News

Words can be powerful things. With so many similar words to choose from—especially in the English language—I am often amazed at how the use of a particular word or phrase in just the right situation can stop a reader right in his or her tracks. Perhaps this has happened to you. You read a certain line and are so struck by it that you have to pause and consider what it means for you.

The recent oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico has the attention of the public as few events in recent history. Many are concerned about the current and long-term effects of the oil spill.

Environmental fears may be justified in the ensuing weeks, ranging from the destruction of coastal wetlands and beaches to contamination of the amazing variety of their wildlife inhabitants. Fuel prices will inevitably rise, with the narrowing of offshore drilling for oil, further weakening the tenuous western economy.

France and Germany continue to vie for European leadership.  Who will triumph?  What will become of the cherished French ideals of liberté, égalité, and fraternité?  Will liberté or austerity prevail in Europe?

A few short years ago a film, The Day After Tomorrow, provided viewers a glance into what would happen if global warming were to result in the migration of immense polar ice packs southward, creating another tremendous ice age.

No doubt you've heard the hype surrounding the recent movie, 2012, and perhaps have seen its graphic trailers. An underlying theme was that soon-to-occur great cataclysmic disasters on a global scale were long ago prophesied by the ancient Mayans of Central America.

Recently, in the major media, it had been reported that the Congressional Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations had been sifting through e-mails and other documents obtained in an 18-month investigation of one of the world's largest investment banks.

Amidst the scrutiny of recent legislative hearings, the CEO of that investment bank issued a prepared statement, saying that "If our clients believe we don't deserve their trust, we cannot survive," (BBC News, Monday, 26 April 2010).