Animals & owners are ultimately degraded by the hunt for instant gratification that TV's fast talk, sleight of hand, & selective editing

When I was 30, an acquaintance told me that in his native language, my name means “gullible”—to which I responded, “Seriously?”

Summertime, and the getting lost is easy . . . .

If a dog sits when told to do so, some will say the dog is “obedient” or has “manners”; if that same dog sits when told to lie down, is...