One of my favorite tweeters recently sent out a provocative little note about knowing the difference between harmful suffering and that which is part of the growth process. What’s his secret? 

Image via http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/01/04/1398631/hiv-vaccine-breakthrough/ A recent failed HIV prevention drug trial in Africa has raised concerns over the ethical design and implementation of research involving payment to participants in poor countries. According to the New York Times: “The trial — known by the acronym ...

Nineteenth century British philosopher and sociologist Herbert Spencer was the first to coin the term “survival of the fittest.”  The idea, also referred to as natural selection, suggests that some individuals are better suited to overcome the challenges and exploit the opportunities within their environments and would thus thrive ...

WASHINGTON, DC—Spearheaded by former Congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns and joined by former Congressman Ronald V. Dellums and current Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA13), Tuesday March 17, 2015 has been declared Social Work Day on the Hill.  The event’s theme is Engaging Congress in the Pursuit of Social Justice. More than two... Read More →

Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain. This unfolds across a lifetime, to...

  ENGAGE: Write a letter to the editor For 1.6 million North Carolinians, the worst part of job searching is not the interview, but the moment they drop off the application. Nearly every employment application contains a small box on the front page that reads, “Have you ever been convicted... Read More →

The school-to-prison pipeline, a national trend in which public school children are channeled from educational settings into the criminal justice system, has received increased attention in recent years—especially as a result of the Black Lives Matter campaign. This phenomenon is heavily influenced by school disciplinary policies that disproportionately affect children... Read More →

Stop thinking. Yes you, stop, don’t think, not even a little bit. Because if you do, you might think for yourself, and then where will we all be? Not in Oklahoma if lawmakers have their way. Allegedly, their AP history course is under scrutiny for being “unpatriotic” as it refuses... Read More →

Two retail employees who are soon to be out of a job demonstrated friendly, knowledgeable service last night while helping my wife and I. When they have every reason to be bitter and let their mounting stress show, they each made a choice instead to be the best they could ...