The opinions presented below are solely the views of the author and do not represent the views of The News-Letter. If you are a member of the Hopkins community looking to submit a piece or a letter to the editor, please email opinions@jhunewsletter.com.
In response to the recent triumph of Argo at the Academy Awards, the Iranian state television channel called the film an “advertisement for the CIA.” This brief exchange serves as a painful reminder of the nature of the U.S.-Iranian relationship, one that has been marked by mutual distrust and deep-rooted animosity.
Last week, Hopkins J Street U held a discussion about Israeli-Palestinian border disputes. The nationwide organization advocates for a two-state solution to the ongoing conflict. Considering how complicated, relevant and heated this dispute is, this page believes promoting more dialogue to better understand the issues is valuable to a University campus.
From Feb. 8 to Feb. 9, the University implemented a dry weekend policy to curb alcohol use during sorority and fraternity recruitment events. According to the Office of Greek Life, alcohol is already banned from new member activities, but there have been problems in the past with heavy drinking right after sorority recruitment, which is why they chose that particular weekend to be alcohol-free.
This past Sunday, I drove down to Washington, D.C. for a protest against the Keystone XL Oil Pipeline. Proposed in 2005 by TransCanada Corporation, the pipeline has been a hot-button issue for environmentalists and political leaders alike. They argue that its construction will cause irrevocable environmental harm — both by increasing “dirty” carbon emissions and through likely oil spills — and that it will reduce American energy security.
Growing up in New Jersey, I never knew what it was like to “have a team.” Unfortunately, my state is more widely known for its tanned people who lounge on the beach all day than for its athletic achievements.
It nearly goes without saying that the Enlightenment fundamentally changed the popular conception of government in society. For the United States, which adopted a constitution out of the ideals of this period of thought, perhaps no thinker was as influential as John Locke, whose writings on the composition and limitations of political institutions sit at the heart of the document that guides our state.
The administration recently sent out an email to its Charles Village community contacts, detailing its committment to allay the neighborhood’s concerns regarding students living in off-campus housing. The concerns mostly had to do with the transition from the Student/Community Liason (the Shush Lady) to her successor, the Shush Lord.
Stark contrasts in the health of Baltimore residents are evident according to the work of Hopkins researchers. Debra Furr-Holden, an associate professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, states that one of the clearest examples is the 20-year disparity in life expectancy between Roland Park and Upton Druid Heights, two neighborhoods who also have near opposite racial makeups.
Most people have heard of staph infections, but not many realize how serious they can be. The staphylococcus bacteria that cause the infection can be commonly found on the human body and generally do not cause any serious problems. The infections can quickly turn fatal, however, if the bacteria enter the bloodstream. This causes bacteremia, otherwise known as blood poisoning. The bacteria can then travel through the blood to infect internal organs, bones, muscles and surgical implants.
What in the world is a MOOC? It is not some slang word for cows or a creature straight out of the Lord of the Rings. Rather, MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Courses. These are classes taught by professors at various institutions that are offered to the public for free. As a result, often thousands of people enroll. For instance, in 2011, a Stanford professor offered a course that attracted a mind-blowing 160,000 students, shocking universities everywhere.
President Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, has come under fire. Long before his hearing, Hagel faced attacks on his credentials, views and character reminiscent of Robert Bork’s Supreme Court nomination. Of course, the most vicious of these attacks has been the labeling of Hagel as an anti-Semite. Where does this view stem from? In a 2008 interview, Hagel said:
The controversial privatization measures in the 1990s under Boris Yeltsin were widely resented by average Russians. While these measures gave rise to a new class of fabulously wealthy oligarchs, the greater majority of Russian citizens faced a sharp and unprecedented decline in wealth and income.
One of my favorite Dave Matthews Band songs raises a question that will surely be asked of many seniors as they approach graduation this spring: Where are you going?
The quintessential college experience is often described as a time of exploration and self-actualization. When asked what they would hope to experience during their formative college years, many individuals would be inclined to discuss forging friendships, cultivating meaningful memories and discovering a future profession.
During an Intersession class last month, a group of students had the chance to study Baltimore and propose solutions to pressing issues in the community. The class, entitled “B’More: Studying Innovation and Change Through Charm City,” introduced students to recent developments in Baltimore and encouraged them to apply citywide innovation to Homewood. Some of the ideas proposed included a free hugs program, a bike share program and a “Mobile Maintenance” smartphone application.
The Department of Defense (DOD) recently lifted a near 20-year ban on women serving in combat roles in the armed forces. For female cadets in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) here at Hopkins, this change of policy means more jobs to choose from upon graduation.
The European Union is teetering on survival as the member nations decide the fates of their fellow debt-ridden countries. Another blow to the unsteady Union came from Prime Minister David Cameron’s government in the U.K.
The Lance Armstrong saga seems to be finally drawing to a close. After months of equivocating, the former cyclist’s deception has finally been exposed. In a sport plagued by doping, Armstrong was simply the best — at doping. In a world of cheaters he was king.
Of all the regions of the world, the Middle East has the unfortunate honor of being the most comfortable with violence. Since World War II and the slow and painful withdrawal of European colonialism, the people of the Middle East have experienced violence in seemingly limitless forms.
On Jan. 14 and 15, Hopkins hosted the Summit on Reducing Gun Violence in America. The Summit’s 450 participants included New York Mayor and Hopkins alumnus Michael Bloomberg, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and Hopkins President Ron Daniels. Each presented research findings and a set of policy recommendations to curb gun violence. The Summit’s final proposals include establishing a universal background check system, instituting federal restrictions of gun purchases for the mentally ill, banning the sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines and providing funds to research organizations to better understand the causes of and solutions to gun violence.
