I ran across this particular gem the other day. Apparently most Americans think that Obama’s endorsement of gay marriage was politically motivated. I know that as I writer I’m supposed to be eloquent and use multi-syllabic words to express complex and subtle ideas for published pieces like this, but honestly, the best I can do right now is, “Duh?” Of [...]
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I learned a weird fact this week. Did you know that, despite the ever-increasing costs of higher education, almost all not-for-profit universities subsidize their every student? Huh, how does that work? College is crazy expensive and now it turns out that everyone is getting a break? According to a 2004 research article by Gordon C. Winston, public universities use state [...]
Unless you reside deep in a cave, you may have heard that President Obama last week publicly stated his personal feelings on the subject of gay marriage. Coming on the heels of yet another ‘slip’ by Vice President and professional disgrace Joe Biden, Obama’s announcement was hardly a surprise. This show of support is only The President’s latest position on [...]
Well, he’s finally done it. The President has finally put in words what he’s been doing with policy for 3 years: he’s supporting gay marriage. For many folks, this is the step we’ve been waiting for. Even though President Obama’s administration has had a pro-civil-rights-for-gays policy since the beginning, the words from the man himself have always been noticeably missing. [...]
As much as I love hiking through the mountains and swimming at the beach (both of which I’ve done in the past week), city structure fascinates me. Maybe it’s because I was informally introduced to the sights, sounds, and smells of Cleveland as a youngster – shopping for fresh meats and produce with my mom at the West Side Market, [...]
Offensive realists, such as John Mearsheimer, predict a rising China will inevitably challenge American power. This is a function of fundamental uncertainty on the part of states as to the intentions of other states, and each state’s intense fear for its own survival. China will be a revisionist actor, not because of any inherent revisionism in the Chinese character, but [...]
We are an overweight nation. With all the political talk surrounding healthcare, it’s hard to ignore the fact that many of our problems stem from an epidemic of obesity in the country. The CDC’s latest statistics state that over 35% of adults in the US qualify as obese. Ifyou watch the slide show on the CDC website you can see [...]
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Maybe it’s because I’m trying to polish up my masters (fingers crossed), or maybe it’s because I’m just not that bitter today, but I’m going to talk about social science again. If you’ve read any of my articles, I tend to harp on the importance of science. We need it to tell our economy from a hole in the ground. [...]
There are two kinds of people that inhabit our country, those that I agree with and everybody else. There are many ways people attempt to move from the latter to the former, but very few are effective. That’s not to say that my opinion has never been swayed by a passionate friend or a well-written article, but I’ve never been persuaded [...]
Food Geekery I have never self-identified as a geek. This is most likely due to the fact that my classmates labeled me as a geek – and laughed about it – in elementary and middle school which traumatized me for years to come. Well, maybe traumatized is a bit harsh. But diving into what I love most and unabashedly sharing [...]
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I’m in a pretty foul mood today. I’ve been sick this week, I have about a million things to read, and I hate formatting resumes. Blah blah blah. Why should you care? Because what I’m trying to say is I’m busy, and I just don’t have the time or will to slog through 30 news stories. Most of what you [...]
Proponents of the concept of “soft power,” such as Joseph Nye, argue that if foreigners have a good view of a country’s culture, that country will have greater international influence. This is especially important in the case of the US, as we are a huge exporter of culture through Hollywood. Although we’re the world’s most powerful country today, we began [...]
Comments made this week by Representative Allen West and rocker Ted Nugent have caused quite a stir in the political world. Let’s figure out what is really going on. Since Ted Nugent is no stranger to controversy, I asked a buddy if he had heard about the “offensive” comments. He responded sarcastically, “Really? Nugent offended someone?” Here is the out-of-context [...]
I’m in a philosophical mood today, so hear me out about this, and tell me what you think. Everybody wants something. And we chase that something so we can be happy. Usually, though, the happy part is assumed and we focus on the wanting. Immediately, I want to finish this draft so I can leave my office for the day. [...]
For those of you who, like me, might not have been particularly politically aware (or particularly alive) in the 1960s, this isn’t the first time that the name Romney has been associated with a presidential primary. Leading up to the 1968 election, Mitt’s father, George Romney was considered the front runner. Well liked by his party, Romney was favored to win [...]
Secularism: n. 1) Religious skepticism or indifference. 2) The view that religious considerations should be excluded from civil affairs or public education. “For far more evangelical leaders around the world, the influence of secularism, not Islam, is the major threat, according to a newly released survey.” –World Magazine “The leader of the Catholic church in Scotland has used his Easter address [...]
Over the last ten years, nearly every state in the union has adopted some form of concealed carry or right to carry law. These laws allow a citizen to acquire a permit to carry a concealed firearm. Today, 48 states issue carry permits, Vermont allows carrying without a permit, and three other states also allow carrying without a permit, but [...]
We hear the criticism of the political system all the time. That it’s toxic. There are people on both sides playing politics and avoiding the issues. For these folks, it is more important to frame an issue in a way that will get their base riled up. Most of us outside the rat’s nest of politics can’t stand it. A [...]
Today is an auspicious day for Amazon. The U.S. Justice Department announced yesterday that it will bring suit to Apple and a cabal of five book publishers for antitrust violations. DOJ alleges that Apple, Macmillan, Penguin, Hachette, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster set up a series of secret meetings to work around Amazon’s launch of the Kindle in 2007. As it [...]
I take this column’s title in part from Steve Vai’s Passion and Warfare, a masterpiece of guitar virtuosity. The album opens with “Liberty,” then segues into “Erotic Nightmares” and “The Animal.” The album peaks with “For the Love of God” at the seventh track, and finishes with “Love Secrets.” I’m not just listing off these titles to fill space, but [...]
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