I am always intrigued when people decide to marry.  I wonder if the union will last, and whether or not the bride and groom are aware of what they’re actually getting themselves into. These days, it seems few people believe in the family of yore, where husbands and wives seldom separated, and children were rarely, if ever, born to unwed mothers. … [Read More]

Loyalty to self, by most accounts, supersedes one’s duty to the state. The exception to this is perhaps when the community’s interest is more ethical or noble than that of the individual. Of course some form of law and order is needed to avoid outright anarchy. But, according to Plato, cities will not be free of evil until political power and … [Read More]

Perhaps Baby Boomers were earmarked to shrug off tradition in order to do away with the restraints that had sidelined many Americans for centuries. For all one knows though, it could it be that that remarkable epoch of the 20th Century, known as the 1960s, was merely one of many infinite calls to the man, if there is one, running the … [Read More]

The handsome river gods of the Nile, the Ganges, the Danube and the River Plate emerge from a rocky grotto.  One of the giant figures supports the papal coat of arms, as water spurts out from all directions overhead.  An obelisk at the fountain’s center is upheld by ornament from the mystical and natural worlds.  The Fountain of the Four Rivers … [Read More]

Oil, gold, agriculture, aerospace technology, computer technology, and the entertainment business are just a few of many industries that contribute to the State of California’s rank among the top ten most prosperous nations in the world.  It counts for 13% of America’s GDP and contributes $100 billion in taxes annually.  It is the most populous state in the union and is … [Read More]