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Blog 3 Columns

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Blog 3 Columns

How One College Prof Learned to Love Homeschoolers 0
- Culture
- December 15, 2016
College professor Ali Gordon wasn’t always a fan of homeschool students. Like many others, he believed that homeschoolers were sheltered individuals, unable to fend for themselves once they left the comfort of their own home. But Dr. Gordon’s mind began to change as he encountered homeschool students in his courses in the Mechanical and Aerospace
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‘Trump Attackers’ Who Tried to Grab this Woman’s Hijab Were Fake 0
- Culture
- December 15, 2016
On Dec. 1. Yasmin Seweid, 18, told police and the media that she had been attacked on a subway by three white men, supporters of president-elect Donald Trump. The scene described was horrifying. [Strangers] stood by and watched as three drunk white men repeatedly screamed “Donald Trump!” and hurled anti-Islam slurs Thursday at a Muslim
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Why the Hell Are Politicians Trying to Run Airlines?0
- Economics
- December 14, 2016
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, the incoming Senate minority leader, is angry that United Airlines is planning to charge an overhead bin fee to passengers buying the cheapest economy seats. Consider your customer service experience. Who provides better service: the Motor Vehicle Administration or L.L. Bean? The Post Office or FedEx? Your cable company or Netflix?
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Washington Irving on the Problem with Christmas 0
- Culture
- December 14, 2016
There are generally two main complaints I hear every time Christmas rolls around. The first is that Christmas has become hectic and exhausting. The second is that it has been stripped of all that is meaningful and neutralized so as not to give offense. I thought of these two complaints when I came upon a
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There’s a Secret Code in One of Your Favorite Christmas Carols 0
- December 14, 2016
You’ve most likely heard the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” played during the holiday season. What you might not know is that it refers to a yearly tradition that begins on December 17 each year, namely, the “O Antiphons.” It is the Christian belief that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, and that his coming
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The Story Behind Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’0
- Economics
- December 14, 2016
Charles Dickens was mad. He was angry at his father, who was sent to debtors’ prison, forcing young Charles to pawn his belongings, drop out of school and work in a shoe-polish factory. He was also angered by the conditions in which England’s poorest children lived and worked. He was going to publish a political
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Smartphones are Killing Relationships 0
- Culture
- December 14, 2016
The majority of our relationships are in shambles. The U.S. divorce rate hovers at 40 percent, but that’s not the whole story. Many intact relationships are on life support. According to a survey by the National Opinion Research Center, 60 percent of people in a relationship say they’re not very satisfied. There are some familiar
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Quick Quiz: Do You Know the Basics of Modern Philosophy?0
- Education
- December 14, 2016
The ideas of the great modern philosophers have shaped the way men and women today view the world. Therefore, for the sake of cultural literacy, one should have some familiarity with these ideas. Take this brief quiz below to see if you’re up to speed with some of the basics of modern philosophy.
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Orwell on the Difference Between Patriotism and Nationalism 0
- Culture
- December 14, 2016
A prominent intellectual at a recent private meeting was asked the difference between nationalism and patriotism. His response was similar to the explanation Justice Potter Stewart once offered on the difference between “obscene speech” (i.e. porn) and “protected speech”: “I know it when I see it.” George Orwell, in his essay Notes on Nationalism, offered
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