While talking with one of my female friends the other day, the topic of how to meet prospective dates came up. Besides the usual “bookstore, coffee shop, gym” and the…
1986: Utopia?
I recently heard a story about a family in Canada who are living like it’s 1986. They have given up all forms of technology that were not invented before that…
Liberal Arts, not Career Specific Majors
“What are you supposed to do with an English degree?” “How will you ever find a job after you graduate with a philosophy degree?” “You’re a history major? How is…
Academic Freedom Through Tenure Insures Quality and Accountability to Students: Part 1
For a century now, tenure has served as the basis of academic freedom and shared governance in higher education. Together, academic freedom and shared governance insure a robust, responsive, high…
Half the Quality, Twice the Price
When I’m done listening to the four or five tracks that actually deliver on Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience: Part 1, I move to Part 2 where there are four…
Want to learn something new?
Let’s be honest – we all miss the Magic School Bus. It was a great day when the teacher pulled the TV cart into the room, grabbed the VHS from…
Reading, Not Banning Books
Last month an easily offended, over-protective mother found a passage she really didn’t like in contemporary author Neil Gaiman’s novel Neverwhere. Her complaints ultimately ended up getting the book taken…
Possible Cure for AIDS?
If you say, “That’s like finding a cure for AIDS,” it means that something’s next to impossible. Like cancer, HIV/AIDS is something no one wants to hear after a test. Though…
The Artistic Reinvention Problem
On the one hand, technology’s ability to simplify and speed up popular media distribution is good. Globalized media allows faster delivery and democratizes art. The easier it is to put…
Why All The Good Ones Aren’t Gay
Often in conversation a female friend will exclaim, “All the good ones are gay!” Not only is that a complete fallacy, it’s also just a smidgen naive. For me, it…
What if She is a He?
If you were to walk into your local bookstore in search of a new book to read, you might make your decision with relatively little thought. In many cases, advertising…