Not much is currently popular about Wall Street, but pre- recessions and depressions, America’s financial institutions reveled in a period of immense prosperity. From politics to architecture, Greek and Roman civilizations heavily influenced much of …
North America
Finding Honesty (and Irony) on Wall Street
1169 Miles Away
San Diego, Texas lies 52 miles west of Corpus Christi and 1169 miles east of San Diego, California. It occupies 1.6 square miles on the county line between Duval and Jim Wells counties and is …
January 6, 2010
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
As winter’s chilly arms embrace us, my thoughts drift back to sun-drenched days on Grand Cayman’s pristine beaches. Relaxing with a strawberry daiquiri in one hand and an engaging novel in the other, my days …
Black Gold: Oil City, Pennsylvania
Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains, Oil City might just be the most relevant small town in the world today. Here lie the remnants of the world's first commercially successful oil wells, dating from the 1860s. …
December 30, 2009
North Pole, Alaska
I love the street names in North Pole: Snowman Lane, Kris Kringle, Mistletoe, Blitzen, Donner, Saint Nicholas Drive, North Star Drive. Residents say that this is where “the spirit of Christmas lives year round” and …
Great White sharks tagged on Guadalupe Island
In late 2007, when local shark researcher Michael Domeier teamed up with a television crew and National Geographic to tag great white sharks off Guadalupe Island, Patric Douglas took an interest. Douglas runs a cage-diving …
December 16, 2009
Charleston, South Carolina: Sea to Shining Sea
Charleston, South Carolina, is on the Atlantic approximately 2,500 miles east of San Diego. My favorite haunts there are Folly Beach, a six-mile long barrier island, and neighboring uninhabited Morris Island. Folly has a Holiday …
December 13, 2009
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Grace Potter, a Vermont organist-guitarist and singer, showed up on the indie scene five years ago with a rock quartet and the usual stuff: a strong appreciation for the music of a generation that was …
An Enchanting Visit to Casa de Paz orphanage in Ensenada, Mexico
We were a small volunteer group visiting Casa de Paz (House of Peace). The director of the orphanage, Jonatán Lopez Sánchez, eagerly welcomed us and began a tour of the property. Surrounding a mini soccer …
December 3, 2009
Japanese Tea Gardens, San Francisco
An oasis of serenity exists in the midst of bustling San Francisco. A feeling of peace will envelop you as you stroll through the Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate Park. Meandering along quiet paths …
December 2, 2009
Mendocino, California
If you’re feeling stressed and want to step back to a time when life was simpler and more tranquil, a trip to the small coastal town of Mendocino might be just what you need. Trying …
November 30, 2009
War as They Knew It
What are you reading? “War As They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a Time of Unrest, by Michael Rosenberg. It’s about the Ohio State–Michigan football rivalry during the era of those …
Havana, Cuba: An Emerging Story
“Is Levi or Guess considered a more elegant brand? Addidas or Reebok?” A couple of mid-twenties locals ask with anticipation. A young single mother shares her ideas on the “What is Cuba to you?” question …
November 23, 2009
Tree Spirits of St. Simons Island, Georgia
One of our nation’s quirky roadside attractions has soul. Mysterious faces, called Tree Spirits, are carved into live oaks and hardwoods throughout Saint Simons Island off the Georgia coast. In 1982, local sculptor Keith Jennings …
November 23, 2009