In an era of bitter partisanship, political infighting and ostracization of those with unpopular views, Americans actually agree on one thing: 85 percent say political discourse has gotten worse over the last several years, according to Pew Research. The polarization plays out everywhere in society, from private holiday gatherings to very public conversations on social media,
READ MOREFidel Castro, the dictator who ruled Cuba with an iron fist for almost six decades, has been dead for more than three years now. Unfortunately, his regime didn’t die alongside him. The Caribbean’s largest island is still under the burdensome yoke of communism. Since Castro took over in 1959, Castroism has been characterized by the
READ MOREEight dollars and 41 cents. About the cost of a Chipotle burrito. That’s how much Uri Rafaeli owed the treasury in Wayne County, Michigan, for property taxes. To get that $8.41, the county took his house and sold it for $24,500 (or about 3,000 burritos.) They kept every penny for themselves. There is a word
READ MOREEvery year humans buy and sell hundreds of millions of wild animals and plants around the world. Much of this commerce is legal, but illegal trade and over-harvesting have driven many species toward extinction. One common response is to adopt bans on trading in threatened or endangered species. But research shows that this approach can
READ MORETrader Joe’s is an American grocery store chain known for its good prices but also, uniquely for a grocery, for paying their employees well enough that they seem to enjoy their work. This makes for a distinctly upbeat atmosphere that adds to the charm of the low-priced organic food. My husband and I enjoyed chatting
READ MORESocialism is once again striking a positive chord with many young people. This is not the first time. In the late 19th century the socialist idea was new and fresh and suddenly alive. Today socialism is a practice that is old and tired and thoroughly discredited, yet it still refuses to die. As revealed in a
READ MOREHarry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, recently announced that they are “stepping down from their royal duties” and leaving the UK for North America. Why? According to one prominent media theory, the problem was racism. Meghan’s mother is black and is a descendant of slaves. The small handful of racist comments from
READ MOREIt was inevitable. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, aka Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, were always going to quit the royal family. The countdown started after they publicly complained about how miserable they were in the documentary “Harry and Meghan: An African Journey” that aired in October. The biggest surprise is the timing. According
READ MORE“Sanditon” will debut on American television on Sunday, January 12 on PBS’ “Masterpiece,” though the series already aired on British television last fall. Fans of Jane Austen have been awaiting Sanditon with bated breath. Austen’s other novels have been adapted for television or film multiple times over the years. Aside from a modernized web miniseries,
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