The Syrian ‘Day of Rage’: A Revolution That Wasn’t
In a recent exclusive interview with the Wall Street Journal, President Bashar Al-Assad of Syria stated, “When there is divergence between your policy and the people’s beliefs and interests, you will have this vacuum that creates disturbance.” He also said that despite the similarities between Syria, Egypt, and Tunisia, Syrians were different because they had […]
Cricket: An Innovative Approach to Combat Terrorism
The comparison between sports and violence is far from a novel association. For hundreds of years under the Roman Empire violence was sport and sport was violence. Further, George Orwell wrote in a 1945 essay that sport is little more than “war minus the shooting.”[i] These comparisons can yield modern-day benefits for law enforcement and […]
Creative Commons: The GNU, and You
Over the centuries content producers have searched for ways of protecting their wares. From engraving names on sculpture, to scribing them on art, to the 21st-century development of Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, these methods have only gotten more complex. The overarching idea behind all of the aforementioned methods, however, is a legal term known […]
Sarah Palin’s Alaska: More than a Campaign Ad
The Kardashians. The Duggars. The Gosselins. I had always wondered why anyone would want to watch the day-to-day lives of these families on their respective television shows. Even more puzzling to me is how viewers actually enjoy the experience. However, over the course of two months last winter, I had to take my foot out […]
From the Barrel of a Gun
With the tragic shooting in Arizona splashed across the American media, there has been a flood of commentary attempting to make sense of the senseless act of violence. Amongst them are commentators who have pointed their antagonism towards the second amendment and the level of gun ownership within our country. Writers have pointed to the […]
Why the EU Needs Turkey: A Case for Accession
The Republic of Turkey stands at the crossroads of the Eastern and Western worlds. It is a land bridge between Europe and Asia, and through it flows the major water route between Russia and the Middle East. Its location has always put Turkey at the center of cultural origin and intercourse. For hundreds of years […]
Point-Counterpoint: Wikileaks, The Importance of Information Asymmetry: In Defense of Secrecy
Secrecy is a necessary part of government in the modern information age where an event can happen one moment and be reported to the whole world the next. According to former Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis Mark M. Lowenthal, secrecy is a essential for successful intelligence operations. Classified information collected and retained by […]
Point-Counterpoint: Wikileaks, Open the Vault: Against Government Secrecy
We are fashioned to accept truths, to conform to the narrative of our leaders. To question the authority or legitimacy of the powers that be can be dangerous. Most people accept the rules set out for them by government, even if they do not fully understand or see the supposed benefits of the social contract. […]
Big Girls Don’t Cry
Big Girls Don’t Cry: The Election That Changed Everything for American Women by Rebecca Traister is a thorough analysis of the roles women played in the groundbreaking election cycle of 2008. Traister examines the actions and impact of all the obvious participants, including Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Obama, as well as those whose […]
Indeed, A Part of America: Americans Who Believe in Islam
“I should like to assure you, my Islamic friends, that under the American Constitution, under American tradition, and in American hearts, this Center, this place of worship, is just as welcome as could be a similar edifice of any other religion. Indeed, America would fight with her whole strength for your right to have here […]