In a recently published study, Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers assessed the subjective happiness of women and found that despite greater opportunities, higher wages and increased education, their perceived feelings of well-being have decreased steadily over the last 35 years. In addition they identified a widening gap in the levels of subjective happiness experienced by Read More
As usual there are so many things to get into, but I just have to say GO BETTY!!! She was gone for a while, but the the girl is definitely back and I like it. It was strange territory to be in starting from last week – I had gotten so used to Betty’s snivelling Read More
There will be blood…and Barbies that rise from the dead. Any sense one may have had of a lull in the action was obliterated by this week’s episode of Mad Men. But beyond the shock of office lawn- mower maimings the episode was a study in irony and disorder, some of it humorous (starting with Read More
Last March, after a very fraught period during the run-up to the presidential election we got to listen to Barack Obama make a personal and moving speech about race – not only its role in his life but that of America as a nation. After we breathed a sigh of relief that the Reverend Wright Read More
Diversity 101: Having “x” number of friends who are (insert ethnicity here) does not make you less prejudiced. Or does it? There’s a possibility it could for college students. An NYT article published last week outlined the findings from studies that suggested that interracial college roomate pairings may reduce prejudice. There are quite a few Read More
Despite efforts to counter it, the achievement gap between white and minority students remains remarkably stubborn. The usual run-down of reasons for this disparity are well known. Lower socioeconomic backgrounds of minority kids, less access to early childhood education, under-resourced and violent schools, etc. What gets discussed less often is the effect of self-concept and Read More
For internet addicts who want to keep tabs on swine flu developments the Center for Disease Control has a Twitter Feed to provide you with up to the minute facts, stats and reminders. For example, you CANNOT catch swine flu from eating pork. See black people? Don’t say I never gave you nuffin. For the Read More
(a continuation of the series started by slb and quadmoniker) I’m a heathen. My schoolmates’ word, not mine. While they would file out for Ash Wednesday mass and other religious observances I would sit in the classroom with the Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses to “do something constructive”. I am the only person in Read More
Somewhere after the initial pleasantries and standard surface questions there is “the story”. “The story” is always trouble. It begins with what should be an innocuous question: “Where are you from?” I start debating with myself. Do I really want to explain myself again? I was a senior in college when I first heard the Read More
Seems like an auspicious beginning for a week of black firsts. Basketball. Football. Tennis. Golf. Now F-1 Racing? Today Lewis Hamilton won the Formula One Championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix. At 23, Hamilton is the youngest F-1 winner in history and the first black man to win the championship. He grew up Read More
