I have always been interested in religion and its role in American society. My five siblings and I grew up in a religious household. Up until the time I was in third or fourth grade we lived right next door to Hilltop United Methodist Church. Even after moving, we were only one street over from the church, so we could hardly get out of going. We attended Sunday school, church, Vacation Bible School during the summers, and sang in the choir. We also had scripture and prayer before we went to school for several years until sports and school activities wreaked havoc with our schedules and made the logistics of those activities too difficult. If by some miracle any of us managed to skip church one Sunday, we knew that we would not be allowed to go anywhere during the rest of the week.

"Asteroid City" is undeniably the most Wes Andersony movie to date, with his vivid colors, meta-narrative, and signature cast of quirky characters. This being his 11th feature film, Anderson also wrote the screenplay, with credit to frequent collaborator Roman Coppola. Don't let the bright colors fool you; this film delves into the existential crisis experienced by his characters, both within and beyond the play titled "Asteroid City."

The film opens with a black-and-white 4x3 ratio, hosted by Bryan Cranston, taking us behind the scenes of the play "Asteroid City." It serves as a TV special documenting the life of playwright Conrad Earp (Edward Norton) and his work on the play. We also see the director, Schubert Green (Adrien Brody), managing to keep the production afloat.

Given his public statements and his actions especially as mayor of Columbus, Ohio, I have been forced to ask a number of times: does Andy Ginther actually live in the city of Columbus? He does not know the physical, socio-cultural, economic, or political city. He is clueless about any identity, and profoundly ignorant of its largely undocumented and unwritten history.

His latest comments force me to ask: does he live in the United States? On Earth?

Monday, June 26, 2023, 7:00 PM
While the Biden administration tends to perceive the world as being divided between two great power blocs, with the U.S. and its allies on one side and a nefarious alliance of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea on the other, most of the world sees a more complex picture, with multiple centers of power and complex, fluid arrangements among the major players. This is evident in the world's response to the war in Ukraine. The Ukraine War has crystalized forces that have been building for years, crystalizing a new multipolar world.

While many in Washington believe that the entire world, minus those four bad actors, supports Western-backed efforts to ensure a decisive Ukrainian victory over Russia, most Global South leaders have avoided taking sides in the war and prefer an early negotiated settlement. What they see emerging is a multipolar world, in which the U.S., the EU, China, Russia, India, and other countries exercise significant global power and influence, along with regional powers like Turkey, Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa.

"Berlusconi is there because others have failed." These words by Italian columnist Massimo Franco were made to the Washington Post in 2018, shortly before the Italian March elections. They sum up the story of Italy's modern politics.

 Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's adored but also loathed longest-serving prime minister died on June 12. His party, Forza Italia, is a partner in Italy's current government coalition, led by Giorgia Meloni. 

Berlusconi has not served as a prime minister since 2011. Despite his old age - he died at 86 - and his many scandals, he continued to cast a shadow over Italian politics, even when dying at Milan’s San Raffaele Hospital.