The Roberts court
The current, John Roberts–led U.S. Supreme Court is actually less activist than any Supreme Court in the last 60 years, if activism is defined by a willingness to strike down laws. The Warren court (1953–69) invalidated laws in 7 percent of its cases; the Burger court (1969–86) in 9 percent; the Rehnquist court (1986–2005) in 6.4 percent; and the Roberts court (since 2005) in just 4 percent.
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Red drugs and blue drugs
Even the use of illegal drugs has been affected by the red-blue divide: The top five states with the most methamphetamine lab incidents are all red states. The top five states with the highest cocaine use all are blue states.
NewRepublic.com
Life as a commuter
A person who commutes an hour each way has to make 40 percent more money to be as satisfied with life as a person who lives near the office, according to new research by a Swiss economist. More than 11 million Americans commute more than an hour to work.
The Wall Street Journal
Life expectancy for Afghans
The flood of aid and aid workers that followed the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 helped boost the average Afghan’s life expectancy from 42 years in 2004 to 62 in 2010.
TheAtlantic.com
America's overweight pets
It’s not just the American people who have been getting fatter—their animals have been, too. The National Pet Obesity Survey recently reported that more than 50 percent of cats and dogs—that’s more than 80 million pets—are overweight or obese.
CBSNews.com