Taiwan ensures healthy foreign relations

By Patrick Burke / November 21, 2005

The main issue that loomed in the shadows of this past weekend’s conference between President Bush and President Hu of China was arguably that of Taiwan’s future as an independent free democratic state. It is the fear of many hawkish policy makers that a hypothetical Chinese superpower would inevitably invade and annex Taiwan. China faces...

In pursuit of the perfect study location

By Lorraine Bailey / November 21, 2005

Yeah, I know, you have already completed all your reading for the quarter, so you’re going to spend these next two weeks just whiling away your time, nibbling bon-bons and leafing through the Oxford English Dictionary’s more obscure passages. Just ’cause you can. That is fine. I totally support you in that endeavor. Even if...

It’s time to get aware

By Maroon Editorial Staff / November 18, 2005

Sexual Assault Awareness Week ends today. A week of events sponsored by Resources for Sexual Violence Prevention (RSVP) have now concluded, but the problem of sexual assault is far from over. Sexual violence infects our entire society, and unlike many social ills, our academic bubble does not protect us from this tragedy. At colleges across...

The strict constructionists are dead wrong

By Harry Schmidt / November 17, 2005

I think I finally understand the attitude of those people who call themselves “strict constructionists,” who claim to be represented in the judicial arena by personalities like the President’s current nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Alito. In her editorial for the Maroon (“The Left’s legal sleight of hand” 11/8) Laura Hamilton expressed their collective...

Fears of a bird flu epidemic are overblown

By Laura Hamilton / November 17, 2005

I do not entirely understand the proliferation of ominous pandemic-bird-flu articles. They greatly exaggerate the magnitude of the danger as well as the imminence of catastrophe. Are there not more mischievous things a New York Times reporter can accomplish with his column-inches? The “flu-is-coming” story is quickly becoming a journalistic standby. If you recall, it...

Penalizing the oil industry will deter vital investment

By Eric Blaschke / November 17, 2005

The Federal Trade Commission subpoenaed U.S. oil companies in a gasoline probe following defiant testimony by oil executives answering angry calls by Republicans and Democrats alike for an explanation of record profits reported after Hurricane Katrina. As popular as it might be to publicly berate wealthy corporate CEOs for ‘price gouging’ at a time when...

Who knew? The Right is compassionate.

By Patrick Hogan / November 17, 2005

If there’s one lesson to be drawn from the furor over May House’s Ghetto-Thuggin’-Straight-Stupid dorm party—which, by the way, I’m pretty sure got billed as a Klan meeting on the national news, so there we go sliding down the U.S. News rankings again—it’s that stereotypes, though artificial, are hurtful, ugly things (by that definition, people...

Good Sports

By Maroon Editorial Staff / November 15, 2005

As the University has moved away from being a place “where fun comes to die,” athletics has become an increasingly relevant part of our community. Athletics’ facelift—most notably the construction of Ratner—has been more than superficial: Maroons teams have been enjoying unparalleled success in recent years. Four of six fall teams made NCAA playoffs this...

The federal poverty line must be reformed

By Andrew Hammond / November 14, 2005

The story of the federal poverty line (FPL) is a story of an arcane, bureaucratic exercise that was transformed into a nationwide standard—a standard that has gone untouched for over 40 years. More accurately described as the poverty threshold, the FPL is terribly inaccurate. This bizarre story causes one to be bemused at how something...

Campus forum did little to urge dialogue

By Barney Keller / November 14, 2005

Here’s the good news about the all-University forum on the campus racial climate sparked by the infamous freshman hip-hop party: It was a fairly civil exchange of commentary on an issue that often degenerates into angry finger-pointing. The forum opened up with comments from Steven Klass, the dean of students, who said he wanted to...

Sister cities are a worthwhile endeavor

By Samuel Rosenberg / November 14, 2005

My brother and I have had our disagreements in the past, but at the end of the day we are always best friends. Not all sibling relationships are as functional as the one I have with my brother: some families have minor disagreements that cause serious strife. Unfortunately for our country, we have been having...

A Perfect Ten

By Maroon Editorial Staff / November 11, 2005

This year, the U of C did not rank in the top ten in the U.S. News and World Report list of national universities. In addition, whenever another publication (such as the Princeton Review) mentions the Top Party Schools, we are nowhere near the list. Two alumni, Paul Grana and Pat Richards, sought to change...