So after 18 (or more) long years, the kids are out of the house. However, you can’t seem to shake a feeling of melancholy. “It sure will be quiet around here.” You are feeling a twinge of empty nest syndrome, and you are wondering why you aren’t happier for your child’s accomplishment. It’s a natural response, and there are many ways to turn the empty nest into an opportunity to grow and live life like never before. Continue reading “An Empty Nest Allows You to Finally Fly”
Author: chrismtwo
Every day I try to learn and experience new things. The infinite wonder of the universe provides endless opportunity for adventures. My favorite thing is to enjoy these adventures with friends, and to share my stories with others.
At the very core, all people are storytellers. Whether it is a full length motion picture or a chat over a cup of coffee, most of what makes up the human experience is the communication of ideas. For this reason, I am always looking for opportunities to write. I would like to share what I've seen with as many people as possible.
Air Travel Today
The TSA’s decision to allow airline passengers to carry on small knives, among other things, is causing uproar in the airline industry. The new policy will also allow novelty size baseball bats, toy plastic bats, billiard cues, ski poles, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, and up to two golf clubs. Box cutters and razor blades are still prohibited, as are locking or fixed blades. Allowable knives must be able to fold up and be 2.36 inches or less in length, and less than one half inch wide. Continue reading “Air Travel Today”
Adoption
Each year, there are 120,000 children adopted in the U.S. Of these, 100,000 are adopted domestically. Adopted children make up roughly 2% of the total child population. There are unique emotional and psychological challenges that adoptive families must face. Instead of the usual bilateral relationship between parent and child, adoptive families have what is called the triad of adoption: the relationship between birth parents, child, and adoptive parents. Continue reading “Adoption”
ADHD Diagnoses are on the Rise
A recent analysis of CDC data by The New York Times found that 11% of school age children are diagnosed with some form of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Boys are more likely to receive the diagnosis than girls (15% to 7%), and one out of five high school boys diagnosed with ADHD. The amount of children diagnosed with ADHD has increased 16% since 2007 and 53% in the past decade. Considering the diagnostic changes proposed for the DSM-V, that number is only going up. Continue reading “ADHD Diagnoses are on the Rise”
Abortion: How late is “Late-Term”?
With some exceptions, abortion in the U.S. is illegal after the point in the pregnancy in which the fetus becomes “viable”. Viability means when the fetus has a chance to survive if born at this point, and most doctors put this around 24 weeks (where the fetus has about a 50-50 chance of survival). Does that mean that a 28 week abortion is wrong (90-95% chance of survival), but a 20 week abortion is okay (0% chance of survival)? Two recent stories shed light on this distinction. Continue reading “Abortion: How late is “Late-Term”?”
Abortion Restriction
A measure in Texas which would have required doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital was blocked by a federal judge, Monday. If the law had taken effect, as many as one-third of the abortion clinics in Texas could have been forced to close. The judge ruled that the measure was “without rational basis” and that it placed unacceptable burdens on women seeking abortions. The judge upheld the part of the law that requires doctors to use a particular drug protocol in nonsurgical, medication-induced abortions. Continue reading “Abortion Restriction”
50 Years after the Civil Rights Movement
In the 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed that one day people “will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” much has changed. People are no longer being sprayed with fire hoses, or attacked by police dogs for expressing their political beliefs in America. People are no longer jailed because the color of their skin does not comport with the place they sit on a bus. All citizens have the ability to participate in the electoral process, with black voter participation exceeding white participation in some of the same southern states where Jim Crow once ruled the land. Continue reading “50 Years after the Civil Rights Movement”
Tension Between Branches
Our government is set up in a way that uses a system of checks and balances in order to make sure that one branch of government does not obtain too much power. While it is arguable whether each branch of the United States federal government is equal, the integrity of the process in “checking” other branches is essential to preserving our freedoms. Continue reading “Tension Between Branches”
Expansion of Gun Rights in Georgia
There is currently a bill before the Georgia State Senate that would expand rights related to guns. The bill (HB 875) has gained a lot of attention, particularly for the expansion of rights for property owners of churches and bars to determine whether patrons can carry weapons. The law is much more expansive and detailed, however. In fact, there are at least 16 different substantive expansions of gun rights within the current legislation. This has some people calling this legislation “the most dangerous gun bill in the United States.” Continue reading “Expansion of Gun Rights in Georgia”
Legalization of Marijuana in Georgia
The debate over the legalization of marijuana, or cannabis, is raging throughout America. Polling shows that opinions on marijuana have shifted. For the first time, more than half of Americans (58%) now support legalization. Continue reading “Legalization of Marijuana in Georgia”
Ronin Pen 