Nobody in Congress really cares about the deficit. Sure, everyone would love to cut the deficit as long as it doesn’t mean having to cut any programs they like. What […]
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Dwight Garner wins the Lede of the Day Award for his scathing and accurate assessment of the New York Times Book Review’s self-help bestseller list: The New York Times Book […]
Since branding Wall Street’s pre-eminent investment bank, Goldman Sachs with the epithet “vampire squid,” Rolling Stone correspondent Matt Taibbi has made quite a name for himself in the mainstream American […]
The symptoms of autism are far better understood than its causes; psychiatrists classify the disorder as having two major components: impaired social cognition and a tendency toward narrow interests and repetitive behaviors.
Open Congress has the latest on the senate Democrats’ filibuster reform plan: Senators Tom Udall [D, NM], Tom Harkin [D, IA] and Jeff Merkley [D, OR] have released an official […]
People choose mates that are very similar to themselves in terms of education and income. They don’t tend to select partners who bring vastly different skill sets to the marriage.
GUEST POST WITH MANJULA KHANNA Our lives are techno-infused: the air is pregnant with possibility in an environment of constant connectivity and ever changing information. We use technology for almost […]
Yes, it is time for the first Smithsonian/USGS Global Volcanism Program Weekly Volcanic Activity Report of the new year. Well, not entirely of the new year, but we can count it […]
Some on the right are challenging congressional Republicans to increase federal investment in science and technology.
Oh, those Pakistanis. First, they claim that a drone strike killed Fahd al-Qusa and then months later al-Qusa appears safe and sound on the front page of al-Sharq al-Awsat, where […]
One of the regular features of the old Waq al-waq was the day in papers, and as I slowly adjust to the new site I’m bringing it back. We start […]
It’s a new year in Congress. With the start of the 112th Congress the Republicans have assumed control of the House. Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) became the new Speaker of […]
Over at the NY Times’ Dot Earth blog, Andrew Revkin discusses the analysis of climate change coverage trends that I posted about earlier this week. In Revkin’s post, Drexel University […]
From the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times to CNN’s The Situation Room, President Jimmy Carter’s recent claim on Big Think that America is in fact ready to elect […]
Three books showed up this week with chapters by ME in them. Even without those chapters, each would still be a fabulous (although somewhat diminished) book. So as not to […]
Several weeks ago the editors at Foreign Policy asked me (and several other people, most of whom are much smarter than me) to participate in a survey on terrorism. The […]
Some quick news updates on a cold Wednesday here in Ohio where I am buried in edits to a manuscript: Etna: Dr. Boris Behncke and the staff at the INGV […]
Before 2010 fades even further into the distance, I wanted to bring you Waq al-waq’s first (and possibly only) best of list. That is, my pick for the two best […]
One Earth Designs aims to ignite innovation across the socio-environmental spectrum among Himalayan agricultural and nomadic communities, working directly with local stakeholders to ensure each invention is of real practical […]
A new device worn on the arm or leg trains you to be aware of your brain function, so you can regain focus when you drift off at work, lose concentration on the back nine, or fall asleep at the wheel.
What are the real causes of social pathology—and can affluence actually be part of the problem? David Wilson says solving social ills by spending money rarely works.
In an extensive interview, the “Oracle of Omaha” discusses who might soon take his job and what he thinks the broader outlook is for the American economy.
The images, messages and stories of the multibillion-dollar pornography industry have seeped into and distorted our genuine sexual identities, says The Guardian’s Gail Dines.
When faced with decisions, our ability to make hunch evaluations varies considerably: Intuition can either be a useful ally or it can lead to costly and dangerous mistakes.
More than 30 years after NASA’s Viking landers found no evidence for organic materials on Mars, scientists say a new experiment on Mars-like soil shows Viking did, in fact, hit pay dirt.
If you’ve ever responded to tragedy by raging at God, you’re not alone. A new study finds that anger at God is a common emotion among Americans.
A renewable energy startup is making deals that are attracting business. The company helps its clients to get photovoltaics on the roof without putting them on the books.
Amazingly, your walking speed is just as good an indicator of how long you’ll live as your health history, smoking habits, and blood pressure combined.
Today’s super-rich are different from yesterday’s: more hardworking and meritocratic, but less connected to the nations that granted them opportunity.
Calling it “an insistent history that refuses to wait any longer to be told,” Lynn Hershman Leeson declares “WAR,” her acronym for the women’s art revolution begun in the 1970s, […]