Wyatt Ciesielka

America remains at the center of an economic and moral meltdown.  As we have long warned, our moral meltdown will cause our economic meltdown, and without real repentance our sins will ultimately contribute to our prophesied destruction.  Even well known "Wall-Street insiders" are now beginning to make this connection!  When famous hedge fund manager Michael Steinhardt spoke at the Reuters Investment Outlook Summit, his condemnation of a nation without a "moral compass" was scathing and largely accurate.

Our world is awash in violence.  Consider the California man dressed as Santa and accused of a murderous shooting spree.  Police report that he began by shooting an innocent eight-year-old girl in the face and then shot at least nine people before killing himself (CNN.com, December 25, 2008). 

In 2008, an epochal event passed mostly unnoticed.  For the first time in history, more than 50% of humanity now lives in cities.  What are some issues and some predictions for our growing cities, and for civilization as a whole?

A couple months ago, to celebrate one of God's biblical Holy Days, some very good friends mailed me a small gift – a little tin of chocolate covered espresso beans.  They are delicious, so to make them last I have only a couple every few days.  When I eat a few of these tasty little treats, I remember my good friends – and their friendship.

Eighty years ago, President Herbert Hoover famously promised, "A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage" if elected.  On the 80th anniversary of that promise, what is our ability to fulfill that pledge for the average American?