Opinion

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Choosing not to drive saves money, lives and the planet

Editor, I am glad I don't have a car. I would not keep a car if you gave me one for free. I haven't owned a car since 1979. I enjoy the freedom of not having a car. I save much money and many resources: oil, metals, rubber, etc. I avoid all parking and traffic tickets.

Schmidly perfectly aligned with UNM's future global prosperity

Editor, I am sorry, but all the cheese in Switzerland couldn't pair with the whining I hear from students regarding our esteemed, globally/future-oriented administration. If you as a student had any clue about the massive changes that are happening in the world, as well as the North American continental scale, you would see that President David Schmidly is perfectly aligned with our future prosperity as part of a global community.

Column: Speech is free, even if it's offensive

Free speech is an incredibly delicate bloom, even in a society where it is supported by tradition and ostensibly guaranteed by the Constitution. There are, in fact, constant limits put on free expression in this country, and the sources of these assaults on our most fundamental freedom are manifold.

Administration of UNM Hospital raises troubling questions

Editor, Your excellent coverage of administrator compensation on Main Campus raises similarly troubling questions about UNM Hospital on North Campus. For starters, why is the head of this county hospital for the indigent called a CEO? In a state with a shortage of doctors, why do doctors at this hospital get to cut down direct patient care and become executive vice presidents? Then there is the mil levy.

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Interaction of the two Americas would help create a New World

Editor, As a former major in U.S./Latin American history at the University of Tennessee's history department more than 25 years ago, I was fascinated by your latest edition's article about the class "From the Rockies to the Andes." As a world traveler, I have visited the Argentinean and Chilean side of the Andes at least a couple of times.

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Open Letter: UNM needs help to address failings

The following is a letter circulated among and signed by 159 UNM faculty members. The present crisis at UNM affects everyone in New Mexico because it is about the education of our students and the use of our tax money. We, the faculty, are committed to helping all students become responsible citizens and successful in the career of their choice.

People should aspire to have strong character, live honestly

Editor, March 13 was a scary day for Bernard Madoff. It was his first full day in jail after being sentenced the day before for masterminding one of the largest frauds in history. According to the Wall Street Journal, "Q&A on the Madoff Case," Madoff started trading with a legitimate strategy.

President's broken promise raises doubts about integrity

Editor, I have always been an independent voter who voted for the person I thought was truly devoted to serving the best interests of all instead of only one political party or any special interests. I voted for Barack Obama in November because I felt he was truly devoted to bringing about needed changes that would be good for all of us.

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Column: Media harp on Obama buzzwords

Watching financial news and reading opinion pages has been rough the last year. America's financial system is teetering on the brink, our auto manufacturing industry is in shambles, and nearly every other segment of America's red-hot economy of a couple years ago has nearly ground to a cold-gray standstill.

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Stem-cell research violates fundamental moral principles

Editor, Some scientists think they might have found the fountain of youth - too bad for the young. As an undergraduate student at UNM, I worked with a very intelligent professor in the medical field. We studied the pluripotency of the stem cells in the quail embryo.

Only through social struggles can civil rights be obtained

Editor, America's civil rights history is an interesting story that most people don't fully understand. The way many groups have achieved social and political rights in this country comes from a combination of judicial activism, a long history of legislation (constitutional and unconstitutional), grassroots activism, social upheaval and a mixture of good and bad court decisions.

Ask Dr. Peg

You deserve a break. You have worked hard all semester. Now it's time to relax. I hope you have scheduled some serious downtime for spring break. Sleep late, play a lot, eat chocolate, rejoice. I also hope you plan to stay healthy and safe over break, whether you travel, stay home or do some of both.

It's not right to crack down on groups that feed the hungry

Editor, In Wednesday's article, "Group could be fined for serving without permit," Jon Moore reported that the group Food Not Bombs could be fined by the Health Department. Recently, according to the Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque has a "potluck ordinance" and has been cracking down on local churches and festivals for the terrible crime - get this - of feeding people.

It's ignorant to blame Obama for country's economic woes

Editor, Conservatives have got some nerve to blame the recent drops in Wall Street to President Obama's proposed tax hikes on the wealthy. These tax increases are very modest, raising the highest income tax rate from 35 to 39 percent, raising the taxes on dividends and capital gains from to 15 to 20 percent, and lowering the top deduction rates from 35 to 28 percent.

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