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Prostitution's Real Casualties Aren't Secret Service
April 21, 2012 I've been curious about a question I haven't heard in the stories about U.S. Secret Service agents misbehaving before President Obama's arrival at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia. Why were world leaders meeting in a place with legalized prostitution anyway?
Bosnia Remembers When The World Looked Away
April 7, 2012 A river of 11,541 empty red chairs flowed through the streets of Sarajevo on Friday, honoring those who died in the Siege of Sarajevo 20 years ago. It might remind us today that while getting involved can be costly, there is also a cost for not acting — in lives.
Beef, Tarantula And Gout: Food Critics Suffer, Too
March 31, 2012 Former New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni recently revealed he has gout. It's hard for most of us to feel too sorry for people who get paid to eat free meals at posh restaurants, but food professionals will tell you: Eating asks a lot of your body.
Atheists Seek Acceptance Following Hearts, Not Faith
March 24, 2012 A rally organizers have billed as the "largest secular event in world history" will be held on the National Mall today. A new generation wants others to know atheists are more than just scolds; they're seeking human understanding, too.
Actress Sues IMDB, But It's Internet Privacy On Trial
March 10, 2012 Actress Junie Hoang has sued the Internet Movie Database, which is owned by Amazon, because the site reveals her age. She believes that could cost her work. It's more than a case of Hollywood's age prejudice, starting with where Amazon got her birth date in the first place.
Politics Gets Dirtier: Attack Ad Goes After Cat
March 3, 2012 If American politicians are going to quarrel like cats and dogs, why not just elect cats and dogs? Yet even pets can't hide from the political caterwauling; attacks against the candidacy of Hank the Cat may have reached a new low.
Other People's Atrocities: None Of Our Business?
February 25, 2012 Events as disparate as the cruel violence in Syria and the unnerving conditions where Apple's iPads are made in China, raise a recurring question: When do a country's internal affairs become the business of the world? And when do we make that our personal business?
John Glenn, A Hero Well Before Orbiting Earth
February 18, 2012 Fifty years ago, John Glenn was alone on top of a rocket waiting to blast into space and around Earth. In these times, when people can become suddenly famous for doing so little, Glenn's flight is a timeless reminder that the most amazing and marvelous inventions won't work without human skill and daring.
Ralph Nader's $2,680 Airplane Aisle Seat
February 11, 2012 When Americans traveled by stagecoach, they had to worry about rocks, rattlesnakes, robbers and other varmints. But I wonder if there weren't fewer passenger complaints.
A Fan's Notes On Pro Sports, Brain Damage
January 28, 2012 I'll watch the Super Bowl next week with my children and wonder how comfortable we fans can be, sitting and snacking, while too many of the players we cheer entertain us and get rich at such terrible cost to themselves.
Wait A Second, And What Else To Do With It
January 21, 2012 Every few years, official clocks around the world repeat a second. It's not much, but in an age of atomic clocks it's time enough to give the matter a second thought.
Zambian Official Jumps Off Bridge For His Country
January 14, 2012 There is something truly winning about a politician who doesn't just talk the talk but jumps the jump. Zambia's tourism minister Given Lubinda jumped off a bridge this week and popped up smiling.
A Primary Role: Small States Earn Those Big Stakes
January 7, 2012 Iowa and New Hampshire might look small and vanilla in a nation of multiplying hues and creeds, but they pay attention to their lead-off responsibilities.
How Much Is That Purple Heart In The Window?
December 24, 2011 The story of the Purple Heart in a pawnshop window reminds us that to truly help people, you don't have to look very far.
Christopher Hitchens' Legacy Of Defying Labels
December 17, 2011 Writers and thinkers are fixed with labels these days so that people can order up opinions like flavors in an ice cream shop. But you couldn't fix a label on Christopher Hitchens; that's why he was worth reading and hearing.
