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With Facebook halfway towards its mission of 1 billion users, the term “friend” has undergone something of a renovation. That person online whom you’ve never met, let alone spoken with? He or she is your friend. They may even be your best friend. And it’s in this evolving world of social networking ... Read More

One of the most memorable moments during the recent World Cup in South Africa was the series of games played on that nation’s Youth Day on June 16th. This confluence of events was truly important for South Africa. Considering the number of countries that honor their youth every year, is it time for ... Read More

There is plenty to be said for the strong Dutch team at the World Cup in South Africa. With players like Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder, they’re among the tournament’s most exciting teams. With a long history built around their “Total Football” style of play, they’re probably the most talented ... Read More

As the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico enters its third month, a variety of efforts to stop the flow of oil have come and gone, all inspiring governments around the globe to review their own energy policies, particularly with regard to off-shore drilling. While global trends showed a shift towards ... Read More

The Middle East isn’t just the geographic center of the planet. With so much activism on different sides regarding the region, particularly with regard to the Arab-Israeli conflict recently stoked by an Israeli flotilla raid, it’s also a sort of philosophical center. Over the past two years, and ... Read More

In the wake of the deadly flotilla boarding involving Israeli troops and resulting in multiple deaths, outrage has been expressed around the world. One of the strongest cries of outrage may have come from a woman that past generations would have expected to be seen instead of heard. By taking that ... Read More

The relationship between art and society has been deconstructed for what seems like forever. But as the definition of art and performance has broadened over time, some members of society haven’t been quite so open to certain artistic expression. Finally, after spending years suppressing certain ... Read More

He is serving a life sentence in a Parisian prison and considered an icon of a bygone Cold War-era type of terrorism. So you wouldn’t expect to hear much from Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, better known as Carlos the Jackal for his terrorist acts with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the ... Read More

On the heels of the untimely passing of heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio, it’s worth analyzing the social and political force of Dio and his hard-rocking brethren.  Dio’s work wasn’t particularly political, but the iconic [some might say satanic] culture he helped establish gestated over time ... Read More

Summertime is generally considered the height of festival season. That means everything from multi-artist concertpaloozas to glossy film festivals to avant-garde art installations. As artists and performers from around the world are hoping to participate, the American government is looking to assist ... Read More

Long before reality television challenged our faith in the sustainability of the human race, documentary films were an intriguing look into the minds and hearts of some fascinating subjects. By the time Michael Moore used the medium as a microscope into the inequities of corporate and political ... Read More

The word genius tends to get thrown around pretty liberally these days, especially when everyone from Bob Dylan to Mike Myers has been tagged with the superlative.  But in an age where academics and researchers are looking to decode the genius myth, we’re learning more and more about what quantifies ... Read More

He’s already considered one of the most iconic Ohioans ever. Not bad for a 25-year old. But while countless fans are worried about Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James’ injured elbow, there is also a palpable anxiety over what might happen to Ohio’s economy if LeBron leaves. About a month before he ... Read More

Having already pondered the Ivy League exodus from comedy to the White House, we try to dissect the direction Ivy League graduates may be going in with their degree in tow. A school’s reputation can certainly open some doors for graduates in the real world. But today’s biggest contributions from ... Read More

For much of the past century, the realm of alien conspiracy theories has been inhabited primarily by academics and recluses, both widely dismissed as crackpots. Despite the billions of dollars poured into its space program, the American government has never even openly discussed the issue. But with ... Read More