Presuming we can be über rational about risk denies the reality of the risks that arise because we CAN’T be.
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Read about it here. The movement for a generation or so has been toward a lifestyle of increasing freedom on our college campuses. That’s meant “no rules” (beyond those connected with health-and-safety, and […]
In early 2009, I came across a new trend on the social web that immediately resonated with me. Local communities used a new platform called Meetup (www.meetup.com) to organize offline events . . .
When Spain claimed to have dismantled the leadership of the leaderless hacktivist organisation Anonymous”, was this real ignorance or an intentional attempt to disinform?
What is the significance of the hacking of the U.S. Senate’s website? Should we be concerned about the small, “just-for-kicks” release of some internal Senate data?
iPhone photo-sharing service Instagram is just 8-months-old and already has 5 million users. But revenue is almost zero. Such a start-up could monetize its success, but should it?
Twitter excels in aligning relevance with those who understand how to filter streams to their advantage. The paradox is that this human seismograph shouldn’t work, but it does.
Facebook privacy is the new oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp, says Alexandra Petri. She sees us in the grip of a digital Stockholm syndrome. Sometimes we want to leave, but we never will.
Note to the Republican Party Debate Committee: you are free to appropriate the term “preseason exhibitions” from the NFL, since it looks like they won’t be using it any time […]
With typically Hibernian hyperbole, James Joyce once claimed that “if [Dublin] suddenly disappeared from the earth, it could be reconstructed from my book.” That book would of course be Ulysses […]
Heading into one of the first major Presidential debates of the 2012 election campaign, it’s time to ask: What role will social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube play […]
This weekend I flew to lovely Pasco, WA to officiate a friend’s wedding — it was an amazing event and was truly enjoyable. On my way back, I had an […]
Iceland’s 320 000 citizens all have a say in the writing of their new constitution. With the help of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr, the 25-member council drafting the constitution […]
Polls have shown that public opinion is clearly trending in favor of gay marriage. And yet, it will take bipartisan action to pass legislation in New York this week.
The perennial question: how does media affect action? Or, to put it in more specific terms, does watching violent things on TV, reading about risk-taking on the internet, or playing […]
As we head off into the weekend, I thought I’d put up a new Mystery Volcano Photo. If you remember the last one, it was a doozy submitted by my former introductory […]
UPDATE (10 AM Eastern): Well, leave it to an eruption this week to not be simple. It appears that the eruption in Eritrea from not from Dubbi but rather from […]
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has strongly criticized N.A.T.O. for becoming a tiered alliance where some members enjoy the benefits without being willing to pay the costs.
With President Saleh convalescing abroad, there is an urgent need to establish a clear political order not only for Yemen’s security but also its economy, which could collapse within months.
A victory for Turkey’s ruling party likely indicates that it will push through constitutional reform, but many are worried reform will be anti-democratic and restrict the freedom of information.
The crossing of Syrian refugees into Turkey demonstrates the Syrian government has given up any pretenses of democratic reform while it crushes those who resist the ruling Assad family.
Hackers attempted to create a mysterious ‘insider presence’ at the International Monetary Fund, which is investigating with the F.B.I. to find the source and reason for the breach.
In his forthcoming memoir, boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard describes being sexually assaulted by an unnamed Olympic boxing coach. This is the first time Leonard has publicly identified himself as […]
Looking to live healthier? You can’t fool your stomach into feeling full. However, you can fool your brain into enjoying healthy fruits and vegetables as much as high-fat indulgences.
While the selling of ideals for romantic love may contain elements of authentic love, they largely consist of myths and social order politics that jam the brain and body’s communication network.
After admitting to having sent explicit photos to several women and then lying about it, Congressman Anthony Weiner teared up, but here is why it won’t win him any sympathy.
When scientists looked at how the existence of political boundaries affects our behavior, they found we invest them with irrational significance. Ditto for the ego, says Oliver Burkeman.
While intelligence is largely an inherited trait, researchers have found that it’s possible to boost a core feature of human intelligence through a simple mental training exercise.
Mr. Gates has forcefully reminded our allies that, to be credible politically, they have to pay for their own defense. Here’s a taste of the NYT article on his fine […]
On May 26, Congress approved a four-year extension of major surveillance powers in the PATRIOT Act by wide margins in both the House and the Senate. President Obama, who was […]