The recent [2023] contentious votes to elect the next Speaker of the House were not the embarrassment or threat to democracy the demagogues on both Continue Reading
Politics
Hypocrisy and Much Ado About Something: The “Biden Files”
There is a lot to unpack from the recent disclosure that President Bident had several classified documents stored in a few dubiously secured Continue Reading
Profiles in Havok, Episode 82 with Crystal Bayat
I found talking to two Afghan social activists and human rights advocate Crystal Bayat incredibly cathartic - I think during the interview I even Continue Reading
Revisiting “Words as Weapons”: Apophenia, Skepticism, and Information Warfare
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. And if all others accepted the lie, Continue Reading
Maintaining a Healthy Homeowners Association
Homeowners Associations (HOAs) are an essential part of the American landscape. They provide a way for neighbors to come together and maintain their Continue Reading
Immigration and Cognitive Dissonance
by Frank Pauc This first appeared in Frank’s blog on December 23, 2022, and is republished here with the author’s permission. Continue Reading
Global Security Through a Gender Lens
Decision-makers must consider numerous social, cultural, and other identity elements and divisions to understand how each plays into human security Continue Reading
Bartering with Fenrir: When is it Acceptable to Negotiate with Terrorists
In Norse Mythology, prophecies foretold of a monstrous wolf named Fenrir who would play a role in Ragnarök – the world's destruction and the gods' Continue Reading
Wash, Rinse, Repeat: Nations Divided Through Social Identity
There are countless examples to draw from in modern history wherein a nation-state does not have a shared identity amongst the populace, and diverse Continue Reading
The American Way of Life is Littered with Contradictions
by Frank Pauc This first appeared in Frank's blog on November 16, 2022, as "Our Shared Values." It is republished here with the author's Continue Reading
Remember When Politics Didn’t Rule Our Lives?
I'm watching this documentary on the history of human flight. It's actually mostly a documentary on the history of humans falling to their death Continue Reading
What Happened to the ‘Red Wave’ in the 2022 Midterms
by Larry Schmidt Despite only having been a close observer of political tensions and of media operations since the time of President George W. Bush Continue Reading
