Opinions - The Eastern Echo

New reforms to make matters worse?

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011

If you went to a public school in the last decade you probably took a standardized test. And not just the ones to get into college, but ones designed to test the school’s performance.

Schools track students

By Patrick Seick · Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011

In the early 20th century, a dangerous movement postulated that certain groups of people are superior to others swept across the United States.

Sports fans are one big family

By Neil Weinberg · Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011

Bruce Catton called baseball “the greatest conversation piece ever invented.” It’s pretty hard to argue he’s wrong.

Politics, aggressively religious?

By Patrick Seick · Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011

Listen to any political speech and the token “God Bless America” will invariably be tacked on to the end.

'We need to teach values'

By Neil Weinberg · Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011

It’s been a big year for the future of education. In one arena, public unions are battling with reform-minded governors about teacher pay and classroom standards.

Something smells fishy by UofM

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011

Ann Arbor is working toward construction of a new commuter rail line. Set to be placed near the University of Michigan hospital on Fuller road, the appropriately named Fuller Road Station has become a bit controversial.

Truth of Greek Life

By Patrick Seick · Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011

In 2001, Reese Witherspoon charmed and smiled her way into our hearts by playing Elle Woods in the comedy film “Legally Blonde.” Woods, a beautiful, ditzy fashion merchandizing major, is also a sorority girl.

Promote busing

By Chris Hoitash · Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011

Eastern Michigan’s parking system has seen some changes, including a new bus route and new regulations on where you can park. In a press release from Director of Media Relations, Geoff Larcom, the details of the new route were outlined.

Focus on strength, not faults

By Neil Weinberg · Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011

Think about your life 10 years ago. Some of you were in second grade. Some of you were in the same jobs you are today.

Campaign Pain

By Chris Hoitash · Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is considered by many to be the most likely person to have a chance against President Obama in the 2012 election.

Creationism not fit topic to teach

By Patrick Seick · Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011

“Should public schools teach evolution?” This was the prompt provided to 51 delegates in a Miss USA 2011 interview.

Spill leaves black mark

By Jesse Peck · Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011

It’s been a little more than a year since a pipeline owned by Enbridge Energy broke and spilled more than 840,000 gallons of tar sands oil into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River.

Conservatives arithmetic is all wrong

By James Tatum · Friday, Aug. 26, 2011

I have several bad memories from math class where I would walk to the front of the class countless times only to hear my arithmetic was wrong.

Let's blow up Social Security

By Neil Weinberg · Friday, Aug. 26, 2011

It’s been a tremendously fun summer if you love watching the following activities: brinksmanship, showmanship, talk show host meltdowns and screaming.

America expanded highways with capitalism

By Clement Daly · Monday, June 27, 2011

Fifty-five years ago this Wednesday, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, clearing the way for the “greatest public works project in history” — the U.S.

Sun protection not so simple

By Jumanah Saadeh · Monday, June 27, 2011

Summer is here, and with it comes the golden sun and our mothers’ admonishments to constantly apply sunscreen.

It's a break, use it as one

By Jesse Peck · Monday, June 27, 2011

We finally made it to the brief respite between semesters. We’ll all be getting our grades from the spring semester, and I think I can speak for the majority in saying we’re glad it’s behind us.

Choose a better role model

By Neil Weinberg · Monday, June 27, 2011

Think about the people you root for and support. Think about the people your children look up to or the people your siblings try to emulate.

Reduce need for foreign oil

By Chris Hoitash · Monday, June 20, 2011

Fracking, besides a misspelling of a curse word from Battlestar Galactica, is also being seen by some as a solution to both the world’s dwindling crude oil supply and America’s lust for oil. It will inevitably prove the creators of the Fallout video games are prophets.

Bring our troops back

By Sammy DeMarco · Monday, June 20, 2011

As summer cranks up and we approach the middle year, it is easy to forget President Obama made a promise to draw down troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2011. It appears this will be another promise made to be broken.