Academic Perspective

The world of the 21st century has gone a long way in linking people in ways previously unheard of.  Emerging as the lingua franca of the world, English sits atop other languages in many respects.  It is the language of science, aviation, computing, tourism, and more importantly, diplomacy.  Competition, however, is an inevitable consequence for [...]

A clear gap has emerged between students of low-income and high-income families. Because of general economic imbalances between caucasians and black in the United States, criticisms of America’s schools are frequently characterized by racial arguments. Whether it is simply correlation or true causality, our schools are, without doubt, failing black students. This phenomenon is especially [...]

It was first seen in high schools across the nation during September of 2009. It would be seen on shirts and in speech, and it would be alien to anyone who did not watch TV. Then, slowly but surely, it would make its way into the magazines, into the words of talk show hosts, and [...]

It is difficult to detach ourselves from physical appearance and judge by character. Looks are the first things we see, the first things that we react to, and they, unlike personality or intellect, fully reveal themselves immediately.  There’s no wait involved. It’s instant gratification, and it’s easier, more natural even, than having to delve deeper [...]

The idea of an “expert” is simple enough: one who spends time studying and practicing a particular field in order to gain more knowledge in that field than the average person. This “learning” could include personal education through extensive research or hands-on experience, possibly with higher level education through a university or some similar program. [...]

In his own way, rapper Soulja Boy (born DeAndre Way) is a musical genius. At the age of 19, Way has seen three of his songs reach the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Top 20, with his number one single “Crank That” capturing the top spot for 7 weeks—longer than such classics as The Beatles’ “Can’t [...]

The American ideal of democracy is what has promoted the success of many of our public services. But our beloved democracy has turned into a destructive sphere of a bureaucracy in public education, impeding much-needed progress and reform through conflicting layers of centralized authority. This system must be restructured to localize and decentralize power in order for valuable educational reform to take place.

Healthcare: Part 2. Congress’s Healthcare Bill “At present the United States has the unenviable distinction of being the only great industrial nation without universal health insurance.” This quote comes from Progressive Magazine, and was published in 1917. At that point, one attempt to reform the American healthcare system by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 had [...]

On the surface it is obvious that Barack Obama is a revolutionary figure in American politics. He is young, eloquent, and, namely, the first black president of the United States. But his election signified much more than a racial victory. The eight years preceding the Obama Administration included the collapse of the one of the [...]

For an overview of the bailout and stimulus acts passed in response to the financial crisis of 2007-2009, please read The Bailout and Stimulus of the American Economy Economists have called it the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Unemployment is at its highest rate in nearly three decades. Companies are declaring bankruptcy right [...]