Blog 3 Columns

‘Native American’: The Surprising Source of the Term 0
- Education
- February 14, 2017
One could be forgiven for presuming that referring to American Indians as Native Americans is a modern phenomenon, a terminology perhaps ginned up by a professor at Berkeley in the 60s. In fact, the first known reference to Indians as Native Americans is believed to come from none other than America’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. In
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Tennessee Admits One Third of High School Grads Didn’t Complete Their Coursework 0
- Culture
- February 13, 2017
In recent years, schools, educators, and other policy makers have pointed to the nation’s rising graduation rates as proof that America is fixing its education problems and is on the path to prosperity. But some have wondered if those graduation rates are artificially propped up by dumbed down standards. That suspicion was affirmed over the
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Slavoj Zizek: Don’t Mock Trump, Propose an Actual Vision 0
- History
- February 13, 2017
A minority of those on the Left have responded to Trump’s election with rational reflection and a critical look at some of their positions that were rejected by voters. However, the majority of the Left seem to be throwing a collective temper tantrum and resorting to all-too-familiar Alinskyite tactics to disparage Trump. Slovenian philosopher
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Plato Can Help You Find Love 0
- Culture
- February 13, 2017
Not only did early humans have both sets of sexual organs, Aristophanes reports, but they were outfitted with two faces, four hands, and four legs. These monstrosities were very fast—moving by way of cartwheels –– and they were also quite powerful. So powerful, in fact, that the gods were nervous for their dominion. Wanting to
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Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’: A Handbook for Totalitarians or a Guide for Thwarting Tyrants?0
- History
- February 13, 2017
Perhaps the most committed Italian republican of his era, Niccolo Machiavelli left what many consider to be a horrendous legacy. This perspective most often results from the The Prince, by far his most famous work. This group generally considers The Prince as a handbook of totalitarian impulse, containing the secrets of power consolidation. Indeed, even
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Federal Spending Grew Far Less Under Obama Than Under Bush 0
- Economics
- February 13, 2017
Now that 2016 is gone and President Obama is a thing of the past, we can take a look back at just how much government spending grew during his tenure. It seems that in his eight year tenure, Obama never managed to top the enormous increases in government spending that occurred under presidents Reagan and George
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Catholic Church in Australia Rocked by Sex Abuse Report 0
- Culture
- February 13, 2017
The headlines in Australian newspapers this week have not been kind to the Catholic Church. Gail Furness, the lawyer for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, delivered a blistering speech outlining its findings to date about Catholic dioceses, religious orders and institutions. Afterwards, the Sydney Morning Herald editorialised: “Now we know too, that
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20 Life Experiences Every Child Should Have 0
- Culture
- February 13, 2017
A few years ago, the British-run Ordnance Survey released a list of 20 basic skills which were nearing extinction among today’s young people. Among the disappearing skills? Reading a map, making bread, and tying a knot. Unfortunately, these 20 items aren’t the only “basic skills” that are disappearing from the consciousness of the next generation.
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‘Parenting Equality’ Stereotypes Hurt Both Moms and Dads 0
- Culture
- February 13, 2017
Recently there was a dust-up at The Conversation, a site where academics write journalistic articles related to their research, readers comment and the academics respond. It was over the issue of whether men or women work harder and longer in the quest to be good parents—what might be called the ‘parent wars’ (an extension of
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‘Native American’: The Surprising Source of the Term 0