Jeffrey Fall

It seems that the Enron scandal, the Andersen consulting blunder, and the bankruptcy of Worldcom have further lessened world confidence in the U.S. The stock market slide over 28 months had, by July of this year, wiped out half of the entire market gain that occurred in the 18-year bull market run from 1982 to 2000.

Scientists have been debating for some time about the potential impact of our global environment heating up. The vast majority of scientists believe that the warming trend will have serious consequences for humanity. But until recently, politicians were pretty much divided on this subject.

There is an evolution occurring in our society; not in the sense of the development of new plant and animal species, but in the gradual change of what society considers its moral base. The list of taboos in place in society just a few decades ago is rapidly evolving into a new moral base.

Today in our society, we seem to be inundated with visual images of human sexuality. You see it everywhere: ads in the newspaper, scenes on television and movies with partial nudity, magazines, the internet, and on the street or at the beach with people wearing tight or skimpy enough clothing that screams: "Look at me!" It all generates roving eyes and roving minds. Is all this perfectly harmless, or does it have a potential impact that can harm us if left unchecked?

Day after day we hear of more bloodshed in the Middle East. Palestinian suicide bombers and Israeli military actions are a part of life and death in Israel. Violence begets violence! Is there any possible end in sight?