Archive
Letting Deadly Bosses off the Hook
They say there's honor among thieves. I say: That depends on the thieves. Your common street thief, yes — but not those princely CEOs of corporate larceny. The elites in the top suites are pickpockets, swindlers, thugs, and scoundrels, routinely committing mass...
Letter to Loretto
John Kiriakou is a former CIA officer. Back in 2007, he became the first U.S. government official to confirm — and condemn — the practice of torture by CIA interrogators. After a drawn-out legal battle, federal authorities convicted Kiriakou of leaking classified...
The Baltimore Uprising’s Backstory
What started out as righteous protest over the death of a young black man in the hands of Baltimore cops (he had been accused of “making eye contact with a police officer”) quickly degenerated into a full-scale riot. By nightfall the city was on fire, its hopes for a...
In OtherWords: April 29, 2015
This week in OtherWords, Jill Richardson weighs in on Kraft's macaroni and cheese and Tiffany Williams explains how a government program that encourages public service helped make some of her dreams come true. Do you want to make sure you don’t miss the latest from...
Reagan’s Lasting Gift to Immigrant Families
This Mother’s Day, I can hug my mother tightly and celebrate with her. I’d like to thank our 40th president for that. Seriously: As a progressive young Latina from a working-class background, whose parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico without papers,...
Mindful Kids, Mindful World
I often ask my youngest yoga students, “What does it mean to be mindful?” “Mindful is when you pay attention to right now,” one of my first graders once responded. “Like your mind is full of just right now.” Pretty spot on. Researchers at Berkeley define mindfulness...
A 21st Century Challenge
Eugene Lim was on his way to hitting rock bottom. After graduating from Chicago’s Shimer College in 2011, he'd spent two years trying to find a permanent job. And he was increasingly blaming himself for his plight. "I thought I was poor through some fault of my own,"...
Coal’s Collateral Damage
Coal’s death throes are drawing closer, especially in Appalachia. Nearly three-quarters of the coal extracted from West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky these days is being mined at a loss. The number of coal companies declaring bankruptcy or edging toward it is...
How Can We Serve Our Public Servants?
Back in my 20s, I had a modest dream: By my 40s, I hoped, I'd be able to pay off my student debt. I’d even give some of my hard-earned money to my mom and rent a nice apartment. Maybe I'd get a dog, too. And I wanted to do it while making a difference for...
Kraft’s Mac and Cheese: Less Toxic, Still Bad
Kraft made news the other day with this announcement: Beginning next year, its macaroni and cheese will no longer contain artificial preservatives or colors. That’s nice. One of the favorite foods of American kids will more closely resemble something that actually...
