If Barack Obama’s message of hope pushed a political pendulum, then Donald Trump’s rabid chauvinism has started a wild pirate ship ride. Although for many of us, having Trump as president makes us feel as though we are slowly walking the plank toward an impending societal plunge, there lies ahead a tangible future in which […]
Archives for February 2018
My San Juan Seven Months Later
This personal essay is set in a context of privilege. I am lucky enough to have maintained contact with my family for the entirety of the storm, and reside in one of the most densely populated neighborhoods of Puerto Rico’s capital. I did not visit any other cities on the island, and thus am unable […]
Eugenics: Then, Now, and Never Legal
The concept of breeding is nothing new to us. Designer dogs are bred to make perfect pets and stately show animals. Millions are spent in the pursuit of the two fastest Thoroughbreds who will breed the next Kentucky Derby winner. But what about the breeding of humans? Some believe our genetic code dictates how we […]
Riverdale and the High Art of Commercialization
Over the last year, following the success of Riverdale, the CW has being doing everything in its promotional power to establish the show as Gossip Girl for the new generation. For better or worse, this approach has worked. The absence of the crown jewel that was Gossip Girl left a vacuum in the heart of […]
China Through the Lens of Expats in Shanghai
Expats in Shanghai, China’s biggest city and commercial hub, form a diverse group in this country. Allen Chng is a Singaporean college student doing a long-term internship in Shanghai. When asked what’s the most Chinese thing he’s ever done as an expat, Allen’s answer was quick and easy: “Pushing and squeezing my way during the […]
What the Cavaliers Could Learn from the Brewers
American sports have become enamored with future value. This dynamic is probably best illustrated through the ‘Process’-era Philadelphia 76ers, the most hyped team in NBA history that has yet to play a playoff game. Even outside of Philadelphia, however, potential success has repeatedly taken precedence over actual results. When the up-and-coming Minnesota Timberwolves began to […]
Seven Questions, Two Men, and the Future of Ecuadorian Democracy
When Ecuadorian voters take to the ballot boxes on Sunday they will have the chance to vote yes or no on seven fairly straightforward questions. Behind this consulta popular, however, lies a decade’s worth of political maneuvering, the split of the country’s ruling party, and two very different possibilities for the future of the nation. […]