Romney Jabs Rival, But Says He’d Take A President Paul Over Obama Part 2

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took a swipe at GOP rival Ron Paul and his isolationist foreign policy positions while campaigning in Iowa Wednesday, but he later told reporters he would support the outspoken Texas congressman if he were the Republican Party nominee for president. Paul, who leans more Libertarian than Republican on many issues, [...]

A Poem A Day: Portable, Peaceful And Perfect

Alan Heathcock is the author of Volt. I hadn’t slept well, had to get my three kids to three different schools in three different cities, had deadlines piled on deadlines. I leaned my head against my bookcases and there, at eye-level, was a book of poetry by Mary Oliver. I randomly opened to the poem [...]

Why Tea Party Freshmen Caved On Payroll Tax Deal

Conservative Tea Party-affiliated lawmakers spent weeks vowing to oppose the short-term compromise bill extending payroll tax cuts and unemployment insurance. But in the end, the bill glided through the House, just before Christmas. The final moments of this latest congressional showdown were fascinating not because of what happened but because of what didn’t happen. House [...]

Is There Really Such A Thing As Brain Food?

There has long been a hope that people in search of a fountain of youth for the brain could look no further than their dinner plate. Just last month, researchers reported that people who eat baked or broiled fish at least once a week may be protecting their brains from Alzheimer’s and other brain problems. [...]

Despite Signs Of Hope, Iowa Voters Question Economy

First in a series Visiting a metal fabrication plant in Sioux City this December, Mitt Romney touted his successful business background, saying those qualifications are what America needs right now. “I want to use the experience I have in the world of the free enterprise system to make sure that America gets working again. … [...]

Hell On Fire In 2011, Thanks To Film And Books

In 2011, hell was a hot topic, from Hollywood to New York Times bestsellers. In fact, this year has seen an incendiary debate about the existence and contents of hell. The year began with an epic battle between a priest and Satan, with Anthony Hopkins playing a demon possessed priest in the movie, The Rite. [...]

Coming Out, Coming Of Age As A Teen ‘Pariah’

When the new film Pariah opens nationally, it’s safe to say it will not be competing with any other movies about a black teenager coming of age as a lesbian in Brooklyn. “It’s not so much coming out, but coming into,” clarifies director Dee Rees. “Alike, the main character, knows she loves women. That’s not [...]

‘El Sicario’: The (Masked) Face Of Drug-War Murder

“The sicario never boasts about what he does,” announces the anonymous ex-gangster who tells his story in El Sicario, Room 164. But the man shows more than a little pride in his professionalism as he recounts his former life as a torturer and murderer. Indeed, the former sicario’s self-esteem is one of the qualities that [...]

In Greece, A Muted Christmas Amid Tough Times

In Greece, caroling season runs through the Orthodox Christian holiday known as the Epiphany, celebrated on Jan. 6. Traditionally, children go door-to-door, playing the triangle and singing songs of the season. In return, people give them a few euros for presents. But this Christmas, Greek retailers say sales fell 30 percent from last year. The [...]

In Philippine Slums, Capturing Light In A Bottle

Sheila Royeras, her husband, her mother and two young daughters live in a single-room cement apartment in a poor Manila neighborhood. Like many such homes, it’s mostly dark during the day, except for a small ray of sunlight that enters through an open front door. But this is about to change. On this morning, volunteers [...]