Nathaniel Shockey hails from Philadelphia, but currently resides with his wife in the San Francisco Bay Area. He wrote an opinion column for the Seattle Pacific University newspaper, where he received a degree in English Literature. He has been writing for North Star Writers Group since its commencement in 2005.

Since the Phillies' World Series Championship, he has found time to focus on achieving world peace, and the Super Bowl.

Nathaniel's Previous Columns

Inglorious Basterds: Best.Scene.Ever - September 9, 2009

The Column That Gives 110 Percent. Not! - September 2, 2009

A Nation of Conservatives . . . a Nation of Democrats - August 26, 2009

Michael Vick Signs, and This Eagles Fan Goes Into Mental Overload - August 19, 2009

Pelosi’s ‘Un-American’ Comment Was the Least Troubling Thing She Said - August 12, 2009

Government Offers Free Money, People Accept; What a Huge Success! - August 5, 2009

Six Cups of Coffee, and the Three-Hour Move - July 29, 2009

Will My Freedom Survive This Dark Place? - July 22, 2009

Oh, California Owes U All Right - July 15, 2009

Does Anyone Still Believe This Climate-Change ‘Consensus’ Nonsense? - July 8, 2009

Obama Makes It Tough to Celebrate the Fourth of July - July 1, 2009

What Was Barbara Boxer Thinking? Consider the Possibilities!

Sports Slowdown in Summer? Never! - June 17, 2009

Pixar’s UP: A Beacon of Hope and Reason - June 10, 2009

Whatever It Is, It’s True . . . a Pregnancy Book Says So - June 3, 2009

How Does ‘Diversity’ Make You a Better Supreme Court Justice? - May 27, 2009

Torture: Good for Business? - May 20, 2009

Cormac McCarthy: The Latest, Greatest American Writer - May 13, 2009

Road Trip With a Pregnant Woman (Or, the Journey of 1,000 Stops) - May 6, 2009

Someone Control These Damn Kids! - April 29, 2009
 

It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad Sports World - April 22, 2009

Wealth and Education . . . and Good and Evil - April 15, 2009

Passion Week: When Gratitude Lays the Foundation for Happiness - April 8, 2009

It’s a Free Country, So Why Does It Cost Me So Much? - April 1, 2009

The AIG Fiasco: Rage and Recrimination - March 25, 2009

Finding Some Sanity Amidst March Madness - March 18, 2009

Obama and the Mythical White House Money Tree - March 11, 2009

Season Five of Lost the Best Yet - March 4, 2009

Sorry: Your ‘Rights’ are Mostly a Delusion - February 25, 2009

Waiting for the Stimulus to Spur My Recovery - February 18, 2009

A-Rod and Roids: Cheating Only Bothers Us When It Works - February 11, 2009

Totalitarianism: Not Just Another 15-Letter Word - February 4, 2009

Are You Going to Bet Against Roger Federer? Are You Sure? - January 28, 2009

Donovan McNabb: Nice Guy, No Ice in the Veins - January 21, 2009

Americans and Debt: We’re Acting Like Children - January 14, 2009

Thinking, Feeling or Drinking? Three Ways to Look at Bailouts and Stimuli - January 7, 2009

OK, Donovan McNabb: You Want a Break from Fans? Win This Game - December 31, 2008

The Night Before Christmas 2008 - December 24, 2008

My Priceless Christmas Gift from Gordon - December 17, 2008

Dear Santa: You’re Who? OK, Give Me My Money Back - December 10, 2008

Good Places Not to Get Your Job-Creation Money - December 3, 2008

Whatever You Believe About Homosexuality, Say It Kindly - November 25, 2008

Is Homosexuality Chosen or Innate? You Tell Me - November 24, 2008

You Elected Obama Because You Blamed Bush, Huh? Let’s Talk About That - November 17, 2008

The New America of the Wolds and the Fens - November 10, 2008

Who Cares About the Election? The Phillies Won the World Series! - November 3, 2008

Think For Yourself Before You Vote, If You Can Be Bothered - October 27, 2008

McCain’s Negative Ads: Someone Has to Say It, But It Hurts Our Feelings! - October 20, 2008

A Campaign to Scar America’s Psyche (and Mine) - October 13, 2008

For Brett Myers and the Triumphant Phillies, ‘The Walk’ is Stuff of Legends - October 6, 2008

Socialist Tendencies Reveal Obama’s Failure to Understand America as a Nation - October 3, 2008

Where’s My Violin Teacher? He Can Teach McCain How to Close His Case - September 29, 2008

Obama Owns ‘Change,’ And McCain Should Know the Word is Worthless - September 15, 2008

Horrible Election Draws Near: Will Philly Heroes Save My Life? - September 8, 2008

New Faces are Good, But We Need to Get Serious About Experience - September 4, 2008

Pennsylvania’s Tight Race: Which Philly Team Will Be First to the Top? - September 1, 2008

Raise the Pay for the All-Important Stars of The Hills! - August 26, 2008

Conservatives Refusing to Support McCain: Here’s What You’ll Get - August 25, 2008

Olympics Bring Out the Best in Us (But If You Believe Those Girls Are 16, Well . . .) - August 18, 2008

They Only Look Like Adults - August 11, 2008

The Joke’s Still on Me: Separation of Church and Alcohol Never Ends - August 4, 2008

Global Warming and the Faith of the Brainwashed - July 29, 2008

Offended Conservatives: Maybe McCain Just Doesn’t Agree With You - July 28, 2008

Apolitical Good News Drowns in Political Spin - July 21, 2008

Brett Favre is Getting Old, And So Is His Act - July 14, 2008

How McCain Can Run Against the Media and Win - July 7, 2008

Sports Junkies, I Get; Political Junkies Are Just Creepy - June 30, 2008

Time for Shaq to Give One Back - June 26, 2008

What Does Obama Really Mean? The Advisor Knows All - June 23, 2008

Instant Replay in Baseball? Why Not? Here’s Why Not - June 16, 2008

Drinking With the President: Choose Your New Beer Buddy - June 9, 2008

Confessions of a Ninth-Grade Communist - June 2, 2008

Two Years In, California Grows On Me - May 26, 2008

Gay Marriage Policy? How About No Marriage Policy? - May 23, 2008

There’s Too Much at Stake for Conservatives to Shrug Like Atlas - May 19, 2008

You Know How I Know You’re an Idiot? Because You’re a Frickin’ Yankees Fan! - May 12, 2008

I Can’t Compete With Ernest Hemingway, But I Still Win - May 5, 2008

The Bloated NHL Learns Its Lesson (I Hope) - April 28, 2008

Mexico Vacation: I Left My Dignity (And My Money) at Senor Frogs - April 24, 2008

Barack Obama Explains Our Bitterness - April 14, 2008

Freedom Works, But Can We Ever Rely on Ourselves Again? - April 7, 2008

South Park Kills Britney Spears, While the Crowd Cheers Them On - March 31, 2008

College Basketball Can Be Ridiculous, But March Madness Rules - March 24, 2008

Barack Obama and Race: Get Ready for a Grimy Shower Mess - March 17, 2008

Hey, You, Generous Tipper: Thanks for Buying the Booze! - March 13, 2008

Obama’s Black, McCain’s Old and Hillary’s Female; Now Shut Up About It! - March 10, 2008

Even Without a Ball, Some Sports Have Inherent Value - March 3, 2008

The Academy Awards Have No Integrity, But Daniel Day-Lewis is Awesome - February 26, 2008

‘You Haven’t Seen Casablanca?’ And Other Pretentious Questions - February 25, 2008

Technology . . . And How We Use It - February 18, 2008

‘Lost’ Returns; Now Will J.J. Abrams Make the Return He’s Promised? - February 11, 2008

Super Bowl XLII is a Giant of a Story - February 4, 2008

Roger Federer: In Hemingway Fashion, My Hero Lets Me Down - January 28, 2008

How is Michael Savage On the Air? Oh, That’s How - January 21, 2008

Before You Pick a President, Pay Attention and Think - January 14, 2008

Capitalism Works, But Britney Spears Can Tell You: Evil Gets Rich - January 7, 2008

Patriots Did It, But Can They Do It? - December 31, 2007

Capitalism at Christmas: The Festival of Colorful, Oddly Shaped Resources - December 24, 2007

Why Should I Trust Oprah Winfrey? Do I Know Her? - December 17, 2007

‘Who Do You Work For?’ <punch in the face> - December 10, 2007

Christ Wasn’t Born on December 25, Because I Have to Get My Tree Now - December 3, 2007

My Manhood’s On the Line, But I Love ‘Dancing With the Stars’ - November 26, 2007

Immigration Waffling, Reagan and the Clinton Thumb: How Not to Get My Vote - November 19 2007

No, You Just Think It’s the Most Incredible - November 12, 2007

Oh Yes, Barry Bonds, They Can Give You an Asterisk - November 5, 2007

I Wanted to Be a Cow, But I’m Stuck Being a Writer - October 29, 2007

Here in NoCal, Your Assimilation Begins with the Avocado - October 22, 2007

Nate’s Halloween Party: Go Away, Kid, You Bother Me! - October 15, 2007

The Arbitrary Nature of Humanity - October 8, 2007

Fight Night at the Marriage - October 1, 2007

Will Liberals and Conservatives Remove Their Brains from the Freezer? - September 27, 2007

Britney Spears Didn’t Ask for This - September 17, 2007

If the Opener Is Any Indication, It’s Rebuilding Time for the Philadelphia Eagles - September 10, 2007

I Still Believe in the Phillies, But Is the City's Long Curse My Fault? - September 6, 2007

For the Security of the Western World, Phillies, Make the Playoffs! - September 3, 2007

Falcons Are Better Off, But Does Michael Vick Really Deserve Prison Time? - August 27, 2007

From Henry Ford to the Internet, Technology Inspires People’s Worst - August 20, 2007

Now Playing: ‘300’ and the Return of Masculinity - August 13, 2007

Baseball Part of America’s Family; Soccer an Occasional Guest - August 6, 2007

I’m Ready to be Labeled Conservative - July 30, 2007

Wine-Tasting: Bar-Hopping Made Up to Look Cultural - July 23, 2007

For the Horrible Phillies, There Are No Words - July 16, 2007

Would Hemingway Be Proud of the Tragedy that is Barry Bonds? - July 9, 2007

Singular Socks and Other Brilliant Business Concepts - July 2, 2007

Longing for Tragically Confused Seattle - June 25, 2007

Forced to Costco: Let the Battle of Wits Begin - June 18, 2007

Goodbye, Friend: Oh the Stories You Could Have Told - June 11, 2007

The Four Types of American Sports Fan - June 4, 2007

Oh No! Not Another Pistons/Spurs Final! - May 28, 2007

Hopelessly Addicted to 'Lost' - May 21, 2007

Dear Paris, Thanks for Writing! Kisses, Arnold - May 14, 2007

Warriors Story So Awesome, Even a Philly Guy Loves It - May 7, 2007

Out of Utter Brokenness Comes Hope - April 30, 2007

Philly Boy Hangs Ten, Dude - April 23, 2007

Legislation Based on Morality? As Opposed to What? - April 16, 2007I

Is an Atheist Just the President We Need? - April 2, 2007

So You're Listening to Me! Here's More Financial Advice - March 26, 2007

Can We Accept That Racism is Dead? - March 19, 2007

Relegated to the Apology Box - March 12, 2007

Four Financial Tips from Nate the Economist - March 5, 2007

Oscars: Well-Bookended Boredom - February 26, 2007

I Give Up - February 19, 2007

Does Insurance Ensure the Loss of Community? - February 12, 2007

You Call This a Super Bowl? - February 5, 2007

Another Tragedy, Another Scapegoat - January 29, 2007

Fast Food Fiend, Heal Thyself - January 22, 2007

In Defense of Sales-Driven Manipulation - January 15, 2007

My Contribution to Your Noodle Salad Mind - January 8, 2007

The Challenge of Ordering Steaks Like a Whiz - January 1, 2007

Tell Me To Be Merry, Will Ya? - December 25, 2006

A Surprisingly Human James Bond - December 18, 2006

Ads to World: Laugh Don't Think - December 13, 2006

Sure, But Can You Rub Your Therapist's Tummy? - December 6, 2006

Stereotyping: Tiny Corners on the Mend - November 29, 2006

Time for Thanks Amid the Things? - November 22, 2006

The Truth Can't Make A Mess Look Clean - November 15, 2006

Voting: Not Solemn Duty, But a Necessary One - November 6, 2006

Get a Grip; Halloween Is Not Cool - November 1, 2006

Does America Have a Clue What Marriage Is? - October 25, 2006

The Laugh Track and Its Emotional Comedic Scars - October 18, 2006

This Time the Terrorists Have Gone Too Far - October 11, 2006

Inside the Philly Sports Fan: A Scary Place to Be - October 4, 2006

Get Your Fix of 'It's Not Your Fault' - September 27, 2006

Oh, We Can Laugh At Ourselves...Maybe Too Much -  September 20, 2006

9/11 Lessons Missed for Americans? - September 13, 2006

Government Can Help, But Only Humans Can Heal - August 30, 2006

The Ring Is Normal Enough, But Am I Ready for Marriage? - August 16, 2006

News:  America's Entertainment Tonight - August 2, 2006

Time for Political Partisans to Become Childish - July 5, 2006