Opinions

---

"Don't ask, don't tell argument puts homosexuals in the middle"

On Oct. 12, California federal judge Virginia A. Phillips ordered the termination of the U.S. military's fickle "don't ask, don't tell" law, as it violates the equal protection and First and Fifth Amendment rights of openly homosexual enlisted men and women. Almost immediately, the Department of Justice and the Pentagon began a campaign against the new policy, citing that the sudden changes in arrangements would make problems for other U.S.

Rash argument begins with a misunderstanding

Unfortunately, student athletes and athletic communications are thoroughly reticent when it comes to commenting on a teammate's involvement in off-campus incidents.

"Driven by money, Proposition 19 will be a good test run"

It seems that, ultimately, whether or not California decides to pass its nationally anticipated Proposition 19 will come down to money.

No excuses for Afghan civilian murders

A breath of fresh air

The set lights are set up perfectly, the instruments are tuned, and the iconic Hall and Oates record is propped up on the amp.

A cup of Green Tea

The midterm election season is in full swing and students are having a much harder time trying to stay politically ignorant.

Know your rock history

I am proud to say I have amassed a very impressive CD collection. I have over 200 CDs, and if it weren't for my tendency to sell them back to Record Theater for cash, I'd probably have close to 400.

When do police officers cross the line?

The Carter XVI

Denard Robinson is one of the most exciting college football players to come along in the past decade.

French removal of Romani people is xenophobic

Even Americans get touchy when the term "xenophobia" gets thrown around.

Wal-Mart: Now 25 percent less evil

Wal-Mart is probably the most polarizing corporation in America. Some people love it for the low prices and the simple fact that you can buy just about anything you want there.

Wind power turbines too noisy for sensitive ears

As many countries scramble to find a plausible solution to the global energy crisis, many individuals across the United States find themselves unable to deal with the side effects of renewable energy resources and their means of production. A popular form of renewable energy, wind farming, seems detrimental only to those who live in proximity to the insistent hum of the turbines and within eyeshot of offshore wind farms. Though only measured at a noise level just above that of a humming refrigerator, wind-power turbines often frustrate residents of rural areas that have agreed to host wind-power facilities, as many of the dissenting voices claim that the turbines mar the otherwise natural vista and that the noise disrupts the area's otherwise noiseless tranquility. To city residents, such an enthusiastically negative reaction to a little bit of white noise seems absurd, as main road residents train themselves to sleep through fire truck sirens and street sweepers.

Paladino's opinions on homosexuals turn heads

In the realm of current political gaffes, Joe Biden takes a big bite of the pie, having most notoriously told a man in a wheelchair to stand up and take a bow while he spoke publicly on the campaign trail with President Obama. But Carl Paladino's comments on homosexuality, made earlier this week in response to fellow gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo participating in a gay pride parade with his family, seem to go beyond something that we can simply set aside as a campaign hiccup. As an editorial board, we would like to believe that his remarks were brash efforts to accommodate the politics of a conservative group of Orthodox Jewish leaders.

Texting ruining relationships

When was the last time you were able to go through a day and not touch your cell phone or have someone text message you about absolutely nothing? In today's society, cell phones are attached to consumers' hips and sometimes even their hands.

Best in the West?

The San Francisco 49ers were everybody's sexy preseason pick. With fiery coach Mike Singletary at the helm, an aggressive defense featuring linebacker Patrick Willis, a high-powered running game led by Frank Gore and offseason addition Brian Westbrook, and downfield threats Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis, the 49ers looked like they would trample over the rest of the weak NFC West and make the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Right now, though, they are one of only three winless teams in the NFL, sitting at 0-5 after Sunday night's loss to the Eagles.

Yankees continue to cash in

Derek Jeter gets all the credit. But when you step back and look at the success the New York Yankees have had over the past 15 years, you may be surprised to find out who is really responsible. Now, let me be clear right off the bat.

No break for New Yorkers

What's going on in New York? The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has just dropped another bombshell for New York City inhabitants. The MTA recently voted to raise the transit fare once again.

Yet another showdown between state and Senecas

New York State Governor David Paterson again finds himself in a battle with the Seneca Nation, a Native American group that enjoys special treaty rights and considers itself separate from the state. The latest issue between the two groups is the state's claim that the Senecas owe over $200 million in revenue-sharing payments.

Senate bill to blacklist Internet is unwise

The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, also known as Senate bill 3804, was introduced last month and is now causing an uproar in the online community. The bill, if passed, would not only give the Attorney General the power to remove from the Internet any website that contains copyright-infringing material; it would also grant him the right to remove the entire domain associated with that website. For example, we've all experienced the following problem: The new hit song comes out, and we all want to listen to it, but we don't want to pay for it to hear it just once.

Lessons from Grilled Cheesus