What does it mean to be an American?  Is it nothing more than an accident of birth?  What principles define American patriotism?
            
In political rhetoric ideas like low taxes, immigration laws, specific religious beliefs and economic growth start to sound like American principles, but the real principles are the ones embodied in the Declaration of Independence and our pledge:  Self-government, the self-evident equality of all people, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, with li...

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This week's trip to Washington called this thought to mind:

There are a couple of distinct interpretations:  1) Distance is no barrier to friendship; a friend will always find a way to be there for you.  2)  The anticipation of being with a friend makes the trip to his house seem short.

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 (tandem cable railway - Zagreb)

As soon as I figured out the wording for this thought, I had an afterthought: “What happens when the other person gets off?” – Crash landing.

We all seem to recognize that “put downs” and “zingers” are hurtful, but they remain all too common in our conversations and jokes.  There is no doubt that television and movies play a role in making cheap-shot humor seem acceptable.  But, then again, slavery used to seem acceptable in our country.  That ...

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Happily our local School Board elections were won by the candidates who have been putting more time and effort into helping students than to promoting themselves.
         (Beaver in Grand Tetons N>P>)

Chasing fame and success is like trying to reach the end of the rainbow.  It is a vague target that may appear in many different places.  The people who end up being successful are usually working toward a more specific goal, like being the best is their chosen field.

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