The impetus to write this book stems from the author's concern that many Americans, especially young Americans, are so busy staying financially stable and raising a family, that they do not have the time or the inclination to stay well informed about our history, the basic tenets of our society, our government, or the incredible challenges facing us at this time. This book is meant to enlighten those people, and all others, through short, to the point, easy to read chapters. Also included are a few chapters about the practice and art of medicine, and the retirement quandary, which is faced by many. The author has many patients who have handled retirement both well and poorly. Many observations are personal, but based in fact. Some have been included which were penned by others. The reader may not agree with everything here, but guaranteed, he or she will learn a number of important, useful, current facts and present day challenges he or she did not know before.