Names in the News: Wage ’12 on Altruism, Crossword Champ Feyer ’99, and More

MATT WAGE ’12 was featured in Nicholas Kristof’s opinion column in The New York Times as the titular “Trader Who Donates Half His Pay.” Wage, who was a philosophy major at Princeton and a student of moral philosopher Peter Singer, is now an arbitrage trader who donates half his income to charity. Wage’s efforts are an example of “effective altruism,” a movement championed by Singer that encourages people to consider all the ways they can make a positive difference and choose the one with maximum impact.

Emeritus professor TONI MORRISON is the subject of a New York Times Magazine profile that starts in the century-old barn that is now the studio where Morrison recorded the audiobooks for her latest novel, God Help the Child, and delves into her life and vision as an editor and writer.

At the 38th annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, DAN FEYER ’99 took first place after beating his opponent and fellow crossword champion Tyler Hinman by a half-second. Both Feyer and Hinman had previously won five consecutive titles at the tournament, which was founded in 1978 byNew York Times crossword editor Will Shortz. 

History professor KEVIN KRUSE discussed the idea of the United States as a Christian nation on “To the Point,” NPR affiliate KCRW’s news and public affairs program. Kruse, who is the author of the recently published One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America, says that the concept of America as a Christian country is a relatively recent invention with roots in big business’ fight against FDR’s New Deal in the 1930s.

The New York Times’ Ligaya Mishan went into the kitchen with poet and creative writing professor TRACY K. SMITH, who talks about her KitchenAid mixer, learning to bake from her mother, and her mother’s poundcake recipe.