Columns

A young woman down the block from me convinced her parents several years ago not to buy and cut a Christmas tree. Her argument was pretty simple and straightforward. She wanted to save a tree.

But really, for the sake of the planet and trees in general, it would be better if that family had stuck to their tradition.

A woman in a tattered gown, bruised and broken, a puddle of blood haloing her head, lying at the foot of a domineering man. A below-the waist shot of a man, pants unzipped; and a woman on her knees in front of him—her leg splattered with the unmentionable. The flawless, glistening, nude body of a faceless model, displaying strategically placed bottles of some kind of alcohol. (Seriously, who’s looking at the booze here?)

As I was flipping channels on a somber election night, a friend of mine and I were discussing the Fairness Doctrine, a piece of legislation that would require holders of broadcast licenses (which are held when one broadcasts radio) to present two sides to every news story. I asked my friend, fully convinced it was an assault on free speech, “What would be good about the fairness doctrine?” I had yet to hear really anything positive from anyone regarding it that I wouldn’t consider Democratic Party conformity-speak. She responded by saying that journalism has fallen apart, and that something was needed to instill a sense of order into what is considered the news media today. I completely agreed with her.

The underground campus—that safe haven where mind-blowing chemical transactions are going down all the time—is a place few ever see.

That’s too bad because we spend much of our day beating its upper surface with the bottoms of our shoes.

June 15, 2012:

Well, here we are. After a grueling primary season we are finally underway in another US presidential general election. It was quite the competitive Republican primary, but the Grand Old Party finally has its nominee, though it seemed like it would never happen. In a race that was reminiscent of the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, the GOP seemed reluctant to choose a candidate to represent them in the general election against incumbent President Barack Obama.

Around 11:00 on the night of Nov. 4, with the closing of the polls on the West Coast, the major news channels all called the presidential election for Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.). As is understandable, I was ecstatic that a Democrat was elected back into the White House.

This column is in response to the kidnapping that occurred Sunday Oct. 19, 2008.

Forever ago in the political Mesozoic era known as 1999, the George W. Bush administration promised specifically “small government” and no “nation building.” I’m not kidding. Those are direct quotes. After a Clinton era that, while prosperous, made some big spending moves and did a few other… things… most Republicans were especially ready for a new administration.

It’s been over a month since I saw the last monarch butterflies lifting from the purple asters in my back yard, but that doesn’t stop my thoughts from drifting south with those miracles of nature.

The men’s and women’s cross country teams put together impressive performances this weekend at the IIAC Championship Meet, which was held at the Lake Creek Golf Course in Alto, Iowa.

Attention college-aged females: Are you prepared to make a choice that will influence the rest of your life? Are you able to effectively weigh all your options? Do you really know what you value?

In an age of ever-increasing global interdependence, education must lie at the forefront of American values and interests. Gone are the days when a person’s education was merely the time between learning to tie his or her shoes and going to work.

Well, here we are. By the next edition of this article series we will have a new President of the United States. What a historic and monumental race it has been. Regardless of who wins on Nov. 4, it will be the final chapter in a race that broke all the rules.

This exasperatingly long election cycle will finally draw to a close next Tuesday with the election of the next President of the United States. Both candidates offer positive and negative attributes that could either plunge America further into the quagmire in which we currently find ourselves or reassert America’s much-needed global leadership.