Poly or perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS) are a class of over 5,000 man-made chemicals that have seen heavy use since the 60s in applications as varied as non-adhesive cookware, water-repellent clothing, and firefighting foam for combating oil blazes. PFAS are almost unreactive and incredibly resistant to extreme heat and other environmental actions. However, the same properties [...]
Constitutions don’t always matter much in a coup. But the 2008 Constitution matters to Myanmar’s coup of 1 February. The military has created a constitutional fiction about the coup in a thin attempt to claim legality for its actions. I explain the legal disputes that the military claims are the pretext for exercising constitutional emergency [...]
“The egocentric ideal of a future reserved for those who have managed to attain egoistically the extremity of `everyone for himself’ is false and against nature.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Phenomenon of Man From time immemorial, world politics have been rooted in Realpolitik or power politics. Although such patterns of thinking are normally [...]
When Democrats took control of the House of Representatives after the 2018 midterm elections, they used their first piece of legislation to announce what their priorities would be after two years of not controlling any lever of the federal government. The bill called the “For the People Act of 2019,” sought to restructure portions of [...]
The House decision to strip Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) of committee assignments reflects a recent attempt to deal with a perceived failure in the marketplace of ideas. Oliver Wendell Holmes suggested in dissent over 100 years ago (Abrams v. United States (1919)) that the best way to arrive at the truth is by a “free [...]
Heinous crimes against women like rape and acid attacks are on the rise in India. A new law-enforcement measure in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) purportedly meant to safeguard women, however, raises several human rights concerns. Police forces in Uttar Pradesh are preparing to install smart cameras in over 200 ‘hotspots’ frequented by women to capture their [...]
“Dear reader, if there is a scandal, I shall uncover it.” Bridgerton, the newest hit show on Netflix, follows the Bridgerton family’s forays in high society Regency-era London, complete with debutantes, royal balls, steamy romance, and plenty of gossip. Key to the story is the mysterious Lady Whistledown and her salacious gossip column detailing the [...]
The Electoral College has to go. Our convoluted system under which voters indirectly select Presidents is needlessly cumbersome, alienates voters, and undermines our democracy. Whatever virtues it may have once had, are a distant memory. We are saddled with the Electoral College because it is in the United States Constitution. Getting rid of it will [...]
Over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, and others, are subscription-based audio or video hosting services that are majorly involved in streaming feature films, web series, documentaries, etc. These platforms offer a wide range of content and modify the suggestions according to viewers’ choice by using Artificial Intelligence (AI). They generate revenue by [...]
On January 23, 2021, Chief Petty Officer Tony DeDolph of the U.S. Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) was sentenced to ten years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of Staff Sergeant Logan Melgar of the U.S. Army Green Berets. DeDolph, “pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit assault, involuntary manslaughter, hazing, and obstruction of justice,” [...]
