To think about the universe stretches the mind. Man, through the sciences of astrophysics and cosmology, continues to learn—and speculate—about the origins of the universe. But the bigger question is, “What was before the universe?”

The headlines scream of the carnage unfolding in Syria, with new allegations of the use of poison gas by the Bashar al-Assad regime. While the United Nations makes empty pronouncements and the major powers hurl meaningless threats of intervention, people on both sides of the conflict die in increasing numbers.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., August 28, 1963

Sixty years after Dr. King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., is the United States—or the entire world, for that matter—any closer to realizing his dream?

If you are in the habit of telling lies, then your “pants on fire” may not be your only problem. So says researcher Susan Guibert. Research from the University of Notre Dame was presented at the 2012 American Psychological Association’s annual convention, revealing that people who were able to reduce the number of lies they told over a period of ten weeks experienced “significantly improved physical and mental health.” Interesting?

 Miley Cyrus’ vulgar and obscenely sexualized performance at MTV’s Video Music Awards—in front of more than 10 million viewers, in a program marketed to pre-teens, teens and young adults—has been widely criticized as degrading both the performer and the audience that watched it. But, in reality, the real story is that so much of what was celebrated at the awards ceremony generated little commentary at all, let alone outrage.