Aug 11 Social Security and Viagra: A case of accidental death and widows benefits By Laurence Kotlikoff There are countless rules governing Social Security benefits, and just as many exceptions to those rules, including one for "accidental death," which allows widow(er)s to receive survivor benefits even after having been married less than the requisite nine months. Larry… Continue reading
Aug 10 Watch PBS NewsHour | Full Episode | Sunday, August 10, 2014 By PBS News Hour On this edition, new American efforts to save tens of thousands of Iraqis who fled from islamic jihadists, the burden of college debt and new statistics about how much it weighs on graduates and for how long, and from Boston,… Continue watching
Aug 10 Study: Past trauma increases risk of suicide among U.S. military members By Carey Reed Three studies presented at the American Psychological Associations 122nd Annual Convention in Washington, D.C. this week suggest that military members who experience trauma prior to enlisting are more at risk for suicide than those who have not. Continue reading
Aug 10 Amid pressure, New York releases half of Common Core test questions By Carey Reed In response to requests by educators and parent-teacher associations, the New York State Department of Education released 50 percent of the Common Core-based English Language Arts and Math test questions for exams taken by students in the third through eighth… Continue reading
Aug 10 Graham to Obama: Expand Iraq airstrikes or risk terrorist attack By Philip Elliott, Associated Press Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says he worries an American city could soon be a terrorist target if the U.S. military fails to turn back Islamic militants on the march in Iraq and Syria. Continue reading
Aug 09 Watch PBS NewsHour | Full Episode | Saturday, August 9, 2014 By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Aug 09 Study: Learning a musical instrument boosts language, reading skills By samantha abramowitz Learning to sing or play a musical instrument can improve language and reading skills of disadvantaged children, according to a new study released Friday. Continue reading
Aug 09 Watch Art or evidence? After appeal, court rules violent rap lyrics not a confession By PBS News Hour In a ruling that could have national implications, the New Jersey State Supreme Court unanimously agreed that Vonte Skinner's rap lyrics should not have been admitted at a murder trial, ruling that those graphic lyrics weren't sufficient evidence to prove… Continue watching
Aug 09 New Jersey court strikes down murder conviction based on violent rap lyrics By Saskia de Melker, William Brangham This week, the New Jersey State Supreme Court overturned, by a vote of 6-0, the attempted murder conviction of an aspiring rapper and small-time drug dealer named Vonte Skinner, arguing that the extensive reading of Skinner’s violent rap lyrics during… Continue reading