Consider Donald Trump for a moment as a purveyor of men’s cologne. I quote from the merchandise section of trump.com, the website for his portfolio of “great” companies.　“‘Empire by Trump’ is the perfect accessory for the confident man determined to make his mark with passion, perseverance and drive. ... Bold notes of peppermint, spicy chai and a hint of apple demand attention.” Or there’s “Success by Trump,” which “captures the spirit of the driven man” and is “an inspiring blend of fresh junip

Late in the evening on Super Tuesday, the Republicans’ former House majority leader, Tom DeLay, appeared on MSNBC and told Chris Matthews that party leaders would deny Donald Trump the party’s nomination if he arrives at the national convention in Cleveland lacking a delegate majority.　This was on a night when Trump’s victories in seven primaries set him up to dominate in the winner-take-all states coming down the pike later in March. 　An incredulous Matthews asked DeLay if the Republican establ

When the United Kingdom joined the then-European Economic Community in 1973, it was at the rearguard of European integration. The question raised by the U.K.’s upcoming referendum on continued European Union membership is whether Britain is now at the forefront of Europe’s disintegration.　The issue has little to do with the insignificant accord that Prime Minister David Cameron recently reached with his EU colleagues. Indeed, it is hard to believe that this agreement will determine Britain’s fat

Last year, the parents of my son’s friend at school began divorce proceedings. The father, who has Asperger’s syndrome, was not home most of the time and was abusive.　But not long after, the kid’s mother began to regret her decision. Her husband was vastly wealthy, but he refused to part with his riches. Lengthy lawsuits ensued. 　The woman eventually won custody rights, but lost everything else. We used to be close, but after she sold her car and moved away, we lost contact. 　The final time we m

In 2015, the term “Hell Joseon” spread on social networking services and has now become the most common term to describe the current malaise that afflicts Korea. The term comes from Joseon, a name used to refer to the royal dynasty that ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910. During the Japanese colonial period, Korea continued to be called Joseon, and it is part of the official name for North Korea. The name suggests rigidity and oppression.　The source of “Hell Joseon” anger is the growing unease over t

The greatest external threat to South Korea is North Korea. In dealing with this threat, citizens of the South should unite, but they are not quite united. 　In a democratic state diverse views and opinions are inevitable and can make positive contributions to deal with threats to national security. But if the people are divided to the extent that they undermine the very foundation of the state, the North Korean threat can’t be countered. 　The state is founded on three pillars: political, economi

One of the most bizarre arguments made by the people who support Britain’s exit from the European Union is the notion that a self-exiled U.K. will find a new global relevance, and indeed leadership role, as the center of the “Anglosphere.”　The idea is that there are a group of countries -- with the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing community of the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada and New Zealand at its core -- who share so much of a common heritage in language, history, law, democratic institutions