Blog 3 Columns

When Government Fails, Communities Take Care of Themselves 0
- History
- July 19, 2019
People often assume that government welfare programs provide the resources and safety net that local communities cannot. But in the early- and mid-20th century, systemic racism often meant that African American communities were excluded from government welfare programs. In the face of this injustice, we see numerous examples of communities stepping up to take care
READ MORE
Support for $15 Minimum Wage Plummets When Americans Are Told Its Economic Impact 0
- Economics
- July 19, 2019
Minimum wage laws, I’ve noted, are popular with the public. This no doubt explains why House Democrats passed a bill Thursday that would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Yet the minimum wage’s apparent popularity might be political pyrite (fool’s gold). A newly published Business Insider survey found that support for the minimum wage wilts when Americans—both Republicans
READ MORE
Living the Dream: One Way to Financial Happiness 1
- Culture
- July 19, 2019
Practice frugality. Work hard. Save and invest your money. For Americans, these practices were the stepping-stones to a better life for the last three centuries But are they still applicable? Can they lead to financial security and even wealth? The recent death of my mother-in-law Dorothy brought those questions to mind. Dorothy and her husband
READ MORE

Brexit: Where Are We?0
- International
- July 19, 2019
The Future of Brexit By 2014, the UKIP was starting to compete with the Conservative Party’s voting base. To deal with this, David Cameron, the Prime Minister at that time, decided to hold a referendum on June 23rd, 2016. By doing this, Cameron hoped to demonstrate that the notion of Brexit was unpopular, hence destroying
READ MORE
Are Transwomen Transforming the World of Sports?0
- Culture
- July 19, 2019
Last week New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard won gold medals at Apia’s Faleata Sports Complex. She is now the Oceania senior champion, the Commonwealth senior champion, and the Pacific Games senior champion. She is looking forward to a spot in her nation’s 2020 Olympic team. The 41-year-old lifted a total of 268 kg in the women’s
READ MORE
What the 15-Hour Work Week Prophets Failed to Account for 0
- Culture
- July 18, 2019
There is a utopian vision shared by hard workers everywhere: One day we will look back on all our accomplishments and say “at last, the age of respite and luxury has finally arrived!” But as the forecasted luxury manifests all around us, the respite is nowhere in sight. John Maynard Keynes, one of history’s most
READ MORE

What ‘The Little Mermaid’ Really Teaches About Unrequited Love 0
- Culture
- July 18, 2019
Ah, unrequited love! It’s the bane of any young daydreamer. The Little Mermaid is a great story that teaches how to deal with such sorrowful heartbreak: accept reality and abandon selfish schemes. Perhaps you’re thinking: “Wait. That’s not what happens in the Disney movie!” In remembering The Little Mermaid from our childhood and anticipating Disney’s
READ MORE
The ‘Okie from Muskogee,’ 50 Years Later 0
- Culture
- July 18, 2019
I have been asked many times what my favorite Merle Haggard song is. For me, that’s a lot like asking a mother to name a favorite among her children. But if I had to answer (with gun to my head) I’d have to pick the “Okie from Muskogee,” first recorded in July of 1969. Haggard got the
READ MORE
Did We Mishear Neil Armstrong’s Famous First Words on the Moon?0
- History
- July 18, 2019
On July 20, 1969, an estimated 650 million people watched in suspense as Neil Armstrong descended a ladder towards the surface of the Moon. As he took his first steps, he uttered words that would be written into history books for generations to come: “That’s one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.”
READ MORE

When Government Fails, Communities Take Care of Themselves 0