All Perspectives
10 biggest US foundations and what they do What are the 10 biggest foundations in the United States? Here they are in ascending order, based on their assets, along with a little bit about what social problems each addresses.
From a caged teen in a basement in India to literary fameSalma is now the most famous female poet in southern India 鈥� and the subject of a new documentary film.
Scott Zabelski found T-shirts were a perfect fit for hurricane Sandy reliefHe created and sold 'Restore the Shore' T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts 鈥� and raised more than half a million dollars for hurricane recovery efforts.- Readers RespondReaders Write: Most Americans should be investors, not tradersLetter to the Editor for the June 17, 2013 weekly issue:聽The small investor is led down the garden path of attempting to grow riches from a mix of potent investment vehicles and propitious timing. It doesn't work that way.聽If investors can exercise patience and discipline, time becomes their ally.
Public schools, private beliefsSeparation of church and state is enshrined in the US Constitution. But here's what's sometimes overlooked: While the state must not back any particular faith -- or even faith itself -- it also must not restrict expressions of faith. That distinction is crucial to how public schools treat religion.
The greening of the WestLong the province of mountain men and rugged individualists, the Intermountain West is drawing a new generation of entrepreneurs, knowledge workers, and venture capitalists keen on experiencing the region's natural wonders while staying connected to the global economy.
Difference MakerDavid Eads runs FreeGeek Chicago, 'an Apple Store for the rest of us'FreeGeek Chicago gives volunteers hands-on training in restoring old computers to sell or recycle 鈥� while they earn credits toward taking home their own desktop or laptop free of charge.- Readers RespondReaders Write: Gun-rights advocates have it wrong; Obama's 'red line' blurred on chemical weapons in SyriaLetters to the Editor for the June 10, 2013 weekly print magazine:The interpretation of the Second Amendment by gun-rights advocates as disallowing any regulation of guns fails to understand human rights. By supporting gun ownership as an unrestricted right, they allow gun violence and public mayhem to exist.Lost in the heartfelt hand-wringing and deliberation over the conflict in Syria is the fact that with every passing day more innocents die on America's watch.
Solar pumps could boost farm yields in poor countriesFoot-powered irrigation pumps are useful but limited. Diesel pumps are expensive. Solar-powered pumps could be an answer.
Difference MakerJohn Ferguson spreads goodwill for America through the power of musicPianist John Ferguson founded American Voices, a nonprofit whose mission is to help aspiring young artists around the world pursue their interest in American jazz, Broadway, break dancing, and classical music.
Cereal banks empower women and fight famine in Africa's Sahel regionGroups such as the World Food Program and Care are joining forces to create all-women-managed cereal banks in villages throughout the drought-prone Sahel region of Africa. They help protect against famine, but also empower women.
If sci-fi spurs technology, can 'social fiction' spark change?If more movies, TV series, and other media were created to help people envision better future societies, 'I bet we鈥檒l create the societies,' says Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Prize-winning founder of the microcredit movement.
2013 Torchlight Prize honors grass-roots US community groupsThe Torchlight Prize, a project of the Family Independence Initiative, recognizes homegrown groups that are finding unique ways to solve local community problems.
Are MOOCs making education a monoculture?The rise of Massive Open Online Courses is presenting higher education with a powerful challenge. Access to great teachers will help millions. But will MOOCs cause a massive college shakeout as well?
Law student Yasmene Mumby already is a veteran education reformerIn a feat of tenacity and organization worthy of a veteran leader, young law student Yasmene Mumby helped push passage of $1.1 billion in funding to improve Baltimore's schools.- Readers RespondReaders Write: How US must deal with North Korea; Sex trafficking close to homeLetters to the Editor for the June 3, 2013 weekly print magazine:The Obama administration should use soft power with North Korea, but Kim Jong-un is also unfortunately underestimated by the US and South Korea. Many聽Americans might be surprised to know that sex trafficking is a problem in their country.聽This is a grim reality, but it does not have to be our future.
Elaine Hamel uses power tools to teach girl powerElaine Hamel founded Girls at Work Inc., which helps at-risk girls discover their inner power tools of strength and courage through building projects.
Difference MakerWar survivor Mariatu Kamara speaks for children at risk in conflictHer story shows 'the devastation conflict has on children's lives but also the power of the human spirit.'
Vacation: nothing betterThe newest trend in time off doesn't involve tweeting from Tahiti, competing in a triathlon, or climbing Mount Everest. The newest trend is unhooking, powering down, and reconnecting -- with family, friends, your own backyard, and even that little inner voice.+
South Korea's amazing riseAlmost out of nowhere -- after a devastating war, the near ruin of the 1990s Asian financial crisis, and the constant threats of annihilation from its nemesis to the north -- South Korea has moved into the first ranks of innovative, economically confident nations.
