Uber's "God view" shows a map of the cars in an area and the silhouettes of the people who ordered them. Linguist Geoff Nunberg says Uber-Santa doesn't just know when you've been sleeping, but where.
After grand jury decisions not to indict police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, NPR TV critic Eric Deggans notes media missteps in discussing race.
It rained in California this week. That might not sound like news, but the state is experiencing a record-setting drought. Jason Heller turns to science fiction to reflect on the strange weather.
Ruth Coker Burks has no medical training but has spent decades caring for people with AIDS. "I've buried over 40 people in my family's cemetery," she says, "because their families didn't want them."
As fans prepare for the first college playoff games, commentator Frank Deford points out that the sport faces far more serious problems than which school will win the conference title.
Cricketer Phillip Hughes was wearing a helmet this week when a ball struck and killed him. NPR's Scott Simon wonders if some safety measures also encourage people to take on more risk.
This week, a Missouri grand jury decided not to indict Darren Wilson, the officer who killed Michael Brown. Writer Syreeta McFadden turns to Audre Lorde's poetry to make sense of this decision.
Especially at Thanksgiving, saying grace is a family ritual for many Americans. We asked you to share your stories and traditions — and they ran the gamut, from heartwarming to horrifying.
Just in time for Thanksgiving, commentator Frank Deford describes his gratitude for everyone's favorite team in any American sport. The Spurs, he says, are gentlemen, do right and are beloved by all.