Vicky Pryce: “Prison Clearly Does Not Work”
Source: The Guardian
Fresh from jail, the economist and author of Prisonomics explains why the system costs too much, locks up the wrong people, and does not prevent reoffending.
Culture & Society
Hemingway on War and Its Aftermath
Source: National Archives
Although best know for his fiction, Ernest Hemingway was also a war correspondent and a Red Cross ambulance driver. Read this article from the National Archives to find out how Hemingway’s wartime experiences influenced his writing.
After Chernobyl, They Refused to Leave
Source: CNN
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster was the world’s worst nuclear accident. Thousands of people were relocated to other cities. But 1,200 people, mostly older women, came back to live in the toxic Exclusion Zone, unwilling to be displaced from their homes. Read the article and view the video to find out what bonds these women to their homeland.
Eric Whitacre: A Virtual Choir 2,000 Voices Strong
Source: TED Talks
Eric Whitacre is the creator and conductor of the virtual choir, a network of YouTube-connected singers from around the world who came together to create a virtual choir. Watch this video to hear their story and their magical music.
Fairy-Tale Adaptations: It’s Ever After, All Right
Source: NPR
Adaptations of fairy-tales are nothing new, but a few years ago, they started popping up on prime time television. What would the Brothers Grimm have thought? Check out this report to see what’s going on—and why.
Good news for teen voting
Source: Washington Post
In Takoma Park, Washington, the voting age for local elections was recently lowered to 16. In the first election since the change, the teen voting rate was much higher than that of the general public.
Have Sports Teams Brought Down America’s Schools?
Source: The New Yorker
Why are American students falling behind those of most other developed nations? The author of this blog entry argues that one important reason is the popularity of our high school athletic programs.
India, Home of the Nonviolent Protest, Embraces More Extreme Dissent
Source: The New York Times
Protesters in India are taking novel approaches to the tradition of nonviolent resistance.
That Lady With the Scales Poses for Her Portraits
Source: The New York Times
Courthouses often display sculptures of Lady Justice wearing a blindfold to show that she is impartial. Read about two scholars who have researched how artists have portrayed justice in many different cultures and time periods.
Why I Gave Up a High-Paying Corporate Career to Start a Charity
Source: Parade Magazine
Jim Ziolkowski left a high-paying job in the financial industry to start buildOn, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping teens give back to their communities through public service. Read the article to find out more.