Often credited for sparking the Arab Spring, social media has played a huge role in recent political dissent. Facebook and Twitter have become crucial tools in organized protest, even seeing popularity in the Occupy Movements here in the U.S. While both sides are taking to social media to voice their angst, protestors in Syria have been sharing their struggles on the social network Instagram.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stopped by South Africa yesterday to grace the world with her jovial dance skills. The moves were caught on tape by Reuters and have since gone viral. She looks like she is having an awesome time, as do the attendees. Well played, for the country's head diplomat.

Gas prices are creeping up in California following a Chevron refinery fire in Richmond, but oil and gas are truly international industries. Many of United States' most contentious policies in the modern era have been related to oil. The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard released a new report in June 2012 on the global oil supply capacity. Here's a short video primer by the research team. Full study can be found here.

Votizen, a non-partisan and non affiliated political platform whose goal is to "restore American democracy,” just released a new feature that may revolutionize the way in which politicians and their campaigns use social media.

Mass Shootings in 2012: A Google Map Perspective

Following the shooting attack in Wisconsin and last month's massacre in Colorado, I felt it would be interesting to show how many shootings have been deemed significant by the press or by other gun safety advocates using a Google Map. A quick Google search revealed a report compiled by the largest gun control advocates in the county, The Brady Campaign for Gun Violence.

More and more people, including the bi-partisan media keep asking why voters, in general, are so sick of politics. Almost all the discussion and all the solutions center around political issues or ideology. But rarely does anyone ask: is the average voter an "issue-oriented" voter?  Does the average American go about their day thinking about what a staunch capitalist or awesome liberal they are?

Legislation requiring law enforcement notification of ammunition sales of more than 1,000 rounds was introduced by California state lawmakers on Wednesday.

Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) and Senator Loni Hancock (D-Oakland) co-authored AB 2512.

They came.  They saw.  They conquered.  The world met in London.  Athletes competed while under a flag of five rings... one for each continent (Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia/Oceania, and the Americas).  In these days of competition, there has been a bigger understanding of our cultural differences and a bigger exchange of human understanding.  For these past couple of weeks, the nations of the world have been united in friendship, harmony, and peace.

I think of this game every time they raise the debt ceiling:

...and every time they pass a new appropriation without having the revenue to pay for it (which is currently every time they pass a new appropriation), every time there's a new round of monetary "easing," every time we get involved in a new country's conflict, and pretty much every time Congress is in session.

Is it just me?

Undecided voters are of course getting quite a bit of ink this election cycle, as both parties target their support.

The New York Times had a chat with an independent voter in Ohio.