"We are obviously watching the dollar very carefully," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told the Senate Banking Committee on February 29, 2008. Yes, Bernanke's Fed is watching, as is the rest of the world, while the once-mighty American dollar sinks to the status of third-world currency! Since August 2007, the U.S. government has spent nearly $1 trillion bailing out financial institutions and to shore up the ailing US economy.

There is a great story about Art Linkletter, who was a household word and widely known when he was in his heyday as a television personality. The story goes that as Mr. Linkletter entertained at a nursing home for the elderly, with microphone in hand, he asked an elderly lady in a wheelchair, "Do you know who I am?" The lady replied, "No, I don't, but if you will go over to the nurses' station, one of the nice people there will tell you who you are."

Since early 2004, America has had two robotic rovers on the surface of Mars, exploring, analyzing, and sending back breathtaking pictures and data galore, helping us to learn about our celestial neighbor. Originally expected to be a mission of around three months, the two rovers – dubbed Spirit and Opportunity – have surprised one and all by continuing successfully now for more than four years.

Most states in the U.S. practice a programmed sequence of events to execute their most violent convicted criminals. There is an injection to anesthetize and take away pain and consciousness, a second injection to paralyze the body, and a third to stop the heart of the unconscious individual—a process designed very carefully to give the condemned offender an opportunity to die pain-free and with dignity, as one who had died in his sleep.

When the weather warms and the wind blows at a constant pace, the kite kit displays appear in all the stores. The winter chill is gradually being pushed aside, along with those fluffy white clouds. A local park becomes a good destination for a lazy weekend adventure in flight.