Here’s a story about six young people from not so long ago who lived in a town called Freeport and dealt with physical abuse in various ways. Paul Henry was 12 years-old, a dreamy, quick-footed kid from a large family of all sisters and no father. He was walking home one evening in October from a friend’s house. It was dark already, the trees bare, the streets shiny black from
Showing that you care can make or break the climate in your classroom. When they are motivated, student-veterans can be an asset to you. They can easily take on leadership roles, facilitate class discussions and meet deadlines effectively, but it’s up to you to set the tone. Knowing the rules of engagement can help you and your students succeed. Many are entering college with established lives, responsibilities, and family obligations.
Despite the prevalence of digital information exchange, paper is still widely used in North America, for anything from wedding invitations to ballot mail-ins to arts & crafts. According to the Forest Ethics organization, paper consumption in North America has declined, but global paper consumption has increased. However, despite the decrease in consumption, North America still consumes more paper per capita than anywhere else (see Figure 1 below). Because the need
Anatomically modern humans have been fighting nature for around 200,000 years. The idea of ending hunger might seem especially implausible given the challenges. For instance, one influential fraternity of theorists argues that life will always be an ugly struggle due to economic Darwinism. In this model, a few fortunates get a whole lot while the rest suffer comparatively desperate lives and then die unceremoniously. All of this is supposed to lead
Who says bigger is better? While most Americans seem to prefer the larger breeds—hunting dogs, guard dogs, herding dogs, and working dogs—I’m a cheerleader for companion breeds. And the smaller, the better. Why, I wonder, do they always come in last in the popularity contests? Is it a holdover from our rural history, when Timmy and Lassie were best pals on the farm? Is it tied to our bigger-is-better supersized
Everything does not happen for a reason. The notion that it does is a self-centered human fantasy based on limited, exclusionary knowledge. It helps people deal with immense uncertainties beyond their powers of perception. The concept of “a reason” only exists for humans. When you remove us from the picture, the pursuit of reason doesn’t exist. If a lizard in the desert catches and eats a fly, did that happen for a
