Lisa Hajjar, University of California Santa Barbara “The Mauritanian,” directed by Kevin Macdonald, is the first feature film to dramatize how the war on terror became a war in court. As a sociologist of law and a journalist, I have spent the past two decades researching and writing about the kinds of legal battles the film accurately portrays. My research has included 13 trips to observe military commission trials at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The film stars Tahar Rahim as a Mauritanian named Mohamedou Ould Slahi who is captured and held at the Guantanamo detention center, … Continue reading ‘The Mauritanian’ rekindles debate over Gitmo detainees’ torture – with 40 still held there

Nathan Ahlgren, Clark University Editor’s note: Nathan Ahlgren is an assistant professor of biology at Clark University. In this interview, he explains exactly what proteins are, how they are made, and the wide variety of functions they perform in the human body. https://www.youtube.com/embed/0PGLCnwrh5g?wmode=transparent&start=0 Nathan Ahlgren explains what proteins do in our body. What is a protein? A protein is a basic structure that is found in all of life. It’s a molecule. And the key thing about a protein is it’s made up of smaller components, called amino acids. I like to think of them as a string of different … Continue reading What is a protein? A biologist explains

As the year 2020 departs just at the moment clock hits midnight, we welcome the arrival of 2021. Two images get conceived; one moves in, another moves out. These are like two individual personalities, the new and the old one. But what is the difference besides the old and new names, 2020 and 2021? We see, feel, observe, or experience our daily life’s routines in the morning or evening of December 31, which would look the same next day, January 1. Yesterday’s entities would roll along to turn into today’s realities. The good and bad of 2020 would stay the … Continue reading A VISION OF 2021 AND BEYOND

In simple words, poet Shailendra wrote great poetry with deepest thoughts, feelings, and emotions. His ‘shikva’ meaning complaint to God is one of my favourite compositions. “Duniya banane wale kaya tera mann main samai, kahe to duniya banai.” Shailendra was a poet par excellent. He weaved the words in the language of common man expressing his sorrows and joys, struggles and hopes, awareness and inspiration. “kisi ke muskuraahato pe ho nisaar, kisee ka dard mil sake to le udhaar, kisee ke vaste ho tere dil me pyaar, jeena isee kaa naam hai.” Born into a Dalit family of Chamaar at … Continue reading REMEMBERING POET SHAILENDRA

Maintenance, maintenance, and maintenance are the mantra that sustains us practically in most aspects of our lives. From personal health to our conveniences, gadgets, computers, and machinery, we are all tied to one crucial essential. And that pivotal element is maintenance. We often talk and care about physical maintenance, body weight, sugar, cholesterol levels, etc.  And then the tuneup of our car or vehicle, upkeep of the house, lawn and building. Parks, gardens, streets, roads, bridges, water pipes, sewer systems, and all the infrastructures undergo routine care, repair and reconstruction. Oversized items maintenance like trucks and planes or any engine … Continue reading LIFE REVOLVES AND SURVIVES AROUND MAINTENANCE

I have strong feelings for pumpkin, mostly when left out in the chill of autumn nights during the Halloween season. It is the most abused and wasted vegetable sacrificing itself to rot and finally dumped in the compost bin. Is that his or her karma carved by custom and tradition! The gigantic orange globe is one of the most nutritious vegetables. Loaded with protein, vitamins A, C, B2 and E, potassium, copper, manganese, and iron, it also carries phosphorus and zinc, and antioxidants that fight cancer cells. So why to waste this super heavyweight produce. There are plenty of recipes … Continue reading VERSATILE PUMPKIN A SUPER VEGETABLE THAT FIGHTS CANCER:

Boredom is a very commonly expressed feeling even in this age when we have 24-hour entertainment at our convenience. There is a stream of entertainment and information from our smartphones and social media in the company of self. But still, there are occasional experiences of boredom.Why do we feel bored?Generally, they say boredom occurs to those who have not developed any interest in any activity or hobby. Especially this is true when in the golden years of our lives. There are plenty of dull moments that defy time and move with their own speed. An enjoyable activity helps to ward … Continue reading WHY FEEL BORED?

September 5 is celebrated in India as Teachers’ Day synonymous with its second president, Dr. Sarvepilli Radhakrishnan, who also was a teacher, besides being an eminent philosopher of international fame. But a true story about him reveals that his famous work the “Indian Philosophy” is largely plagiarized from the Ph.D. thesis of Jadunath Sinha, one of his students. However, when Sinha came to know about this theft, he filed a case in court against his teacher. It is another matter that owing to Radhakrishnan’s influential position, the case was disposed of without causing much trouble to him. But how can … Continue reading TEACHERS DAY SHOULD BE IN HONOR OF JYOTI RAO AND SAVITRIBAI PHULE

“conservation will succeed only if it can support the goal of a dignified life for all humans and nonhuman species.” Prakash Kashwan, University of Connecticut The United States is having a long-overdue national reckoning with racism. From criminal justice to pro sports to pop culture, Americans increasingly are recognizing how racist ideas have influenced virtually every sphere of life in this country. This includes the environmental movement. Recently the Sierra Club – one of the oldest and largest U.S. conservation organizations – acknowledged racist views held by its founder, author and conservationist John Muir. In some of his writing, Muir … Continue reading American environmentalism’s racist roots have shaped global thinking about conservation