The difficulty of recognizing excellence in its own time
In which Sam Harris teaches me Brazilian jiu-jitsu and explains why violence is like rebirth
An old extreme sport is new again.
A social worker familiar with Philadelphia's often violent schools says cuts to support staff could be disastrous.
A mix of news, more good than bad, all with aerial themes.
Reuters
A new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality finds "fundamental flaws and weaknesses" -- but critics have raised questions about its methods.
Social comparison can prove detrimental when it comes to financial planning--and, often, we're not even aware we're doing it.
If we can just avoid temptation today, we can enjoy even greater financial rewards in the future. Can we do it? We did a little experiment to find out.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
The conservative jurist, who has sided with the state in many recent cases, nonetheless wrote a majority opinion upholding broad federal power to regulate voter registration.
The Urban Institute
In the fifty years since this famous report on black families, things have gotten worse.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Many liberals who cheered when the civil-rights organization filed a suit against the NSA hate the decision in Citizens United. But the suit would be impossible without it.
Michelle McLoughlin/Reuters
On showmanship, historical riffs, and funny accents
Linda K. Wertheimer
The Philadelphia high schooler whose protest led to a landmark Supreme Court decision is now 72, and living in Boston.
Reuters
Is it really less intrusive to collect someone's vital data for eternity than it is to rummage through his papers briefly?
Jimmy Urquhart/Reuters
What to expect as the civil liberties watchdog goes back to court over secret spying
Noah Gallagher Shannon explains how he came to write, and the Times magazine came to publish, an account veteran pilots immediately questioned.
Lee Celano/Reuters
Why is it okay that corporations are collecting this much data to begin with?
Library of Congress
Why class-based social policy doesn't address African Americans' problems
A Whole-Sky Time-Lapse of the Galactic Center
Every NASA Space Shuttle Launch
The Marshmallow Experiment
James Fallows on Jerry Brown's second chance. Plus: the mystery of the second skeleton, how gay couples are getting marriage right, the end of the retail salesperson, and more.
