All From the Editors
CommentaryWhy walls rise -- and must fallSome walls are necessary, but before building any wall it is important to understand what is being walled in and what is being walled out.
CommentaryThe power of patienceKids constantly test parents -- and often just to get a reaction. Whatever that reaction is, experts say, parental patience is essential.
CommentarySaving the humansThe late 20th-century shift away from whale hunting to whale saving didn't just help those endangered creatures. It was an historic human leap in the direction of environmentalism.
CommentaryThe 'country cousin' in us allFrom music to comedy, literature to reality TV, country culture has long amused, fascinated , and even educated Americans.
CommentaryHow the past can power the futureHydrocarbons play a crucial role in today's economy. They are also crucial in fueling the transition away from hydrocarbons.
CommentaryPractical planet careYou don鈥檛 have to believe in the detrimental effects of human industry on the environment to be green today. Reducing dependence -- on big government, big utilities, and big energy -- appeals to rugged individualists as much as to tree-huggers.
CommentaryScottish vote: preserving the essence of enlightenmentThe Age of Empire is over. But the Age of Enlightenment -- born in England -- remains a work in progress in a world still struggling with intolerance, superstition, fear, and aggression
CommentaryA talent for taming a primal forceThe war on forest fire is just over a century old. It has had heroes, tragedies, and shifting strategies about when and how to send young men and women into harm's way.
CommentaryThe complex world of simplificationLike most issues, the immigration issue in America looks simple. It's worth looking more closely.
CommentaryIn modern education, metrics 'r' usMeasuring achievement is the hallmark of the current approach to education. But is passing tests the only point of learning?
CommentaryThe calm trust that pays dividendsWe can hover and worry about the economy or our finances, about the weather or our tomatoes. We can also just do our due diligence and then trust what takes place.
CommentaryWhat it means to restore, and repairThe 21st century may be the moment humans leave the 'use it up and throw it away' mentality behind.
CommentaryCountering a digital jihadConflicts in the Middle East are drawing in young recruits from Europe and elsewhere. Needed now: An effort to channel that fervor in more constructive directions.
CommentaryJohn Hughes has been editor, publisher, diplomat -- but at heart he's a reporterDespite seismic shifts in the world of journalism in recent years, the intrepid curiosity of a reporter remains unchanged.
CommentaryBuilding for a better worldHobbyists and do-it-yourselfers were 'makers' long before the term was coined. What's new today is the combination of networking, open-source knowledge transfer, crowdfunding, and relatively cheap machines such as 3-D printers.
CommentaryProgress pauses, but never stopsWhether you consider progress real or wishful thinking depends on how you measure it, not just short term versus long term but ideas versus appearances.
CommentaryLearning compassion from combatWars end. Nations move on. But for those who fought, the memories of combat -- of pain, loss, and desperate choices -- don't easily fade, which is why compassionate, effective ways of coping with war's aftermath are so important.
CommentaryRethinking the old '9 to 5'Sometimes by choice, sometimes involuntarily, the US labor force is shifting from a one-size-fits-all work week to more flexible arrangements. Not everybody can swing it, but those who can often discover that there's more to life than labor.
CommentaryIs college worth what it costs?Deciding on a college, getting into it, and paying for it is a huge decision for most high school graduates and their families. Is all of the drama, sacrifice, and debt worth it?
CommentaryKeeping new empires at bayOne hundred years ago, the age of empire came crashing down. Seventy-five years ago, the age of ideology sparked the cataclysm of World War II. Today's world has its challenges, but the balance still tips in favor of freedom.