by Eric Jude Cortes Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World (Random House, 2009) Christians and Muslims locked in battle. Soldiers in far off lands fight on behalf of their sometimes negligent leaders. Lives of innocent people destroyed as the result Read More

by Eric Jude Cortes As a frat boy in Brooklyn, I knew that the “nut shot” was truly an art. It must be done stealthily and with pinpoint accuracy, otherwise it will be avenged swiftly and painfully. One time I snuck up on Pun[1] and missed by hitting his fat belly. Othello[2] swiftly came from Read More

by Eric Jude Cortes On Becoming Nuyoricans (Peter Lang, 2004) Let’s play a game of chance. It’s the 1950s and two Latina sisters are born in the South Bronx to Puerto Rico-born parents. Would you bet that both project-raised sisters would one day hold doctorates? Part autobiography, part analysis, On Becoming Nuyoricans seeks to explain Read More

by Eric Jude Cortes It was easier than I thought walking around a crowded high school with a big black cross on my forehead. Standing in front of five classes of thirty-five children, most of them from Muslim countries (Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh), I found a simple way to quickly explain my ash mark and then Read More

by Eric Jude Cortes I am an experienced public school teacher and I am a pariah. You may have seen me talked about on major 24-hour news networks. Your governor may claim that I am part of the privileged elite. Your mayor claims that I am the reason why your city is broke. Talking head Read More

by Eric Jude Cortes There are few reasons for killing another human being. Self defense and military service might be just about the only legitimate reasons for permanently ending another human being’s presence on earth. As Joran van der Sloot is showing us in Peru, a new reason to justify killing might be that the Read More

by Eric Jude Cortes You’ve probably seen my type at work – I am that workaholic who remains almost annoyingly happy. I may be holding on to a binder full of lessons or stacks and homework, but I will find a way to give you a spirited pat on the back with a spirited greeting Read More

by Eric Jude Cortes Are you scared of machines? Do you ever get the feeling that some basic elements of your life or career are being turned into computerized tasks that are making you obsolete? If you are a legendary contestant on the hit quiz show Jeopardy, you might feel this way. In spite of Read More

by Eric Jude Cortes For Americans who came of age in the early 1990s, few television shows bring back the same feelings of nostalgia as Saved by the Bell. With its dramatized view of high school life, many youngsters found themselves glued to the screen as they watched that eclectic gang from Bayside High. While Read More