The origin of the anthem of the European soccer Champions League.

The BBC mini-series Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the perfect realisation of John Le Carré's novel.

G.K. Chesterton's "democratic faith" demanded that the choosing of spouses be left to ordinary people, not the state. Which ideological tendency today best practices what he preached?

Why do we remember politicians as being against things they were for, and vice versa?

… when your sleep debt gets referred to a collection agency.

Although most people on the east coast (and many people here) haven’t realized it yet, Eric Garcetti was elected Mayor of Los Angeles on Tuesday.  I’m pleased. I voted for him, and despite the fiscal and governance difficulties that he faces, I think he will do a good job as much any Los Angeles mayor can. [...]

Six short essays: hawks, doves, and analysts.

In which Schelling, Rawls, Kant, and Jesus of Nazareth gang up on John Stuart Mill.

Contrary to stereotype, funding for old age housing exploded under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

There’s something arguably wrong with every sport; how could it not be so? Soccer doesn’t have enough scoring for game scores to be a good indicator of relative performance, football and flat racing hurt their players, NASCAR is climate-hostile, and on and on.  The rules of life  – laws – are perpetually flawed too, but [...]