The Articles of Confederation was the first definition of our national government. Finalized in 1777, it was not until 1781 that all 13 states ratified the document.

Although it will be difficult to cover on one page, this column is about employer-supplied health insurance and the costs that are getting out of hand.

A reader called me recently, and we had an enjoyable and useful conversation that needs to be shared here.

Industrial Heating readers live and work in the most energy-consumptive manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy, so it is useful to examine the worlds of energy price and supply. But let us first look at natural gas and a business opportunity you may have missed.

This column has recently addressed U.S. problems with China. Now we’ll discuss things closer to home – with some similar but more benign and resolvable issues.

When my grandson was not admitted to several colleges this spring, I started wondering why, after all the wonderful awards and accolades he had received from the public school he attended. Then I reread “The Conspiracy of Ignorance: The Failure of American Public Schools.”

In this space two months ago the topic of entrepreneurship, citing several examples, prompted some (but not enough) reader interest.

David Goldman, a scholar and writer for Asia Times, provides fascinating insights into growing American problems with China, which are unknown and misunderstood by Americans.