Religious Violence Runs Rampant as Other Types of Brutalities Decline

Although human warfare is supposedly dwindling, atrocities fueled by belief continue to plague the earth; an ancient Antarctic ice shelf has collapsed due to lakes draining onto it; meanwhile, calling Ariel Sharon a “man of peace” is a dire misinterpretation of his actions. These discoveries and more below.

On a regular basis, Truthdig brings you the news items and odds and ends that have found their way to Larry Gross, director of the USC Annenberg School for Communication. A specialist in media and culture, art and communication, visual communication and media portrayals of minorities, Gross helped found the field of gay and lesbian studies.

Humanity Is Becoming Increasingly Less Violent, with One Exception — Religious Violence Studies demonstrate the world is becoming less violent, and that human warfare is on the decline.

Epic Antarctic Ice-Shelf Collapse Caused by Chain Reaction The mysterious disintegration of a giant Antarctic ice shelf that had been stable for millennia was caused by a chain reaction of lakes draining on top of the ice, researchers say.

Middle East Studies Association and the Boycott Issue Amid the clamor over the American Studies Association’s resolution endorsing the boycott of Israeli universities, the Middle East Studies Association has been more or less silent.

‘Man of Peace’? Ariel Sharon Was the Champion of Violent Solutions Ariel Sharon, who died on Saturday after eight years in a coma, was one of Israel’s most iconic and controversial figures.

Hillary’s Hit List Inside a cramped third-floor office of Hillary Clinton’s once-bustling presidential campaign headquarters in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, Va., Kris Balderston and Adrienne Elrod put the finishing touches on a political hit list.