Europe

Legends of Holy Russia

I came across that painting above earlier this week in the Russian State Museum. It stopped me in my tracks. The reproduction above, from the museum’s website, can’t do justice to the canvas itself. It’s titled “The Mother Of God Of Tenderness Towards Evil Hearts.” The artist is Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, who painted it in 1915. It is said to be his response to the horrors of the First World War. It is related thematically to the traditional Russian icon of The Mother of God, Softener Of Evil Hearts. I can’t really say why this particular image of the Virgin Mary is so moving to me. But it is. I brought back a print of it, and will have it framed. Another Russian icon — not literally an icon, but iconic — is St. Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square. This is the image most people associate with Russ...

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Europe

According to a report in the Arabic language al-Hayat newspaper, Israel’s message was delivered to Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) through United Nations Special Envoy for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov.

Israel has warned Palestinian Islamic Jihad that the IDF would assassinate the group’s leader Ziad al-Nakhla if the rocket fire continues. According to a report in the Arabic language al-Hayat newspaper, Israel’s message was delivered to Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) through United Nations Special Envoy for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov. “If the PIJ continues to fire rockets at Israeli towns, Israel threatens to escalate assassinations and that the Secretary-General of the group is not safe from these threats, he is also a target,” the report quoted a source as saying.  “But if the group stops firing rockets towards the settlements of Gaza envelope and commits to a truce, Israel will abide by all the terms of the truce understandings and will also provide more facilities to the Gaz...

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Europe

College is not a guaranteed path to the American dream. Neither are the skilled trades.

A welder at work in Port Fourchon, La., in 2010.(Patrick Kelley/Reuters) College is not a guaranteed path to the American dream. Neither are the skilled trades.Did you need to go to college to become a welder? I asked. Jeff Jenkins answered with a chuckle. No, no I didnt. Jenkins, owner of an HVAC company and a welding firm in Austin, educated me for the next 25 minutes on what it takes to get into and succeed at the trades. I needed this education because I was confused by an assertion that Paul Tough makes in Welding wont make you rich, an excerpt from his new book, The Years That Matter Most, in the September 2019 issue of The Atlantic. Mr. Tough says that in order to become a welder, you actually have to go to college. He makes this point after relating a heartbreaking story about a ...

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Europe

What the college-tuition scandal can teach us about public-school teacher pay.

Teacher Kyle Schwartz works with students in her third-grade classroom at Doull Elementary School in Denver, Colo., in 2015. (Rick Wilking/Reuters) What the college-tuition scandal can teach us about public-school teacher pay.According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) — a liberal think tank affiliated with teachers unions — public-school teachers earn, on average, 21.4 percent less than private-sector workers in other fields who have similar educational and demographic characteristics. According to EPI, by offering higher pay, public schools could attract and retain better teachers, leading to better test scores, higher graduation rates, and better jobs for the future. Its a compelling argument, at least to the news media, who echo it in their coverage. But if all that is true, why...

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