EZ Reads 5/14/09: Stern Gang

A huge congratulations is due to all "the Sternies" we know who had their graduation today. Y'all have matured quite a bit these last few years, and are an amazing group, both collectively and individually, and we're happy to have hosted you and had you "join our family" and to have been afforded the opportunity to see you all grow as you have. And we hope to see you all here soon! :)

Some good stuff:

• A mostly great memo from the RCA on Hirhurim discussing some things that must change within the Orthodox community, from institutional transparency (finally!) to cutting down on spending on the one side to actively opposing charter schools and calling on people to give more money, even if their kids are not in school.
• A Soldier's Mother with a moving piece on the gift of life the family of a soldier accidentally killed gave to the soldier whose gun went off, and with an added story that is also beautiful in its own way.
  
• via Freakonomics, a Boston Globe piece on the science and valuation of happiness. Personally, the idea that people can adapt to horrible situations and be happy does not devalue the loss they've suffered but merely shows us the ability of people to overcome struggles. That people show more irritation with small things seems to be more simply because we don't look at them as things we need to overcome.
• Mystical Paths with a funny/sad comic and a cute/sad video that make you go Hmmm.
  

Enjoy!