Voters missed opportunity for change

By BO TAO | November 8, 2012

On Tuesday, the country missed the opportunity to vote for real change – actual, real and tangible transformations to our country. Change will come when we stop passing and renewing laws such as the Patriot Act and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which egregiously violate the very basic principles this country was founded upon. It will come when we stop calling the dead children from the drone strikes in Pakistan “collateral damage” and actually put a face to these people who are no different from the rest of us.

Four more years: Where we are and where we’re going

By SONIA TSURUOKA | November 8, 2012

Three weeks’ worth of misguided campaign strategies and unbecoming soundbites in the lead-up to this Tuesday’s election forecasted Romney’s downfall even before the race was called. In fact, the phrase “bleak prospects” would have seemed a gross understatement; by the morning of the election, the New York Times’ number-crunching guru Nate Silver had boldly pegged Obama’s chances of re-election at over 90 percent, and by 11:30 PM – before Florida and Ohio’s tallies had been finalized – none other than Fox News had declared a landslide victory for Barack Obama.

Romney win would have been disastrous

By JAMES CAMERON | November 8, 2012

Now that I can safely say that Mitt Romney will not be elected our next president, I feel it’s necessary to reflect on what his presidency would have meant for the all-important and salient issue of disaster relief.

Daniels makes a necessary first step

November 8, 2012

Last week President Ronald J. Daniels wrote an op-ed piece in The Baltimore Sun in support of marriage equality in Maryland. Daniels briefly mentioned that he saw the issue as “a matter of justice and core civil rights,” but the remainder of his piece gave a less common interpretation as to why marriage equality is important: it is beneficial for business, especially for an organization like Hopkins. Proposition 6, which reaffirmed the right to marriage among all citizens in Maryland, passed on Tuesday night.

Hotel at Olmstead isn’t practical

November 8, 2012

On Tuesday, Alan Fish, the Vice President of Real Estate and Campus Services, introduced some of his suggestions for development at Homewood to the Student Government Association (SGA). One of the most ambitious projects Fish spoke about and the first one he would like to implement is the construction of a hotel on the vacant Olmstead lot on 33rd St. between St. Paul and N. Charles St. Fish told the SGA that the hotel would increase the quality of student life by bringing “really great restaurants” to Charles Village and would provide students with another place to “hang out.”

Opioids are not the answer for chronic pain

By MEGAN CRANTS | November 1, 2012

Opioids are among the world’s oldest drugs and are still used today to manage pain. Classified as narcotic analgesics, they are legally available by prescription. They work by binding to specific receptors in the nervous system and altering the way that the brain identifies and interprets pain sensations.

Sandy sheds light on candidates’ silence

By AGASTYA MONDAL | November 1, 2012

Hurricane Sandy has finally come and gone, but she has left a trail of devastation in her wake. And environmental catastrophes like her are becoming more common and are a direct result of climate change. Unfortunately, in our modern society, climate change is one of the least publicized yet one of the most important issues that faces the next generation.

Uncovered grades? Why school administrators should think twice

By JOHN CORBETT | November 1, 2012

A year ago, an article ran in The News-Letter which discussed the topic of covered grades. The article indicated that the Academic Affairs subcommittee of the Academic Council had recently approved a motion to eliminate the first semester grading policy, which indicates only a satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance in the course and does not calculate grades received in first semester classes into cumulative grade point average (GPA). This recommendation, if approved by President Ron Daniels, would take effect in the fall of 2014.

University poised despite weather

November 1, 2012

With Hurricane Sandy now gone, the recovery process has begun. The University and its surroundings, however, have emerged relatively unscathed. This is largely due to the people who worked through the storm to insure Hopkins was prepared

Morsi matters: Elected Egyptian leader deserves a chance

By BAYLY WINDER | October 25, 2012

In the midst of a heated race for the U.S. presidency, many in the foreign policy arena are concerned about the implications of a new Egyptian government. How will Egyptian-American relations fare under recently elected President Mohammed Morsi? Will the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel remain intact? Although these are important questions, they are self-interested. The most fundamental question must be: is Morsi good for the Egyptian people?

Partisans need to embrace compromise to fix economy

By DAVIDE PINI | October 25, 2012

With the U.S. elections approaching and the world market still recovering from the 2008 financial crisis, the economy has rarely been such an important factor in the political arena. In their second debate, Governer Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama mainly focused on their two different approaches to solve this situation. Obama is mainly proposing to increase government spending, while Romney wants to cut taxes in order to improve the prospects of small businesses. Both these solutions reflects their parties historical beliefs: big government and aid to the low-income sectors of society for the Democrats and small government and greater liberty to entrepreneurs for the Republicans.

Popular view of sexual assault is misguided

By INGRID NELSON | October 25, 2012

Last week, I was very excited to see an article about sexual violence in The News-Letter. I believe sexual violence is an issue that is too often ignored or unrecognizably distorted at Hopkins. Someone was finally acknowledging the fact that, yes, sexual assault does occur at this school. However, I was dismayed after reading the article “70 Sex Offenders Registered in Area,” which was published on Oct. 11. This article only served to perpetuate the false and dangerous sentiment that sexual violence only comes from perpetrators outside of our school.

Why the Golden Globes will shine

By AISHWARYA RAJE | October 25, 2012

It’s probably a bit premature to be getting excited about next year’s awards season, but the recent announcement that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are going to be hosting the upcoming Golden Globe Awards in January merits discussion. These are two of Hollywood’s best comediennes who happen to have undeniable chemistry. If this does not boost ratings for the Awards, then I don’t know what will.

Faculty-student interaction is the way to go

October 25, 2012

Yesterday, the Sustainable Hopkins Infrastructure Program (SHIP) held the first annual Future of Hopkins Symposium. The event allows students and faculty to present ideas to create a better and more sustainable Hopkins. Some of the ideas presented included the creation of a University-wide donation bank which would accept used items from students, an art gallery at MSE focused on science and the planting of gardens on buildings to increase the amount of local produce on campus.

Protests create healthy discourse

October 25, 2012

Tuesday morning, the pro-life demonstrations conducted by the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform were met with demonstrations by pro-choice groups and other students on campus. These students stood up to the demonstrators and held up signs pronouncing their right to choose.

Time for leaders to steer two-state solution

By JORDAN CARMON | October 18, 2012

Next week, President Obama and Mitt Romney will debate our nation’s foreign policy and clarify their visions for America’s role in the world over the next four years. One of the foremost issues is the evolving Middle East. Amidst change and turmoil, it is often easy to kick the can down the road when it comes to that region. However, one issue the candidates cannot lose sight of is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Solving the conflict is necessary for a secure future — without fixed borders for Israelis and full political and human rights for Palestinians, there will be no peace and the regional situation will continue to deteriorate.

More public art displays needed throughout campus

By NICHOLAS DEPAUL | October 18, 2012

The Homewood campus is aesthetically pleasing in many ways: the continuity of red brick, white marble and aged copper intermingled with ample green spaces creates a classical and inspiring educational environment.

Should scientists be given more of a say in national policymaking?

By SAM CHIRTEL | October 18, 2012

The position of the natural sciences in Western society today is something of a paradox. By many standards, science in the U.S. and Europe has been enjoying a renaissance since World War II that has only accelerated in recent years. Governments have been devoting millions of dollars annually to basic research. Additionally, many firms in science or sectors of the economy related to science have maintained robust Research and Development divisions. These organizations have helped to set and pursue national priorities. As a result of this funding and direction, researchers have achieved major advances in a great diversity of fields and continue to publish new results at an astonishing pace.

Drone on: Unmanned aerial vehicles are our best military option

By MATT PARMAN | October 18, 2012

In countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, the sight of a sudden explosion that seems to come from nowhere has become an increasingly common sight. The use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone technology has been in the headlines more frequently in the last few years as the Obama administration has increased its dependence on UAVs to attack and kill suspected terrorists. This has raised some complex questions about the morality of this technology and the effects it has on the way we both wage and view warfare.

Continuing to embrace diversity is integral

October 18, 2012

On Oct. 10, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments about the future of affirmative action in the admissions process of the nation’s public universities. If the court rules in favor of the petitioner, it will no longer be legal for public and private universities to use the various personal characteristics of applicants — including race, religion, gender and sexual orientation — as factors in the admissions process.

Opinion