Looking down the road, space exploration and the benefits it yields - in medicine and information technology - should not be overlooked.
For decades, parents were told by so-called parenting 'experts' that offspring would be best raised on the belief each is special and entitled to all life has to offer.
The legal principle placing the burden of proof on accusers rather than the accused can be traced back to Second and Third Century Roman jurist, Julius Paulus Prudentissimus. Yet, this ancient concept, which forms the legal and moral cornerstone of the American judicial system, is quickly being undermined in the name of 'national security.'
It is difficult, if not impossible, to argue that laws written in the 1970s are adequate for today's intelligence challenges.
Iran is not a make-believe country. It is a real country populated by some 75 million people - real people including, I daresay, a majority who are philosophically and by education inclined toward the modern, secular world, and particularly American values.
Chicago is known for good steaks, expensive stores and beautiful architecture. Unfortunately, the Windy City also enjoys a reputation for corrupt politics, violent crime, and some of the strictest gun control laws anywhere in the country.