Green: Please Stop Calling it a Spill!
My almost-five-year-old daughter knocked over her glass of milk the other night at dinner. The result? A small puddle of milk on and under our kitchen table otherwise known as spilled milk. My wife’s and my reactions? “Oops. You spilled your milk. Oh well, accidents happen. Let’s clean it up.” With nothing more than a […]
Read MorePersonal Growth: Gratitude: “Get What You Get and Don’t Get Upset”
I first heard this post’s title phrase the other day at snack time from one of my daughters. Our youngest, who is almost three years old, wasn’t happy with the size of her portion of snacks and let my wife and I know of her displeasure in no uncertain terms: “More, more, more!” at a […]
Read MorePopular Culture: America’s Self-esteem Problem
Yes, we have a self-esteem problem in our country, but we don’t recognize it because, well, we have a self-esteem problem. We need look no further than the bewildering popularity of the reality-TV show Jersey Shore and the instant celebrity garnered from its inhabitants despite their complete absence of qualifications. Though, admittedly, the bar for […]
Read MorePolitics: Is the Anger in American Politics Good or Bad?
As I have written about several times (here and here and here), the blogosphere and, more generally, the “politicosphere” has gotten pretty darned ugly these days. Gone are the days of passionate though reasoned discourse and respectful disagreement. Where the focus was on the common good, practical solutions, and where differences could be worked out […]
Read MoreEducation: Of What Value a High School Diploma?
I ask this question rhetorically because there is a wealth of data demonstrating the value of a high school education in terms of higher income and greater career advancement compared to dropping out. But when I ask this question, I am also speaking specifically about the typical curriculum that high school offer and the jobs […]
Read MorePolitics: A Recipe for Civil Political Discourse
Is it possible to have a civil and substantive conversation about politics between people of differing (opposing!) ideologies these days? It sure doesn’t seem like it if you read the increasingly over-the-top blogosphere, listen to the hyperbolic talk radio, and watch the overblown 24/7 cable new channels. The result is a truly toxic “mocktail” that […]
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