Fiftysomethings Reflect on Twentysomethings
Summary: Everyone's been there. Oh, and Girls is horrifying.
Ideas 2013
Our annual guide to modest proposals that can change the world—plus full coverage of the Aspen Ideas Festival.
The Next Big Thing for Exploring the Distant Universe: Balloons
A way to get 99 percent of the way into space, at 1 percent of the cost of a satellite
The George W. Bush Years Summed Up in One Image
Can you guess what word he used most in his annual State of the Union addresses?
Her Big Idea: Gabby Giffords
Why is she so optimistic?
'The Mom Test'
Need to field test your tech product? Look no further than your mom.
Here's One Example of What Free Media Can Do in Afghanistan
Saad Mohseni on incidental causes of social change
Her Big Idea: Madeleine Albright
International cooperation and foreign aid are key to solving the Middle East, she says.
Data Visualization, Inspired by ... Jack Kerouac
One artist is putting the humanity back in data -- with a little help from literature.
Anna Deavere Smith Recites MLK's 'Letter From a Birmingham Jail'
"I think I should give the reason for my being in Birmingham, since you have been influenced by the argument of 'outsiders coming in.'"
Anna Deavere Smith Recites MLK's 'Letter From Birmingham Jail'
"I think I should give the reason for my being in Birmingham, since you have been influenced by the argument of 'outsiders coming in.'"
Obama: More George H.W. Bush Than George W. Bush?
Despite his campaign style and oratory, the 44th president has been more of a transactional than transformative leader, says Joseph Nye.
Asa Hutchinson's 'Small Government' Case for Marijuana Prohibition
The former drug czar warns that if we legalize pot, it might lead to kids getting scholarships. Would that really be so bad?
WiFi Capabilities Aside, Don't Plan on Skyping From the Sky Anytime Soon
We may be technologically capable of broad in-flight connectivity. The question is whether we want to take advantage of it.
Why Is Jack Lew So Optimistic About the Economy?
The treasury secretary's upbeat predictions about growth, immigration reform, and U.S.-China relations
Should the U.S. Have a Secretary of Culture?
Some 50 other countries carve space in their governments for artistic advancement -- the case that the U.S. should follow suit
Tahrir Square Redux: A Tipping Point for Democracy in Egypt?
Mona Eltahawy vs. Madeleine Albright on the future of the Arab Spring in the Middle East's most populous country
Debated: Does America Pay Too Much Attention to the Middle East?
The President of the Council on Foreign Relations says yes. The head of the Woodrow Wilson center says no.
The GOP Can't Win With Eric Cantor as Its Ambassador
Whatever his strengths, communicating a compelling vision to the American people isn't one of them.
His Big Idea: James L. Brooks
Binge-watching TV makes it better.
Apple's Power Over Design, in 4 Words
Even Silicon Valley's most influential designers are Apple fanboys.
'We Might Be Martians'
Dimitar Sasselov and Catharine Conley on life beyond Earth
Her Big Idea: Annie Lennox
We can overcome HIV/AIDS, she says.
Staring at the Sun (With a Telescope)
Thoughts on clearly viewing our star for the first time
Twitter Is the New Haiku
Are short bursts of information their own art form?
Twitter CEO Dick Costolo Can't Tell You About NSA Abuses
He did say that his company's policy is to fight what they regard as overly broad requests for information.
Rick Perry and the Muslim Brotherhood: Compare and Contrast
Mona Eltahawy on social conservatism in Egypt and the U.S.
His Big Idea: Lil' Buck
Some ideas are bendable.
Consider the Wine Glass
A wine glass is hard to hold and easy to break. And that's what makes it great.
Justice Kagan and Justice Scalia Are Hunting Buddies—Really
"I shot myself a deer," Elena Kagan said of a recent big game hunting trip with the conservative justice in Wyoming.
Her Big Idea: Mona Eltahawy
The Middle East needs a sexual revolution.
Michael Eisner on Kickstarter: 'I Think It's Only Positive'
The consummate Hollywood creator on the web-driven way to fund creativity
Is Abraham Lincoln the Most Unifying President in U.S. History?
Southerners think so at roughly the same rate as other Americans.
Marketers v. Redditors
Reddit Founder Alexis Ohanian on which companies should fear the Internet
Jane Harman: The Top-Secret Clearance System Is Like Something Out of the 19th Century
One way to prevent future Snowdens is to transform a broken and "ridiculous" screening process, said the former congresswoman.
A Big Idea: Abraham Lincoln, MBA
Nancy Koehn finds business-leadership insights from Lincoln, Shackleton, and other historical figures.
That Time an Astronaut Got a Pie Sent to the International Space Station
Pie in the sky, literally.
Kickstarters of Yore: Mozart, Lady Liberty, Alexander Pope
"Hey guys, will ye funde my Kickstartere?'
Lloyd Blankfein on Short-Term Profits vs. Long-Term Value
Even investment banks want people to love their brands
New Orleans: Corrupt City, Model Democracy
Discerning zingers from the eminently quotable Husain Haqqani