Opinion - The Daily Lobo

Opinion

Letter: While educating your minds, don't neglect your hearts

January 29

Do most college graduates live more wisely than minimum wage workers who never went to high school? Do most college graduates travel less, pollute less, cause less global climate chaos? Do most college graduates pay less federal income tax for war? Do most college graduates consume less and live more simply and fairly in our world family of more than seven billion people? Do most college graduates take strong public stands against US greed and wars? Do most college graduates choose jobs that help more than harm?

Opinion

Obama's protections for Arctic are vital

Will Brewer | January 27

This past week President Obama proposed sweeping new protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Occupying Alaska’s North Slope, the refuge contains polar bears, wolves, dall sheep, muskoxen and one of the world’s largest caribou herds. Initially protected in 1960 and then again in 1980 in recognition of its bountiful wildlife, the refuge has been under pressure from oil and gas development in recent years. By designating the majority of the refuge as a Wilderness Area, Obama’s proposal would afford the highest protection possible under Federal Law.

Opinion

Column: Deflate-gate is over-inflated media scandal

J.R. Oppenheim | January 26

Tired of hearing about Deflate-gate yet? Don’t worry. I’m not throwing in my two cents about whether New England quarterback Tom Brady told his equipment manager to purposefully reduce the PSI in 11 of 12 footballs during last week’s AFC title game. If head coach Bill Belichick gave the order, I don’t care. This won’t affect the Super Bowl in seven days. I am sick of this media oversaturation over Deflate-gate, as I am sure you are. We reached the point of absurdity days ago, and there unfortunately seems to be no end in sight until next week’s title showdown. The national sports media should be ashamed of themselves.

Opinion

Letter: There's no 'justice for all' while racism stills exists

January 26

If the Ferguson white cop Darren Wilson had killed an 18-year-old unarmed white youth, would the grand jury have indicted the cop? If the cop had been black and if he had killed an unarmed white youth, would the grand jury have indicted the black cop? If the 18-year-old unarmed had been the Ferguson mayor’s son or from the richest family in town, would the grand jury have indicted the cop who killed him?

Opinion

Letter: Saudi king's death changes nothing for war-torn Mid East

January 26

The news has come to us from Arabia that the Saudi King Abdullah has passed away at the age of 90. Back in June 2008, King Abdullah hosted the Mekka interfaith meeting in which he publicly met with Shia clerics and claimed to support the establishment of a more pluralistic and tolerant interpretation of Islam.

Opinion

Letter: Walkers, drivers alike should take care on the road

January 26

The reason I wanted to write this article in the Daily Lobo is to wake both drivers and pedestrians up. Let’s all be on high alert when crossing busy roads instead of in our prevalent auto-pilot mode. The life you save may be your own. Pedestrians — do not be lulled by the “safety” of crosswalks. Remember, you can die in the right of way.

Opinion

Column: Today's youth are bombarded with bad music

Jason Darensburg | January 23

Kanye West’s latest hit song has created an uproar in the music world, and not because of the lyrics or subject matter. “Only One” is controversial because West teamed up with one of pop music’s old guard to create the track: none other than former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney. “Only One” features McCartney playing a minimal keyboard riff over a programmed beat while West sings through Auto-Tune. The song is not by any means a creative breakthrough for either artist. “Only One” is mediocre at best; unchallenging pop music processed and homogenized to appeal to the lowest common denominator. I never would have guessed McCartney was even on the track if it hadn’t been so hyped. His contribution is not immediately apparent. Whatever their personal artistic motives may have been, the unlikely collaboration between Yeezy and Macca provoked an outpouring of scathing, often hilarious feedback from fans and critics. While some of the online remarks were clearly meant to be sarcastic, others appeared to be sincere in their ignorance regarding Kanye’s latest musical foil.

Opinion

Dr. Peg's Prescription: 'Eat more vegetables' should be everyone's New Year's resolution

Dr. Peggy Spencer | January 21

January is named after the god Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings, who is also known as a guardian of doorways. Janus has two faces, one looking back and the other looking forward. Ancient Romans believed that when you passed through the doorway from one year to the next Janus would help you shed old baggage and bless you for a better year ahead.

Opinion

Cheap gas threatens the state's economy

Stephanie Mladinich | January 20

Although cheaper gas prices carry less of a burden on our wallets, the recent drop in prices represent a significant change for the economy and environment of New Mexico. U.S. Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, and Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, introduced legislation to congress known as the LNG Permitting Certainty and Transparency Act that strives to increase and expedite U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas.

Opinion

Wahhabis, not Sunnis, should take the blame for violence

January 16

Editor, Although I personally follow the Jafari Shia school of Islamic thought, I cannot idly sit by while the corporate-owned, mainstream media continues its libel my Sunni Muslim brothers and sisters.

Opinion

China's lack of religion puts the country ahead of others

January 16

Editor, While religions of this or that stripe slaughter each other over the rest of the world, China is laughing all the way to the bank.

Opinion

Letter: New amenities sure to be the best fix in these hard times

January 15

It’s nice to know that in difficult economic times, UNM administration, headed by President Bob Frank, is looking out for UNM students by planning to offer more “amenities.” Whew.

Opinion

Letter: Some modest proposals to improve theater department

January 15

With the fact that time limits are placed and then holds for payment when the incomes from FAFSA can’t be accessed makes it impossible for anyone to return to school. Being thrown out of the college of fine arts made me realize that, for the third time, this college needs more than revision. With the billions of students that have received Lottery and other means of help while most of us paying students with limited incomes come to a fuddy duddy place with weird situations to encounter things like theft and other complications in the theater dept. It would be advisable that this whole college be transitioned to a better place of learning for the monies that we are paying for them. What is taught is not sufficient to some of us to pass the tests and it isn’t our ability to study, but the distractions of outer concerns and having to back track to finding the mysterious occurrences.

Opinion

Why are undergraduates being charged graduate-level money?

January 14

Editor, Did you know UNM charges graduate tuition for undergraduate level classes taken as a prerequisite to a graduate class?

Opinion

New regent choices show lack of diversity

January 13

Editor, I think it’s just great that there will be three more white males on UNM’s Board of Regents. That will really help diversify this group so that it will better reflect New Mexico’s population. Way to go, Governor Martinez.

Opinion

Exercising freedom of speech makes it meaningful

January 12

Editor, Where does good-natured humor leave off and barbed insult begin? Once more we have killings by Muslims, this time in France. This was at the offices of magazine Charlie Hebdo. It turns out the shooters were offended by the all that satire, caricature and lampooning of Islam and its prophet.

Opinion

Letter: Public money should not fund unopposed candidates

January 6

In this year's campaign for the Public Regulation Commission, candidate Lynda Lovejoy ran unopposed yet accepted and spent $26,000 of public financing on her campaign. If it sounds like a rat, looks like a rat, acts like a rat, it must be a rat.

Opinion

Letter: Students' death inspire song, fundraiser on gofund.me

January 6

The recent deaths of senior criminology major Matthew Grant and junior business administration major Briana Hillard have brought together the UNM community in a way that is rarely seen. Moments like these show how much of an effect we can have on others.

Opinion

Letters: UNMH is no longer a good deal for UNM employees

January 6

It wasn’t that long ago when the decision between going to the University Hospital (UNMH) and some of the other options (Lovelace or Presbyterian) for a UNM employee was a no-brainer: If you had to get major surgery or had a major illness, you went to UNMH, you paid out $150 and that was the end of it.

Opinion

Letter: Arena ads distract from enjoyment of the game

December 8

I got to attend the Lobo/Aggies game Wednesday night, and although the game was great, my experience ... not so much. Recently the naming rights to the Pit were sold to WisePies, a local (yes, they’re local) pizza joint, and now their name is sprawled all over the Pit floor. Not only is their name on the floor, but Bank of Albuquerque’s and Verizon’s are, too. The Pit floor is starting to look more like a billboard than a basketball court.