Further evidence that NYU really is trying to take over the world!

Quoted: New York University announced that Alfred H. Bloom will lead its new Abu Dhabi campus in the United Arab Emirates.

If this is for real, how is not getting more attention?!

Quoted: On Wednesday night, Katie Couric interviewed Cindy McCain, and it turns out Cindy McCain does not know what Roe V. Wade is! No really, check the transcript...

Today marks the 125th anniversary of the eruption of Krakatau in Indonesia. The volcano released so much ash that it affected climate as far as Europe (some people say it was so loud, that it also inspired Edvard Munch's 'Scream').

Quoted: Krakatau (aka Krakatoa) had been rumbling and sending up puffs of ash since May 1883. The eruption turned deadly on the afternoon of Aug. 26, with the first explosion coming at 1 p.m. A column of black ash soon rose 17 miles into the sky above the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.

Interesting article from The New Yorker - planning on incorporating this into a project I'm working on.

Quoted: The dangerous life of a sacred sex worker.

Animals are often startled by the hidden cameras used to monitor them, evidenced by the fact that they flee from, investigate or attack the cameras..

Quoted: Next time you go for a hike, keep an eye out for the hidden cameras. The cameras aren't meant for you, and you'll probably have to get off the trail to find them. They are designed to capture images of wild animals, and in recent years their use by hunters and wildlife biologists has been increasing exponentially.

A thoughtful commentary on the meaning of India's independence day (which is today)...

Quoted: Indian best selling author Chetan Bhagat on his thoughts on India's 61st Independence Day.

There were definitely indications of this in her biography, but nothing forthright... She really was such an interesting lady - full of surprises.

Quoted: Before Julia Child became known to the world as a leading chef, she admitted at least one failing when applying for a job as a spy: impulsiveness.

Some really good points explaining why genetically modified foods haven't caught on...

Quoted: Could this be the turning point for genetically modified food? As food prices have soared around the world, agro-industry companies like Monsanto and Syngenta, along with their allies in Washington, have been carefully positioning GM technology as our last, best hope against a global food catastrophe.

An important article from Slate about the strings that are attached to IMF loans and the corner into which they back a lot of small countries & their economies.

Quoted: Question: The International Monetary Fund often attaches strict conditions to its loans, hoping to help the economies of the recipient countries grow and become stable. For example, in order to tamp down inflation, countries have been required to limit expenditures for education, social services, and health.