J. Davy Crockett III

In the well-known story of Jonah, God instructed the reluctant prophet to deliver a warning to the city of Nineveh, an Assyrian stronghold. Assyria was traditionally a bitter enemy of Israel. Jonah unwisely attempted to shirk his duty and run away from his responsibility. To get away, he booked passage on a ship in Joppa (modern-day Jaffa) going to Tarshish, which was probably located in modern-day Spain.

As members of Congress congratulate themselves over a compromise “stalemate” agreement to end a protracted budget crisis—an agreement that raises the federal debt ceiling and ends the so-called “shutdown” of the United States government—many citizens and pundits are wondering: What was really achieved?

I admit it! I'm a weather junkie. I follow reports on the weather carefully and check the Weather Channel often to see what is going on in different parts of the country and the world. For many years, I was in a business directly impacted by the weather. As you can imagine, it wasn't a random activity for me to want to know what tomorrow's weather would bring—and old habits are hard to break.

There is a persistent legend that holds a fascination for many people, especially those of a religious bent. Since the Middle Ages, some have sought a mysterious object, often resulting in armed conflicts with loss of life and property. This “quest” has been the subject of theatrical plays, adventure novels, and even comedy routines.