A close look at the Italian election map helps explain the shift in the country's balance of power.

When a literature professor retired 35 years ago, he rued a world of ruffled civility. Little could he imagine the next phase.

Presidents can rage and rant against filthy interlopers but those who like what they hear would be wise to remember America's origins.

Vision metaphors are central to all aspects of speech, but they take for granted the precarious gift of seeing.

The difference between chicken noodle and cleanliness once proved mystifying, even for pajamas.

It's 1980. You need to get an urgent message home to far-away America. Here's what to do.

Anonymous confessions are not the answer when it comes to bringing abhorrent abuse to heel.

When Satan, communism and sex enter the American picture, the mitigation covered by the word "alleged" beats a hasty retreat.

Rome has so far remained out of harm's way when it comes the terrorism. The reason is in part cultural.

Rome's water pressure is traditionally low, marred by calcium. America's gush is another story.