Religious people often lazily argue that the secular world is obsessed with sex, citing the soft porn that seems to have permeated every corner of popular culture. But the truth is the reverse.

It is the religious world that is obsessed with sex. As a result, it dangerously misunderstands it.

The secular world is actually quite comfortable with sex, although this comfort often manifests itself in unpleasant ways. Maybe that's knowledge for you.

Religion starts from the belief that sex is a fundamentally holy act, one that should be performed (if at all) only by a married heterosexual couple.

This creates an extraordinarily high level of expectation regarding the sexual act, one that is often impossible to attain. In contrast, secular culture emphasises the carnality and banality of sex.   more »

The 1960s were the last time

America really questioned itself

about its role in the world

and its purpose as a nation

The wars in Vietnam and on America’s streets

were unhealthy symptoms of a nation in trouble

But they provoked healthy soul-searching

   more »

Keywords: doubt, culture, 1960s, politics, america, revolution

Advertisers, TV producers, publishers, PR personnel and even physicians themselves are touting it as an effortless, egalitarian way for women of all backgrounds to "enhance" their looks and "stay young."

Not only have cosmetic procedures become more acceptable, but they're being promoted in less sensationalized ways to whole new markets.

Increasingly, reality TV's Cinderella tale of surgical transformation is being replaced with a smart woman's narrative of enlightened self-maintenance.

While Extreme Makeover and its imitators shame and blame ugly-duck patients in order for prince-surgeons to rescue them and magically unlock their inner swans through "drastic plastic" (multiple surgeries), other media sources now compliment potential customers as mature women who are "smart," "talented" and "wise."   more »

Hillary Clinton solidified her status as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination yesterday, surpassing all her rivals in fundraising to bring in $27m (£13m) for her campaign in the past three months.

The quarterly announcement of fundraising totals puts the senator from New York ahead of Barack Obama, who had previously held an advantage in fundraising even while trailing Ms Clinton in the opinion polls. Mr Obama took in $20m.

In an triumphant email to supporters, the Clinton campaign depicted the inflow of funds as a return on the candidate's strong performance in televised debates and on the hustings.

"This is the moment when you showed that America is ready for change and that you are ready to make history. This is the moment when your dedication defied the sceptics."   more »

The media is constantly focused on shock value and negativity. They claim to be the savior of the masses, saving them from political lies. The truth is that massive media corporations are political.

They print and broadcast what sells. Journalistic integrity is hard to come by these days and that's a sad fact to face.

This bias leads time-crunched Americans to form the same opinions as the news channels and papers they absorb.

It's a less obvious form of brainwashing. You don't know that you are being purposely misled. You think you are getting all the straight facts when really it's more of an ad campaign for the dominant ideology.   more »