J. Davy Crockett III

In the well-known biblical account of the prophet Jonah, God instructed His reluctant Israelite servant 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 flee from his responsibility. To get away, he booked passage on a ship in Joppa (modern-day Jaffa) going to Tarshish, which some theories connect with an ancient port also called Tartessos in the region of what is now Spain, though other theories abound.

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.