Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Stephanie Simon | Date: 14 May 2008

In an attempt to bring more diversity to a campus so liberal that its hot-dog stand sells tofu weiners, the chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder is planning to create an endowment for a Professor of Conservative Thought and Policy. Considering that the university's 800-member faculty contains only 32 Republicans, Peterson's move may be justified, but it has been met with much criticism. Even conservatives have taken issue with the idea, arguing that the token-like nature of the position will "brand the person as a curiosity, like 'an animal in the zoo,'" in the words of author David Horowitz. Simon fleshes out the story with some reporting on similar schools' actions.

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Source: Salon | Author: Katharine Mieszkowski | Date: 14 May 2008

Mieszkowski talks with Nan Mooney about her new book, (Not) Keeping Up With Our Parents: The Decline of the Professional Middle Class. Mooney discusses the rising fixed costs that are squeezing the middle class; housing, child care, health care, and retirement all cost far more than they did for previous generations. It is these fixed costs, and not frivolous "latte" spending, that are driving white-collar families into debt, Mooney says. Mooney's call for greater social responsibility is a bit vague, but her analysis of the problems facing middle-class families is convincing and timely.

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Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Neal Conan | Date: 14 May 2008

According to career counselor Marty Nemko, far too many people are going to college. Nemko cites statistics showing that many students are unlikely to succeed at a four-year college, and argues that our single-minded focus on college as a ticket to success creates hordes of dropouts who are burdened by crushing debt, lost years and an overwhelming sense of failure. Nemko is especially hard on colleges themselves, which he sees as duping potential students about their odds. The piece is unlikely to change the plans of many aspiring students (or their anxious parents), but Nemko makes a pointed, sobering argument.

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Source: Charlie Rose | Author: Charlie Rose | Date: 14 May 2008

Randi Weingarten, head of the United Federation of Teachers (which represents most New York City schools), talks about supporting great teachers, the difficulties of measuring the effectiveness of individual teachers, and the problems with merit pay. In this one-on-one discussion, checkered with poorly expressed questions and wordy but generally noncommittal responses, there is some agreement on No Child Left Behind: The program has not significantly improved schools. Weingarten insists that unions have been good for teachers, who are otherwise powerless and forced to deal with the "fad of the month" or the "reform of the year."

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Source: Digg | Author: Jonathan Leake | Date: 13 May 2008

While many Western governments view Africa as a charity case, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking along with a group of high-tech entrepreneurs are looking to the continent as a source of untapped scientific minds. The group is funding the first post-graduate mathematic and science centers to explore talent that until now has gone unnoticed. Leake's brief but well-written article encourages the British government to redirect some of its already well-funded African aide programs to higher education.

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Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Virginia Heffernan | Date: 12 May 2008

The Oxford English Dictionary has long reigned as the ultimate authority on the English lexicon, but now this most bookish of reference books is abandoning the book format altogether. Heffernan reports the OED's next edition -- the remaining revisions will take at least 20 more years -- will be digital. Given the dictionary's scope -- it spans 20 volumes, and the compact version includes a magnifying glass -- a digital OED offers distinct advantages. But Heffernan is crushed and launches into a wistfully unfocused critique of online dictionaries, noting, for instance that Dictionary.com's quotations are much more limited than the OED's.

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Source: The Washington Monthly | Author: Greg Anrig | Date: 12 May 2008

Since the 1950s, conservatives have backed the idea of school voucher schemes, in which the government would offer every child a set fee toward private school fees. The theory is that children from lower-income families could get a better education in private schools, while public schools would up their games in the face of stronger competition. However, studies of such schemes suggest neither benefit pans out; the most important factor for educational success remains personal background, and vouchers do little to overcome society's racial and economic segregation. Anrig's piece is well-written, though its intense depth might discourage some readers.

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Source: The Washington Monthly | Author: Kevin Carey | Date: 9 May 2008

Carey presents a day in the life of Margie Yeager -- the director of the "critical response team" for Washington, DC Public Schools -- and more specifically, her email inbox. Yeager's goal is to provide at least an initial response to every email within 24 hours, and as an officer in the worst public school district in America, she gets a lot of email. Special ed is a mess, nearly 30 percent of the district's public school students have moved to charter schools over the last decade, and some public schools are now half empty. Violence, poverty, and drug abuse are rampant. Carey cleverly renders a vivid profile of a brave woman and the insurmountable task she faces.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: David Brooks | Date: 9 May 2008

For decades British conservatives took cues from their American counterparts, but no longer: the British have "moved beyond Thatcherism, while American conservatives pine for another Reagan." As Brooks intelligently explains, the main focus of political debate has moved from the economy to society at large, with a conservative focus on "community, relationships, civic engagement and social responsibility" taking precedence over financial matters. Brooks details some of the policies under consideration in Britain, such as smaller, decentralized, interactive institutions, and wonders when a stubborn Republican Party and American conservatives will embrace them -- sooner, or later, "after a decade or so in the wilderness."

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Source: Monocle | Author: Sarah Balmond | Date: 8 May 2008

Balmond heaps praise on the redesigned Oslo International School by Norwegian architects Jarmund/Visgnaes. The school is now a "light-filled space with riotous splashes of colour," and teachers say that students are calmer in their new environs. The girls' bathrooms are painted floor-to-ceiling red, and the boys' in yellow (bright photos are included), and one student says he thought the shocking color scheme was a plot to stop kids from hanging out in there. The author's scope is narrow; while the school itself is of interest, she provides no insight into how the redesign fits into a larger theme or pattern of architectural design.

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Source: Wired | Author: Gary Wolf | Date: 8 May 2008

What if there were a way to optimize how we memorize new things -- a program capable of reminding us of a fact at the exact instant when we would otherwise forget it? Such is the premise of Piotr Wozniak's SuperMemo, an educational software package that calculates when to review new information to help maximize study time. As a Polish computer science student in the 1980s, Wozniak developed SuperMemo to help himself and his friends learn English vocabulary; today, an updated version of the program is available for many languages as well as user-imported information or reading material. Wolf's profile of Wozniak's bizarre personal experiment to live his life around the software makes for an intriguing read.

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Source: Digg | Author: Alexandra Gedrose | Date: 8 May 2008

The five experiments Gedrose chronicles are, indeed, extremely depressing. They range from the Asch Conformity Experiment, in which a third of subjects agreed with obviously wrong answers if they were given already by three other people, to the infamous Milgram Experiment, in which subjects administered fatal shocks to a (fake) person in another room because "a dude in a lab coat asked them to." The experiments portray humans (well, Americans in the 1950s to 1970s) as conformist, prone to abuse of power, and unwilling to help others in dire need unless it's convenient and absolutely necessary. Worse, Gedrose asks the reader to envision these results when looking at the people around them.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Ian Shapira | Date: 5 May 2008

As a similarly-aged individual, Shapira offers an interesting perspective on Chelsea Clinton, noting that despite all of her college campus tours and the fact that she has a Facebook page, the former first daughter is rather antisocial. Instead of coming off as an approachable, "normal" 20-something, Clinton seems to be "touring colleges as a 28-year old saleswoman," shying away from social interaction and often talking down to her peers. But while Shapira would have the former first daughter act her age, he seems to miss how coached even the most "authentic" political offspring are.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Deborah Howell | Date: 5 May 2008

Plagiarism has become disturbingly commonplace in professional journalism, and it seems that the bad habit has rubbed off on some readers, as this year's KidsPost poetry contest featured winning entries that were not original work. Despite a bold yellow warning declaring "Original Work Only," two winners plagiarized the work of Shel Silverstein and Louis Phillips. While such dishonesty is shameful, the more embarrassing fact is that the plagiarism slipped by the Post's editors. Howell's commentary is dry, but it's buoyed by responses from young KidsPost readers.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Peter Feaver & Anne Crossman | Date: 5 May 2008

Feaver and Crossman address the high school class of 2008 as they prepare to head to college, debunking some popular myths about the undergraduate experience. The two make clear that a major doesn't pinhole a student to a particular career and that with varied classes, a job in any field is possible, so pick classes with good professors, who can make even tedious subjects engaging. As for time outside the classroom, there should (and will) be breaks from studying, and a few extracurriculars are better than a packed schedule. As for getting stuck with a disappointing roommate, Feaver and Crossman remind students that there's life outside the dorm in this basic academic primer.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: David Brooks | Date: 2 May 2008

Globalization is a real trend, but politicians exaggerate its effects to make foreigners an easy scapegoat for America's woes, Brooks writes. US manufacturing output, both in raw figures and as a worldwide share, is actually rising. It's largely a product of technology, which means employers, both here and abroad, need fewer but better-skilled workers. Brooks tells politicians to stop using globalization as an excuse and concentrate on training people for today's needs. The language of the piece gets overly philosophical at times, but the overall point is clearly made.

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Source: Texas Monthly | Author: Katy Vine | Date: 2 May 2008

Sex education is a prickly subject for families, schools and communities alike -- especially in Texas, which has more teenage births than any state despite spending $1 billion a year on sex ed. Ordinarily, the issue of what kids learn about sex in school (or don't) is a local one, decided by school boards. But in Texas, statewide conservative politics and morality also weigh in heavily, along with the health-textbook buying power of the second-most populous state. Vine provides a fact-filled look at the history of sexual education and the long arm of red-state social politics.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Stephen J. Dubner | Date: 2 May 2008

The former labor secretary pokes fun at his own party, declaring "Democrats aren't disciplined at anything; that's why they're Democrats." He advises against getting an MBA, saying the surplus of business degrees is hampering the economy. Calling trickle-down economics "a cruel joke," he says most of President Bush's tax cuts have gone to the very rich and thus widened inequality; instead he prefers expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit to help those with low incomes. It's a lengthy piece, but the commentary is particularly relevant given the economic climate and impending election.

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Source: Los Angeles Times | Author: Richard C. Paddock | Date: 2 May 2008

An American Studies teacher has lost her job after refusing to follow a state requirement to sign her loyalty to defending the Californian and US Constitutions. The oath dates back to 1952, when voters backed the scheme to weed out Communists from public office. Another teacher at the same school was fired in February for inserting the word "nonviolently" into her signed oath; she was quickly rehired after news coverage. All 2.3 million public employees in the state must sign the oath, though some organizations allow workers to add a personal declaration. Paddock's detailed report shows the value of background research in adding context to a story.

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Source: Texas Monthly | Author: Evan Smith | Date: 2 May 2008

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings speaks about the current state of American schools, noting that while the student achievement gap is closing around the nation, much work still needs to be done, pointing to problems such as America's high dropout rate. Spellings also discusses the difficulty in getting the best teachers in the "most challenged educational setting." When she recommends awarding teachers for tougher work, we assume she's talking about low-income, disadvantaged schools, but the interview is filled with such hampering, vague phrases.

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Source: Digg | Author: Marty Nemko | Date: 2 May 2008

Nemko offers some startling and discouraging statistics about American college students, noting that more than 40 percent of freshman at four-year schools don't graduate in six years. And those who do manage to graduate aren't automatically in the clear, as degrees offer less of a career advantage than they used to. In addition, the quality of a college education is dubious, as institutions are now run like businesses, with students being a cost item and research reeling in profits. To conclude this informative piece, Nemko offers a number of intelligent suggestions to reform the system, such as mandatory reporting of retention, safety, and student-satisfaction statistics.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Amelia Rawls | Date: 1 May 2008

Rawls, a first-year law student at Yale, provides an interesting, refreshingly honest look at the student body at the nation's top schools, noting that while many have displayed the highest level of altruism and scholarship, they are not necessarily "nice." She explores the contradictory character of some, who "will denounce world hunger but be unfriendly to the homeless" and often rise to prominence on the backs of equally competent, nicer people. Rawls laments that the focus on prestigious degrees and credentials doesn't do much for an individual's generosity, and wonders whether "our society is crippling itself by subjecting its youths to an almost-Darwinian college selection process."

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Source: Newsweek | Author: Kathleen Deveny | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Deveny decries the atmosphere of anxiety surrounding children and sexuality, lamenting the days when playing doctor was a harmless diversion. She cites several instances of unnecessary hysteria over childhood sexual development, like an incident in which school officials called the police after a 6-year-old smacked a classmate's bottom. "We need to relax a little," Deveny implores, maintaining that sexual curiosity is both natural and necessary for children. "It's their job to figure out how the world works and how they're different from their siblings and friends," she reminds us. A smart, levelheaded take on modern parenting.

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Source: Tavis Smiley | Author: Tavis Smiley | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Andrew Bridge's autobiography, Hope Boy, is a heartrending memoir about overcoming the foster care system. With freewheeling parents that were imprisoned for writing bad checks, the problems in Bridge's early childhood were closely wedded to his schizophrenic mother, who was ultimately unable to care for him. The memories of his mother are poignant and unsettling, as Bridge recounts the separation that led to a devastating reunion seven years later. With so much emotional material at hand, Smiley doesn't have to work hard to get a great interview, but even the normally neutral Smiley grows gravel-throated at the climax of the story.

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Source: Time | Author: Sanjay Gupta | Date: 29 Apr 2008

Gupta comments on the disturbing decline in physical activity among girls, who have more opportunities to play competitive sports than ever, but are still only half as likely as boys to be physically active. Gupta identifies the phenomenon's causes -- girls' lack of confidence in their athletic abilities, fewer phys-ed programs, society's message that sports aren't a priority for girls -- and stresses the benefits of exercise, which include lower risk for diabetes and osteoporosis and higher self-esteem. He offers parents simple advice such as exposing their daughters to a wide range of physical activities, including non-competitive activities like dance and yoga.

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Source: Gourmet | Author: Gourmet | Date: 29 Apr 2008

The authors pithily describe five luxurious culinary holidays, such as the Malabar Coast in Kerala, India, where you can hear chanting from a Hindu temple while learning to identify curry leaves, cinnamon trees, and green peppercorns. They attend a one-hour personal course with master chef Jean Georges Vongerichten in New York City; learn about spices in Marrakesh, Morocco, and take day-long classes at Academia Barilla in Parma, Italy. This basic guide includes recipes and sightseeing information.

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Source: Time | Author: Madhur Singh | Date: 29 Apr 2008

The idea of finishing schools may seem archaic to much of the west, but it's catching on in India, where IT graduates have technical expertise but often lack the interpersonal skills to compete globally. Singh speaks with recent graduates of the Dale Carnegie Training Center in Bangalore, which bases its curriculum on Carnegie's landmark 1936 book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, and is immediately struck by the seemingly effortless smiles and interaction. Singh's look into what it really takes to compete in a global economy is most interesting from a multicultural standpoint.

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Source: The Nation | Author: Steven Greenhouse | Date: 29 Apr 2008

Entry-level wages for college and high school graduates have been falling since 2001. Manufacturing companies have pushed the hardest for a two-tier wage system, with young workers earning less than older ones, a phenomenon most prevalent among US factory workers. Greenhouse uses Caterpillar, the Peoria-based earth-moving machine company, as an example of what's happening to today's young Americans as entry-level wages and benefits languish and housing costs and college tuition rise. Seeing as there can be as much as a 21 percent difference in wages between younger and older workers doing the same job, the issues covered in this article are eye-opening and disconcerting.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Tara Parker-Pope | Date: 29 Apr 2008

This year saw the largest number of high-school grads ever, and the resulting stampede for college places might be causing physical and even mental health problems. The article cites one student with perfect SAT scores and a polished extracurricular record who was still rejected by both Stanford and Princeton. At a New Jersey high school guidance counselors are intentionally focusing on the potential for success for those who go to second-choice colleges. Meanwhile Stanford has launched a campaign to redefine youth success as being more than just academic achievement. Parker-Pope presents an interesting topic but, given she's a health columnist, there's surprisingly little elaboration on the medical aspects.

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Source: BusinessWeek | Author: Jane Porter | Date: 29 Apr 2008

Porter's piece profiles former MCI manager Walter A. Pavlo, Jr., convicted of money laundering in 2001, who makes his living lecturing on white-collar crime at companies and universities. Pavlo's speaking circuit reflects a trend among business schools eager to instill the values of corporate ethics in their students. But while many students and professors cite Pavlo's tale as an irreplaceable real-world example of the consequences of white-collar crime, others wonder what message it sends to compensate ex-cons to tell their stories. Nevertheless, "Scared Straight" for the MBA set seems a novel and memorable way to set future CEOs on the right track.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Adrea Elliott | Date: 28 Apr 2008

Elliot follows the career of educator Yemeni-born, American-raised Debbie Almontaser and her quest to start an Arabic language public school in Manhattan. The controversial project has raised ire; one coalition, Stop the Madrassa, calls it a dangerous infiltration of moderate Muslims into American public life, while Muslim activists feel Almontaser overlooked them. Last fall, a New York Post interview suggested Almontaser supported terrorism. Almontaser then resigned, a decision she claims was forced. The uproar has left the school with few Arabic-speaking students and little discipline. Elliot's comparison with other, successful language schools indicates that the school is simply another casualty of Middle East conflict.

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Source: Digg | Author: The Smoking Gun | Date: 28 Apr 2008

Parents of students at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon received a letter on school letterhead encouraging them to provide a "safe, secure place" for student after parties, and suggesting that parents buy alcohol so that their children don't have to acquire it illegally. Each letter also included a condom to help prevent an outbreak of STDs. While the letter is for the most part well-written, the joke is evident in the recommendation on how much alcohol to buy: "Considering our reputation (Drinkin' Lincoln), in some cases one fifth is only enough for a single person." The full letter is included, but readers' incredulity will wear thin after a while.

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Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Ann Hulbert | Date: 28 Apr 2008

Critics of No Child Left Behind often cite the fact that students who take music or art classes perform better on standardized tests. But in a comprehensive review of five decades of education research, Harvard arts advocates found some unusual exceptions to this trend. In Britain, where university admissions are almost entirely exam-driven, the relationship between arts and students' test scores is exactly reversed; the American correlation may be a byproduct of high achievers trying to demonstrate they're well-rounded individuals when applying to college. Hulbert eloquently argues that staking arts education's worth on an unproven capacity to improve standardized test scores does a disservice to the inherent rewards of arts education.

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Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Randy Cohen | Date: 28 Apr 2008

Cohen competently fields a question regarding whether it's appropriate to technologically enhance a singing student's voice on a recording being submitted in an application to a college's professional music program -- a deceptive practice he does not condone. Also, a 61-year-old reader about to re-enter the dating scene asks whether he should disclose having contracted gonorrhea when he was 21 to any potential sex partners. Cohen doesn't think so; the sex partners are only entitled to information that could affect their well-being today.

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Source: Time | Author: Jeninne Lee-St. John | Date: 25 Apr 2008

How do you go from a college's waitlist to admission? Getting featured in a Time article probably doesn't hurt. Other than that, Lee-St. John doesn't have much practical advice for her panel of exceptional high school seniors awaiting callbacks from their dream schools, but she does provide a competent review of the waitlist process, plus reassurance from college freshmen who've adapted happily to the "runner-up" institutions where they matriculated.

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Source: Slate | Author: Bonnie Goldstein | Date: 25 Apr 2008

Goldstein chronicles her experiences as an overbearing mother in this engaging tale about her son Nate, whom she just can't seem to let go of. In her attempt to help her child, she allows Nate to shirk responsibilities like filling out college applications, though the alpha mother doesn't mind performing such tasks. However, this becomes an issue when Nate begins to attend the University of Wisconsin and finds himself woefully unprepared. After spending a semester back in his parents' home, however, he comes to realize his own dream, enrolling in community college in California, and his mother finally lets go.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Edward B. Fiske | Date: 25 Apr 2008

As tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of the publication of A Nation at Risk, a pivotal document in the evolution of American education, Fiske ably examines the effects the report has had to this day. While initially intended to correct the negative perceptions Americans had about their education system, A Nation at Risk turned out to be a "65-page indictment of the quality of teaching and learning in American primary and secondary schools couched in a style of apocalyptic rhetoric." However alarmist it may have been, the report permanently placed education on the political agenda, influencing events such as the 1989 education summit and the adoption of No Child Left Behind.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: George F. Will | Date: 24 Apr 2008

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the release of A Nation At Risk -- a report that condemned America's shortcomings in education and prompted calls for school reform. This commentary briskly reviews the history of education reform from the 1960s to the present -- a laundry list of what failed to work -- and concludes that current education has not improved despite (or because of) the No Child Left Behind act. While he does not offer any solutions, Will's article strikes at the heart of a controversial issue: whether failing grades are a result of the schools themselves or social demographics.

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Source: Digg | Author: Receding Hairline | Date: 24 Apr 2008

The author explains ten common typographical errors, why they are wrong, and how to fix them. Examples include the use of neutral quotes rather than open and closed ones; using an "O ordinal" rather than a degree symbol; and using a hyphen in place of a dash. While the author comes off as nitpicky, the article's a boon for, well, other nitpicky writers. By using a few extra keystrokes, one can avoid common mistakes and feel smug knowing that although no one else will notice the difference, their writing is error-free.

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Source: YouTube | Author: StuckinVermont | Date: 24 Apr 2008

This isn't the cafeteria food we grew up on -- chipotle squash chili with apple quesadillas and root vegetable tater tots are just some of the culinary innovations whipped up at the Iron Chef-style competition for Vermont students. Skip the last two minutes, which are a collage set to music by a local band. But the first half is inspiration for parents and schools wanting to integrate healthy, local food into their lunch programs. For budding chefs, on the other hand, this clip will feature too little actual cooking.

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Source: Fresh Air | Author: Terry Gross | Date: 24 Apr 2008

Brothers David and Anton Treuer, members of the Ojibwe nation in Minnesota, talk about their efforts to preserve the Ojibwe language. They expound on what would be lost if Ojibwe doesn't survive -- not only words, but concepts inherent in the vocabulary, and roots of words, known to everyday speakers, that give a deeper meaning to the language. Ojibwe children were forced to stop using their language in residential schools, but now young people are revitalizing their culture, giving hope to the Treuers. The role of the language in their family gives this explanation of their efforts, already significant, a particularly personal aspect.

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Source: Time | Author: Catherine Mayer | Date: 23 Apr 2008

Mayer writes an informative look at Gordon Brown, struggling successor to Tony Blair as Britain's Prime Minister. She argues that Brown isn't as dour as critics say, despite growing up "marinated in duty." He has a vision for the world, though not one easily communicated; one of his concerns is the 72 million children around the world currently missing out on a primary education. Mayer writes that if he's to succeed, and settle the doubts of his Labour Party, he'll have to pick up some of his "pitch-perfect" predecessor's powers of persuasion.

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Source: Fresh Air | Author: Maureen Corrigan | Date: 23 Apr 2008

Corrigan reviews Donna Foote's book Relentless Pursuit: A Year in the Trenches With Teach for America, which chronicles the experiences of four of the program's participants. The book delves into the transformation of both teachers and students, and explores the Teach for America mentality -- one that highlights the selectivity of its admissions process to help attract top college graduates who are then put into extremely difficult schools after just five weeks of a "summer boot camp" training program. Corrigan's compelling review describes how the book will inspire with its message of improbable success, while outraging readers with the disparity of our schools.

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Source: The New Yorker | Author: Evan Osnos | Date: 23 Apr 2008

The upcoming Olympics is prompting millions of Chinese to learn English. Li Yang, who founded the program Crazy English, uses a patriotic slogan to encourage learners to "Conquer English to Make China Stronger!" He is careful to note that he despises Western culture, but contends that learning English is good for China. Li teaches classes like a preacher at a revival -- shouting words at students in a call-and-response method. Apparently this system works; Li's persona approaches rock star status, his seminars replete with opening acts and firecrackers. Osnos' article is a lengthy, astounding story of one nationalist's unabashed attempt to become "the Starbucks of English education."

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Source: Barron's | Author: Thomas G. Donlan | Date: 23 Apr 2008

Donlan calls the Bush administration's No Child Left Behind program a failure. "Some children have to be left behind", he contends, "unless no children are allowed to get ahead." He cites the lack of adaption of English-as-a-Second-Language students to this program, as well as unreported high school dropout statistics, as examples of the program's failure, calling these children "another lost generation." Donlan's impassioned argument flies in the face of the Bush administration's education policies.

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Source: Charlie Rose | Author: Charlie Rose | Date: 22 Apr 2008

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger talk about their similar approaches to political and legislative problems. Both men blame the national political leadership for a chasm between parties and an unwillingness to provide leadership on environmental issues, immigration, infrastructure, health care, and education. They share stories of trying to achieve their political agendas and of their never-quit attitude. Bloomberg and Schwarzenegger provide insight into the political process with a limited amount of political-speak, though, admittedly, from very specific perspectives.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Bob Herbert | Date: 22 Apr 2008

Herbert urges the presidential candidates to devote more attention to education, pointing to the serious problems with high school students: one in three drops out, an average of one every 26 seconds. The man who runs Bill Gates’ foundation, Alan Golston, points out that American fourth grade students are among the best in the world, eighth graders merely average, and 12th grade students are among the worst-performing among industrialized nations. There’s also a wide disparity between students of different racial and economic backgrounds. It’s a thought-provoking piece, though Herbert offers no specific solutions.

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Source: BusinessWeek | Author: Catherine Arnst | Date: 22 Apr 2008

The provocative headline belies the rationality expressed both by Arnst and everyone she quotes in this brief article, which starts off with a bang by citing studies that show female doctors work fewer hours than their male counterparts, but soon unleashes an avalanche of comments, studies, and statistics that hint at the deeper story beneath the accusation. A worthwhile read for what both male and female doctors have to say about their expected hours, preferred practice groups, and recommended societal changes, but readers expecting a polemic will be disappointed.

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Source: The New Yorker | Author: Daniel Mendelsohn | Date: 22 Apr 2008

Without Herodotus there would be no recorded history. Springing from a new Ionian cradle of scientific thought, the Greek father of history sought to find the ultimate cause of the Persian Wars by looking at the succession of events. The result of his efforts was The Histories, a sometimes rambling and digressive look at the "surprising changes in the fortunes and reputations of empires, cities and men." In a perceptive passage, Mendelsohn, with just a wink to the reader, successfully alludes to the fact that current events might find analogy in the 2,500-year-old war.

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Source: Los Angeles Times | Author: Teresa Watanabe | Date: 21 Apr 2008

A high immigrant population means California is particularly vulnerable to the nationwide trends of Baby Boomers retiring, American-born citizens having fewer children, and the migrant workers who fill the gaps lacking English and professional skills. The solution could be local programs designed to teach literacy and numeracy in ways relevant to particular jobs. A demography expert says the retire-to-worker ratio in Los Angeles will double in the next 20 years and calculates that every dollar spent on public education produces $8 added tax revenues. Watanabe's piece is somewhat overloaded on detail, but clearly explains the topic's importance.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Grace Wang | Date: 21 Apr 2008

Grace Wang, a student at Duke University, innocently stepped into the middle of two protest groups on campus -- one pro-Tibet (a largely American crowd) and the other pro-China. With her fluency in Chinese and English, Wang tried to mediate between the two. An American student got her to write "Free Tibet" on his back in return for greater dialog, but this prompted the Chinese to call her a traitor and threaten to boil her in oil; she left under police escort. Her parents back in China received death threats and are now in hiding; protesters have dumped feces on their doorstep, smashed windows, and plastered obscene posters. This shocking story will leave you with deep admiration for its heroine, who refuses to be silenced.

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Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Neal Conan | Date: 21 Apr 2008

In the year since the Virginia Tech shootings, colleges have re-evaluated strategies of dealing with students' mental health. Tristan Davies, a writing teacher at Johns Hopkins University, discusses how he approaches students when possible warning signs of depression, suicide, or violent tendencies arise in their work. Cornell's Gregory Eells explains how his school involves everyone from professors to janitors in a comprehensive approach that stresses caring (rather than monitoring) while attempting to achieve non-punitive, coordinated care -- without overreacting. While Eells outlines an impressively dedicated system, he maintains -- and callers' stories reaffirm -- that no strategy is perfect.

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Source: National Geographic | Author: Lewis M. Simons | Date: 18 Apr 2008

Beijing and the Dalai Lama's exiled government are fighting for control of Tibet and the loyalty of its people, trapping the population between two cultural backstories. The result is a place where nomads live in solar-powered tents and Tibetan monks ride motorcycles. Simons relates his journey through this strange cultural hybrid, producing an uncommonly acute piece of field reporting. Looking at a rising Tibetan middle class that is using profits to rebuild a religion the Chinese government tried to squelch, we see a people adapting to one myth in order to hold on to another.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Stephen J. Dubner | Date: 18 Apr 2008

Dubner briefly explains the basics of 529 college-savings plans, which are tax-advantaged plans to assist parents in paying college tuition; while each state offers its own plan, investors are free to choose from any plan, no matter where they live. Dubner capably questions why states offer assistance for college tuition, but not grade and high school tuition, which can be quite costly for those opting for private schools -- and since 529 funding doesn't distinguish between public and private universities, shouldn't there be a similar option for K-12 education?

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Source: Marie Claire | Author: Abigail Pesta | Date: 17 Apr 2008

After surviving the 2004 tsunami, model Petra Nemcova started the Happy Hearts Fund, which brings computers to children and schools that need them. In this diary excerpt she talks about visiting Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to help build a computer lab. Unfortunately the article is incredibly brief; readers learn that Wyclef Jean is very popular in his native country, that Nemcova is often mistaken for Shakira, and that Haiti is incredibly poor. Nemcova's reflections at the end are interesting, but it's a shame that the article doesn't include the reactions or thoughts of the children and their families, who were on the receiving end of her visit.

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Source: National Geographic | Author: Leslie T. Chang | Date: 17 Apr 2008

English lessons for 4-year-olds and teenagers' brand loyalty are just symptoms of the incredible aspirational stresses felt by the Chinese middle class. Chang visits Shanghai schoolgirl Bella Zhou at ages 10 and 15, examining the generation gap caused by China's rapid cultural and economic change, achieving particular poignancy when Bella's parents acknowledge sensing their own obsolescence. Chang's piece crackles with the excitement of the nearly limitless opportunities -- and attendant anxieties -- that modern China offers its middle-class children.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Shaila Dewan | Date: 17 Apr 2008

The attempt by a Chinese student from Duke University to be peacemaker between rival demonstrators has wound up making her a figure of hate across China's online community. Pictures of Grace Wang supposedly backing pro-Tibet students at the North Carolina college quickly jumped from a student internet forum to Chinese websites, where she was branded a traitor and had her life threatened explicitly. Ironically she'd remained neutral in the demonstrations: "I decided not to be on either side, because they were too extreme." Dewan explores a frightening example of the politics of fear.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Sara Murray | Date: 16 Apr 2008

Three of the Democratic Party's 800 superdelegates aren't insider power-brokers -- they're middle-class college students. Awais Khaleel, Lauren Wolfe, and Jason Rae take their responsibility seriously; while Rae is a Barack Obama supporter, Khaleel and Wolfe have worked to remain undecided, keeping their options open -- and all three are active with young voters when they aren't busy studying. Murray's brief profiles are affecting, highlighting the differences between these young delegates and seasoned politicians: For example, Wolfe will be "road-tripping it" to the convention with friends to save money.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Kenneth L. Woodward | Date: 16 Apr 2008

At one point the United States had more Catholic colleges than the rest of the world combined, but today it's not even clear what exactly makes a university Catholic; even students who resist the temptations of more prestigious alternatives might enter a Catholic college having received little religious instruction. There's now speculation that Pope Benedict XVI will insist all Catholic theology professors commit to papal teaching -- a move opposed by those who believe religion in college should be about thinking rather than indoctrination. Woodward's column makes interesting reading even for those without strong religious views.

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Source: New York | Author: Zvika Krieger | Date: 16 Apr 2008

In a controversial allegiance of high-profile liberal arts education and Middle Eastern oil money, NYU president John Sexton seeks to open a branch in Abu Dhabi. Sexton sees this as an excellent opportunity to expand NYU's global reach and potentially vault itself into the ranks of its better-endowed Ivy League competition. Critics worry, however, that such a project will spread NYU too thin, cheapen the value of their degrees, and grant too much power to a foreign regime with a less-than-perfect record on education and social freedoms. In addition to writing an excellent summary of the project, Krieger paints a double-edged portrait of Sexton as revolutionary risk-taker and glory-seeking expansionist.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Gordon Brown | Date: 16 Apr 2008

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown proposes stronger links between the UK and US, beginning with more exchange opportunities for students and volunteers from both countries. He's also backing partnerships between young business leaders from both sides of the Atlantic, including a Global Entrepreneurship Week, and tax breaks for US charities operating in Britain. His plans also include closer ties on medical research and climate change. The piece is well-structured, but it reads like little more than a glorified press release.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: James Alan Fox | Date: 16 Apr 2008

With the first anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings approaching, Fox casts a disparaging eye over universities' new security measures. While he agrees that something had to be done to protect students and staff, he notes that the measures used -- including automatic lockdowns, emergency drills, and alarm systems -- are at best ineffectual and at worst will create a climate of fear (which could worsen things). However, Fox doesn't answer the question of what should actually be done, and so what starts off as a fascinating article feels lackluster by the end.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: John Noble Wilford | Date: 15 Apr 2008

History doesn't repeat itself, but it can certainly tell us a great deal about how human societies work and why; the cholera epidemic that hit New York City in 1832 is a case in point. After the disease -- carried to New York by sailors in an early form of globalization -- ravaged the city, a pioneering use of medical mapping isolated contaminated water as its cause. In the aftermath, city officials improved sanitation and empowered doctors to serve as health inspectors, a silver lining to the cholera cloud. Reviewing an exhibit now at the New-York Historical Society, Wilford recounts an impressive parallel to the AIDS epidemic.

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Source: National Review | Author: Michael Novak | Date: 14 Apr 2008

AEI Fellow Novak praises Pope Benedict XVI as the man of his time, a portrait of determination and boldness masked by modesty, kindness, and patience. In this somewhat disorganized article, Novak discusses diverse topics ranging from the decline of the American Catholic Church to George W. Bush to religious freedom in the Middle East. Describing his personal encounter with Pope Benedict, then Cardinal Ratzinger, Novak heaps glowing praise on the "modest" Pope's bold wit, intellectual prowess, and -- most importantly -- ability to spark change.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Roger Cohen | Date: 14 Apr 2008

Barack Obama might become the next president, but a dozen former classmates in Jakarta remember him as a chubby child, then known as Barry Soetero, who stood out by eating sandwiches rather than noodles. His ability to earn broad appeal likely has some roots in this society where followers of Islam are notably tolerant of other faiths. Indeed, Obama's own school now hosts both a mosque and a Christian prayer room. Cohen's on-the-spot reporting is clearly based in a search for insight, rather than scandal.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Maria Glod | Date: 14 Apr 2008

School cafeterias are feeling an economic pinch as they struggle to offer students healthier options despite sharp rises in the cost of milk, grain, and fresh produce. Hoping to avoid raising lunch prices, schools are lobbying the government for more subsidies, which are rising but at a slower rate than soaring food prices. Cutting costs and providing only more popular meals is the temporary solution. Rural districts are hurt the most because they don't serve enough meals to court competitive bids from suppliers, but even large urban districts are feeling the strain. Glod's sharp reporting evokes the frustration of offering healthy meals with limited budgets.

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Source: The Onion | Author: The Onion | Date: 14 Apr 2008

The Onion unveils a new category of lined paper -- one for graduate students, whose age and heightened wisdom have prepared them for the use of narrower lines. Mead's new "grad-school-ruled" notebooks provide the narrower writing space required to obtain more knowledge from students' post-graduate studies. The new product line will also contain such essential reference materials as the periodic table and the entire text of Willa Cather's My Antonia in each spiraled offering, and available colors come in mature options like alabaster and vermilion. Though a few of these jokes stand out, the authors are mining in barren terrain.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Patricia Mcguire | Date: 14 Apr 2008

The president of Trinity College takes offense to the idea that Pope Benedict XVI might soon lambaste presidents of Catholic universities and colleges for permitting on-campus activities that do not comport with religious dogma. McGuire argues that Catholicism encourages intellectual freedom, not simply a conformity to doctrine. At a time when religious radicalism is tormenting the global community, religious leaders should welcome the expression of contrary ideas in the pursuit of truth, which often produces the best teaching opportunities. Ex Corde Ecclesiae, the "seminal Vatican document on Catholic higher education," supports this; McGuire intelligently expects the pope to follow that doctrine.

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Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Gary Marcus | Date: 14 Apr 2008

If humans can create computers that perform countless calculations in the blink of an eye, can we also modify our memories to mimic such technology? Marcus makes the case for such an effort, explaining the differences in the recall processes in humans and computers and pointing out that more reliable memories could eliminate erroneous eyewitness testimony and marital friction. While deep brain stimulation can make minor memory improvements, Marcus ponders the possibility of a neural implant allowing the human brain to operate like a gray-matter version of Google. Marcus stays away from possible ethical aversions to the idea, keeping it a simple, intriguing thought experiment.

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Source: Nature | Author: Brendan Maher | Date: 11 Apr 2008

This is your scientist's brain on drugs: attentive, less tired, and more productive during long hours of research. Nature takes a look at the scientific community's reaction to a April Fool's prank which claimed the NIH would be cracking down on so-called "brain doping" in researchers. The author also posts responses to its own poll of off-label use of prescription drugs for cognition-enhancing purposes. Twenty percent of respondents had tried the drugs, with most using Ritalin to improve concentration. But take the numbers here with a grain of salt -- while it's an interesting look at a controversial trend, the figures here are all from an informal online poll.

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Source: Slate | Author: William Saletan | Date: 11 Apr 2008

A Nature survey reveals that 50 percent its readers used beta blockers, Ritalin, and Provigil for non-prescription uses (ostensibly as a "neuroenhancer"), rather than for approved reasons, diverting the conversation about performance-enhancing drugs from the locker room to the classroom. Just as with athletic performance-enhancing drugs, these academic PEDs are relatively easy to obtain and can make others feel forced to use them to keep up with their rivals. But Saletan wisely believes the fact that doping is becoming relevant to everyday life might humanize users and revolutionize the debate about performance enhancers.

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Source: Los Angeles Times | Author: Stephanie Simon | Date: 11 Apr 2008

BodyLove, a serialized radio soap opera currently airing in the South, aims to teach nutrition through story; it also includes a session with a nutritionist who answers listeners' questions and gives simple cooking tips. By identifying with the health issues the characters are going through, many listeners have been inspired to change their own eating and exercising habits. BodyLove is an innovative program with potential, and Simon writes about it with enthusiasm. However, her conclusions about its benefits stem from anecdotes and extrapolations on the success of serials in other countries, not reliable studies or statistics.

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Source: Policy Review | Author: Rachel M. McCleary | Date: 11 Apr 2008

Through a comparative study of religious and economic indicators, analysis of theories of religious extremism and violence, and use of concepts of value and wealth, McCleary attempts to deconstruct the bilateral relationship between religiosity and economic development. Though the impacts are far too diverse to tie together, she notices a difference in religious belief and practice. Extensive religious practice is shown to interfere with economic activity and taper off as countries move down the path of development; belief, however, can develop a productive work ethic and sense of thrift. This piece is well-researched and successfully sets the stage for future debate.

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Source: Vanity Fair | Author: Matt Tyrnauer | Date: 10 Apr 2008

When it opens to the public later this year, San Francisco's new California Academy of Sciences building, designed by architect Renzo Piano, will be the poster child for sustainable public architecture. But Piano's design isn't just environmentally friendly; it's an "unusually visceral design experience," Tyrnauer writes, comparing the museum to other groundbreaking architectural projects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry's Guggenheim designs. In interviews and photographs, Tyrnauer evokes Piano's juxtaposition of clean lines and repeating natural forms, along with the building's most eye-catching feature, a 2.5-acre "living roof" that forms a rolling natural landscape.

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Charles Chieppo & Jim Stergios | Date: 10 Apr 2008

Roundly criticizing Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick for his profligate spending and the dismantling of the nation's most successful charter school program, the authors attempt to tar Barack Obama with the same brush by association -- to little avail. Assuming these parallels are "unmistakable," the authors gloss over many of the Patrick-Obama comparisons, focusing largely on Massachusetts education policy and Patrick's union-backed vendetta against charter schools -- written from a school choice perspective, of course.

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Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Neal Conan | Date: 10 Apr 2008

In the latest outrageous MySpace incident, a 16-year-old who was "trash-talking" on the social-networking site was lured into a home in Lakeland, Florida, where she was beaten by six of her classmates while one videotaped it to put on YouTube. The victim was hospitalized with a concussion and vision and hearing damage. Author Rosalind Wiseman speaks on the brutality of kids in the digital age, fueled by conflict on reality TV, oblivious parents, and the entitlement and invincibility from punishment that many kids feel. Wiseman has plenty of good advice for parents, saying that they must be prepared to accept that their children could do such a thing so they can prevent it.

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Source: Newsweek | Author: Dan McGinn & Temma Ehrenfeld | Date: 9 Apr 2008

The authors of this interesting piece note that there could be at least one positive effect emerging from the credit crisis: an increase in financial literacy. The efforts of the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy, as well as the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, are aimed at assisting average Americans in navigating the minefield of mortgages, credit, and the stock market. McGinn and Ehrenfeld ably point out plenty of reasons contributing to American financial ignorance, such as a lack of mandated instruction in schools, psychological factors, and the unwillingness to take risks.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Michael S. Anders | Date: 9 Apr 2008

For students shelling out $40,000 a year and up for college, mystery meat and canned vegetables just won't cut it anymore. At Bowdoin, Yale, Virginia Tech, and other schools, administrators have revamped their meal plans to match students' expectations, sourcing local and organic ingredients and serving restaurant-quality meals. Readers who recall their own schools' bland cafeteria fare might find their jaws drop at talk of whole Maine lobsters and rib-eye steaks cooked to order, even before they hit the mouthwatering pictures in the accompanying slide show.

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Source: Newsweek | Author: Mary Carmichael | Date: 9 Apr 2008

Once a tradition for every American child, gym class has largely disappeared from our schools. Some, including the fitness personality Richard Simmons, blame the demise of PE for high rates of childhood obesity. Other experts, however, question the effectiveness of gym class and contend that schools can spur weight loss by focusing more on nutrition education and healthier cafeteria food. The many conflicting studies and arguments leave this report inconclusive, but a humorous personal anecdote from the author spices up the article.

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Source: The New Yorker | Author: Jane Kramer | Date: 9 Apr 2008

When anthropology professor Nadia Abu El-Haj was up for tenure at Barnard College in 2007, all academic hell broke loose. Her first book, Facts on the Ground, looked at archaeology's role in how the Bible is used to validate Jewish claims to Israel. Published to strong reviews, it was vocally denounced during the tenure process by those outside the college as an ill-informed screed written by a "dangerous" woman. Kramer delves into both Abu El-Haj's story and the more complicated role that Middle Eastern issues have played at Columbia University in recent years. The dense article sometimes veers away from Abu El-Haj, but it's nonetheless an informative, maddening look at what happens when academics and stereotypes collide.

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Source: Charlie Rose | Author: Charlie Rose | Date: 9 Apr 2008

Rose sits down with leading scientists and researchers for a roundtable discussion about the importance of science education in America, and what should be done to promote interest in the subject. With the international community quickly catching up with America in terms of research and funding, the panel -- composed of Rockefeller University president Paul Nurse, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center president Harold Varmus, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Shirley Ann Jackson, Science editor Bruce Alberts, and Lisa Randall of Harvard University -- lament the state of science education, as well as the disastrous changes in federal funding. As always, Rose is provocative, but he seems particularly enthused about the topic.

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Source: Inc. | Author: Laura Cohn | Date: 8 Apr 2008

The nation's failing economy sees an estimated 28 states facing huge budget deficits. Most of them do not have sufficient "rainy-day" funds and have laws in place prohibiting deficit spending. States are already slashing budgets for social programs and other services, but new revenue will also be needed, so taxes are bound to rise. During the last budget crisis in the states, corporate and sales taxes were the first to go up. Cohn's piece is enlightening, especially in its revelation that the federal stimulus package actually hurts state tax revenues by allowing company's to frontload the depreciation losses.

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Source: The Nation | Author: Patricia J. Williams | Date: 8 Apr 2008

In this sharp, disturbing article, Williams uncovers a troubling trend towards the corporatization of higher education, including accounting-style methods for evaluating education's effectiveness. This trend owes much to a 2006 Department of Education report, which spurred some good changes -- including reduced tuition at top universities for lower-income families. But Williams trembles at the suggestion that "value-added," balance-sheet methodologies be employed to track academic performance from pre-K to graduate school. As Williams convincingly argues, this approach could lead to increasing standardization of college curricula, devaluation of the liberal arts, and even the death of "inefficient" majors like poetry and women's studies.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Anjali Athavaley | Date: 8 Apr 2008

Unemployment hit 5.1 percent in March, the highest since September 2005, and grads are seeing a grim future as many firms cut back on recruitment. Some employers are rescinding job offers, particularly where firms have merged and are eliminating duplication. The best hope is for those seeking work with government agencies or in finance or consulting. Those at schools with a particularly strong reputation in a specific industry might also be more secure. As a nice touch, Athavaley's practical report includes links to worksheets to help grads struggling with career choices.

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Source: Los Angeles Times | Author: Los Angeles Times | Date: 8 Apr 2008

With the official inflation rate in Zimbabwe at 100,000 percent, many teachers are finding they can't afford to do their jobs, and as a result there are 150,000 teaching vacancies across the nation. Though salaries were recently hiked to about $70 a month after a strike (up from $10 monthly), hyperinflation has made this wage unsustainable, and Zimbabwe's Education Ministry has been forced to send out inexperienced high school graduates to fill the void. As a result, the nation's school systems have been ravaged, and last year only 13 percent of students passed standardized national high school exams. The story goes beyond vague malaise, citing an impressive array of statistics.

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Source: Time | Author: Nancy Gibbs | Date: 8 Apr 2008

It's easier for boys to get into college than girls, Gibbs reports, exploring the issue by talking with deans from several prominent universities. On average, girls achieve higher than boys, but no college wants a 70-30 girl-boy ratio. This means that "slacker boys get in over high-performing girls," according to at least one dean of admissions. But should group dynamics trump individual fairness? One dean of admissions tells of getting attacked by both misogynists and feminists for writing an apologetic op-ed, To All the Girls I've Rejected. The piece, while interesting, offers no real resolution to the issue.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Ted Mitchell & Jonathan Schorr | Date: 7 Apr 2008

Each year March Madness raises an issue of greater importance than basketball -- which schools are graduating their African- American students. Only 53 percent of African-American basketball players finish college (compared to 37 percent of black students overall), numbers that highlight the tail-end of a problem that starts much earlier; by the time college begins, nearly 75 percent of African-Americans will have quit school. Alumni programs and support groups do what they can, but academic preparation and affordability barriers loom. Mitchell and Schorr insert a crass plug for their "venture fund," making this an infomercial, albeit for an important issue.

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Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Ehud Havazelet | Date: 7 Apr 2008

Havazelet's short tale about seeing his son off to college will resonate with parents and students alike, as he presents a typical but accurate snapshot of a college campus. He worries, "Who will take care of him now?" and watches with affectionate anxiety from his son's dorm window as kids rush for their buses with backpacks half-unzipped. Havazelet concludes after an introspective morning that his son will indeed be alright, and that he still has a place as a parent.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: David Treuer | Date: 7 Apr 2008

There were only 200,000 Native Americans alive at the turn of the 20th century, but, by the last census, there were more than two million. That said, Treuer, an Ojibwe novelist and translator, argues that "a culture ceases to be a culture and becomes an ethnicity -- that is, it changes from a life system that develops its own terms into one that borrows, almost completely, someone else's." He points to linguists' estimates that the number of Indian languages spoken has dwindled from 300 to 100 in the past century. Treuer pens a poignant personal and cultural narrative.

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