Why I Refuse Not to Vote for Barack Obama

Disclosure: The author is a former intern for Obama for America and a strong supporter of the President’s reelection. Conor Friedersdorf recently wrote in The Atlantic that, unlike in 2008, he would not vote for Barack Obama this year. Citing the administration’s escalated use of drone strikes as the centerpiece of its anti-terrorism strategy in the Middle East, … Read more

No Replacements Here

NFL fans across the country rejoice today as referees from the NFLRU officiate the first slate of games since reaching a deal with the league to end the lockout that thrust replacement refs into the spotlight. This Wednesday, Jim Lehrer will moderate the first presidential debate of the general election. Lehrer is experienced and respected, … Read more

The Real Waste of Time

On September 20, the Crimson staff published an editorial titled “Don’t Waste Your Time,” cautioning women at Harvard from running for the Undergraduate Council. Their reason for suggesting this is that the UC is, in their words, a “failed institution.” As a freshman that has been part of the Harvard community for only a short … Read more

Stephen A. Smith is Uncomfortable

Stephen A. Smith is uncomfortable, and I’m not sure why. The Charlotte Observer recently published an editorial cartoon depicting Carolina Panthers Quarterback Cam Newton- who has recently been criticized for pouting on the sidelines– wearing a Hello Kitty t-shirt. The cartoon plays off of Newton’s signature celebration, where he mimes Clark Kent ripping open his … Read more

Live Blog with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

5:30 – Members of the audience are being welcomed by the chairman of the IOP’s Forums Committee. He encourages everyone to join the Twitter conversation at #Harvardsuukyi and  silence all cell phones. The gathering crowd eagerly anticipates the address of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese Nobel Laureate and leader of the National League for Democracy Party. 5:31 … Read more

Understanding American Exceptionalism

The HPR’s world editor, my close personal friend, and serial shirt unbuttoner Josh Lipson is an intellectual of sorts. He is interested in such high-minded concepts as transhumanism, and knows more about near eastern cultural curiosities than anyone I know. I was surprised, therefore, when I saw on Facebook that Josh had “liked” a recent … Read more

The Shutdown: Part 2

Robert Kindman contributed statistical analysis to this article. Now that Stephen Strasburg is officially sitting out the rest of the season, the only use we have for him is to speculate about what impact his shutdown will have for the future of the Nationals. Baseball being first and foremost a business, it is worth investigating … Read more

New York Got It Right

The New York City Board of Health ratified last Thursday Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on soft drinks served in containers larger than 16 ounces. The move is the first of its kind in any city across the country. New York stands at the vanguard of a movement aimed at curbing obesity and improving public … Read more