Rerouting Boston’s Central Artery required more resources than anyone imagined. The “Big Dig” was the largest civil engineering project in U.S. history. Promised to cost $2.8 billion in 1985, it came in at $22 billion in 2007. These numbers are miniscule however when compared to the costs of tackling a human engineering problem—weight gain in…

“When you have to stop and think about things is when they go wrong.” When San Antonio Spurs’ forward Tim Duncan is playing well, he’s feelin’ it. Think too much and things go wrong. You might not be involved in high-speed sports, but you do experience high-speed decision making everyday. Why then does the Western…

The cars are sleek—but they only operate by gravity. In the early 1930s, a Dayton Ohio news photographer watched three boys race cool-looking engine-less cars down an inclined street. A year later, The Soap Box Derby was born. It features aerodynamic cars operating by gravity. It’s the same dynamic that drives many contemporary ministries—and presents…

In 1938, the “Chase and Sanborn Hour” was the most popular radio program. “Mercury Theatre on the Air” ran second—until Mercury’s dramatist, Orson Welles, updated an old story, War of the Worlds. It proved stunning. This weekend, you will likely hear an updated version of Christmas. Will it however prove stunning… or sappy?

Alan Iverson understood talking about practice misses the point. A few years ago, as Alan Iverson’s play declined, the press honed in on his poor practice habits. This incensed the former NBA all-star. “I’m supposed to be the franchise player and we’re talking about practice… not the game… practice. How silly is that?” It’s not…

The trailer looked good but it was actually gutted. When my parents—snowbirds—set their sights on purchasing a trailer in Florida, they found one that looked good. A closer inspection revealed termite damage. Americans got a closer look at Congress when the House censured Representative Charles Rangel. How many saw termite damage? It goes well beyond…

Dwight Howard was not the actual MVP. A few years back, the woeful Washington Wizards upended the Orlando Magic in an otherwise forgettable game. The press highlighted the game’s high scorer, Orlando’s Dwight Howard. Yet the NBA’s scoring system graded him as only third-best that night. Highlighting the third-best player is a minor matter but it…

Smart coaches know you take what the defense gives you. Might be good advice for faith communities at Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is when faith communities often get ornery. They object to opaque references to God. However, given the world we live in, the wisest course of action might be to take what the defense gives you….

Thomas Edison was a great inventor but a poor innovator. It’s a distinction with a difference. Inventors are builders. Innovators are remodelers. The dissimilarity has significant implications for innovation. It’s the reason why Edison the inventor saw innovation as socially horrifying.

What can a mechanic do that a manual can’t? If you own a 1970s-era Honda motorcycle that won’t start, the manual says to first remove the engine covers. A mechanic might counter: Maybe. It’s hesitancy gained from hands-on experience. The value of hands-on experience applies to more than motorcycles. It could help “faith and work”…