The drought that is ravaging over two-thirds of the U.S. is also taking its toll on the central artery of U.S. trade and commerce, the mighty Mississippi River. Sixty percent of all grain exported from the U.S. travels down the Mississippi (National Park Service), in addition to vast quantities of other products. By mid-December, water levels in some parts of the river will be so low that experts believe all commerce through these portions may come to a stand-still unless the U.S.

Many who were listening Friday morning to news of the mind-numbing slaughter of innocents at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut are still dazed, bewildered and in grief. Twenty small children lay dead, felled by a coward’s bullets, with eight adults (including the shooter and his mother) dead beside them. What has become of our society that people commit such abominable acts? How has this become the state of affairs?

In a recent speech, Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, called for Britain to negotiate a new “pared down” relationship with the European Union.  He said that Britain should “remain in the single market but pull out of the political union” and consider forming an “‘outer-tier’ of the EU with countries like Norway and Switzerland” (BBC News, December 4, 2012).

The European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality recently submitted a report calling for a ban on “Books which portray ‘traditional’ images of mothers caring for their children or fathers going out to work” (Mail Online, November 7, 2012).

Since 2005, Americans calling themselves “religious” dropped by almost 18 percent, while those claiming to be “atheist” rose from 1 percent to 5 percent (BBC Magazine, August 21, 2012).  Why?