Author Archives: Richard Jeffrey Newman

Questioning the Mission of College: Frank Bruni’s Column in Today’s Times is Worth Reading

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

I think the piece pretty much speaks for itself, but here are a couple of paragraphs that stood out for me: How practical versus idealistic should the approach to college be? I’m somewhat torn, and past columns have reflected that. … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | 40 Comments

Because Men Only Understand Cliches

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

That’s the title and the title poem of my second book of poetry, on which I have just put the finishing touches and which I will, over the next couple weeks, start shopping around to publishers. LIke last time–which was … Continue reading →

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Farid al-Din Attar: A Reading Journal 4

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

When I was a teenager and thought I wanted to be a rabbi, I took great comfort in the fact that the god of the Jewish people did not have a body. It was, of course, confusing to me that … Continue reading →

Posted in Religion | 1 Comment

A Poem for Leaving Patriarchal Male Heterosexuality Behind

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

I’ve been reading and thoroughly enjoying a poet too few people read these days, J. V. Cunningham. One day, I will write about why I think he’s worth reading and learning from, even though the kind of poetry he wrote … Continue reading →

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When Families Destroy Themselves From The Inside

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

On Tuesday of last week, I helped move my mother to her new house in New Jersey. This means that I am the last member of my family left in New York, and if you had told me fifteen years … Continue reading →

Posted in Families structures, divorce, etc | Comments Off on When Families Destroy Themselves From The Inside

What I’ve Been Reading About Iran

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

Iran’s Web Censors vs. Google Reader: In the wake of Google’s announcement that it’s going to kill Reader, a fascinating article about the role Reader played in helping Iranians circumvent government censors. Pahlavi Iran and Zionism: An Intellectual Elite’s Short-Lived … Continue reading →

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Norooz Pirooz! Eid Moborak! Happy Iranian New Year 2013

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

It is a tradition in Iran to use the works of the 14th century poet Hafez to tell fortunes. People open a copy of his divan, his collected works, and take the first line of poetry their eye falls on … Continue reading →

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Can You Make More Money with an Associate’s Degree than You can with a Bachelor’s?

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

I was, of course, intrigued by read the headline of an article on CNNMoney.com that read “Community college grads out-earn bachelor’s degree holders.” Written by Jon Marcus of The Hechinger Institute, the article reports research done by Georgetown University’s Center on Education … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | 86 Comments

Is Hamas Considering Recognition Of Israel? – from Al-Monitor

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

From a very interesting article by Shlomi Eldar on Al-Monitor, which is a very useful source of information if you follow what’s going on in the Middle East: “Reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah is stuck, because right now the United … Continue reading →

Posted in Palestine & Israel | 4 Comments

Farid al-Din Attar: A Reading Journal 3

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

Do you believe in love at first sight? All-consuming, Romeo-and-Juliet, I-cannot-live-withou-you, I-know-just-by-looking-at-you-that-you-are-all-I-will-ever-need-and-so-I-will-give-up-everything-I-have-ever-held-dear-just-to-be-with-you, I-would-even-die-for-you love? I don’t. I never have. Even when I was young enough that the romantic ideal of such a love should have resonated in me, I actually … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Religion | 3 Comments