While some researchers and media outlets portray phone use as detrimental, the reality is that the effects of technology use, including phones, vary depending on multiple factors. Here are a few tips.
Commentary
China May Be Winning the Race Back to the Moon
Will the next human to walk on the Moon speak English or Mandarin? In all, 12 Americans landed on the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972. Now, both the US and China are preparing to send humans back there this decade. However, the US lunar programme is delayed, in part because the spacesuits and lunar-landing vehicle are not ready. Meanwhile, China has pledged to put astronauts on the Moon by 2030 – and it has a habit of sticking to timelines.
Yelp at 20: Confusing and Confounding
There’s a reason review sites like Yelp are so popular. No one wants to spend their hard-earned money on a dud product, or fork over cash for a bad meal. So we’ll seek advice from strangers and use various clues to judge if a particular review is authentic and reliable. But sometimes these cues can lead shoppers down the wrong path. Other times, the reviews are simply fake.
Why Americans Arm Themselves. It’s Not Just Physical Protection.
Gun owners aren’t just protecting against the specific threat of physical violence. Owners are also using a gun to protect their psychological selves. Owning a gun helps them feel more in control of the world around them and more able to live meaningful, purposeful lives that connect to the people and communities they care for.
The Baalbek Ruins, Israeli Edition
The city of Baalbek in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley–the City of the Sun–was settled almost 10,000 years ago, and is famous for its long history and its Roman ruins, one of the architectural marvels of the world. To the author, it is wrapped up in memories of childhood and of a father who died decades ago, and now in renewed sorrows as Baalbek was again among Israel’s targets in the last few weeks of bombing.
The Minefield of Religion in the Workplace
The most common concern about bringing up religion in the workplace is that it will lead to conflict – including conflict from people trying to change each other’s beliefs. But workers appreciate when their employers take active steps to let employees know that religious accommodations are available and that religious expression in general is not forbidden. Having upfront conversations about what is or is not appropriate – not only legally but socially – can go a long way toward setting boundaries.
Israel Politicizes Refugee Aid and Puts Millions of Lives at Risk
The Israeli parliament’s vote on Oct. 28, 2024, to ban the United Nations agency that provides relief for Palestinian refugees is likely to affect millions of people – it also fits a pattern. Aid for refugees, particularly Palestinian refugees, has long been politicized, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA, has been targeted throughout its 75-year history.
Project 2025’s Coming War on Struggling Families
I’m a mom of four and have a child with special needs. My husband and I work hard for our four boys. We live above the official federal poverty line, but we struggle. And if conservative groups succeed in implementing Project 2025 under the next Trump administration, we’ll struggle a lot harder, with looming, harsh cuts to programs that families like mine rely on.
The Day After: 208 Million Americans Are Obese
Nearly half of adolescents and three-quarters of adults in the U.S. were classified as being clinically overweight or obese in 2021. The rates have more than doubled compared with 1990. Obesity has slowed health improvements and life expectancy in the U.S. compared with other high-income nations. It increases the risk of diabetes, heart attack, stroke, cancer and mental health disorders.
Gen Z Heads Home. A Few Tips.
The adult child’s return home, even for a few days or weeks, may produce some stress for both generations. But, the parent-child relationship is always evolving, including negotiating – and renegotiating – power and control as children age.
