Although the most torrid temperatures of the season seem to have left the East Coast, the heat and humidity has established a new summer tradition. As soon as temperatures rise, the hand appears on the thermostat, and rather than write upon the wall, it wags its finger and warns of the dangers of man-made cooling. … Read more
It’s impossible to put Harry Potter out of your mind when you pick up Cuckoo’s Calling, J.K. Rowling’s newest novel. And because it’s impossible to shut out the splendor of the wizarding world, it’s difficult not to hope for the same, whether in Rowling’s depiction of London or her chronicling of the mystery of a … Read more
Let’s think back to June 6. That morning, The Guardian published the first story about a man named Edward Snowden, and the information he leaked while working as a contractor for the NSA. What Was Leaked? The Guardian reported that the NSA was collecting “metadata” on millions of Verizon Wireless customers’ phone calls; data such as … Read more
Harvard professor Steven Pinker wrote a controversial essay for The New Republic earlier this week, defending a mild form of “scientism.” Though the term has many definitions — and Pinker explains several of them — his version expresses confidence in science as a source of morality and human purpose, and a belief that data collection, … Read more
Harvard professor Steven Pinker wrote a controversial essay for The New Republic earlier this week, defending a mild form of “scientism.” Though the term has many definitions — and Pinker explains several of them — his version expresses confidence in science as a source of morality and human purpose, and a belief that data collection, … Read more
It’s Janet Yellen v. Larry Summers for the Fed chairmanship, or at least that’s what we’re hearing. The contest—waged on each economist’s behalf by politicians, executive branch officials, editors, and commentators of all types—might be the most engrossing recurring news story of the summer. A pair of articles released yesterday saw current and former Harvard … Read more
Last Friday afternoon, the House of Representatives passed the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act by a vote of 232 to 183. The measure, re-introduced by Representative Todd Young (R-IN), proposes that any regulation expected to have an economic impact of at least $100 million or more be approved by Congress … Read more
Wendy Davis is a Texas state senator and graduate of Harvard Law School. She earned media attention on June 25 for filibustering Texas Senate Bill 5 (SB 5), which proposed adding restrictions to abortions. Davis, whose filibuster lasted for nearly eleven hours, spoke to staff writer Harleen Gambhir about the legacy of that night, the … Read more