It's less than an hour before the new year here on the west coast and I for one will be happy to send 2013 on its merry way. About the only good thing I can say about this year is that over the past couple of months, it's ended on a strongly positive note and 2014 promises to be much better. Hope everyone has a safe and happy new year.

Every year we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King and by an accident of history, this year's federal holiday coincidence with the inauguration of the first black President of the United States to a second term in office. It also comes on the fiftieth anniversary of the famous "I Have A Dream" speech, which is familiar to the vast majority of ( Read more... )

I wanted to extend my warmest Hanukkah wishes to all of my Jewish friends and readers.

A news story from my home state caught my eye today. Holocaust survivor Abe Weinrib took part in a public candle lighting ceremony at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Weinrib spent six years in the Nazi death camps, including Auschwitz, and travels to ( Read more... )

When I discuss politics in this journal, most of my posts turn out to be, for lack of a more diplomatic term, bitching. I fully admit this. There are things that are wrong with this country that desperately need to be fixed. Ineffective and incompetent leadership, income inequality, corporate power, abuse of the environment, an often appallingly ( Read more... )

Well...I guess we can all rest easier now that we know for sure that Billy the Kid won't receive a pardon.

But in all seriousness...Happy New Year to everyone and best wishes for 2011.

Speaking for myself, good riddance to the first decade of the 21st century and here's hoping that the next one will be better.

Stephen Dubner, one of the Freaonomics guys, has an idea on how we can avoid all those unwanted holiday gifts: Simply ask for what we want.

From a purely rational point of view, he has a point. The problem I see is one that's an old story with economists: No matter how obvious it might be that we human beings are not completely rational, Mr. ( Read more... )