My Dad was a hard and dedicated worker. He always had ongoing projects around the house and made sure his sons in particular were contributors to those projects. He knew how to work hard, but also cherished play and instruction time with his children. He had little schooling, only achieving second grade, but he had an educated heart.

German Chancellor Merkel plans to use the EU’s month-end meeting to “push ahead with plans for a political union, including more sweeping powers for Brussels” (EU Observer, June 7, 2012).  According to Mrs. Merkel, “That means that step-by-step in the future we have to give up more powers to Europe and grant Europe more oversight possibilities” (ibid.).

In movies and songs, and as advice from actors, singers, and celebrities, we often hear the messages: “Follow your heart” and “Trust your feelings.” Some extol the supposed virtues of listening to their “sixth sense” or their “psychic intuition.” Does the fact that we feel something make it so? Is it generally a good idea to trust our feelings? Or, could doing so get us into real trouble?

“Germany has three months to save the euro,” says billionaire George Soros (Telegraph, June 3, 2012).  Soros suggested the “summer window” could allow Germany and the Bundesbank to save the EU’s sinking ship because “in a crisis the creditors are in the driver’s seat and nothing can be done without German support” (ibid.).

During the four days set aside last week to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, only a very few recognized its deepest significance. The British monarchy is generally considered to be over 1,000 years old, but it can in fact be traced back even further through the annals of time to the Scottish kings who were crowned on the Stone of Scone from the 5th Century AD. This stone is the same one that was returned to Scotland in 1996 and is on display in Edinburgh Castle. It had been absent from its Scottish home for almost 700 years.