Patt Cottingham

While getting a physical to see if my son Renan could begin a job at Whole Foods, the doctor noticed a lump on the left side of my son's neck. We went for various ultra sounds, chest X-rays and blood tests. In Sept. 2011, after a biopsy, our son Renan...

Right now I am imagining a big, dark, ominous word cloud hanging over Washington, D.C. If I had to guess, the largest words in the word cloud would be "kick the can down the road," followed by, in varying sizes, "threat of default," "political...

In 2004, my parents sold their four bedroom house where they had lived for over 40 years, to move into a retirement community. A whole house full of memories were pared down to a two bedroom apartment. After my father died in 2007 my mother didn't need such a large...

As I watched the youth in the Middle East and Africa, the tsunami in Japan, and the unprecedented tornadoes and floods in the United States, I was left pondering whether we Earthlings can come together with enough collective heart and wisdom to resolve the...

In the wake of last week's shooting in Tucson, Arizona, it is time to revisit the intent of the
Second Amendment. The photo above is from outside the United Nations. The image is a strong...

In World World I, World War II, and Korea returning veterans used the VFW's as clubs to meet socially, have a drink, and contribute to the communities they were in. They were
at Memorial Day ceremonies, Fourth of July parades, and Veterans Day...

2010 will go down as the year the phrase "Make Sure That This Never Happens Again" was the constant refrain. We heard this is the financial banking fiasco, the mortgage meltdown, and the BP gulf oil spill environmental and economic catastrophe. And now the...

Here is a tragic statistic that just blew my mind recently. Of the veterans from the all US wars on average, 18 veterans commit suicide each day. "Of the more than 30,000 suicides in this country each year, fully 20 percent of them are...

Left, Right, Independent, Tea Party-ers, who cares for the sake of the country get it together. Apart-isanship is dragging America and the urgency of her challenges down.
What is going on here? We simply do not have the luxury of not working together.

With all the hubbub going around about Michaele and Tareq Salahi the aspiring reality-TV stars that crashed the Obama's State Dinner. I decided to go to my trusted dictionary to look up "reality" since some in our country seem to be losing all sense...

In 1519 the Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez anchored his 11 ships off the Yucatan Peninsula. Thousands of miles of ocean separated him from Spain and reinforcements. The Aztec Empire with tens of thousands of warriors ruled Mexico at that time. Cortez in an ambitious...

In ancient times, brave warrior women used cunning strategies to outwit the powerful male leaders of their day. They used both their intuitive instincts and their courage to fight oppression. This was their "goddess" power.

In 732 B.C. Queen Samsi (Shamsi) of Arabia...

First, let me define how I am using the term cosmopolitan brands. The origin of the word cosmopolitan is borrowed from the Greek word kosmos or cosmos, meaning world. Through globalization, brands have extended their products and services into new markets. Yet is profiting...

Just when it appeared that the opposition movement of Mir Hussein Moussavi was squashed, comes a ray of green light and hope for the opposition through a crack in the clerical establishment.

The Association of Researchers and...

Just coming off Father's Day in the US it is hard to witness an Iranian father kneeling over his mortally wounded daughter laid out bleeding and dying on a street in Tehran. In a video uploaded to news organizations a young woman, and student...

Imagine that you are an industrial designer being given the assignment of designing products and systems that would allow future police forces to balance empathy with authority in law enforcement. To do so you would have to consider what human characteristics, needs and interests...

It is easier than ever to succumb to fear these days. Turn on the news or read the headlines in the newspaper about foreclosures, job loss reports, credit crisis, car dealership closings, 401K's gone, shuttered businesses, bankrupt states, corporate layoffs -lately fear is owning...

On March15, 2006 the United Nations created the Human Rights Council. Its mission is to strengthen, promote, and protect human rights around the globe. And yet, in reading the Vaclav Havel's piece A Table for Tyrants in the New York Times it appears...

For now Chrysler is idling in bankruptcy court. In a deal with Fiat, Fiat will get 35% of Chrysler in exchange for giving Chrysler access to its technology. This may help to jump-start Chrysler's innovation for the future. GM has until June 1 to...

There is a major shift occurring in how President Obama is engaging foreign leaders. He is not afraid to admit to mistakes that America has undergone in the past; this reconciliation is wiping the slate clean for new relationships to be forged. If listening...