Okay, maybe saving the internet is a bit hyperbolic, but better math instruction could reduce some of the arguing that occurs. Internet trolls and pranksters are an internet hazard that most of us would like to see less of. Trolls are a separate issue. but there are certain pranksters that like to take advantage of […]
How Math Teachers Can Save the Internet from the PEMDAS Debate Read More »
In Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, Harold Bloom argues that Shakespeare did more than just shape the structure and content of the English language—he created human nature as we understand it today. As James Shapiro explains, “Shakespeare remains so popular and his most memorable characters feel so real because through them Shakespeare invented something that hadn’t
Ten Reasons to Enjoy Shakespeare’s Works Read More »
The phrase 52 Blue sounds like a card game or the name of a jazz tune by Miles Davis. In fact, the story of 52 Blue is a sad, fascinating phenomenon from the natural world. The popular press resurrects the story every couple of years because of its emotional appeal. For those unfamiliar with 52
52 Blue: A Whale Song Read More »
Toward the end of the eighties, My closest, oldest friend Richard Bohle was informed he had lung cancer. I don’t know if the docs told him it was terminal, but he figured it was, and set about getting rid of as much stuff as he could and preparing to make his departure as easy for
When I was in high school, getting a C on something as inconsequential as a homework assignment would ensure that my lunch period would be spent crying in a bathroom stall in a panic attack over my failure of a life, eventually ending in my silent acceptance of my future as a homeless person. It
Mental Health, Grade Obsession, and the American Student Read More »
In My Checkered Career, I wrote about some of the ways I discovered jazz – primarily through record stores and radio. But all through the 1950s, I listened mainly to the popular music of the day, both the residue made for adult audiences and rock&roll (very broadly defined) specifically aimed at the new Youth Market,
Liberace Meets Little Richard Read More »