I was recently followed on Instagram by a one-month-old. Well, technically I was followed by her parents who operate an account for their baby girl. Both parents are dear friends of mine and have been for several years. We live farther away from each other than we once did, so my chances to see their
READ MOREIf you want your child to have a rich and fulfilling life, one of the best things you can do is help build your child’s vocabulary. Research shows strong language ability is associated with a number of positive things, including happiness, friendships, connections with family, academic success and a satisfying career. Building your child’s language
READ MOREElizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and certain media outlets are blaming steep rises in college costs on reduced government funding for higher education. The reality is that inflation-adjusted government spending per college student has risen by about three times since the 1960s and is now at an all-time high. In spite of this, college graduation rates,
READ MOREThe staggering success of 2015’s “Straight Outta Compton,” 2018’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and 2019’s “Rocketman” have spawned the production of a half dozen biopics about Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Leonard Bernstein, and Elvis Presley among others. But one music figure needs to be added to the list: Nathaniel Adams Coles, aka Nat “King” Cole. The masterful
READ MOREMost 21st century 12-year-old girls ask for ready-to-wear clothes and accessories for birthdays. Not me. I giggled with joy when I received beautiful uncut fabric, lace, and buttons that I could work on to make into clothing. I eagerly asked my Grandma to teach me, as I had long admired her stacks of sewing projects: quilts,
READ MORE“Don’t be afraid to say no.” Such was the advice of my aunt after I shared my frustrations about the high cost of being a bridesmaid. As a recent college graduate, I’ve been asked to be in several weddings, and the price ain’t pretty. I was taken aback at her advice. Doesn’t Pinterest dictate that
READ MOREThe rise of board games is making headlines (just check out some of the stories here, here, here, here, and here). Despite massive disruption by online- and mobile-based gaming, many consumers seem to still enjoy the face-to-face interaction and experience of tabletop games. As the market responds, and as technology and globalization continue to open the playing field to new competitors and
READ MOREWith 24 declared candidates for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination (and counting), many Americans are likely wondering how the party will ultimately make up its mind and settle on the best candidate. As mathematicians, we wondered whether there might not even be a best candidate. In fact, this is an established mathematical paradox. The more
READ MOREFor the Millennial generation, looking to the future can feel like staring into a black abyss. The feeling is understandable. The economy hasn’t been very kind to the young, flooded as it is with devalued bachelor’s degrees and loads of debt. Yet despite this grim reality, the thought of years to come need not ruin
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