On this date in 1790, the Religious Society of Friends, better known as Quakers, petitioned the U.S. Congress for the abolition of slavery. They were mostly ignored. Parliament reacted in similar fashion to British Quaker abolitionists. What went wrong?

When a young woman asked Benjamin Franklin what the Constitutional Convention had achieved, he replied: “A republic, Madame – if you can keep it.” Franklin recognized the American experiment in self-government could fail. But it was Thomas Jefferson who recognized what failure might look like.

U2’s Bono says he’s learning “a humbling thing” – the importance of capitalism. He’s actually playing catch up. The same goes for Whole Foods co-CEO John Mackey, Bill Gates, and Michael Porter. They’re all catching up to Christianity’s take on capitalism.

“The instant I saw the picture my mouth fell open.” When James Watson first saw X-ray diffraction pictures of DNA, he sensed he was on to something big. When Iain McGilchrist observes how the human brain’s two hemispheres operate, he feels the same way. What does he see?

When Mohan Srivastava discovered a couple of old lottery tickets, he wondered if he had any winners. Tickets became treasure when he discovered they revealed a code. Jesus said people treasure the kingdom when they discover it. The gospel is a code waiting to be discovered. Why then do so few Christians today evangelize this…

Considered the grandest of all World’s Fairs, the 1904 St. Louis Exposition celebrated America’s progress over the previous century. It marked the public debut of early automobiles and processed sugar in packaged foods, establishing American fast food culture. And that greatly contributed to making a wider world in the century to come.

Hippocrates understood heft. New Years Eve is nearly the midpoint between the two days when Americans eat the most – Thanksgiving and Super Bowl. Hippocrates understood what generally generates girth. It’s worth recalling, as the Bible says essentially the same thing.

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house, a creature was stirring… but it wasn’t a mouse. It was Lucifer. It’s surprising so few Christians recognize him in the Christmas story – especially since the thrust of his work has never changed.

Contrasts clarify. In November, journalist Jon Meacham’s biography of Thomas Jefferson hit the market. Many will buy it as a Christmas gift. But if you want a richer understanding of Jefferson, consider a contrasting picture presented in another book, Crossed Lives – Crossed Purposes. It might be a better last-minute Christmas gift.

In 1956 Dr. Amar Bose set out to purchase a set of stereo speakers. A professor at M.I.T., he was looking to reproduce the realism of a live performance. The speakers he bought didn’t do it. A few years later, Bose rolled out his new Bose Speakers. They were the product of a roundtable process…