It's time for a blog make over with a much more positive approach to life in general. More smiles and less frowns. Not exactly a Socrates moment, but certainly an enlightened approach to life. 

I confess that politics took me down dark paths last year where I've set aside my own journalistic standards in favor of spewing anger about what I see Happening to our democracy. I let Trump live rent free in my head as I opinionated daily about his latest attacks against our judicial system and every other government agency and the laws of the land.

Enough.

Lesson one: I'm not going to solve the problem about what to do to with that traitor Trump by raging against him daily. That's up to the voters this November.

Lesson two: There's a lot of good things happening daily, and I need to highlight them along with other observations of what's happening in the news worldwide. 

After analyzing my readership last year, the results were somewhat predictable; my American audience was the largest. But it was seriously challenged by my international viewership! 

Here's the Top 10 countries whose viewership challenged my American audiences throughout the year.

*1. Singapore

2. Germany

3. United Kingdom

4. Canada

5. Italy

6. India

7. Russia

8. China

9. France

10. Poland

My accumulated readership for 2023 was 739 thousand, four hundred and 56 views.

* I'm wondering if I have a fan club in Singapore because it led its closest competitor - Germany - by 48,000 views!

Many thanks to all of you international readers, and I look forward to entertaining you again this year.

As for my American readers I think you need a break from all the hate that's spreading across our country, and I'll do my best to provide you with lighter fare and neutral news coverage on all the events in our society. Look for more parodies and humor in the days ahead.

It goes without saying that this Presidential Election year is the most meaningful presidential election in our history because democracy is on the line. No hyperbole here. It's a fact.

But life has to go on. We all must make the decision to look for what's good in our personal lives and not be prisoners of the stress that's strangling our society.

I know. It sounds kind of Pollyannaish. All I'm saying is it's harder to smile than frown, but the reward is your own happiness.

This is going to be a big year for my wife Shirley and me. We'll be celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary on August 31st.

As it stands, as one of my favorite actresses Mae West once said, "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."