Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances, states the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

As we hit the 10-year anniversary of 9-11 this week, I am struck by how much has changed and how much has not. I still think about the people from my hometown we lost that day: John Murphy, Mike Edwards, Ryan Kohart, Tom Brennan, Rob McLaughlin, Bobby Ferris dad.

As an 18-year-old pilgrim to San Francisco, I stumbled on to St. John Coltrane Orthodox Church, a storefront worship center a short six blocks from my dingy basement apartment at the corner of Fillmore and Hayes streets. A young man in search of experience though not particularly religious at the time, I attended a Sunday morning service.

Like most classics about high school, this movie is all about an oppressive school administration, but in this case the students have some unusual allies: the Ramones. The most memorable scene is at the end (spoiler alert) when the students blow up the school as the Ramones play out front.

Golf is hard, or so my grandfather told me when he was teaching me the game many, many years ago. Ive lost my taste for chasing the little white ball, but the advice he gave me about the game has stayed with me. For starters, learn what you can do with each club by practicing on the driving range; it will improve your fairway play.

When it comes to first dates, the traditional choice is having dinner at a fine restaurant. Guys are encouraged to take their dates to a classy place with excellent food, and to be on their best behavior throughout the evening.

There is nothing better than homegrown tomatoes, and my family was the beneficiary of fresh tomatoes when I house-sat for friends in Julian last week. Irregularly shaped, cracked and featuring concentric stretch marks around their tops, they are no beauties.

Stir in 3 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour and 3 Tbsp. of curry powder until smooth and the mixture bubbles some. Whisk in 4 cups of vegetable broth, 30 oz. of pumpkin (two cans at 15 oz. each) and 1 cups of half-and-half. Then add 2 Tbsp. of soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. of sugar, and some salt and pepper.

Bo, the first Portuguese water dog in the White House, came loping onto the White House lawn just months after the inauguration of President Obama. After a flurry of media attention and suggestions made by Malia and Sasha Obama, the family selected Bo who sports formal attire at all times a black-and-white tuxedo.

Last week in Orlando, Fla. Anthony stood accused of the murder of her daughter, 2-yearold Caylee. A jury acquitted her of all charges.

Almost everyone I know who rides a bike regularly in this city has been hit by a car. The layout of Greensboro is car-centric, but more bike lanes could help improve cyclist safety and encourage more people to ditch their cars, helping alleviate a perceived parking problem and decrease vehicle traffic.

Due to the fact AMC and Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner could not reach an agreement on his contract, the fifth season of the Emmy Award-winning show was postponed until March 2012. Since 2007, Mad Men has been the perfect cure for the summer entertainment blues and a Sunday night staple for millions of loyal viewers.

Consider an overnight stay at the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro. Its luxe, for certain, but also named the greenest hotel in America by the 2009 North Carolina Travel Guide. The attached Printworks Bistro is also an elegant hideaway close to home.

The Levering Orchard in Ararat, Va. is a short 45-minute ride from Winston-Salem and features 32 acres of cherry trees with 44 varieties to choose from. The largest cherry orchard in the South, Levering Orchard provides ladders for visitors to gather fruit the old fashioned way.

A bear was shot by PTI, and many of us are still wondering why tranquilizers werent used. Somehow a black bear wandered through downtown Asheville unmolested almost exactly a year prior. The question remains: Is the Greensboro Bear dead?

Picking up a book, YES! Weekly or any other print material wont inherently cool you down, but it beats sitting with a computer in your lap. By picking up a book (or just putting the computer on a different surface) you can stay a little cooler. Avoiding household appliances that give off heat helps too. Feeling heat engulf me while opening the oven is about the last thing I want to do today.

Evangelical broadcaster Harold Camping announced that Jesus Christ would return to Earth on Saturday, May 21, and many of his followers traveled the country in preparation for the weekend rapture. As of this week, it appears Campings timing was a bit off.

There are lots of things that attract me to Greensboro, but if rent prices were as high as San Francisco or New York I wouldnt think twice about leaving. Living in a house with friends my senior year was cheaper than staying on campus. Rent is so low I convinced a friend to move here from Massachusetts.

Its hard to believe that the man who orchestrated the 9-11 attacks, Osama bin Laden, eluded capture for nearly 10 years, especially when it turns out he had been hiding in the biggest private compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a short distance from the nations capital.

After returning from a trip to visit my sister, who is studying abroad in Italy, the most prominent memories I have are all about the views. We spent most of our time on the Amalfi Coast a straight drop from our room window to the aquamarine sea.