Thirty years ago, people talked about their obligations and responsibilities; former football coach and motivational speaker Lou Holtz said that.

    Today, because of
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  • Washington isn’t going to fix itself

    AMERICA IS AT a crossroads, politically speaking, said Congressman Adam Kinzinger. The country has chosen anger over hope and division over problem-solving. We have lost our way. Voters need to elect candidates who will be “servant-leaders” to their constituents.

    Kinzinger, 44, has
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  • Attacks on the court are dangerous

    ONE WAY TO damage the reputation of the U.S. Supreme Court would be to bend to the politics and passions of the day in the way progressives are suggesting. We need to determine what makes the court legitimate in our constitutional system.

    Vocal critics like
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  • Sen. Scott: We are losing this country

    FOUR MONTHS AGO, third-year Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican, peeled layers of skin off the onion about what he sees as the reality of the Washington Beltway. Scott dared to say out loud what most Americans think privately.

    Scott said
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  • Inflation a threat to U.S. security

    AMERICA’S SUCCESS, DOMINANCE and arrogance have resulted in complacency, a neglect of fellow citizens and a failure to preserve our civilizational values. We’ve had years of denial, delay and neglect in confronting many unsustainable situations and this threatens our fiscal security.

    Our national debt recently hit
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  • Graduates, strive to be of value

    THIS WEEK’S COLUMN is a message to graduates at all levels.

    You can be whatever you want to be. You have no limitations. The whole world is open to you. The future is ahead of you and you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. It’s
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  • More about student loan debt relief

    IF THE JOE Biden administration and the progressives in Congress are so eager to forgive a major portion of the college student loan debt, then it should be the policy of the next Republican administration to eliminate most federal sources of college financing. This suggestion was made by 
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  • Mothers know what you are thinking

    EVERYONE KNOWS YOU should never lie to your mother and the story below is timely because Sunday is Mother’s Day. It has been a holiday in the United States since 1914.

    Mother’s Day is
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  • Diversity makes ‘experiment’ complex

    AS SUPREME COURT Jurist Stephen Breyer nears the end of a stellar career of public service, he has a message of optimism to share about the American experiment outlined by the Constitution.

    Speaking at the White House Jan. 27, Breyer said
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  • The Rule of Law has become a blur

    WE ARE A nation that believes in the Rule of Law. That premise means that we are subject to clearly defined laws and legal principles rather than the personal whims of powerful people, and that those laws apply equally to all people. No one can be above the law.

    We have
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  • Ballot integrity remains subjective

    THE FACT IS the goal of gerrymandering isn’t justice or fairness, it’s to win and stay in power. Many contend it’s an assault on voting rights. It’s a political game played by both parties. The current advantage goes to Republicans because they control the most states.

    Democrats accuse Republican states of
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  • The endless quest for exceptionalism

    Venture capitalist Marc Andreesen, founder of Netscape, is pitched investment ideas almost every day that amount to billions of dollars. He says his team is faced with tough decisions: the pitches they get offer endless possibilities.

    In a recent interview, Andreesen talked about
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  • Life gives us many words of wisdom

    PUTTING A POLITICIAN of a different party into office usually affects the government about as much as switching to a different forecaster alters the weather report.

    Over the last 51 years in the newspaper business, I’ve
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  • How I know you’re from the Midwest

    I KNOW YOU’RE from the Midwest because you know how to polka, but probably never tried it while sober.

    You know what “knee high by the Fourth of July” means; you know it’s traditional for the bride and groom to go bar hopping between the wedding and dance; you know the difference between
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  • TSA agent apprehends math teacher

    A SCHOOL TEACHER was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, N.Y., as he attempted to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, protractor, compass, an ancient wooden device called a slide rule as well as, a code device called an abacus that he told TSA officials was a calculator.

    As you might suspect, this week, I’m
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  • Our freedom is always a challenge

    THE CONSTITUTION OF the United States is the supreme law of the U.S. of America. A former chief justice of the Supreme Court once wrote “Every generation of Americans must preserve its own freedoms.”

    This founding document, originally comprising seven articles, delineates the national frame of government. It
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  • Does political spite betray democracy?

    IN MANY WAYS, the Washington political scene seems to be a lost cause. We keep thinking our national political parties will end the rancor and become patriots, and start doing what’s best for all Americans. I’m starting to lose confidence.

    What will it take to
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  • Buckle up, disruptions bring change

    HISTORY HAS THROWN disruptions at us many times, but there has never been anything like what we’re experiencing today.

    Now, we’re told there could be more disruptions in the next 10 years than the previous 50 years combined. Disruptions also can mean incredible opportunities. The rules of life and business are
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  • All pilots master basic education

    A GOOD AIRPORT is a valuable asset for any growing community. In these competitive times, a well-maintained airport is vital to an area’s future economic development. An airport with a lot of hangars is a good sign.

    The following
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  • I’m wondering, do we do anything right?

    HERE’S A DEPRESSING thought. Chances are you are not doing the basic things in your life the ideal way. Everything you have learned can be done in a better way.

    The good news is there are
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  • Life is good when you are golfing

    WHAT STOPS GOLFERS from giving up the game? Some people would say the answer is a short memory, but for many others the answer is a good drive on the 18th hole of the last round of the season has stopped many a golfer from giving up the game.

    Yes, it’s still winter, but
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  • Lessons children have taught adults

    LONGTIME FRIEND ARNIE DeLuca once attended a gathering when author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring children. Here are five of the winning entries.

    • No. 1. A 4-year-old child, whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman, who had recently lost his wife, was
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  • Tensions simmer under the surface

    WHILE AT LUNCH, someone at the table next to us said “It feels like we no longer live in a country that would come together when something grave challenges us. In the past, when we faced difficult times, you could count on people to unite and do whatever it would take to survive and persevere.”

    People don’t believe the truth anymore, even when the facts are right in front of their eyes. Today, we
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  • Infrastructure bills ripe for abuse

    IF YOU ARE skeptical by nature, you might say the recently passed $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill is destined to be another government boondoggle riddled with out of control cost overruns, blown deadlines, fraud, mismanagement and projects that end with real and metaphorical bridges to nowhere.

    The bill approved in early November includes
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  • Our work ethic instills self-reliance

    AMERICANS ARE MORE than happy to provide assistance to the aged, disabled and others who can’t find gainful employment, but they also recognize the dignity of work and believe that those who can work, should.

    Americans want to help those who can’t help themselves or
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  • Golf is, above all, a game of integrity

    EXPLAIN THIS TO me. Golf equipment manufacturers work very hard to make clubs and balls to make players better, while golf course designers make courses longer and harder to frustrate those same players. What would happen if golf courses were owned by the golf equipment companies?

    With Christmas now in the rearview mirror, might I
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  • Woodson: a respected voice of reason

    ROBERT WOODSON SR. believes the continued emphasis on race here in America is taking the country toward chaos. I’ve always respected Woodson as a voice of reason. Here are a few of his perspectives.

    “America is thirsty to reward
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  • It’s time; commit an act of kindness

    WITH THE HOLIDAYS upon us, here’s your opportunity to prove the spirit of Christmas is alive. Today, commit at least one random act of senseless kindness. Many acts don’t even have to cost you anything.

    The idea of doing an act of human kindness was started in
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  • When are expectations unrealistic?

    DO OUR FELLOW Americans have unrealistic expectations? Do you sense our stature, reputation, prestige and culture are in decline? Is America’s obsession with indiscriminate affirmation a sign of a healthy country?

    Some people quibble that
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  • God has plans for winter friends

    ONE YEAR AGO, when I turned 70, my column noted that milestone and it struck a chord with many readers, including Warren Hite and Del Keup, who sent me emails featuring essays titled “A Winter Friend” and “God’s Plan for the Aged.” They have been passed down and around all over the country.

    As we end the year with
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  • It’s a family-friendly time of year

    AS WE SPEND a long Thanksgiving holiday weekend with family and friends, gathered around food, football and shopping plans, it’s a good time to give thanks for the most basic of gifts: a safe and comfortable home.

    Thanksgiving is
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  • Metaverse: create your avatar now

    IN TODAY’S EVER-CHANGING world you wake up and you aren’t sure you recognize the world we live in. Well, get ready for what’s next. You will be flabbergasted with what’s just around the corner.

    Are you ready for the new virtual community known as Metaverse? Metaverse is a
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  • Veterans Day a day of sadness, joy

    THURSDAY IS VETERANS Day. I’ve heard people say they’d like to honor a veteran, but they aren’t sure if they know a veteran.

    The American Community Survey estimates that 18 million or 7% of the 260 million Americans more than the age of 18 are veterans.

    They are our
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  • Uber driver nearly scared to death

    THE ECONOMIC DISRUPTION of the last 18 months caused by the pandemic has forced many people to find work wherever available. In this story, the young lady didn’t realize tapping the driver on the shoulder would cause such a near-tragic outcome.

    A passenger in an Uber heading for Midway Airport leaned over to ask the driver a question and

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  • Wise OWLS learn to laugh at trouble

    A FRIEND ASKED me recently if I was associated with the OWLS.
    “Who?” I asked.
    “You know, the
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  • What it takes to really be ‘somebody’

    IT HAS BEEN said, strive to do your best and you will be surprised by how much better your life is. You will feel good, and be respected and trusted. Strive not to be a success, but rather, to be of value.
    When we strive to be of value to a person, we
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  • A reliable power grid is essential

    THE UNITED STATES could get 37% of its electricity from solar power by 2035 and 44% by 2050 if the public and private sectors are willing to spend $562 billion between 2022 and 2050, according to the Energy Department. At the present, the nation gets just 3%.
    Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said
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  • Paperboys, street-corner capitalists

    NEARLY A CENTURY ago, newsboys were hailed by the newspapers they sold as model young “capitalists in training” and beatified by reformers as viciously exploited child labor. I am writing about them because National Newspaper Week is Oct. 3-9.
    In my many decades in the industry, I’ve
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  • Classes promote conflict resolution

    WHETHER YOU’VE BEEN married a long time or if you are a newlywed, you should know it’s usually easier to agree with something you don’t understand than to understand something you don’t agree with.
    Marriages may be made in heaven, but
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  • Debate over statehood is reignited

    WHAT WOULD BE wrong with bestowing statehood on Washington, D.C., and the territories of Puerto Rico and Guam? The decades-long conversation has been ramping up in Congress since January.
    As for Washington, D.C., legal scholars say
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  • The pandemic yields a silver lining

    DEFYING THE ODDS, U.S. households managed to add $13.5 trillion in wealth last year, according to the Federal Reserve; the biggest increase in records going back three decades.
    Americans are
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  • Call for unity on 9/11 anniversary

    It doesn’t seem possible, but this coming Saturday, Sept. 11, is the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. Images of those attacks are seared into American consciousness. We all remember where we were when we heard the news.
    Who can forget the disbelief and shock of
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  • Be assured, all work is honorable

    THERE’S MORE TO be celebrated Labor Day weekend than the last blast of summer and the coming of another autumn.
    It’s time to celebrate working folks; not just the ones who own or manage businesses, but the ones who work for them.
    Even Labor Day is a busy workday for those who bag groceries, work in restaurant kitchens, checkout customers at retail stores, bus tables, haul garbage, patrol our streets and highways,
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  • Making people truly care is genius

    THE TRUE MIRACLE worker today is the one who can make people care. I found this observation in a publication called “Good Reading” about 35 years ago and the unidentified writer continued the thought with the following evidence.
    “No matter what field — business, industry, education, government, sociology, the arts, religion — the
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  • Why so concerned about ransomware?

    IF YOU THINK you are safe from the gangs of extortionist hackers and don’t need to guard against ransomware crooks, think again. Dollar losses are in the tens of billions and the hackers are becoming more brazen.
    According to
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  • Are trivial issues distracting us?

    ARE YOU SOMEONE who believes that history repeats itself? Some would argue that it does, but say this time is different. In any case,