Clearly, the most contentious issue facing the country in the last 18 months has been health care reform.  While a majority of people believe that reform is necessary, the details of that reform have driven most to distraction. PolitiFact.com is a collective of reporters and researchers for the St. Petersburg Times whose purpose is to “find the truth in politics” by examining “statements by members...

It began with a phone call. The assistant to my orthopedist asked to change my scheduled appointment.  The reason, “Bill’s detoured his vacation to spend time in Haiti, Jim and help those who are in need of medical help.” After speaking with Bill, he shared the following report – “At twilight on Jan 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake lasting...

No, that’s not the title of the latest Jim Cameron 3-D spectacular.  It’s what happened to me last Thursday while researching a couple of articles on the net. I click on a secondary page and bingo, a screen pops up with a big warning that says, “YOU HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH A VIRUS, BUT… Don’t worry, we’re running a complete scan...

The Hurt Locker opens with a quote that sums up the ideology of its central character. “The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug.” With few modifications, the quote could easily apply to some Hollywood producers that express a win-at-any-cost attitude. Maybe some politicians, too. If director Kathryn Bigelow’s suberb 2009 film The Hurt Locker wins...

This was the picture that started it for me. I was in a sporting goods store looking for a pair of hiking boots when I noticed a bunch of equipment in one corner: ropes and boots, pitons and carabineers (pins and ‘beeners are what climbers called them back then).  I picked up my first copy of Climbing magazine. Inside was a picture...

One of the things that distinguish great sports figures from the rest of the pack is their direct and honest approach to both their work and their life. They consistently strive to live up to their own highest standards for both themselves and the rest of us. A good example is Joe Paterno, Head Football Coach for the Nittany Lions...

“Don’t be stupid, be a smartie. Come and join the Nazi Party.” – Stormtrooper, The Producers Okay, boys and girls, it’s ethical conundrum time! The New York Times reported (Feb. 5) that the “…copyright on Mein Kampf [Adolph Hitler’s autobiographical, political rant] in the hands of the Bavarian government since the end of the Nazi regime, has long been used to keep his...

Are you caught in a constant cycle of pedantic punditry? Have you been secretly watching The Real Truth Behind Michael Jackson’s Death over and over again? Are you using a copy of USA Today to hide a copy of People magazine while reading, “Is Elin Coping in Cabo with Cabana Boys?” Welcome to Piney Breezes, where we fix your fixations.  » Read more about: We All Need...

“Silence, intense and oppressive, gripped the desolate landscape as two lone figures rode toward the town ahead. “The taller of the two sat astride a magnificent white stallion and although his face was masked, all who had known him knew that he was as legendary for his remarkable sense of justice and fair play as for his skill with six-gun, rope and horse. His faithful Indian friend was his only companion. “A few miles more and...

In 1992, Michael Josephson called together leaders from a variety of groups and backgrounds to meet for a special conference in Aspen, Colorado.  Their common denominator: all had a commitment to character education.  Their goal:  to devise a set ethical values that they would all agree on and would, along with The Josephson Institute promote. The conference produced The Aspen Declaration: 1.  » Read more...