Democratic backsliding—a transition toward autocracy occurs when political power becomes restrictive and repressive. The following attributes identify democratic erosion: The gradual progression toward autocracy fosters inaction until a specific moment when it becomes evident that autocracy has supplanted democracy—then, it is too late to resist. There are several ways an ordinary citizen can win the fight for…
The Tipping Point, a book by Malcolm Gladwell written 25 years ago, compares changes in social phenomena to the spread of infectious diseases. The moment a virus reaches a critical mass is called the tipping point. When this tipping point is reached, a graph illustrating the infection rate shows a sharp upward increase. Gladwell argued…
An ancient legend tells of Damocles, a courtier in the service of Dionysius II, who coveted the pleasures of royalty. Saracen magic placed him at the king’s table eating sumptuous food, drinking the finest wine and enjoying more pleasures than his imagination could conceive. Reclining at the table in satisfaction, Damocles glanced upward. His eye…
The end of the Civil War marked the beginning of reorganization and transformation in American medicine. Doctors began to apply surgical techniques learned during the war; they felt more comfortable using anesthesia. Learning about sanitation, nursing, emergency transport, and hospital construction improved medical care. Basic science became part of medical school training; medical education became…
After describing the creation of the cosmos, the Bible focuses on Adam and Eve, the first humans. They lived in the Garden of Eden, where the LORD God made all kinds of trees to grow out of the ground–trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden…
There are many theories about who wrote the plays attributed to William Shakespeare.One theory suggests that Francis Bacon may have penned some of these works, whileanother posits that a woman could have been the true author. Recently, several fictionalaccounts have been created around these ideas. However, the straightforward historicalevidence indicates that Shakespeare himself wrote the…