It is convenient to represent cultures as monolithic entities especially if they are to be seen as a threat to “our” way of life. It is clear from the poetry, music and voices in general that the Arab culture is not such an entity. In this age of musical and political cosmopolitanism, as opposed to alienating exclusivism or anything-goes pluralism, I hope for a celebration of every viable strand in our tapestry.

The decision by President Obama to participate in Wednesday’s first Twitter town hall meeting, live from the East Room, is a reminder that the White House is eager to exploit whatever technologies will help get out his message, unfiltered.

The broader problem highlighted by the Fox News tweet is that the social media universe has its fair shares of hucksters and malcontents. While social media thrives on its many voices, it also is built on the trust that users aren't deceiving or taking advantage of one another. News outlets in particular cannot afford to lose credibility by treating social media without care.

Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Wednesday celebrates his 76th birthday in Washington on a visit in which he will offer spiritual teachings to thousands and meet top US lawmakers. rganizers expect up to 10,000 people to flock to an arena in downtown Washington as the Dalai Lama leads a 10-day Buddhist ritual in which practitioners meditate and pray for world peace.

The University’s 2007 Honors Colloquium, China Rising, and the establishment of a Confucius Institute at URI, one of only 20 Confucius Institutes in the U.S. and one of only 156 in the world at that time, boosted interest in Chinese language learning. An annual URI Moon Festival and other activities draw appreciative crowds.

Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States, is on Twitter. Known for making the occasional hilarious gaffe in a speech from time to time, the microblogging platform that is Twitter introduces new possibilities for Biden to throw out a bit of straight talk directly to the world.

If the U.S. and its allies are to address national security challenges successfully, then there is no choice but to engage in nation-building. The problem isn't that we are engaged in nation-building. The problem is that we do it so poorly. The U.S military hasn't fully embraced it as a part of its mission, and neither has the State Department.

Judging from voting trends during the past three decades, Democratic President Barack Obama can rest assured that he will receive a majority of Jewish votes in the 2012 presidential election. Obama will undoubtedly continue to enjoy wide support among American Jewry. But it is a sobering thought, as the US celebrates July 4, that this does not mean his Mideast policies will be good for Israel.