Politics & Current Affairs

Cheers for STEM. But what about the, um, rest of the fabulous, life changing, extraordinary and often more important teachers who don’t teach math, engineering, technology or science?

The American economy is capable of rebounding, thanks to government protection of property rights and a risk-taking culture. But what should the next president do to help?

On Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday, writer and musician Henry Rollins’ reflections on the power – and limitations – of music. 

Food is becoming increasingly politicized in America. Michelle Obama schooled us with her organic garden. And the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination schooled us by eating a stick of fried butter […]

While government agencies have a lot on their plates, says national security advisor Tino Cuéllar, they don’t have to be like Kafka’s The Castle. He recommends honest self-scrutiny and smart appropriation of outside ideas.  

Boston, with its rich university resources and innovative start up incubators, stands to have the smartest creativity infrastructure in the world outside of Silicon Valley, says Dr. Boyd Cohen. 

Market-based reforms are helping to create a service and manufacturing-based African middle class. As a result, populations are more likely to demand fairer government rule. 

World leaders have pledged $16 billion in foreign aid over the next four years, but observers say past money has been poorly spent and that many businesses don’t even have electricity. 

A new meme is emerging in the blogosphere: Obama as the “imperial president.” From the left, Tom Egelhardt claims Obama “has the powers previously associated with the gods” while Steve […]

The Supreme Court has helped define two kinds of patriotism: One which defends against outside intruders and one which promotes the common good. We need more of the latter.

For many Americans, burgers and fireworks may be enough of a July 4th celebration. But to appreciate the curiosities and meaning of Independence Day, you might want to sit down […]

What’s the Big Idea? Philosopher Slavoj Žižek is fundamentally anti-capitalist, and yet, the man who describes himself as a “complicated Marxist” also expresses palpable irritation at the idea that capitalists are […]

The Godfather of DIY Punk says that the internet has opened up new worlds of instantaneous communication, and new opportunities for media and governments to obscure and evade the truth.   

Canada’s vast oil sands make it the world’s second-most oil producing nation. But the benefits of greater wealth and energy independence must be weighed against the environment. 

The Partido Revolucionario Institucional has returned to power after a twelve-year hiatus. Previously, it ruled the nation’s politics for 70 years, allowing drug cartels to operate with impunity. 

In the avalanche of analysis and speculation about Chief Justice Roberts’ stunning decision to side with the Supreme Court’s liberal wing to uphold Obama’s healthcare law, one strain paints Roberts […]

Whether women, or men, or both invented it – empathy, even in adversarial relationships, is invariably the wisest approach.    

In case you thought that Obama’s comments in favor of same-sex marriage, Romney’s tepid response and recent polls were signs that American society is surging toward a consensus on basic […]

China is ahead in its effort in “stopgap” measures by building an average of one coal power plant every week. Clean coal burning is what nations have been turning to in order to help keep carbon dioxide levels down.  

Another round of discussions between the United States and Iran did not pan out as hoped for by all parties involved. The two countries cannot come to a consensus, leading many to wonder what’s next.

Despite the political issues and the economic slowdown in China, it is still a growing country. Experts believe its economy will continue to remain strong for a while.

The plug has recently been pulled on Stuxnet, which is one of the most powerful computer viruses to be launched and aimed at Iran. However, cyber security experts worry that others of its type will surface.

Every morning I wake up with resentment about the fact that I have to shave my damn face. The ideas that grew gnarled and twisted in my mind by the […]

In Google’s latest bi-annual transparency report, the company says it has received more requests from western democracies than ever before to take down political information. 

Based on The Institute for Economics and Peace’s annual Global Peace Index, Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world. The least peaceful country in the world is Somalia. 

The way things are around the world right now, experts believe 2013 will not be anything close to bright for the economy globally. 

Are computer viruses such as Stuxnet and Flame signs that a cyber war is near? These are only a couple of things that lead some to believe that a cyber war has the potential to take the place of a physical war.

All of the ways we currently measure happiness are filled with errors, says University of Illinois professor Deirdre McCloskey, who argues today’s society is not especially consumerist. 

What’s the Big Idea?  While over 70 percent of women in the United States work outside of the home, compared with 36 percent in Brazil, and while US women marry, […]

Multiple data reports on China’s economic growth tell different stories about the future of China’s economy.