In Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville writes compellingly about how religion in the U.S. turns us away from narrow self-interest to what he calls “self-interest rightly understood.” While the former is entirely selfish, in the latter we recognize how our interests are necessarily intertwined with the interests of others. When we act, we accept
READ MOREThe IRS released new federal income tax brackets last week. Though marginal tax rates did not change, federal law requires the brackets to be adjusted for inflation, and this is how they shake out. Marginal rate Individual income Married couples filing jointly 10% $11,600 $0-up to $23,2000 12% $11,600 to $47,150 $23,2000 to $94,300 22% $47,150
READ MOREIndi Gregory, a critically ill 8-month-old baby girl from Derbyshire, England, was taken off life support over the weekend. Her family announced her overnight passing on Monday. Diagnosed with a rare degenerative mitochondrial disease, Indi had won the hearts of the British and global public. Her parents, the Vatican’s pediatric hospital, and even the Italian
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READ MOREFor a long time, when I saw the term critical thinking, I would nod approvingly. Who doesn’t want to sharpen their analytical thought, give their mind a keener edge? In fact, I would have said that our society suffers mainly from a lack of critical thinking, a lack of logical thought. Of course, logical thinking
READ MOREChristmas is just around the corner! We often look forward to the holidays with heaps of joy … and maybe a little trepidation. There can be so many presents involved, particularly given the numerous people and parties. It can be a lot for anyone to deal with. But presents can’t just be ignored: Children love
READ MOREThe old FedEx envelope was clever, a work of art even, optimistic and colorful, signifying speed and progress. What a beautiful contrast to the plainness of the US Postal Service. For years, I can recall dropping off these treasures and paying maybe $10 to assure its delivery across the country, even the world. For me,
READ MOREIn his four-out-of-four review of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist, film critic Roger Ebert wrote that the picture “transcends the genre of terror, horror, and the supernatural.” However, Ebert did not address perhaps the most compelling element of the 1973 classic horror film: that buried deep within the gruesome story of a demon-inhabited 12-year-old girl is
READ MOREI remember Scholastic book fairs well. I recall the excitement, as a child, of flipping through their bright catalogues and the intoxicating smell of so many new books neatly laid out on tables in the school library. With its unique book fair business model, it is no wonder Scholastic grew to become “the world’s largest
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