Today I am reviewing Five Days At Memorial, and tomorrow I will discuss the questions that it left me with. Imagine this scenario: You're stuck in a hospital without electricity, food, or proper resources to care for your patients. Some are going to die and there's nothing you can do about it. Would you help ease their pain by euthanizing them, or hold out hope that help … [Read more...]
Why China and the US need to get along
Last week I attended a forum with Michael O'Hanlon, director of research for the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, and we spent a good chunk of time talking about U.S.-Chinese relations and the future of what it means to be a superpower. It was both informative and eye-opening and it led me to immediately pick up Partners and Rivals: The Uneasy Future of … [Read more...]
How American Schools Are Failing Your Kids
Not only is it going to be controversial, but it's going to change the way you think about our education system. Here's the short and skinny: American students are behind academically and there are hundreds of theories about why this is. Is it child poverty? Standardized testing? Teachers? Technology? Sports? Amanda Ripley (who had spent most of her career thinking education … [Read more...]
Conquering the Classics: Anthem by Ayn Rand
Oh, Ayn Rand - you get me every time. Here's the thing - I like her books. I don't necessarily agree with her politics and I certainly don't agree with some of her extreme views, but I do like her stories. Like them or not, they are thought-provoking and entertaining. If you extract Paul Ryan from the equation, her books are actually informative and (gasp!) not going to harm … [Read more...]
Sandra’s Supreme Court Experience
There's no argument that the Supreme Court is a vital American institution. It serves as the third branch of government and keeps the others in check. But for the most part, it is pretty boring. Most people don't pay much attention to the goings-on of the Court unless they are hearing arguments about a major social policy, such as gay marriage or abortion. I admit, I'm one of … [Read more...]