We just went through the season of celebration, but, really, is there anything to celebrate? There are hundreds of thousands of refugees crossing the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, fleeing war, persecution and violence in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and many other countries. The indiscriminate terrorist attacks killing 130 people in Paris were so senseless, as was … Continue reading Surviving a Broken World
Tag: huffpost
Our Country Should Be Proud of Its Military
Why does our military get such a bum rap in the news, where all we read about are homeless veterans, veteran suicides and how much our veterans’ hospitals have let us down? Our military is the most professional organization on Earth, and we do not give them credit for how good they really are in … Continue reading Our Country Should Be Proud of Its Military
Shouldn’t We Be Helping Those at Home First?
The United States spends $30 billion a year on official development assistance overseas, according to Oxfam America. [...] We have foreign aid [to protect] our national security with [the] hopes it will reduce [the] poverty and injustice that fuel social tensions and [destabilize] countries. It also helps with our own economic interests, because aid can … Continue reading Shouldn’t We Be Helping Those at Home First?
America’s Fascination with Cats
Last month, I was watching my hometown baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, play the San Francisco Giants, [a]nd when it came time to throw out the first pitch, it was thrown out by Grumpy Cat, an Internet celebrity cat known for her grumpy facial expressions. [...] This is not the first time a cat has … Continue reading America’s Fascination with Cats
Cold & Forgotten: How We Can Help the Homeless
As we begin to enter [...] fall, [charitable] organizations like churches, the Salvation Army, the United Way and the American Red Cross are beginning [to finalize] their plans to help the homeless in their communities [through the winter]. This is a tradition that Americans have repeated for decades. Most cities and government agencies are making … Continue reading Cold & Forgotten: How We Can Help the Homeless
Has America Given up on Arts Education?
Here we are heading into another school year, and, once again, communities all across America are struggling with funding cutbacks that affect teachers, school programs and school facilities. Much like marketing is the first department to be cut back when a business has to downsize, the arts-education departments are the first to lose funding when … Continue reading Has America Given up on Arts Education?
How Do We Include All Kids?
If an American family has an exceptionally bright child, we can usually figure out how to surround them with the right educational opportunities to help them excel. The National Association for Gifted Children estimates there are three million gifted children currently in U.S. classrooms. According to this group’s definition, these are children “who demonstrate or … Continue reading How Do We Include All Kids?
Is Small Business for Me?
There are 28 million small businesses in the United States, according to the [U.S. Small Business Administration, or] SBA. [These businesses] created 63% of new private-sector jobs [last year] and [account for] 42% of private-sector payroll[s]. Headlines are grabbed by young entrepreneurs who are starting high-tech companies, but, in reality, people over 50 own 51% of … Continue reading Is Small Business for Me?
Death of Honor
This month is full of celebrations honoring our military. May 1 is Loyalty Day, which started in the 1920s to counter the rise of communism. [...] May 8 is V-E Day (Victory-in-Europe Day), which commemorates the end of fighting in Europe during World War II. Military Spouse Day is also on May 8 this year, … Continue reading Death of Honor
Can’t Blame the Teachers for Getting Us into This Mess
In today’s America, why would anyone ever want to become a teacher? The budgets for our classrooms dwindle each year, and teachers continue to take money out of their own pockets to provide their students with supplies. The schools are getting older, and fewer new schools are being built annually. Based on the school shootings … Continue reading Can’t Blame the Teachers for Getting Us into This Mess