(Palm-Print
Photo by Edward F. Palm)

About Me

My photo
Forest, Virginia, United States
A long time ago, my sophomore English teacher, Father William Campbell, saw something in my writing and predicted that I would someday become a newspaper columnist. He suggested the perfect title for my column--"Leaves of the Palm." Now that I have a little extra time on my hands I've decided to put Father Campbell's prediction to the test. I'm going to start using this blog site not just to reprint opinion pieces I've published elsewhere but to try to get more of my ideas and opinions out there. Feedback is welcome. To find out more about me, please check out my Web site: www.EdwardFPalm.com (Click on any of the photos below for an enlarged view.)

Monday, September 15, 2025

My thought for today

 Mark Twain is credited with saying that “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” 

It was the Reichstag fire on February 27, 1933, that created the climate for Hitler to suppress civil liberties and seize total control of Germany. The assassination of Charlie Kirk now has the Trump administration threatening to crackdown on “a left-wing network that funds and incites violence.” (New York Times, Sept. 15, 2025) I know of no such network. Do you?

I fear history is indeed rhyming. Trump’s own “enabling act” would seem to be in the offing. –S/f, EFP

Sunday, September 14, 2025

My current News & Advance and Kitsap Sun column

 


Thursday, September 11, 2025

My thought for today

Along with decent Americans everywhere, I condemn the assassination of Charlie Kirk. But he went on record as saying, “It’s worth the cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.” He called it a “prudent deal.” How ironic that he should fall victim to the “prudent deal” he espoused. Be that as it may, President Trump should be pleading for calm and otherwise trying to turn down the temperature. But he is not. He is fanning the flames. 

Sunday, September 7, 2025

My Current News & Advance column

 I know the preferred spelling is "just deserts." The editor doesn't. Heavy sigh! --S/f, EFP




Sunday, August 24, 2025

My thought for today

The Trump administration is putting Abrego Garcia between the proverbial rock and a hard place. He can accept a plea deal, thereby admitting guilt and serving whatever prison term the court may impose--after which he would get deported to Cost Rica (assuming he would still be alive). Or he can accept immediate deportation to Uganda.

Now that Idi Amin Dada is gone, I know next to nothing about Uganda. But I suspect a man born in El Salvador would have a hard time getting along in Uganda.

Garcia is being offered a Hobson's choice--that is, no real choice at all. Such is our legal system under Trump. --S/f, EFP

My News & Advance column for 24 August 2025