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The Spectrum
OPINION

All politics - and political contributions - are local

Distorted campaign contributions by a wealthy, politically active duo may be coming to a local election near you, courtesy of the Americans for Prosperity (AFP) super PAC funded by David and Charles Koch. The billionaire barons are infamous for their political proclivities, often articulated through huge campaign contributions to right-wing and industry-friendly candidates.


The Spectrum
OPINION

Report lists Buffalo-Niagara as deeply income-segregated Metro

Buffalo-Niagara Falls has been rated the seventh most income-segregated metropolitan area in the United States. As part of an ongoing series in The Atlantic, noted urban studies theorist Richard Florida spoke to a rapidly growing trend in large American metros - segregation by income group.


OPINION

"But first, let me take a selfie"

Tilt your head a fraction of an inch to the side, find the right balance between a pout and a smile, lift your cheekbones and widen your eyes before pressing the button, adding a filter and clicking upload. I just searched #selfie on Instagram and 91,357,684 posts popped up in return. If we stop and think about it, that's pretty weird. If social media didn't exist, people wouldn't walk around handing out photos of themselves to others.


OPINION

Embracing what scares you

On Wednesday, Dr. Sanjay Gupta spent the evening telling the crowd at Alumni Arena stories about his experiences as a journalist and doctor. One story in particular stuck with me. When Diana Nyad was 29 years old, the long-distance swimmer failed in her attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida - 110 miles.


OPINION

The 'experience'

Location, location, location: the mantra of real estate agents. What does 'location' mean for a college student? Where you choose to live is an integral part of your 'college experience.' It can determine how involved you are on campus, who your friends are, where you hang out and what you do in your spare time.


OPINION

A family member's love can last a lifetime

You can't turn back time. It's impossible. There is no technology, no magic potion, no genie popping out of a lamp to grant you one wish. There isn't a Monopoly-style 'do-over' or 'roll-again' like your parents might have given you when you landed on a space that ran you into bankruptcy. What you choose to do with the time you are given in your lifespan is something that I thought about as I sat on the couch in my grandma's apartment in Panama City, Fla., last week during Spring Break. The aroma of fresh garlic and ground beef filled the kitchen as she stirred the metal pot that was filled with her famous sauce. While this was going on, I contemplated how many times she had made sauce, how many family dinners she had made and how much love she had put into that sauce no matter how tired or how sick she was of making it. When I was younger, anytime I lost track of what day of the weekend it was, I would simply walk into the kitchen of my grandma's house and smell the aroma of famous sauce. Instantly, I knew it was Sunday, and we were all getting together as a family.


The Spectrum
OPINION

"SA president, VP's comments on election are ill-timed, unprofessional "

Two-thirds of the current Student Association executive board attempted to sway the SA election with a message released Monday. The night before polls opened, SA President Sam McMahon and Vice President Judy Mai sent the SA club listserv a message de facto endorsing some SA candidate platforms while opposing others. The email breaks down a selective list of each party's proposals and gives an "objective" comment on the plausibility of each.


The Spectrum
OPINION

"The Spectrum endorses Value Party for president, VP"

Student government elections at the university level too often culminate in narrow victories clinched by a mix of popularity and ceaseless 'fliering' - the candidates' pragmatism and tenets fall by the wayside. They shouldn't this year.


The Spectrum
OPINION

Sade Cadle for treasurer

When it comes to treasurer, getting the most out of our Mandatory Student Activity Fee is vital, but so is professionalism, so it should come as no surprise that Value Party treasurer Sade Cadle gets our endorsement. A business major and current treasurer of the Black Student Union, which has the largest budget of any SA club, Cadle brings valuable experience (including money management know-how from an internship) and maturity to the position.


OPINION

Be the boss

Apparently, calling a girl bossy is a bad thing. While many girls may be nodding their heads and clicking the "share" button as they indulge in Sherry Sandberg's trending video "Ban Bossy," it's making me shake my head. The one-minute clip has been circulating social media in an attempt to ban the word "bossy" from the playground.


OPINION

Be the boss

Apparently, calling a girl bossy is a bad thing. While many girls may be nodding their heads and clicking the "share" button as they indulge in Sherry Sandberg's trending video "Ban Bossy," it's making me shake my head. The one-minute clip has been circulating social media in an attempt to ban the word "bossy" from the playground.


The Spectrum
OPINION

Caring for the 'sharing economy'

Traditional business interests are challenging a new, growing economy - one in which locals with spare beds or room in their cars "share" with willing consumers - for a small fee, of course. The "sharing economy," as it's coming to be known, has attracted increasing attention the past few years, initially due largely to its novel nature.


OPINION

New SAT gets a failing grade - again

A poor indicator of success in high school, of work ethic, of intelligence, of future performance in college - the SAT is all of the above. For the second time in a decade, the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) has gone through an overhaul.


The Spectrum
OPINION

Pathway to prosperity includes some potholes

President Obama's proposed budget works to provide a road to middle class jobs and development projects in Western New York, while ignoring environmental concerns and the most needy members of the community. The budget proposal, announced Tuesday, comes ahead of the mid-term elections in November.


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