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The article discusses the history of Puerto Rico, highlighting its ambiguous status as neither a state nor a nation. The author reviews a new history book on Puerto Rico, noting that while there are already several classic histories available, this book offers a postcolonial interpretive analysis. The article provides a brief overview of Puerto Rico's history, including the European presence, the acquisition by the U.S. after the Spanish-American War, and the gradual expansion of Puerto Rico's rights. The author also mentions the industrialization strategy known as Operation Bootstrap and the alternating political parties in Puerto Rico. The book's emphasis on the depredations of Puerto Rico's colonial experience is noted, as well as its victim-centered approach. The tension between the fluid nation of Puerto Rico and its colonial status is discussed, and the article briefly mentions the oversight board created to restore fiscal responsibility and restructure Puerto Rico's debt. The author disagrees with the book's claim that most of the debt was accrued illegally and highlights the role of bankruptcy in reducing debt and freeing up money for institution-building. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the history of Argentina's debt crisis and the subsequent legal battles with bondholders. It highlights the country's pattern of fiscal profligacy and retrenchment, as well as the role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in funding Argentina's deficits. The article focuses on the court battle between Argentina and renegade bondholders, including the hedge fund Elliott Associates, and the efforts to collect payment from a sovereign debtor. It also mentions the inclusion of collective-action clauses in sovereign bonds as a potential solution to holdout battles. The author suggests that a framework for sovereign bankruptcy is needed to address the issue of distressed nations. [Extracted from the article]

The author reflects on the efforts of lawmakers to provide strategies on how to resolve issues related debts and financial crises in Puerto Rico.

The author discusses a controversy concerning the Benedict Option, an idea from writer Rod Dreher which calls for Christians to adopt a strategic retreat from the American culture.

The author discusses what he considers to be uncharacteristic expressions of hope and solace from several well-known atheists including Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and Olivia Judson.

The author discusses economic conditions in regions such as Puerto Rico and U.S. states such as Illinois and California, focusing on the possibility of municipal bankruptcies, mentioning the Puerto Rico Public Corporation Debt Enforcement and Recovery Act legislation, and arguing that Puerto Rico could model economic policies for states as of 2014.

The author discusses a letter signed by D. Michael Lindsey, head of Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, and others representing religious institutions asking to be exempt from an executive order banning LGBT employment discrimination by government contractors and calls for religious pluralism.

In this article the author discusses a move by the U.S. Department of Treasury to prevent shareholders of the government-sponsored financial enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to receive any of banks' profits after the companies finish paying back the bailout money it received in 2008.

The author anticipates U.S. Supreme Court rulings in the Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. v. Sebelius and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius court cases, arguing that it is likely that the U.S. Religious Freedom Act will be applied to award religious freedom rights to corporations as though they were persons as of 2013.

The author offers opinions on U.S. civil service pensions for municipal governments, stating that pensioners have little recourse if governments declare bankruptcy in order to reduce their pension obligations.

The article argues that an effective way of dealing with large U.S. banks whose failure could have grim consequences for the U.S. banking system would be to give those institutions the choice of either downsizing or increasing their capital as called for in a bill proposed by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and David Vitter.

The author discusses the U.S. Supreme Court and controversy surrounding the separation of church and state as of May 31, 2013, with a focus on the Court's decision to hear a case about the constitutionality of prayer in town-board meetings in Town of Greece, New York.

The article considers what the U.S. military can do to address complaints such as those from U.S. Military Academy cadet Blake Page, who accused the academy of proselytism, discrimination against those who are not religious, and similar offenses.

The author looks at the application of U.S. regulations limiting tax-exempt status for organizations that endorse candidates in elections to religious congregations, as of 2012, arguing that action by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the courts is needed to clarify the rule.

The author presents his thoughts on the United States' commitment to the rule of law, the idea that the nation is governed by transparent rules enacted through legislative processes, and comments that it was abused during the 2008 financial crisis.

The author discusses the clergy privilege, whereby confessions of criminal activity to members of the clergy cannot be used by prosecutors in court, considers whether the privilege should be broadened to include members of decentralized religious organizations.

The article author criticizes a settlement among U.S. state attorneys general, the federal government, and several large banks stemming from alleged mortgage abuses by the latter, because he does not believe the allegations were properly researched or that the settlement terms have much to do with the alleged wrongdoing.

The author talks about U.S. government authority over religious institutions, arguing President Barack Obama's administration has been unaccommodating to religious institutions despite a U.S. Supreme Court rule affirming a church's authority over hiring decisions.

The author emphasizes the necessity of rejecting the notion of a European bailout for Greece, and forcing the country to restructure its debt and temporarily leaving the Euro for the devalued drachma.

The author refutes the policy of the government of U.S. President Barack Obama allowing financially-troubled automobile companies to receive government subsidies, which disrupted the bankruptcy laws and will have a long-term impact on the economy.

The author encourages U.S. Congress to pass bankruptcy law that would allow state governments to decrease subsidies promised to unionized public employees, reduce bond debts and restructure pension benefits.

The author comments on the arguments heard in the case Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn and how the U.S. Supreme Court approaches church-state cases.

The article focuses on Veritas Riff, a initiative of four evangelical leaders under which staid Christian scholars are subjected to perform stand-up comedy.

The article offers views on how derivative securities should be treated in the financial-regulation reform bill of U.S. Senator Chris Dodd. Professors Thomas Jackson and David Skeel suggest trading of derivatives on public exchanges, creating a clearinghouse to assess credit-worthiness of both parties and removing special treatment during bankruptcy that led to bailouts. Commodity Futures Trading Commission chairman Gary Gensler adds that it should address the interconnection between financial institutions and regulate derivatives as commodity futures.

The authors express opposition to the bill introduced by Democrat Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut that increases the authority of Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) to handle the take over and closure of large, nonbank financial firms such as American International Group (AIG) or Lehman Brothers because it lacks experience of managing the liquidation of such companies.

The article focuses on the "Calvin 500" festival held in Geneva, Switzerland in July 2009 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Protestant reformer John Calvin's birth on July 10, 1509. President Bryan Chapell of Covenant Seminary preached on Calvinism while John Witte, a legal scholar, discussed the influence of Calvin on Western law and politics. The author notes the international aspect of the festival as well as the existence of the willingness to acknowledge the limitations of the reformer.

The authors oppose the regulatory expansion of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Department of Treasury to investment banks and financial institutions proposed by the latter's Secretary Timothy Geithner. They said that FDIC guarantees deposits up to $25,000 because it is the most important creditor of banks. They added that the bankruptcy laws are inadequate in handling defaults. They argued that the decision on whether to file for bankruptcy lies on the institutions' managers and creditors.