For three decades beginning in the mid-1970s, the world experienced a remarkable expansion of democracy—the so-called third wave—with authoritarian regimes falling or reforming across the world. By 1993, a majority of states with populations over one million had become democracies. Levels of freedom, as measured by Freedom House, were steadily rising as well. In most years between 1991 and 2005, many more countries gained freedom than lost it.

“Africa is growing” economically “thanks to the free market,” notes Marian Tupy at Human Progress. “Since the new millennium’s start, Africa’s average per capita income rose by more than 50 percent.”

Ridley Scott’s 2001 masterpiece, “Black Hawk Down,” has become, like his 2000 “Gladiator,” a classic tale of the triumph and tragedy as well as the courage, heroism, and sacrifice of a small band of brothers showcasing crucial elements of what classicist Victor Davis Hanson, has called, “the Western way of war.”

Facebook is working on appointing an independent global oversight board, which will have the authority to review the social network's content decisions.