Blog 3 Columns

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Destitute Mom Gave Him One Hell of an Education 0
- Education
- August 31, 2017
J.R.R. Tolkien’s father died when he was just four years old. The famous author, best known for The Hobbit and his Lord of the Rings trilogy, was raised by his mother, Mabel, who took great pains to see that her young son received a proper education. Mabel did not disappoint. Authors Philip Zaleski and Carol
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Homeschool Mom Receives Visit from the State Over Field Trip 0
- Education
- August 31, 2017
The Great Solar Eclipse of 2017 was met with a variety of responses by schools across the country. Some announced they would close for the day for fear that the children under their care would accidentally look at the sun and encounter eye damage. Others remained open out of fear that children would not be
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At Back-To-School Time, the Childhood Suicide Rate Rises 0
- Culture
- August 31, 2017
At this time of year our social media feeds light up with back-to-school photos. Tidy children in new fall clothes pose for their parents’ camera, marking an annual ritual commemorating the steady passage of childhood. But beyond those smiling faces and hand-held “first day” signs is the reality that for many of these young people,
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Why You Shouldn’t Worry if Your Child Can’t Read by Age Eight 2
- Culture
- August 30, 2017
Not long ago, comedian Crystal Lowery posted a Facebook status about her personal life. The post had to do with decisions she and her husband had made regarding their young son, and began as follows: “I’m not teaching my 5-year-old how to read. Don’t get me wrong, we read him books all the time. We’ve
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Should Parents Give Expensive Gifts to Children?0
- Culture
- August 30, 2017
Over at The Guardian, fashion columnist Hadley Freeman has penned an interesting piece on the rise of designer children’s clothing. Designer wear kids’ clothes, Freeman notes, seem to have gained popularity in recent years, particularly given the equation of Kim Kardashian + North West + social media accounts: “The usual celebrities, such as Victoria Beckham
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Reese Witherspoon’s Daughter Has Something Many Celebrity Children Lack: A Work Ethic 0
- Culture
- August 30, 2017
In his book, The Vanishing American Adult, Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska shared with readers his favorite hashtag game from the summer of 2016. It was called #FirstSevenJobs, which asked Twitter users to list the jobs they first encountered in their working lives. The Senator’s first jobs were mostly agricultural, having grown up in Nebraska,
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Paul Krugman Discovers the Problem with Unbridled Presidential Power 0
- Politics
- August 30, 2017
It’s always an occasion of note when Paul Krugman says a true thing. And it has happened. “Given the powers we grant to the president, who in some ways is almost like an elected dictator, giving the office to someone likely to abuse that power invites catastrophe.” Abused power is indeed potentially catastrophic. Perhaps there
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Hurricane Harvey Brings Out the Best in Americans 0
- Culture
- August 30, 2017
Pictures of destroyed homes and flooded neighborhoods are heartbreaking, but the inspiring images of neighbors helping neighbors and average citizens performing heroic acts has shown Texas, and America, at its best. The eyes of the country have been on Texas as it deals with the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey. Along with coverage of the
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How Higher Education “Studies” Men 0
- Culture
- August 30, 2017
In 2013, Stony Brook University (part of the SUNY system) revealed plans for a new “Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities.” Since I’m a Stony Brook grad, I was quite interested in this development. Would the new Center do anything to enhance the school’s reputation for scholarship? I didn’t think it would, but
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J.R.R. Tolkien’s Destitute Mom Gave Him One Hell of an Education 0