“I hate losing more than I even wanna win.” – Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane (or some creative Hollywood writer channeling Billy Beane) Around 40 seconds in.

Monarch butterflies are dying at an alarming rate around the world -- a looming extinction that could also put human life at risk. But we have just the thing to help save these insects, says author Mary Ellen Hannibal: citizen scientists. Learn how these grassroots volunteers are playing a crucial role in measuring and rescuing the monarch's dwindling population -- and how you could join their ranks to help protect nature. (You'll be in good company: Charles Darwin was a citizen scientist!)

Looking to put your skills to use to fight the pandemic? Consider joining The Global Hack, a virtual hackathon designed to rapidly develop solutions to the coronavirus crisis. Designer and technologist Marko Russiver shares the motivation behind a movement looking to help people build post-pandemic resilience. (This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by head of curation Helen Walters. Recorded April 8, 2020)

"I'm a capitalist. I believe in the system. I believe you can increase the size of the pie and you could divide it well," says Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates. He offers wide-ranging insight and advice on how we might recover from the global economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis -- and use it as an opportunity to reform the systems that help grow our economy. (This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and business curator Corey Hajim. Recorded April 8, 2020)

Examining the facts and figures of the coronavirus outbreak, epidemiologist Larry Brilliant evaluates the global response in a candid interview with head of TED Chris Anderson. Brilliant lays out a clear plan to end the pandemic -- and shows why, to achieve it, we'll have to work together across political and geographical divides. "This is not the zombie apocalypse; this is not a mass extinction event," he says. "We need to be the best version of ourselves." (Recorded April 22, 2020)

By Jesse Singal. Study fails to replicate 2011 result, suggesting that word choice matters less as issue has become more politicised.

Montana Superintendent Denise Juneau said it would be "in the best interest of our students" to let districts cancel Smarter Balanced testing if necessary.

In addition to a delay, Wisconsin had to eliminate certain questions from its Smarter Balanced exam, after opting not to use the adaptive testing feature of the test.

The state decided that the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium offers it a chance to share assessment goals with neighboring states.

The state requested a waiver from the federal requirement in January. Failure to meet the 95-percent requirement can lead to funding penalties for states.

North Dakota and Wyoming state superintendents said this week that they will soon hire new testing vendors.

Voters in three southern states will head to the polls for governors races that have shined a spotlight on educator activism, school funding, and teacher pay.

Dozens of Colorado school districts are asking voters next month for more funding for education through bond issues, mill levy overrides, or renewal of a city sales tax.

Teachers and other education advocates hope that tax-wary voters will be willing to approve an amendment that would pour more than $1.6 billion more into schools each year.

New report on Oregon's tribal students show they start out behind, miss more school, and are more likely to drop out.

Kansas and Missouri are resuming their bitter Border War in football after the former Big 12 rivals agreed to a four-game series in which each school will play two home games beginning in September 2025. The fourth-longest rivalry in college football dates to 1891, but it has been on hiatus since Missouri departed for the Southeastern Conference. The schools recently announced a six-game series in men's basketball beginning with the upcoming season that includes two games on each campus and two in Kansas City, Missouri.

The NFL is indeed discussing the possibility of playing games on Saturdays in the event that college football doesn't proceed with a season from September through December. As one source with direct knowledge of the discussions tells PFT, however, the league's strong preference is for college football to happen, as scheduled. No college football season [more]

It was subtle and unexpected move for Schneider, but it was the right one.

Former NFL linebacker talks about growing up with the game of football.

Women's flag football is set to be an official NAIA sport as soon as 2021.

The "Good Morning Football" crew discusses which sophomore QBs and their offensive weapons they're most excited to see play in 2020.

The NFL wants college football season to proceed as usual in 2020. It may proceed, but there's a good chance it will be very unusual. Via Sports Business Daily, commissioners of two of the Power Five conferences (Kevin Warren of the Big 10 and Greg Sankey of the SEC) have hinted in recent days at [more]

Roy Lester, who sandwiched a disappointing three-year stint as Maryland's football coach between a highly successful career at the high school level, has died. Lester's daughter, Amy Lester Greco, said on a Facebook post that her father died Sunday in Rockville, Maryland, due to complications from the new coronavirus. Lester made a name for himself in Maryland during a 10-year run at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville during which the Rockets went unbeaten six times and had an 86-10-1 record.

Cam Newton is more than a quarterback. He's a father, a son, a coach. And to three young men from Georgia and Alabama, a mentor. Look back as the 2018 class of Cam Newton's 7 on 7 football team begins their journey.

NFL coaches might be deprived of their beloved routines, but they're not giving up expectations. For Dolphins coach Brian Flores, that means harkening back to a lesson from one of his New England mentors as he embarks on an offseason of change. With so many new parts arriving in free agency, a new quarterback in [more]

The Difficulties Of South American Football

Less than four months before the scheduled kickoff of the college football season, not one of the 14 schools in the Big Ten Conference can say for sure it will have students back on campus this fall - a crucial step for sports. Uncertainty about how the coronavirus pandemic will unfold through the summer has kept universities from making a definitive decision about the fall semester, which typically begins in late August. The football season, for now, is due to begin Aug. 29, though Big Ten schools don't begin play until the following week.

All 10 schools in the Big 12 Conference expect their campuses to be open in the fall, a key step toward launching fall sports. The coronavirus pandemic has shuttered sports at all levels, and conference commissioners have stressed to Vice President Mike Pence college athletics cannot resume until campuses reopen. The season is slated to begin Aug. 29, though Big 12 schools don't begin play until the following week.

There are 130 major college football teams, spread across 41 states and competing in 10 conferences, save for a handful of independents. The goal is to have all those teams start the upcoming season at the same time - whether that's around Labor Day as scheduled or later - and play the same number of games. Despite the best intentions of conference leaders, the possibility exists of college football being played in SEC country before it begins in Pac-12 territory - or something else entirely.

Reconnecting with mentors, friends, coaches and professors, these football greats reflected on the experiences that they carried with them well beyond their college years. While they all share different stories, their journeys to the NFL were each met with adversity, and whether on or off the field, these obstacles served as tests for each individual athlete to overcome. These challenges made them stronger, earning them valuable lessons and helping them create special connections with the university they will always call ‘home.’

Nine of the 14 football-playing members of the Atlantic Coast Conference are making plans for reopening campuses this fall while three others have publicly said they are exploring scenarios for a return following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Reopening campuses for in-person instruction is a crucial step toward restarting college sports, which were shut down in March. Commissioners of the nation's major football conferences told Vice President Mike Pence last month that college sports couldn't return until campuses have reopened, while the NCAA's chief medical officer said last week that widespread testing for COVID-19 would be critical to restarting sports.

Geoff Schwartz joins the latest Talkin' Ducks Podcast with host Jordan Kent

"One scenario we are not working on is not playing football."

The south is going to play, so should the west coast.

Gabriel Jesus breaks down football in Brazil.

Another piece to the TakeFlight21 puzzle

What middle ground does college football need to continue as normal this season? Here are the five biggest questions looming over the sport’s return.

A dystopian science fiction bordering on reality and fantasy, each page accompanied by a high-quality illustration -- Australian authors.

Fishery management -- United States -- History -- 20th century.

Chomsky, Noam -- Political and social views.