Any first year economics student can tell you that a significant increase in competition should normally lead to lower prices for the consumer.  That is, unless, of course, you are talking about theme parks in Orlando.  In this strange, topsy-turvy world that calls itself the City Beautiful, the stiffer the competition gets between the world’s two largest theme park complexes, … [Read more...]

On my ninth birthday in 1977, my father took me and a few of my friends to see “Star Wars”.  Not “Star Wars Part IV – A New Hope”, just plain “Star Wars”.  Adoration of the franchise dominated my youth and early teen years.  I saw it at least three more times in theaters.  I collected the action figures and built the models.  It was the first movie I ever watched on video … [Read more...]

(Author's Note - This was originally written in 2005 as 100 Years, 100 Championships, but since I'm not a professional sports writer could not get anyone to publish it). New York, New York, You’re A Helluva Sports Town … and you’ve got the record to prove it. Next week, when the New York Mets go to the World Series, it will mark the 105th time in 110 years that the New … [Read more...]

My earlier article on America’s least newsworthy states was such a big hit (it wasn’t) that I thought I’d follow it up with the world’s least newsworthy countries. So, once again going with Google, I searched on each country to see how many news results would come up (each search was completed on the evening of 09/10/15), and ranked them from 1 to 196. Nations that are not … [Read more...]

One of the oldest and greatest traditions of Christianity is the “schism” the periodic act of the church splitting due to differences in doctrine, leadership, and occasionally geography. From the very first Pauline-Gnosticism split in the 1st century to the breakup of the Presbyterian Church USA in the 21st century, Christianity has split so many times and on such a regular … [Read more...]

Walt Disney World has always been a place known for its innovation and new ideas. But since Universal Studios opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2010, it seems Disney has ramped up its efforts to a fevered pitch (one wonders if the Imagineers are ever allowed to sleep anymore). Many of these changes have been good, with some excellent new attractions, the banning of … [Read more...]

Two lives connected by an extremely unlikely (but undeniable) chain of events. On November 21, 1999, a woman attempted to flee from Cuba to the United States with her six year old son, Elian Gonzalez. During the voyage the boat overturned, killing eleven of the fourteen travelers on board. Elian Gonzalez’ mother was among the dead. Elian Gonzalez survived, and was taken in by … [Read more...]

Let me just begin by saying that the reason I am writing this article is because I think I’ve gone loopy from all of the travel articles, and I needed a break. So a few weeks ago, while talking to a co-worker, the subject came up as to what is America’s least newsworthy state. After a brief and pointless argument, I decided to see what Google had to say. First, I did a search … [Read more...]

The nation of Chad, which sprawls across the heart of North Africa, is among the world’s most challenging countries. According to both the United Nations and CIA World Factbook, it is currently counted among the bottom fifth of the world’s poorest countries. Over the last decade it has become an oil power with all of the problems that come with such mineral wealth. Its … [Read more...]

Since 2012, The Order of the Sanguines series has whisked its readers to exotic locales across Europe and the Middle East in a fast-paced treasure hunt involving an intriguing mix of history, Christian tradition, and the undead. From a terrifying beginning at Israel’s Masada to a thrilling conclusion high in the Himalayas of Nepal, warring clans of vampires and sanguines battle … [Read more...]