What Populism Is—And Isn’t
Populism, the rule of many, and authoritarianism, the rule of one, might seem like antipoles. But they are intimately related. Wherever populism appears, so do various forms of… … Continue readingWhat Populism Is—And Isn’t
What Your Brain Is Really Doing When Doing “Nothing”
The OEF is defined as the ratio of oxygen used by the brain to oxygen delivered by flowing blood and is remarkably uniform in the awake but resting state… … Continue readingWhat Your Brain Is Really Doing When Doing “Nothing”
Thursday Poem: In the House of God
“Karan Kapoor introduced me to the form of the ghazal …I immediately took to the form and started practicing it.” … Continue readingThursday Poem: In the House of God
“Bangla Spring”
Just as the Arab Spring soon became what Harvard Law School’s Noah Feldman called an Arab Winter, Bangladesh’s democratic renewal could be smothered in its crib. … Continue reading“Bangla Spring”
Finding Beauty in Biological Spaces
Shelby Bradford in The Scientist: Beata Mierzwa studies cell division as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California San Diego. In 2013, she founded Beata Science Art, a science art brand where
Wednesday Poem: Independence
My life more civil is and free Than any civil polity. Ye princes, keep your realms And circumscribèd power,Not wide as are my dreams, Nor rich as is
Random Thoughts: VIP Jr.
by Irshad Salim: The world as was –like an extra large pizza yummy pie, was cut into slices of different shapes and sizes –by powers to be. They then decided
When Henry Miller Met George Orwell: A Clash of Titans
George Orwell and Henry Miller, two of the most influential writers of the 20th century, had a single brief encounter in Paris in Dec. 1936. It has intrigued and baffled scholars and fans.. … Continue readingWhen Henry Miller Met George Orwell: A Clash of Titans
When Self-Correction in Science Goes Wrong
For more than a decade I have evaluated the so-called “billion dollar disaster” tabulation promoted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). … Continue readingWhen Self-Correction in Science Goes Wrong
Monday Poem: Switch Plate
The day moves by me, and I’m stillat the same old desk that was two-wheeledinto my room by the custodian. The lightsrun on some kind of motion detector.If no one
Humanitarian Disaster
by Laurence Peterson at 3 Quarks Daily: I do not specifically remember when I lost my you-know-what about the way the word “humanitarian” is being tossed around these days. Possibly
The Battle Over Institutions: A Challenge to Democracy’s Infrastructure
At its heart, this crisis is about trust. As the political scientist Francis Fukuyama has argued, “Belief in the corruptibility of all institutions leads to the dead end of universal distrust. … Continue readingThe Battle Over Institutions: A Challenge to Democracy’s Infrastructure