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China’s Mao Zedong, the face of Communism, once said, “All political power comes from the barrel of a gun.” And beginning in 1935, as his forces captured one province after another, they removed all guns from the inhabitants. By the time Chairman Mao gained power in 1949, anyone found in possession of a gun was executed.

Microchips are needed in everything from cars to smartphones. During the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers couldn’t get the chips they needed to produce their products, causing factory shutdowns, delays and increased costs for consumers. Currently, the United States produces only 12% of the world’s semiconductors, which is down from 37% in 1990. As we have seen throughout the pandemic, global supply lines are easily disrupted, and semiconductor shortages can have potentially serious effects on our economy.

The Yankee soldier stares at us with a hard glint in his eyes. Wiry and weathered, he’s ready for action. No name, no date, no unit. Just a young man whose face shows the strain of war.

As Europe is torn apart by war and the U.S. gears up for fiercely partisan midterm battles, a delegation of members of the European Parliament is in Washington to speak with members of Congress for “Transatlantic Week,” a series of meetings convened annually to find common ground on critical policy issues. And the pressure is on this year as the world looks to the West for leadership.

The term “cancel culture” has become unusually pervasive of late. It’s even reached the Vatican Diplomatic Corps, which includes representatives from the 183 countries accredited to the Holy See. There, Pope Francis said, “Cancel culture is invading many circles and public institutions. As a result, agendas are increasingly dictated by a mindset that rejects the natural foundations of humanity and the cultural roots that constitute the identity of many people.”

“Donald was enabled from the beginning …” — Mary L. Trump, “Too Much and Never Enough”

After 32 years on the ground leading the City of Lima as mayor, David Berger looked to the sky for his next challenge.

Donald Trump is out there speaking and drawing fired-up crowds in places like Illinois.

To an inveterate golfer like my friend of over 60 years, Mike Schepp, and my sis, Joanie, there is one word never to be uttered, for the thought is that were it spoken, it would somehow manifest itself in their games. That word, “shank,” describes striking the ball on the innermost part of the clubface, causing it to squirt off to the side just a short distance.

I ran into a friend recently who asked if I knew she had “quit” a year ago. She said she simply knew it was time and went “cold turkey.”