Month: April 2006

Why Johnny shouldn’t read

The big focus in American education from the 1960s through the present was why children can't read (something I attribute to the new educational approach that abandoned the wonderful logic of phonics). Now, though, for parents hewing to traditional morals who have kids trapped in public schools, the question becomes,

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To cut or not to cut

When my son was born, I agonized a lot about circumcising him.  As a Jew, I felt it was appropriate.  However, as someone horrified by female circumcision (which I do know is a much more extreme procedure), I wondered how I could justify cutting into a new baby's healthy flesh

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Why we vaccinate

I'm a huge proponent of vaccination. The last two generations of Americans have lived complacently without the spectre of childhood killers such as measles and polio. I always get irked by — and will challenge — suburban mothers who think homeopathy will protect their children from deadly epidemics. At the

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Words, words, words

You know Eliza Doolittle's complaint in "My Fair Lady":  "Words words, words, I'm so sick of words."  I thought of this when I saw this snippet that Congressman Tom Tancredo posted on his website.  (Thanks for the tip, Kevin.) Pythagorean theorem: 24 words The Lord's Prayer: 66 words Archimedes' Principle:

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