Politics: 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 […]
Read MorePopular Culture: Bristol Palin: Speaker for Hire
It seems like every day when I go on line I read something that causes me to think: “Another indication of the end of civilization as we know.” Well, this morning I had another one of those painful epiphanies when I read that Bristol Palin, the daughter of the former Alaska governor and Vice Presidential […]
Read MoreEducation: Public Education Reform is Doubly Off the Mark
Even before any action is taken to reform our public education system, the current efforts being championed by President Obama and administered by Education Secretary Arne Duncan are missing the mark at two fundamental levels and, in doing so, ill serve the needs of all students. First, let’s start with what public education reform really […]
Read MorePolitics: “_______” Gone (Absurdly) Wrong: You Fill in the Blank
Back in February, I posted a blog post, Public Education Gone (Absurdly) Wrong, that described what I considered to be a too-bizarre-to-be-true-but-it-was scenario between a frustrated parent and her son’s school administration. In response, a commenter insightfully pointed out that you could replace ‘public education’ with just about anything happening in politics today and the […]
Read MoreSports: Psych-up Techniques
Though less common, letdowns in intensity can also cause your level of performance to decline. A decrease in intensity causes all the things that enable you to perform well to disappear. Physically, you no longer have the blood flow, oxygen, and adrenaline necessary for the strength, agility, and stamina you need to perform your best. […]
Read MoreParenting: Kids and Summer Activities
I was recently interviewed on a parenting radio show and thought that, with summer around the corner, the topic of kids and summer activities seemed timely. 1. What ultimately is the goal a parent should have in mind when they select/offer ideas to their children of what to do this summer? Parents should think about […]
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