Nancy Leong (Denver): The Open Road and the Traffic Stop. Joseph Blocher (Duke): Rights To and Not To. From Der Spiegel, a special report on the Ticking Euro Bomb: How a good idea became a tragedy (and part 2 and part 3). America the Brutiful: Yanks are starring on foreign screens — and it ain't a pretty sight. Did a massive comet almost wipe out humans in 1883? From U.S. Intellectual History, an article on Occupy Wall Street and the culture wars of the “New Class”. Should Occupy Wall Street take up arms? American history is full of revolutionary violence — will the Occupy movement follow John Brown’s example? United Nations expert on torture Juan Mendez calls on all countries to ban the solitary confinement of prisoners except in very exceptional circumstances and for as short a time as possible. Has empathy become the new scapegoat? Empathy doesn’t always lead to more moral behavior, but it can lead to more intelligent behavior. Why did the approval ratings of President George W. Bush — who was perceived as indecisive before September 11, 2001 — soar over 90 percent after the terrorist attacks? Because Americans were acutely aware of their own deaths. What's in a logo? A search is underway for a universal logo for human rights. Where to get the world’s best service: International travelers rank the level of service they experienced in 24 countries. Nate Silver on the geography of college football fans (and realignment chaos). Who profits from unpaid labor? Emily Witt and Marc Smirnoff go head to head about Ross Perlin's Intern Nation: How to Earn Nothing and Learn Little in the Brave New Economy (and more at Bookforum). Is Craig Venter going to save the planet, or is this more hype from one of America’s most controversial scientists? A look at the 6 most badass families of all-time.
