Eli Auslender

The 4 Biggest Upcoming Rock Albums

Rock music arguably dominated the 20th century, seeing its means and ways evolve from the swinging hips of Elvis and the shuffling blues of Chuck Berry to the ridiculous hair metal of Twisted Sister and the shirtless funk-rock synthesis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It continues to be one of the largest genres in music, encompassing everything from indie to folk to punk. Here are four of the most anticipated album releases of the next year from some of the biggest rock bands to grace the stage.

Taylor Swift Cancels Her First and Only Concert in Thailand

Taylor Swift canceled what would have been her first show in Thailand, scheduled for 9 June, due to the recent coup in Bangkok. The announcement comes amid social media blackouts in the country, along with the imposition of a curfew. The coup has been widely condemned by the international community; in response to the coup, the US immediately halted Foreign Military Financing assistance to Thailand. International leaders have requested a return to democracy for the country, something that top General Prayuth Chan-Ocha has said will come sooner rather than later.

Going to the World Cup But Can’t Afford a Hotel? Try a Favela.

Brazil is known for many things: beaches, a nearly unstoppable futbol (soccer to Americans) team, a growing economy, the giant statue of Jesus Christ, and slums. The slums (also called shantytowns), known as 'favelas' in Portuguese, are just as one would expect a slum to be: a hodgepodge collection of tin and wood thrown together in some semblance of massive group housing. With the World Cup coming this summer to Brazil, however, and hotel prices around the country skyrocketing, they've suddenly become a way for World Cup tourists to avoid shelling out far too much money for a place to stay.

Greek Tourism Industry Set to Grow

Over the past few years, some of the biggest stories coming out of Europe post-2008 crash have been the slumping economies of Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Greece. Greece was especially notable, in that the government conducted some nefarious deals with Goldman Sachs to hide its debt so as to allow the country to enter the euro, for which there were financial and economic standards to attain.

Poroshenko Glides to an Easy Victory in Ukraine

Petro Poroshenko, the billionaire 'Chocolate King' of Ukraine, won an easy victory in Ukraine's presidential elections this past Sunday. He garnered approximately 54% of the vote, more than enough to avoid the second-round runoff vote that would occur should he have not attained more than half the overall vote. Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko took second place, garnering around 13% of the vote.

5 Most Dangerous Cities in the World

It should be noted that some of these cities, while aesthetically beautiful and full of culture, are not governed by strong laws, and are generally unsafe.

Three Matadors Gored In Spanish Sport

One of Spain's major bullfighting events had to be canceled due to the bulls goring the first three matadors of the events in San Isidro. The three matadors, Jimenez Fortes, Antonio Nazare, and David Mora all sustained non-life-threatening injuries from their respective bulls. It was the first time in 35 years that the events in San Isidro have been canceled, exemplifying the spectacle of the injuries.

Thailand’s Military Has Declared Martial Law

Thailand's military has stepped in to declare martial law across the country after months of political unrest and protest. Military spokesmen made sure to state very clearly that the declaration of martial law was not a coup, something that last happened in 2006 with the ouster of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The military has curbed press freedoms, though it has allowed for the anti-government and pro-government protesters to continue their activities, to the surprise of many.

The Costs of Coal in Lives and Dollars

Recent in the news is the massive coal mine collapse in Turkey, where it is feared that over 200 miners are dead in the mine. This is not unusual for Turkey: since 2000, there have been over 20,000 reported safety incidents in Turkish coal mines, though some in the Turkish government have written off these incidents as "risks of the profession." Many labor groups in Turkey are incensed that their safety is seemingly being considered as second-place to the production of coal within Turkey.

Poroshenko Leads the Pack in Ukraine’s Presidential Elections

In the wake of Viktor Yanukovych's ouster, the Ukrainian Parliament ordered presidential and local elections to be held on 25 May 2014. That date is fast approaching; since the deadline to declare candidacy passed in early April, the ballot has been whittled down to 21 candidates. Notable among the group are candidates Petro Poroshenko, Yulia Tymoshenko, and Serhiy Tihipko, who lead the pack, respectively.

Australia’s Current Government is Damaging its Environment

Australia has, up until the election of the Tony Abbott right-wing government, been one of the global leaders in solar power research. This shouldn't come as a surprise, considering that Australia is the second-driest continent in the world (behind Antarctica). Thus, there is ample opportunity for the country to engage in new areas of solar power research; unfortunately, under the Abbott government, renewable energy research and environmental conservation efforts have been hindered considerably.

Farewell, Comrade: Rich Russians Are No Longer Buying Real Estate in NYC

If you had any designs on buying one of the many multi-million dollar condominiums or luxury apartments in New York City, you might be out of luck: with the sanctions the United States has imposed on the wealthy elite of Russia, wealthy Chinese are now sweeping in to buy the properties that the wealthy Russians used to own or no longer can buy.

4 Ways to Meet New People While in a Foreign Country

Meeting new friends when abroad isn't always the easiest, especially when permanently settling far from home. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to meet friends in this new 21st century era of social media technology, or even in more traditional ways. Here are just a few:

The UK’s New Visa Rules Are Harming Its Universities

David Cameron has not shied away from adhering to a conservative talking point of lowering immigration to very minute levels. He has stated openly that he wants to cut the amount of migrants that enter the UK yearly from hundreds of thousands to tens of thousands. This has angered many, both in the UK and from abroad, because it cuts back drastically on one of the UK's most prominent institutions: its universities.

Putin's Puzzle: Did He Ignore Economics While Planning for Ukraine?

Of late in the Ukrainian crisis, Vladimir Putin has divested himself from his prior rhetoric of espousing the 'freedom' of the Russian-speaking people in the east and south of Ukraine. He has claimed to have ordered a withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian border (though it is uncertain as to whether or not they have pulled back), and even recently suggested that the referendums in the breakaway eastern regions be delayed. The referendums went ahead regardless with scant resources and no independent oversight or accountability; as expected, the vote was a landslide in favor of breaking away from Ukraine.