Blog 3 Columns

What Black Lives Matter Should Protest 0
- Culture
- March 8, 2016
Recently the St. Paul, Minnesota chapter of Black Lives Matter (BLM) threatened to protest a local high school. Finally, one might think, BLM is getting to some root issues, such as how poorly Black students are prepared in schools. But, no, it turns out that the group just wants a teacher fired. What did the
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Study: Kids Who Learn About Scientists’ Struggles Do Better In Science 0
- Science
- March 8, 2016
We’re all familiar with Thomas Edison’s famous quote, “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” But, seeing real-life examples of this principle in action might actually help motivate kids to work harder in school. A new study in the Journal of Education Psychology suggests that students who learn about famous scientists’ struggles do better in
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Science: Conservatives Are Happier Than Liberals (and extremists are happier than moderates)0
- Politics
- March 8, 2016
Are conservatives happier than liberals? Yes, according to Arthur C. Brooks, author of Gross National Happiness and president of the American Enterprise Institute. Writing for the New York Times he notes: “Scholars on both the left and right have studied this question extensively, and have reached a consensus that it is conservatives who possess the
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Millennials Aren’t Kidding About Their Declining Income 0
- Culture
- March 8, 2016
When it comes to financial issues, millennials increasingly feel like they are receiving the short end of the stick. Particularly when they look at their parents’ and grandparents’ generations. As it turns out, millennials haven’t been imagining things. A new survey by The Guardian shows that millennials are indeed experiencing a decline in wealth: “Where
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How the Islamic State is Using Schools to Indoctrinate Children 0
- Culture
- March 8, 2016
The idea of children being indoctrinated through education is repugnant to most Americans. But in the Islamic State, it’s a normal part of life in schools, as a new report from The Quilliam Foundation shows. Entitled The Children of Islamic State, the report studied the use of children in Islamic propaganda between August 2015 and
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Has the Breakdown of the Family Influenced Dating Habits?0
- Culture
- March 8, 2016
There’s a fascinating little chart in today’s Washington Post which records how American couples met their spouses. The most striking thing about the chart is the recent rapid rise in online introductions, which seems to correspond with the recent decrease in meeting spouses through friends or co-workers. But there’s another trend line in the chart
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Are There ‘Moral Absolutes’?0
- March 8, 2016
In a post last weekend, I argued that teleological moral theory, while understandably popular, falls short in two ways: It asks us to play God, and would license any horrible act when that would seem to contribute to overall human well-being. Deontological theories—from the Greek deon, meaning “duty”?—address these problems. Broadly speaking, deontological theories entail
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Are Suburbs a Form of Escapism?0
- Culture
- March 8, 2016
Suburban life tends to get a bad rap these days. Some of it is undoubtedly due to a shortsighted failure to take into account deficiencies in modern urban life. But is some of the criticism of suburbia justified? In his 20th century classic The City in History, Lewis Mumford points out that suburbs are by
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8 Quotes for Election Season from Saul Bellow 0
- Politics
- March 8, 2016
1) “For the first time in history, the human species as a whole has gone into politics. Everyone is in the act, and there is no telling what may come of it.” 2) “A good American makes propaganda for whatever existence has forced him to become.” 3) “Take our politicians: they’re a bunch of yo-yos. The
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What Black Lives Matter Should Protest 0