“Not so proud to be an American?”

Much to the thrill of Hillary Clinton, it seems that Barack Obama has finally shown a serious weakness. The junior U.S. Senator from Illinois has passed through his time in the national spotlight (including the current Democratic Party primary process) mostly unscathed. But the first major threat to his likeability has come in the form of his unpatriotic and hate-filled pastor, the Reverend Doctor Jeremiah … Continue reading “Not so proud to be an American?”

Rethinking requires thinking

I suspect there was a reason that last week’s article “Rethinking Recycling” was placed in the commentary section of this paper. Before I go further, I should say that the author of “Rethinking Recycling” was right in at least two things: we should recycle aluminum and other metals and we should try to reduce or reuse something before ever moving to recycling. It is not … Continue reading Rethinking requires thinking

Time to grow up

College is often seen as the peak of existence, the prime years of a person’s life. Films portray the college years as the best years in which to have fun, experiment or try something completely new. The college experience is the culmination of years of preparation and is one of the primary goals of millions of Americans. Students across America look forward to it, and … Continue reading Time to grow up

Three Gorges Dam: worth the costs?

In 1919, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the political revolutionary known as the “Father of Modern China,” envisioned a massive hydroelectric dam spanning the Yangtze River. After several attempts at construction throughout the twentieth century, all of which were halted for political or economic reasons, construction on the dam began in earnest in 1994 and was projected to be completed by 2009. Today, setbacks and additions have … Continue reading Three Gorges Dam: worth the costs?

Mysterious Moves

Sitting in the cafeteria with my banana, granola and yogurt concoction in hand, I can’t help but gaze across the throng of students stuffing their faces in glee, contemplating their second trips through the line for dessert. My eyes fall on a couple sharing a table near the windows. The guy is busily shuffling through his newspaper, tapping his foot, taking swigs of water and … Continue reading Mysterious Moves

Minnesota’s tax hike

Last week was a sad time for Minnesota tax-payers. Our state legislators overrode Governor Pawlenty’s veto to pass an irresponsible transportation bill that increased taxes on the people of our state by an estimated $6.6 billion. That is the largest tax increase in Minnesota history, and it will cost each Minnesotan in excess of $130. This amount may be just a haircut to wealthy, narcissistic … Continue reading Minnesota’s tax hike

Judging Amy

Last week Senator Amy Klobuchar came to Gustavus to lead a discussion on global warming. Although I strongly disagree with her on this and most other issues, she appears to be an intelligent and passionate representative for Minnesota who has a strong character and values. Out of respect for her and her office, I listened to her views on how we can find long term … Continue reading Judging Amy