Society

If your best subject was recess, you may have been onto something

The playground has a pretty good academic defense.

Recess: a chance for kids to run around and for teachers to take a breath, sip something that used to be hot, and briefly hear themselves think. That alone seems like a solid argument for keeping it. But there’s more going on out there than a much-needed breather for everyone involved.

Schools face pressure to squeeze more learning into the day, and free play can look expendable. As Harvard education researcher Louisa Penfold argues, the trouble starts with what we count as learning.

A lot happens while kids negotiate playground rules or invent something involving a stick. With schools weighing tight budgets and packed schedules, the case for protecting that glorious stretch between bells goes well beyond letting kids burn off steam.

Your dinner routine could use a little more excitement.

There’s nothing wrong with having a few go-to meals. But when the same rotation starts feeling a little too familiar, it might be time to shake things up.

With 100+ recipes to choose from every week, Marley Spoon makes it easy to try something new without starting from scratch. Think globally inspired flavors, seasonal favorites, comforting classics, and dishes you might not think to make on your own, all with fresh ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes delivered to your door.

Because dinner should be more than something you have to figure out. It should be something you look forward to.

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Yesterday's Results

Yesterday we shared some old-fashioned baby names making a comeback, which inspired us to ask: Which of these names was originally a nickname for Margaret?

85.9% of you knew it was Peggy! Margaret to Meg to Peg to Peggy is quite a journey for a nickname.

• Sally (2.9%)

• Peggy (85.9%) 🏆

• Betty (7.6%)

• Nellie (3.7%)

Animals | Courtesy of Upworthy

Well-being

Eye rolls, sarcasm, and clapbacks feel good, but this works better

A therapist shares the three-step playbook for dealing with rude people without letting them hijack your whole day.

A rude person can ruin your day before you’ve finished your coffee. Some people have a talent for saying just the wrong thing with just the right infuriating tone and boom… It’s all you can think about.

Therapist Jeffrey Meltzer says the trick is not “be nicer.” It’s learning how not to hand over the keys to your nervous system in the first place. As Mark Wales reports, skip the passive-aggressive revenge tour and practice calm, assertive responses before you actually need them. It’s less about winning the interaction and more about refusing to let someone else’s bad behavior move into your brain rent-free.

On November 10, 1951, the first coast-to-coast telephone call was dialed without an operator. The mayor of Englewood, New Jersey, called the mayor of Alameda, California, and naturally, their groundbreaking conversation began with a discussion of the weather. Until then, placing a long-distance call generally meant asking an operator to connect you.

The new system, known as direct distance dialing, was a technological marvel that would gradually spread across the country. Suddenly, the prospect of calling someone thousands of miles away was becoming as simple as dialing a number. Of course, callers still had to worry about those eye-watering long-distance charges, which would remain a familiar household concern for decades.

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