There is an apocryphal story about a medieval sculptor finishing a statue to be put in a niche. An onlooker asked, “Why are you finishing the back of the statue. No one will ever see it.” The sculptor responded, “God will.” The outpouring of charitable donations to rebuild the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris could … Read more
Many in our modern society bemoan the loss of politeness. It is so rare that people are often surprised or even suspicious when someone else shows them what used to be called “common courtesy.” A Famine Where There Should Be Plenty Politeness or courtesy appears to be in ever-shorter supply for many reasons. Automobile traffic … Read more
“I don’t know what’s happening with this new culture of defending territories by building walls. We already knew one, that (one) in Berlin, which brought so many headaches and so much suffering,” – Pope Francis, quoted in Reuters, May 28, 2019 As the above quote indicates, Pope Francis opposes the idea of walls, especially a … Read more
The media would have us believe that novelty is a means of popularity and profit. The lure of the “new and improved” will translate into success and well-being. Novelty is also associated with youth and people can appear younger by buying the latest product. This is especially true in fashions. Following the latest fashion fad … Read more
It is common to hear that electronic devices are ruining lives. Headlines like CNN’s, “Americans Devote More Than Ten Hours a Day to Screen Time and Growing,” abound. As a result, many Americans are becoming lazy and less creative because they spend too much time staring at small screens. The truth of this conclusion is … Read more
The College Board is scared of the equity movement. Scared people make bad decisions. Creating a so-called adversity score of a college entrance test is one of the worst possible decisions. In its misbegotten attempt to create an equal world, the board only succeeds in making the process of college admission even more impenetrable. The … Read more
By this time, most readers will recall the viral videoes of Pennsylvania State Representative Brian Sims bullying an elderly lady and later harassing teenage girls protesting at a Philadelphia-area Planned Parenthood “clinic.” Fewer will have heard of the incredible heroism of Kendrick Castillo who sacrificed his life to protect his fellow students at STEM School … Read more
Chick-fil-A is in the news again. The popular fast food chain is facing the intolerance of those who disapprove of their past moral stands on issues. Tolerance is a one-way street. Virtue-signaling at Airports On March 25, 2019, the San Antonio City Council approved a contract to provide food service in the San Antonio International … Read more
The Hoover Institution just issued two studies that should be keeping education policymakers up at night because they fly in the face of the ideology of American education. Many critical assumptions that underlay the “Common Core” debacle are also challenged. One study shows that the “achievement gap” has been mostly unchanged since the mid-fifties. The … Read more
Many young people who espouse socialism never actually define it, much less examine it. Some might wonder where these youth got these strange ideas. The answer is that it reflects the ideology of modern education, which focuses on developing opinions, rather than teaching facts. This educational mindset comes from John Dewey, often referred to as … Read more
