ACA Agonistes
Obamacare Counterpoint: I’ll Take the ACA, Warts and All

Obamacare counterpoint from a reader: Was this the greatest customer experience of my life? Not by a long shot. Was this the worst customer experience? That dubious distinction is held by a previous purchase of private market health insurance.

Exporting MOOCs
Regulators Boot Coursera from Iran and Cuba

Federal regulations are blocking Coursera from Iran, Cuba, Syria and Sudan because of conflicts with sanctions law. This is a counterproductive policy that serves no purpose.

All the President's Errors
Five Important Mistakes in Obama’s SOTU

Last night President Obama gave his State of the Union address. Here’s five important mistakes he made.

GM-Oh Yeah
This Genetic Poison Could Save the Bees

Scientists have developed a new kind of pesticide that can disrupt the genetic sequences of the intended targets. The new method goes after the RNA of unwanted organisms—and could be used to target a mite “believed to be at least partly responsible for the mass die-offs of honeybees in recent years.”

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Pete Seeger
So Long, It’s Been a Bit Strange to Know You

Seeger was an unrepentant communist (with a small c). But the criticisms of his politics always seemed to bear too personal an edge.

The Road Ahead
Self-Driving Cars: An Advertiser’s Dream

Just about every aspect of the robot-driven car of the future lends itself to marketing. Is it a coincidence, then, that Google—maybe the dominant advertiser in the information age—is so keen on developing the technology? Doubtful.

Ukrainian Tremors
Putin’s Karma

Putin has thoroughly insulated himself from the sorts of forces rattling Yanukovych in Ukraine these days. But as he watches events unfold, he has to feel a little insecure.

Game of jets
India’s Struggling Military Gets Major Boost From Japan

It looks like India is about to become the first country since World War II to buy military aircraft from Japan. This is big news not just for Japan, which is experiencing a revival under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but also for India as it tries to keep pace with a rapidly developing Chinese military.

ACA Agonistes
Debate Over GOP Health Care Plan is Woefully Short-Sighted

Three GOP senators have put forward the most credible plan to date for an alternative to Obamacare, but wonks have yet to learn that how we pay for our health care is ultimately secondary to whether we are delivering it efficiently.

MOOC Metrics
Adventures in MOOC Demographics

A new profile of edX users is challenging assumptions about what kinds of students stand to benefit most from MOOCs.

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