Organized religion is potent and demanding. Too often, churches frighten freethinking intellectuals with dogmatic teachings that do not benefit society, much less fulfill individual needs. Focused on musty ideals, fundamentalist factions... Read More

Loss of unstructured time and personal identity often follows the idealistic marriage ceremony, making women vulnerable to automaton behavior. The mundane aspects of maintaining a household and family can override one’s perception to... Read More

A child never understands why a father walks out, even in a conflict-ridden home. The loss and betrayal often haunts the individual into adulthood, especially if the parent is never seen again. Abandonment embeds a long-lasting pain that... Read More

Countless people have kept travel diaries over the course of their lives, documenting experiences both in the wilderness and in sprawling global cities. The popularity of keeping logs, blogs, and journals increases as electronic... Read More

Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst disasters in US history. Though it may be hard to imagine positive events emerging from this tragedy, the mega-storm has inspired creativity in all artistic fields. Sometimes it takes a devastating... Read More

The fantasy genre has a loyal entourage of followers who seek out strange worlds where reality isn’t defined by accepted standards. The protagonists in these farfetched tales fight for territory, relics, and lovers. This is literature... Read More

Developed nations thrive on money, fame, and success. Fuel for the ego, these three attributes lead to material enrichment as well as happiness. That’s what we’re conditioned to value as we mature. Imagine obtaining the wealth and... Read More

Feeling responsible for the accidental death of a family member is an agonizing condition. Surrounded by a haze of remorse, the survivor inflicts self-punishment or wallows in despair. A tortured mind is not fertile terrain for... Read More