Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, shows us a world where women’s roles can change overnight as might soon be the case in Turkey. Tayyip Erdogan, his power rooted in the conservative Islamist AK Party, has recently managed constitutional changes that make him a  near

“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” historian John Dalberg wrote at the end of the 19th century. A truism today, but scientists have begun to wonder if power is to blame for corruption or if people who seek power have aspects of character that are corr

I’ve never been clear how Hillary Clinton, who left the Secretary of State’s office with a 65% approval rating, could fall into disgrace the moment she decided to run for President of the United States.  (“Hillary: Should she just go away?” The Week, April 21, 2017, pg. 17.)

The political upheaval that put Donald Trump into the White House has left me pondering.  Why did so many women ignore his sexists attitude when they voted for him? Why do his supporters remain loyal, insisting he is fulfilling his promises, when by any objective measure, he has betr

Shooting stars are noted for a sudden burst of light that soon disappears. Their conduct is a metaphor for the lives of many in the public eye.  Still, actors, musicians, politicians and the like, all  strive to leave their mark upon the world.  Are we mortals foolhardy in our immo

Teenage pregnancies are down across the United States but the reason isn’t because girls have learned to say “no.” The reason is they have easy access to  contraception.  (Click)  Girls, rather than boys, have been held responsible for unwanted pregnancies and the responsibil

An art furor hangs over Dana Schatz’s painting, Open Casket,  on display at the Whitney Museum Biennial in New York.  The work depicts 14 year-old Emmett Till in his open casket after his brutal, 1955 murder in Mississippi, the consequences of  a white woman’s false accusation

The letter began, “Don’t you dare defend the Constitution because it was written by Christians for Christians.” (“Crank Mail,” FFRF Free Thought Today, Jan/Feb, 2017, pg. 27.)  The comment is kinder than most which the Freedom from Religion Foundation receives on a daily ba

Bees were  put on the endangered species list, recently, along with certain butterflies.  Some say a virus is killing them off.  Others argue the fault lies with pesticides or a decline in habitat.  The way builders are carving up agricultural land to erect houses makes me think a

Rural America must be wondering if either the Republicans or Democrats represent them.  The loss of jobs in their areas has caused disruptions of epic proportions.  (Blog 4/4/2013)  Despite President Donald Trump’s assurances he will restore opportunities for blue-collar workers,