Now that gasoline prices have retreated from their July highs, many Americans are breathing a sigh of relief thinking that the economic storm clouds are clearing and the worst is over. Unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth!

Have you noticed that some words fairly drip with meaning? Even the sounds of these words help convey their meaning. You know the kind I mean. Words like: snap, boom, sizzle, (or fizzle) – words like expunge, lunge, whack and whirl. Interesting, you might say, but not very significant. Yet words do have an impact.

Judging by what is shown on prime time television, "happily ever after" is just another myth. From sitcoms that portray the marriage bed like a game of musical chairs, to shows that depict monogamy in loveless marriages—the outlook is gloomy indeed. But is that reality?

I love hot peppers and have for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I remember having jalapeno pepper-eating contests with my younger brother. Even today, we talk and joke of the times when we used to line up the jalapeno peppers on the kitchen counter and set a glass of water on the side. The goal was always the same – to be the last one to reach for the water glass.

As I travelled with my family along the highway winding through America's heartland, we were struck by the natural beauty of the landscape; mile upon mile of fields and forests, spotted with occasional towns. And then we saw it. In this of all settings it looked so out of place.