News

The world’s grain supply is shrinking.  There used to be a reliable three-month reserve, but in recent years this vital reserve has dropped to as little as an eight-week supply.  The price of rice, which is the staple grain for most Asians and many Africans, has been climbing higher, leaving millions of people facing the specter of famine.

Every day brought new rumors. Soldiers had become more active, and the night before bricks had mysteriously disappeared from many abandoned buildings. And now, people were saying a wall would soon be built. Fearing the worst, Hasso pleaded with his friend that they should escape the city. His friend, skeptical of the rumors, encouraged Hasso to "Relax. Enjoy yourself." Hasso had recently won a state swim tournament. Why should he not "enjoy himself?"

Once, as I drove through a part of our city, I was taken aback by the number of tattoo parlors that had sprung up to meet the obvious demand for what some call "body art." Some were upscale storefronts with catchy names; others were seedy looking establishments.

Recent news articles have speculated about the "end of Western civilization." Interestingly enough, as you read through those articles, the reasons put forth for the end of our way of life have stemmed from our lack of energy conservation awareness to our addiction to oil for our energy needs. Political issues, environmental issues, educational issues are all put forth as arenas for the salvation of mankind.

Many today like to debate political topics. Talk show hosts battle in the arena of ideas. People push various political ideas as the solution to mankind's problems. The United States is in the midst of an acrimonious political campaign where candidates purport to offer answers to our social and economic problems.