Opinion
Columns
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Portland blows with snow
Ryan Henson
The Commuter
Before the plane’s wheels even smacked on the runway, I could see there had been a snowstorm in...
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A word from your local ASG 11/04
Since I am not a reporter for The Commuter, I do not know what is going to be published for the week. If any of the topics that I am going to...
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Advice from Weiss 10/28
Question: Does anything bad happen to me if I drop a class?
Answer: It depends. There may be a reason why you need to...
A word from your local ASG 10/28
I am not going to pretend like I did a bunch of research on this topic; I am not an expert. I will not generate statistics to impress you....
Friday, October 2, 2009
Knowledge matters
Do you think there is an objective way to decide what knowledge matters?
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Advice from Weiss 09/30/09
Mark Weiss has been a counselor and adviser at LBCC for 20 years. Please send your questions to mark.weiss@linnbenton.edu
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Back in the Day Sept 27-Oct 3
This week in history…
September 27, 1821: All your base is not belong to us…
Mexico gains its independence...
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
This week in history
Hello! This is the premier of the Commuter’s “This Week in History.” In this weekly column, I’ll briefly go over important events that...
Friday, July 10, 2009
Advice from Weiss
I hope to answer your questions about college, college success, LBCC programs, college rules, and anything else you may have on your mind.Monday, May 11, 2009
The nation that cried "pig!"
Succumbing to pandemic fear is a lesson we as a nation refuse to learn over and over again. The latest entry in the long line of shameful displays belongs to swine flu, the newest incarnation of global ignorance that has for the last few months been driving down sales of pork and lashing an innocent industry with hype and consumer terror.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Janeway = Awesomeway
Captain Kathryn Janeway, of the USS Voyager, NCC-74656. You may be familiar with the name,...
Monday, May 4, 2009
Why Captain Kirk is a jerk
Wander into any comic book store in the United States to run your mouth about Star Trek captains and you will end up with the inevitable comparison of Kirk and Picard.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Perspectives April 14
Question 1: Why do you think important events like the Holocaust should be remembered?
Question 2: Does the Holocaust affect your opinion...
Monday, April 13, 2009
America needs to rely upon herself
The only available option, which will become clearer as time goes on, is to withdraw ourselves – ever so slowly – from both the international stage and marketplace.
Doctors use Google, too?
I love Google. If I can’t spell a word, I Google it. If I need to settle a late-night argument about the biological difference between dwarves and midgets, I Google it. Video game walkthroughs? Google. News? Google. The options are endless for the every-day Internets user. But what about doctors caring for patients? Is using Google appropriate then? I hardly think so.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Death of the Ezine - Abolishment of Creativity
To Whom it May Concern,
I am writing you a letter in response to an issue here at our school, Linn-Benton Community College. ...
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Perspectives March 11th
How do you feel about student government elections being postponed and then extended?
Aaron Scott: “Disheartening that students...
Thank you, OSU
Homework deadlines and increasing GPA pressure make the inevitably
approaching finals week stressful enough for...
Elections: Why were they really postponed?
Last year the elections were inadequately advertised, resulting in three people who registered to run, and 61 votes being cast. The result was that...WTF ASG
I thought maybe this year’s Associated Student Government election would be different and that Will Parker’s angry rampage across the opinion...
Building our Community
On campus and around our local areas more and more jobs, careers, and opportunities are disappearing. This includes LBCC’s rapidly...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Perspectives for February 11
“What do you think about Michael Phelps getting busted for smoking weed?”
Kyle Ball
Major- Polysomnography
“Not...
Perspectives for February 25
Question: How do you feel about the photo program being closed?
“I’m pissed....
California Drivin' on such a winter's day...
Then I hit L.A. in rush hour in my Ford F350 Econoline 15-passenger van. And that’s when L.A. hit me. We crawled for about three hours through that stretch of I-5 at which point I was cut off at least 30 times, forced into another lane four times and forced to slam on my brakes about 100 times.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
What about all the good things Hitler did?
I’m tired of this climate of hate. I demand change. We need to open our minds and begin to understand that there are two sides to every story, and both positive and negative outcomes to a situation, even the most atrocious.Sunday, February 22, 2009
Photography lab closure disappoints students
Students that have been in contact with the Commuter have expressed confusion and anger about why their questions are not being answered by the school administrators. Many are frustrated that they will have to reevaluate their plans for college or their career because of this closure. Julie Oakley, a first-year photography major, was angry that she was only give four weeks to find a new major. “Basically, it sucks,” she said.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Will 'God's Will' pay "Octo-Mom's" bill?
Nadya Suleman recently told MSNBc that she believes “God will provide in his own way” for her 14 children...
Monday, February 16, 2009
Illegal immigration rebuttal
Spouting off hearsay and allowing yourself to listen only to viewpoints similar to ones you already hold does nothing to further either healthy debate or your own intellectual maturity.
Immigrants will not break the economy
The economic downturn has left citizens left and right pointing the finger of blame. Some blame the government, some the unions, others the rich or...Why capitalistic health care fails
The argument heard most often in the national healthcare system debate is that the US is healthier and enjoys higher quality care than other countries with nationalized systems.
The facts say otherwise.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Gaming and You
Once thought a passing (albeit enormous) fad, gaming has established itself as a mainstream staple, rising to prominence in the league of comparable mediums like movies and television.
Iraq Veteran Against the War
“We can say no,” Lewis writes.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Retort to an Anort
The late 90’s were a cesspool of raspy heartless radio beats that collapsed the internal organs of the business at a time where music was already being threatened by waning sales.
The Decline of Video Gaming
The slow decline of video games. People have been saying for years. Don’t you see it? Or maybe you don’t, maybe you’re one...
Philosophoff- Starbucks: Israel's or Palestine's?
“This is just like the Palestinians,” he said. “We asked them to watch Israel while we were out of town being persecuted across the world for a few thousand years, and we come back to the place being trashed.”
Friday, February 6, 2009
Phelps v. Kellogg
Michael Phelps was recently caught on camera smoking from a bong.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Letter to the Editor: Home Depot
It is my responsibility, and yours, to make sure we are heard when we tell Washington, D.C. that we want national health care.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Smoking is life
Smoking, ah, smoking. One of life’s little pleasures.
It serves many functions in my life, from a social icebreaker (hey, we already have...
Monday, January 26, 2009
The bad news lesson
You could hear that the new president isn’t all he was cracked up to be, or that he is going on vacation and would be back to lead the country sometime next month. It would sting, but you wouldn’t question it for a second, because the person telling you is a leader, a wise person, an elder.
Something Old, Something New
The saying “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” is usually reserved for brides-to-be in preparation for a wedding. In special circumstances, we can also apply it to Barack Obama and the Presidential Inauguration of 2009.
Tobacco juice in the water fountains
By now I thought people would have the common decency and maturity to spit their tobacco infected saliva somewhere other then the water fountains, but alas, I was wrong. I guess I have this weird idea that a water fountain is for drinking water and not to be used as your fricking spittoon!
Illegal Immigration: Major Financial Burden
I understand that individuals from Mexico and other countries want to live the “American dream”. At the same time, we as a country currently have over 300 million people, our economy is hurting too, and the illegals who are sucking up extra money need to get a clue.Become a legal citizen or leave.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Most Technologically Advanced Age I Have Ever Seen
For most of you that read this, you may not remember the Motorola “Brick”. That was the original cell phone. There was no monthly plan to go with that one, they charged you somewhere close to five dollars per minute.
Obama to shut down Guantanamo Bay?
I don’t agree with Obama, or his policies but that doesn’t mean I want him to crash and burn as a president. If Obama is going to shut down Guantanamo he should do it right, give fair trials to all detainees. If he does that, he doesn’t violate the constitution and still treats the detainees with the respect they deserve.Monday, January 19, 2009
Response: Guantanamo
So why does Obama want to close Guantanamo? In short, because the function it serves is wholly un-American.
Is it worth it?
…the consumer needs to be informed of all the risks that come with using any given product. Are we doing enough to keep people safe? Can we rest easy that we know everything about our prescription medication that we need to know?
Supreme Court ruling changes how justice system works
“The Bush court, however, has tended to water down your right to be free from unreasonable governmental intrusion and will likely continue to go down this path.” – Corvallis lawyer Stephen Ensor
Women's rights still in jeopardy
Since Roe, women’s lives have greatly improved. We are no longer at risk from botched abortion attempts, but free to make our own reproductive choices.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
He who fights with monsters...
I do know that there are unifying experiences to humanity. Experiences that transcend the actual details of the matter to become common. I know what it is like to feel hatred. I know what it is like to feel love. I know what it is like to believe in something so strongly you are willing to die for it. I have been willing to die for it. I know what it is like to be willing to lay down your life for freedom. I have been willing to do it. I also know forgiveness.
Friday, January 9, 2009
GMOs: Good, bad, or just ugly?
From the creation of the first genetically modified organisms (GMO), there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the...
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
"Acceptable" racism
…Saltsman thought it would be a good idea to send a CD full of parody songs, one of which entitled, “Barack the Magic Negro,” to members of the RNC.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Philosoph-off: Marijuana... Sin or salvation?
“Apparently Giovanni da Verrazzano was high off his ass when he discovered [Rhode Island] in 1624.” – Brandon“Pot is natural it’s from the ground just like Easter Lilies, Poison Oak, and Elves.” – Rick
Monday, December 1, 2008
This Just In: People Are Stupid
Fat fingers and absent minds are causing a rash of mis-dialed 911 calls to be made from the LBCC campus this fall.Friday, November 14, 2008
Measure 11 Bogus or a Necessity
Now, I realize with my last statement, many of you will turn the page, read another article, call me a sexist, or say “what an idiot”. I am sure there are many women in Oregon and the United States who consent to having sex and have no problem with it; on the other hand, if a young women consents to having sex, and is underage, she should also be held accountable for her actions, it takes two to tango.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Do taxes = communism?
While we were all busy dusting off our duck-and-cover era fear of social equality, Obama was being called “Barack the wealth spreader,” and “redistributioner-in-chief” by the Republican vice-presidential and presidential candidates respectively, and a lot worse by some members of their supporters.
Obama's advantage
Obama obviously garnered support from an overwhelming number of people who could only afford to give him $150 or $50 or even $5. So in what world is it fair to say that he didn’t deserve every penny of it?
Friday, November 7, 2008
Post-election analysis
President-elect Obama has the unenviable task of bringing together a country so used to division that diplomacy is seen as a weakness.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Socialism: Because this time it will work
If we’re playing the socialism game then that would mean some guy shows up, takes the candy bar out of your hand then throws half of it into the crowded street. Hell, somebody gets it, and that’s what matters right? You weren’t that hungry anyway.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Following the election made me fat
I used to be able to go on a run without my thighs scraping together. And there was a day when I could go to the door, turn the knob, and walk outside without getting stuck.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Secret LA Times Obama terrorist video
McCain claims it proves that Obama is too extreme. What it really shows is a man willing to listen and be empathetic towards two sides of an issue.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Don't Vote!
So my question to you then becomes “Why Vote?” Why care? Why anything about this democratic-tragedy we call an election?
This system only has power as long as you enable it. And we’re a culture of enablers. We exist to enable the worst people to have the most power.
So don’t vote, resign from the system, become a conscientious objector to absolute idiocy. Stand up for yourself, for reality, and for some god-be-damned common sense. The system only works if you subscribe to and believe in it.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Perspectives
Question: How has cancer affected your life?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Get educated about ballot measures
Reading the Small Print in the 2008 Elections: Less Prominent Doesn’t Mean Less Significant
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Tech-Time
For a little more performance I use oil additives such as, “Lucas Oil.”
it is important to check the ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) dipstick while you’re under the hood.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The Gr8 Depression
When the news hit that Mother’s Cookies declared bankruptcy my own mother said she rushed to the nearest store to buy as many bags of cookies as she could in preparation for the impending hysteria that was sure to rip this nation apart come Y3K.
Delicious Treat or Terrorist Trap?
In a world of chaos and uncertainty few pleasures tether us to the realm of stability as washing your hands in a public bathroom. The sweet simple...
Health care as a right
As a society changes, so do its priorities. And their people are born with different rights, whether or not they’re specifically added to our founding document.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Oh, the pressures of voting
Remember that voting is a right, and will shape the face and history of an entire nation, but that is also a responsibility that we all need to take seriously.
Soft censorship
Bad writers hurry. They slant the story they want it to be seen. They can’t separate opinion from fact.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Pickens trades swift boats for wind mills
According to Pickens, our addiction to foreign oil “Threatens our economy, our environment and our national security. It touches every part of our daily lives and ties our hands as a nation and a people.”
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Terrorism in order to repress
What’s debatable is that the President, in his addresses to the UN and to America, told outright lies. What’s not debatable is that he stretched facts and omitted information that didn’t strengthen his case.
Security? More Like Everythingity
“Safety is paramount,” said Mr. Thompson in earnest, “Every extra pair of eyes we get, the happier we are.”Monday, September 29, 2008
Economic bailout plan: A naked power grab?
The current economic crisis should be viewed skeptically as those in power again announce an ill-considered and dangerous plan, urgently calling for it to be passed immediately.
Friday, September 26, 2008
This just in: McCain wins debate!
Seriously..?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Palin: I won't testify
Despite pledging to aid the investigation before being picked as McCain’s running mate, the campaign has now reverted to baseless accusations in order to protect Palin from inquiry.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Dag-nabbed manipulative media!
While a newspaper may report a story accurately, there is always room for one to be left with a feeling of ambiguity concerning the events.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Palin really isn't qualified to be Vice President. At all.
Sarah Palin is not qualified, even in the loosest sense.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Power and choice
The President must have a knowledge of diplomacy and working together to solve disagreements; they must know about economics, and how fiscal decisions will resonate years from their being made; they must know about world history so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Linking combat detail to crime rates
Still and all, those are some terrible numbers for such brave people.
Unfortunately, the majority of the information seems to conflict and provide varying viewpoints. Some say Vietnam Veterans’ Crime Rates were normal, because the majority were not on combat detail. Others say things are worse, and would have all veterans be potential killers and monsters, menacing our society by night vampirically. Unfortunately the monster stereotype has taken hold.
A study done in the 1980s showed that Vietnam Veterans per capita had a higher annual income than their non-military peers in the same age brackets.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Military Jargon in Civilian Life
This also leads to the air force term: “in the pipe, 5×5” meaning that your combat passenger compliment is fully loaded, buckled in, and prepared for the takeoff. “5×5” is synonymous with square in this instance.
Now, just to prove a point, here is a list of commonly use military acronyms that have “gone civy.”:
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Radioactive Bikini (Atoll)
President Truman declared it necessary to begin testing America’s nuclear capabilities, and the Bikini site was considered ideal due to its isolation from crucial trade routes.
Our Senate is broken
Regardless of the intentions, it’s worth remembering that important changes were made to our country’s laws on less than a day’s notice. The bill passed easily.
Ethanol: Friend or foe?
92% of Shapouri’s sources were published within the past 10 years, while only 56% of Pimental’s sources were published within the same timeframe.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Obama wants to fill your tires
The Bush administration estimates that offshore drilling will increase America’s oil output by 220,000 barrels per day by the year 2030. Sounds impressive. Keeping your tires inflated can improve efficiency by 3%. Regular tune-ups can add another 4% on top of that. Not as impressive.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Needing needles to save ourselves, not them
…there were an estimated 56,000 new cases of HIV in 2006, which is more than 40% higher than was previously assumed…one way to reduce the number of HIV infections is to encourage, not look down upon, the needle exchange program.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Parents don't need to be responsible, apparently
Parents just need to take responsibility. If you have young children who will be tempted to play with a pink dinosaur-shaped lighter, be an adult and don’t buy one. Or if you do buy one, keep it somewhere safe.
Friday, August 1, 2008
A one bedroom, two person apartment at Linn County Jail
Jail was a reality check for me. It made me realize what I really have, who’s there when I need someone, and the comfort of a private bathroom and fatty king size mattress.
Rolling on the river
we still had miles to go…
…made it to the rapids and that’s when I lost my air
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Anonymity and Internet journalism
As the internet grows wider in scope, the journalism industry must take great care in treating online publication with similar respect as we did print.
Monday, July 21, 2008
I wish this weren't the open road
Don’t even get me started on the hydroplaning that occurs in my 3,500Kg car in the various depressions and ruts created by the obfuscating layers of patchwork secrets.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Drive fast and turn hard
Driving fast is fun, but dangerous
Monday, July 7, 2008
How to write a column in easy steps. Right.
So I’ll write to my audience, make it a topic that is interesting, and I’ll leave the dander raising articles at bay. Unless I’m feeling feisty, then no promises.
I Kissed a Girl: Katy vs. Jill
I have two issues with this song. Beside it being a bubble gum, lip-smacking tune for girls too young to understand what it’s saying about our society, those girls are thinking that it’s the best song in the whole wide world. “OMG, I 
it.”
Monday, June 30, 2008
Movies Suck.
So why can I watch movies that are so obviously terrible from the mid-90s back to the 80s and understand and enjoy them better than the biggest-name summer blockbusters of 2008? Strange things are definitely afoot at the Circle K, Bill.
Doomsday is an empty campus, apparently.
Coming out into the courtyard, there’s none of the usual crowd laughing, clustered in groups, or playing muted power chords on an electric guitar.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Commuter editor LaMuerta gives fond farewell to LBCC
My career at this paper has been met with much pandemonium at LBCC. As the opinion editor last year, I pissed off a lot of people (and had much fun doing it).
Mr. NoBooks: Or how I learned to stop caring and fighting the system
The bookstore is a business. They operate for their and not our benefit. If we accept their terms, then we are just as at fault as they are.
Partying like a rockstar buffalo
I wouldn’t think about going to a concert or anything. Yet the idea of a game of “Scrabble” wets my whistle. Wow, I am a boring person.
United States violates U.N. charters
Beyond threats, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq five years ago was in defiance of the U.N. charters, which the U.S. helped to establish; yet nothing was done to stop it.
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