Opinions

The end of late fees?

Mar 1st, 2010 | By Zach | Category: Columns, Opinions

With the emergence and rapid growth of digital media distribution, the days of going to the store to rent or buy a movie (or book, music album, or video game) are numbered.



MSU should reconsider construction of University Recreation Center

Mar 1st, 2010 | By Zach | Category: Editorials, Featured Articles, Opinions

We are about to face major budget cuts, yet we are still chugging along about to build a superfluous facility that the majority of students will probably never use and which will cost untold amounts in the future to properly staff and maintain.



Stop calling it ‘defense’

Mar 1st, 2010 | By Nate | Category: Columns, From the Archives, Opinions

Would we pay for an offense budget? Probably not. Will people keep signing up and heading off as long as we call it defense? Most definitely.



Golden Rule does not mesh with capitalism

Mar 1st, 2010 | By msuunder | Category: Commentary, Opinions

If there’s one thing that the latest fallout from Wall Street has shown me, it’s that when the rubber meets the road and times aren’t so great, self-interest wins out in the end.



University created free e-texts would benefit students, put MSU ahead of competition

Feb 5th, 2010 | By Zach | Category: Editorials, Opinions

The technology exists now to do away with costly textbooks altogether. Instead, the university could prompt professors to create free e-textbooks using wiki technology to work collaboratively.



No time for a vote when lives are at stake

Feb 5th, 2010 | By msuunder | Category: Columns, Featured Articles, Opinions

I would like to take to task an opinion article written by Gabriel McLaughlin published Jan. 19 in Missouri State’s The Standard. In it, McLaughlin questions whether taxpayer resources should be given to Haiti without the citizens voting on it and whether we should even maintain our relationship with Haiti at all.



Ranking the best of Star Trek

Dec 22nd, 2009 | By Zach | Category: Blogs, Entertainment, Movie Reviews, Opinions, TV Reviews, Top Story

by Zach Becker
I read a blog post written by one of my relatives, Nels Lindahl, in which he rated his favorite Star Trek iterations, including both television and movies.
As a Trekkie myself, I was surprised by his rankings of the various Star Trek endeavors, specifically how low DS9 and First Contact rated on his list [...]



News-Leader editorial reopens wounds for two teachers who cleared their names

Dec 21st, 2009 | By Zach | Category: Editorials, Opinions, Springfield News

The Springfield News-Leader published an unsigned editorial Sunday urging the public to push for more transparency from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in its handling of investigations of teacher misconduct for certification purposes.
The overarching theme of the editorial is of sound logic in suggesting greater transparency; however, the author decided to [...]



Woman picks at motorist’s baby-back ribs in Chili’s parking lot

Dec 21st, 2009 | By Zach | Category: Commentary, Opinions, Springfield News

by Zach Becker
You might want to think twice next time before swooping in on that perfect parking spot. According to the Springfield News-Leader, a young woman allegedly pulled out an ice-pick and stabbed a man repeatedly after she felt he stole her parking spot at Chili’s Grill and Bar on Sunday.
Luckily for the victim, his [...]



News reporting discretion lacking in online age

Dec 16th, 2009 | By Zach | Category: Blogs, Opinions

by Zach Becker
Discerning news from non-news used to be one of the key functions of journalists and their editors. Back in the day, reporters were limited by the practical problem of limited physical space in the print edition. Some things made it, others didn’t.
While I love the Internet (as I sit here blogging), there are [...]