Since then, residents of Newtown have been dealing with the arc of life in unimaginable ways -- of death and loss, of pain and suffering, of shock and horror, of beginning to heal.

CNN: A message from beyond: Peace in Newtown

Bois d'Arc's reserve life is 14 years, though, double that of the typical Gulf oil-and-gas firm.

FORBES: Gassing Up

But individual choices have broader consequences, and a society in which young women routinely freeze their eggs could develop very different attitudes about children and the arc of a human life.

WSJ: The Ethics of Egg Freezing

Ms. Danes says her character's roller-coaster arc took a toll in real life.

WSJ: Homeland: The Making of TV's Hottest Show

Medals awarded to a World War II pilot who risked his life to drop the French Tricolour over the Arc de Triomphe in occupied Paris in 1942 are being auctioned.

BBC: Daring World War II pilot Ken Gatward's medals auctioned

" Her competition includes Judy Davis for "Dash and Lilly, " Leelee Sobieski for "Joan of Arc, " Ann-Margret for "Life of the Party: The Pamela Harriman Story" (Lifetime), and Helen Mirren for Showtime's "The Passion of Ayn Rand.

CNN: Old favorites outweigh newcomers for Emmy nominations

Hopefully, The Dark Knight Rises inspires other Hollywood creatives to bring other super hero movies to life with the type of well-developed characters and story arc that Nolan achieved.

FORBES: Christopher Nolan Delivers Super Hero Perfection With The Dark Knight Rises

But that is not the case for many cities that have risen, often anarchically, on a coastal arc from China to the Arabian Sea, luring millions in search of a better life.

FORBES: Awaiting a Superstorm Fate Far Worse Than Sandy: Asian Megacities