Happy Saturday!
Questioning impacts of health aid in Africa
Roger Cook argues that the large amount of aid provided to Africa since 2000 to improve public health, much of it targeting HIV, has not had the desired effect.
Thinking about status hierarchies
Back in June 2011, Michael Kraus wrote this interesting post about status hierarchies for the Psych Your Mind blog, with some readings.
DPUI: Dog purchasing under the influence
This New York Times story from back in July chronicles the problem of people purchasing puppies while drunk, and a couple Greenwich Village pet stores that bar “visibly intoxicated patrons from buying, playing with, or even cradling puppies.”
Steven Pinker and the decline of violence
The New York Times profiles evolutionary psychologist Steven Pinker, whose most recent book, The Better Angels of Our Nature explores the decline in violence of various forms over recent centuries.
Early color photographs from the Musée Albert-Kahn
In the early part of the 20th century, French banker Albert Kahn embarked on a project to use the new technology of color photography to record the world and its people. This article in the Daily Mirror includes several interesting photos, including this one of New York’s Plaza Hotel, which had recently opened.
Wired science photo galleries
Wired collects their best science image galleries of 2011. From July, this gallery shows natural sand formations, including this photo from the coast of Scotland by Martyn Gorman.
Review of 2011 for the yakuza
Jake Adelstein recounts the major developments in Japanese organized crime news in Number 1 Shimbun.

