Chick-Fil-A

It's been said that those who don't accept Biblical or Koranic or whatever support in a non-religious argument are being close-minded and intolerant of their beliefs. I've stated many times why I do not accept religious arguments, and it has nothing to do with being intolerant of those beliefs. So I decided I'd state here once and for all why I feel religious reasons do not belong in a debate (unless that debate is about religions).

First of all, I'd just like to state that obviously religion is a major thing in the lives of a lot of people in the world. I agree with Obama in that I don't believe...

I respect most religious beliefs, mostly because I have a deep respect for the grounds they stand on. Those are very sacred grounds, with roots in history, culture, and philosophy. And these beautiful things are nothing to sneer at. People forget sometimes that this is where religion comes from, that we are religion as much as we are history.

I will always fight for a person's right to practice and believe in anything that feels right to them in their soul, so long as in practicing that religion, they do not infringe upon the rights of others to do the same. In my time, both on Fanpop and off...

This is quite possibly the first in a series of rants on my part concerning the organization, link and its place in the current education debate in the US. So, you know, keep an eye out, if only so you can avoid those rants when you see them in your updates.

I want to start with an anecdote. A fellow recent Masters in Teaching grad and I were going to one of our favorite restaurants in the city. On the same block is an Apple store. I saw some Teach For America (TFA) sign in the window, rolled my eyes, and followed my friend into the restaurant. I should note that when I saw this, my University...

Preface: This was my final paper for one of my college courses at the University of Washington. Considering recent conversations on this spot, I decided to share it. I take no offense if no one reads it completely - it's an academic paper, not a tweet or a facebook status update, so I know it's long and wordy. Lastly (and this should go without saying) Plagiarism rules apply, and this is easily searchable on the Interwebs so, you know, be smart.

Why is the education of women important to development?

According to the UN Arab Human Development Report from 2005, “an Arab renaissance cannot be...